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Keyboard for Beginner

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The Portrait Piano:
Good question & yes there's a big big difference. Touch sensitive just means you can play softly/ loudly whilst weighted keys imitate the hammer action of a real accoustic piano. The biggest difference will be noticed when playing quickly, with weighted keys each note will sound clear & crisp whilst the alternative will sound blurred. Hope this helps.

Ps: a quick google search revealed the newer Casio ctk-5000 is only touch sensitive, really annoying. If you go for Casio, see if they have the 2010 model 2nd hand.

Yodasdad:
Depends what you want to use the keyboard for as to whether you want weighted keys.

If you're a piano player, you'll want weighted keys.
If you're planning on learning piano, you'll want weighted keys.
If you want it to feel like a piano rather than a keyboard, you'll want weighted keys.

If you want the piano playing you record to sound more realistic, you'll want weighted keys, but only if you're used to playing with weighted keys already.

If you just want the keyboard to act as a midi controller and trigger others sounds, you probably don't need weighted keys.

Weighted keys are great if piano is the primary purpose but can actually get in the way of getting a realist sound/phrasing/articulation from other instruments. For example with things like strings and organ, you often want a smooth and perhaps fast transition between the keys. This can be difficult with weighted keys, especially if your not used to playing with them.

If I'm recoding strings or organ, I'll nearly always switch from my digital piano to the midi keyboard.

Hope this is useful.

Yodasdad.

Martinswede:
Like @Yodasdad so articulately said weighted keys are more away of simulating a piano feel.
If you're used to acoustic pianos you might want to be able to rest your hands just slightly on the keys without involuntarily pressing them down. Touch-sensitive on the other hand is a must.

As @Boydie suggested the second hand market is something worth checking out. The best way to find decent quality for a decent price. Also look for a stand that you're comfortable sitting at. I've always found the X versions to be just where I'd want my knees to be.

Martin

jacksimmons:
You guys have been very very helpful so I thank you for that. The weighted key/touch-sensitive thing has been boggling me and you've all cleared it up nicely. I am after weighted keys because I am hoping to actually learn keyboard/piano, rather than just use it as a MIDI controller. I did a bit of looking around and some research and have opted for this from Gear4Music.

https://www.gear4music.com/Keyboards-and-Pianos/SDP-2-Stage-Piano-by-Gear4music/1D57

It's coming tomorrow. I have a 30-Day Returns window so if any of you see this and pull your hair out because I've made a massive mistake, let me know haha

The Portrait Piano:
Great find Jack 👍

Man the instrumental market's getting pretty cut throat with retailers getting into selling own brand stuff.

I agree with the others that if you were looking for inputting different kind of sounds then a keyboard with weighted keys could impede creating realistic sounds of other instruments.  However for learning actual piano there's no substitute in my opinion.

I think it's great you're gone for a full sized keyboard, you'll be able to move onto more versatile tunes without needing to upgrade.

The only thing I'd say is that you'll do well to try it before buying if possible, otherwise search for a demo on youtube. The quality of the grand piano sound can vary a lot.

Law

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