The Forward Climb

    I just started 'Eine Kleine Nachtmusik' from Unit 3 - Lesson 3.  It's going to be a fun challenge. Not a lot of notes, It looks to be all about timing and rests and will take a lot of practice.

  I am still working on and getting better at 'Good Morning' and doing better yet on 'Ode to Joy'.  The point is, I am learning songs, and even though the lessons do get harder through the windshield going forward, they do not look so bad in the rear view mirror attained.

   So I keep going forward and learning knowing the mountains ahead are climbable. I may be slow, but I am not one to give up.

To play and what to play, that is the question.

To play and what to play, that is the question. 

 A comparison of three keyboards 

   By comparing and listening to music keyboards and digital pianos on Youtube I am forming opinions about their sounds as well as comparing features.  I want compare how much I am willing to spend to get the sound and features I like.  I have decided I want a Digital Piano rather than a Synthesized Keyboard for a more piano sound and feel.

    After expressing an interest in the Alesis Recital Keyboard($200) and Yamaha P45 Digital Piano($349) to Lisa.  She messaged me with a Youtu.be/E_-RYnhkuVQ comparison.  I do not know if they used the most comparable voices available and they were in two different rooms, but of what heard I must admit I liked the deeper voice used on the Digital Yamaha P45 I listened to since even better.  I have listened to many other videos separately of each piano using headphones for the clearest sound.  Other than the cost, a Yamaha consistently wins for me but an Alesis Recital is definitely the more affordable price.

   I will need to stick to these for cost reasons, it is only a hobby after to keep my brain active after all.  I have the 61 key eMedia Keyboard that works fine for now.  I do not need more than 61 keys quite yet.

    I want to learn to really play Piano including a few Theocratic songs before I invest in a Digital Piano.  But I do like the better sound of Digital Pianos more than the synthesized sound on the keyboard I have.  It has to be bad when my untrained ear can hear the difference by comparing on Youtube.  I look forward to having a better keyb… er… Digital Piano in our living room.  Sales happen, and I have time as I learn.   So I must be patient….. and learn.

Our 61-key eMedia Keyboard

Our 61-key eMedia Keyboard

Our 61 key eMedia KB outside during the summer of 2017 - Can't do that with an upright

After seeing our interest in learning to play, Jay L. brought us over a 61-key eMedia keyboard for us to practice on.  With some work we made a place for it to live inside our small place.   Our 61 key KB with middle C4 in the middle, starts at the C2 octave and goes to the C6 octave above with a last C7 note thrown in.  At my skill level this covers all the music I will be playing for quite some time.  As for the quality of this inexpensive KB, my ears do not know the difference in sound quality yet anyway. Will I ever get a KB longer than 61 keys?    I have chosen not to spend money on a KB.   If I ever get to the point I need more than 61 keys to play the music I learn to or my ear comes attuned enough so that my KB starts sounding off to me, and also, we have the funding THEN we may reconsider it.  As this KB is valued new for sale at $199.00 an upgrade would cost over $200.  I would wish to consider semi-weighted keys which are not really weighted at all just simulated to at least have a certain feel of it.  Compromises.

 

How about an upright?    The other option would be to find a decent used upright that often (at least for non-name brands) seem to really lose their value quickly but are still often in the hundreds.  Like many things I suppose, new players want a new piano that they know has no issues.  I can indeed understand that viewpoint and I would agree with it, if I we were flush with funding and played often enough to consider an upright.  For us though music is just a hobby to pass some time and to share with Friends.  This would also only be considered on the outside chance both Kathy and I started playing rather well.  An upright would take a bit more room than even the longer KB option.

I have played Kathy’s Mother Marion’s Kohler & Campbell upright console piano 1982- 780000  41" Satin Walnut  before while visiting.

Our Keyboard Pictures

  

We updated the set for our RAM Camera Mount for making progress videos on the KB .  The course teacher said she liked the setup and angle. (Left) Note: We since updated and mounted on the wall behind the keyboard, but the long horizontal plane made it very hard to keep tight.  So I attached the RAM mount to an extra music stand, see blog post

	We appreciate our keyboard from deep inside it’s heart. We Thank Jay for adding it to our lives.