Weighted, Synth Action, ...

[NiceKid]

My first keybords was a Roland XP-30. Then, now, I bought a Fantom X8. It's a bit difficult for me, no, not the interface, it'a rather hard for me to play with a weighted keys. But after some times, now, I feel , playing with weighted keys is so much fun, I can have more control, etc.

So this day, I take my XP-30 out from my closet. Clean it *dust dust dust!* and try to play it. Damn! It's so hard to play, I can't play even a simple passage.

So after a not-so-important story :biggrin: I have a question :

How do you maintain your skill over various keyboard type? (weighted, synth action, small-sized, etc)

[Athox]

Play them all. I have a weighted, a semi-weighted and a non-weighted keyboard.

But it's really about finding your style. Some people never touch weighted keyboards because they're comfortable with semi-weighted. If I hadn't started playing more classical music I wouldn't have bought a weighted keyboard... I don't regret it now, in fact I can play more precisely at high speeds with that than with the synth action keyboards... Also the muscles in my fingers have grown _a lot_ :biggrin:

[Staccato]

You will get the best technique with practicing weighted keys, and if your technique is proper and right you should not have any problem playing different kind of keytypes. Of course it doesn´t hurt playing different keystypes all the time so it is up to you how much time you want to practice.

[HammondToby]

You will get the best technique with practicing weighted keys, and if your technique is proper and right you should not have any problem playing different kind of keytypes.

Right. But some instruments (or keyboards) require a special technique: you can't play organ on pianokeys and vice verca. So I think it's best, to practice the right sounds on the dedicated keys... Or practice on the original instruments, if you have the opportunity.

Best regards
HammondToby

[Staccato]

Right. But some instruments (or keyboards) require a special technique: you can't play organ on pianokeys and vice verca. So I think it's best, to practice the right sounds on the dedicated keys... Or practice on the original instruments, if you have the opportunity.

Best regards
HammondToby

Very true, forgot thinking about organplaying!:P

[Athox]

You _can_ play organ-ish (organic? :tongue: ) on piano keys...

The only drawback is probably glissandos/smears, where you'd have to use a different technique, and thus get a slightly different sound.

But the weight of the keys aren't a real problem even for organ parts, once you get into it.

[Adilinar]

Ive been used to playing light weighted keys, but I recently got my Triton Extreme 88 and I find it I do have more control on the keys.

[Berrido]

My synth has lightweighted keys, but I've played in different kinds of keybeds, and I must say I've never had any problems playing weighted, semi-weighted and synth action keys...

Tough is funny the feeling when you pass from one to other in the same song or so :P

[keyslord]

I don't like light weighted keys.I don't feel them like the heavy weighted.Especially Triton Le's 76 keys.They suck!Also Kurzweil 88 keys like K2600X which I own one, don't have so heavy weighted keys like Korg or Yamaha keyboards with heavy weighted keys.Kurz's heavy weighted keys are between semi weighted and heavy weighted keys.

[Neofire72]

I'm a huge fan of weighted keys and much prefer the playing dynamics offered by them, i find the balanced hammer keys on the motif XS8 are quite heavy which suits me fine. The yamaha tyros arranger keyboard uses crappy light keys which don't feel great but they serve their purpose well and I use it at the same time with the motif.

Most guys in here seem to know their stuff and it's very true what they say, play them all, it's the best way.

[Litefinger]

Yeah... I think 90% of keyboardists are in agreement re: the weighted keys better expression issue.
I think for a lot of us its the weight issue of an 88 key or the price thats the determining factor, 88's are fun to play but a hell of a haul for a small rehersal etc.

[Semmi78]

I maintain my skills mostly on weighted keyboard. A step backwards to non-weigthed is not a problem. If you keep your skills on a non-weighted keyboard, you might get problems when playing a weighted one. Playing a weighted keyboard requires much more control over your fingers.

[Semmi78]

I maintain my skills mostly on weighted keyboard. A step backwards to non-weigthed is not a problem. If you keep your skills on a non-weighted keyboard, you might get problems when playing a weighted one. Playing a weighted keyboard requires much more control over your fingers.

[Dana]

It's not only about weighted or not. It's about the type of keyboard at all.

I have a CP33 with a very neat, piano like response as the bottom keyboard of my stack. I also do a lot of practicing on it, because the action is really very good.

If I practice a passage and then take it up on the waterfall of the xk3 just above, geez. That's a completely different thing. Not so much for the weight of the keys, but the sound is triggered right at the top of the key. The black keys are a lot easier to play on the organ, because they are wider and you don't need to apply as much force to get them down. Unfortunately, along with that, it is very difficult to play certain lines where your fingers normally would hit between two black keys, without at least one of them producing a sound, on the organ. But then again, that's what the organ sound is about, isn't it?

Next shock if I try to play the same lick on the Virus kc right on top of the stack. A light touch but solid type synthesizer keyboard. On this thing, very narrow black keys. Which is a good thing when playing leads in mono mode when you want to avoid getting your legato or staccato interrupted by additional keys. Unfortunately you'd be having a hard time playing an Eb minor pentatonic scale on this thing at fast pace.

Bottom line: If you play them, you have to practice on them. All of them.

As long as you're not doing something too fancy, you can play different styles on different keyboards. If I stack a Wurly sound onto my Hammond organ for solo purposes and I fade out the organ, then I continue to play that Wurly on the Waterfall (external zone gets velocity). And that works. If --- I practiced on it. :wink:

Regards

Dana

[sanchis]

FullWeighted keys ar better to practice speed, and gives you strenght and precision, to hit in the correct key and do not slip the fingers.
Then you can even play faster on a non-weighted keyboard.