Whats a GREAT keyboard for live performance?

[Neugie92]

Going on tour and looking for a great live keyboard to use. Dont need too many fancy sounds mostly looking for a real authentic piano feel and touch. Price isnt a factor but mobility is so preferably something that can be carried and placed on a stand.

[king2070lplaya]

Nord electro. I think Nord Stage is even better for piano feel

[hbphotoav]

Our guys really like the Roland RD700NX. Us FOH guys like it 'cause it had a pair of clean XLR outputs. Also has great modeled sounds... and a nicely weighted keyboard (from what they say... I used to play trombone...)

It's both rather large (full 88 keys, 55 lbs), and a bit pricey, but it sounds great. I have no trouble moving it from its case to a heavy X-Brace and back... read about it here: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/keybo...RWXGB&ZYXSEM=0

HB

[MaTr1x2051]

I use a Kawai MP8II and it can't be beat for tone and feel. But you pay for that in weight... the real wooden piano keys that are used in the action make this sucker weigh about 85 pounds. If you have two people to carry it, its the best stage piano I've played... otherwise it's a bit beastly to carry around alone.

The Roland RD700NX came in second place for me, still a great stage piano with a great sound and feel.

[ChrisJohnsonUK]

Originally Posted by hbphotoav

Our guys really like the Roland RD700NX. Us FOH guys like it 'cause it had a pair of clean XLR outputs. Also has great modeled sounds... and a nicely weighted keyboard (from what they say... I used to play trombone...)

I have to say, i have never found the balanced outputs of any keyboard to sound particularly good. And i certainly have never had any Roland with particularly clean outputs!

My favorite from a sound perspective is the Nord gear. The sounds are great, with a good selection of pianos. They now also have the Nord Piano with super crazy sampled piano sounds and supposidly excellent weighting...

Just my 0.02

[staycrunchy]

I was recommended and tried out the Kurzweil sp2x and was massively disappointed. The feel was okay cos at least there were nice meaty heavy keys to actually play some real music but the 'legendary' grand piano sounds were weak, really weak. Still trying to find the right one for me and its starting to be very annoying. I know I can utilise my computer and EWQL pianos and trigger with the keyboard but that's not always possible. Bring on a decent set of keys

[hbphotoav]

Originally Posted by ChrisJohnsonUK

I have to say, i have never found the balanced outputs of any keyboard to sound particularly good. And i certainly have never had any Roland with particularly clean outputs!
...
Just my 0.02

All I know is, after a series of player-owned M-Audio, Yamaha and Korg boxes through Radial DIs, the Roland sounds better through its direct XLRs. So much so that, after a 3-day worship-leader conference gig about a year ago, where we had a "demo/loaner" onstage... we gladly paid a "C"-stock price for it. I can't vouch for it in a studio situation, but it works very well in our 1000-seat room.

Different strokes. I'll see your 0.02, and raise you a nickel...

[Roland]

Originally Posted by ChrisJohnsonUK

I have to say, i have never found the balanced outputs of any keyboard to sound particularly good. And i certainly have never had any Roland with particularly clean outputs!

My favorite from a sound perspective is the Nord gear. The sounds are great, with a good selection of pianos. They now also have the Nord Piano with super crazy sampled piano sounds and supposidly excellent weighting...

Just my 0.02

+1

[satissounds]

Korg SV-1. I have one. Great piano and truely excellent Fender Rhodes sounds. I have the 73 key version.

[santibanks]

Kawai digital piano's all the way! MP5/6, MP8 (wooden keys). Very good touch, very good sounds (love the acoustic and the rhodes, very playable).

[Masaaki]

As to the real touch and feel of piano, Roland V-Piano and Yamaha CP-1 get my vote. I own Roland RD700GX w/ Supernatural expansion, which was the second choice. V-Piano is heavy, somewhere around 80 or 90 pound, but it's much better than older days, like Yamaha CP80. I was a stage crew back in 80s, and I guess CP80 was 200 lb?? Maybe 150 lb, but man...it WAS heavy.

p.s. 50lb stage piano is "light" in my book. Of course, you need "kids" to take care of.

[Dave Ferris]

If you are talking an acoustic piano substitute only, sound and touch are very subjective. Style of music is another consideration. A lot depends on the quality of speakers you're using too.

I've tried 'em all, extensively, and fwiw I think the Yamaha CP5 (CP1 even better) and Nord Piano 88 are the two best..at least for what I do...Jazz. The Roland 700NX is their best DP imo, very good but my preference still are with the CP5 & NP88.

Two different colors totally. The CP5 has a softer sound to it, the Nord probably harsher but more realistic in certain contexts. For me the action and playability of the CP5 easily trumps the Nord. However Nord has a heavier Fatar action for the NP 88 then they do their Stage 2. I find a good connection between the sound and action on the NP 88, it's certainly playable and will do the job more then fine.

Portability goes to the NP 88 hands down. It's 39 lbs. It has the best sound, best build quality of any sub 40 lb. 88 keyboard. Plus it's not wide like most 88 boards, takes up less room in tight spaces.

Another BIG + for the Nord-they are constantly working to improve their samples via input from players. They've come out with a new Bosendorfer sample which the XLR version is 196 mg. Sounds great for solo stuff. Also a Yamaha Bright Grand that cuts through well live over bass & drums....that's 196 mg too. So if in a month at NAMM they come out with even a newer sample , you can delete anything in the board and download it from the Clavia website.

The EPs on the Nord are excellent too. Only surpassed by the EPs on the new, but build quality plagued, Korg Kronos.

At this point I'm using the Nord on probably 85% of my gigs due to the portability factor. I'm 58 and have been humping this stuff around for 44 years. The Nord makes my life WAY easier has a freelance, gigging musician.

Here are some Jazz sound samples of the NP & CP5 done a tad over a year ago BEFORE the newer samples were released.

Yamaha with canned drums of the CP5
Groovin' High /Yamaha CP5 Test by Dave Ferris on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Nord with drums (disclaimer-on this I mistakenly did not pan the nord on the console, it was midnight after a long day )
Groovin' High/ Nord Piano Test by Dave Ferris on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Solo piano-Yamaha
"In Your Own Sweet Way" / Yamaha CP-5 Test by Dave Ferris on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Solo piano-Nord Piano
In Your Own Sweet Way ( Dave Brubeck) / Nord Piano Test by Dave Ferris on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

edit--The new Kawais are nice too-the MP6 and heavier MP10.

[bcgood]

I like the sounds in the Kurzweil PC3K8

[AB3]

I like the latest Roland piano sound the best. It is in the fp7f and the rd700nx. I think it is call "supernatural" or something like that. It is a great piano sound.
I have a Roland RD700GX with the supernatural expansion. I also have the
FP7f. I also have a Steinway grand. I have been playing piano for 51 years. I think I can safely recommend the Rolands. I am not aware of a noisy output on either of the two Rolands I mentioned. Only problem - they are not light. BUT if you want a great piano action - it is hard to find in a light digital piano.

[PlugHead]

IMO the Nord (Stage) is one of the best for piano sounds and action. They got it right...

[waxx]

I would also recommend the nord piano 88 or stage 88 or an Roland RD700NX. They both sound like a piano (not the plastic variation of it) and have the real feel is told to me by experienced piano players i know. Both are also light enough to be pratical on tour.

The old Korg M1 is also popular among them, but does sound like a digital piano, not the real deal...