Hi, we have a very old (20 years+) Korg C3500 digital home piano, 88 keys. The sound generation is very dated (loads of digital buzz when you play on headphones) but the key weighting etc. Still seems nice.My son is the main player, and he's really fussy (he has piano lessons on a real acoustic grand - a 1960s Bechstein - then comes home & says the Korg is lousy). He's working towards Grade 6, and is developing a nice touch.He's tried various digital pianos in shops e.g. Print and cut silhouette cameo. Roland, Yamaha, newer Korgs and he says none of them feel 'real', not even the £5000+ Clavinovas. So spending £2000 on a new digital seems a waste.We've looked at acoustic uprights, but you definitely get what you pay for, and there are all the disadvantages e.g. Needs tuning, much more space, probably needs to go on the ground floor (The Korg is on the 1st floor at the moment and we're short of space).Is it worth us trying to get more out of the old Korg piano using Pianoteq?In which case I guess we're looking at:£100 for Pianoteq Play£30 for a USB Midi interface£100 for some better active 2+1 loud speakerspossibly £60 for a low latency USB sound cardPlus optionally £300 for a laptop to make it work without having the main PC onComments and recommendations welcome!Thanks in advance.
I have a very old digital keyboard, also. It is a Korg DP-3000c. The sound is miserable on this keyboard and I have found that Pianoteq has made a big difference for me. It has actually improved the feel on the keyboard for me, just because the software behaves so much like the real thing. However, my keyboard is not quite like the real thing and never will be. I am used to it, however, and it seems to be O.K.
I think Pianoteq would be worth considering.One thought, you might try out the evaluation version of Pianoteq for free. There is a time limit and some keys are disabled, but if you did this, you might only need to purchase a midi-cable. This would keep your costs down while you decide if going this route will be helpful. Thanks for the replies.
A USB midi cable arrived yesterday, plugged it in and it works great. The piano sound and 'feel' seem much improved to me. Now to see whether my son likes it!
So much better than the old Korg sound generation.ASIO4ALL runs nicely on my main computer and is allowing me to set 256 samples latency which seems to give good playability. Should I try to push the value even lower?If I get a dedicated laptop to run Pianoteq, is modern on-board sound OK, or would that be a really bad idea? Any particular chipsets known to be good or bad with ASIO4ALL?
I think the on board sound for a laptop is acceptable, though perhaps not as high quality as what is possible. I have been using Pianoteq for 4 years or so on two different laptops with just the internal sound board and am happy with the sound quality. I have been using ASIO4ALL in both cases without any issues.I have seen other threads in this forum where people have recommended purchasing an external sound card, which provides better sound quality. I have not tried this as I have not felt the need, so I don't have personal experience there. I recommend reviewing those discussions.Also, there has been much discussion on having low latency in other threads of this forum.
Might be worth looking at those, too. I think latency ought to be set based on what feels right to the pianist and based on the capabilities of the computer.My current set up is I am using an HP TX-1000 tablet computer to run Pianoteq. I am also using the tablet features of this computer to allow me to display music on the screen and write notes on the music electronically.
There are good websites available for downloading classical music for free, which I use. It works fairly well, though sometimes the sound stutters when changing pages (using a foot controller to change pages), so it might not be best for live performances, but is fine for practicing.
At any rate, be careful not to purchase any second hand laptops that have NVIDIA chips for displaying graphics, because these chips have a design flaw that causes premature failure of the graphics chips in the laptops, which is happening on my machine. Here is a website that lists the affected computers and a class action settlement that is on going: Other than that, I am not aware of any concerns when using a laptop with Pianoteq.
Best Korg Digital Piano & Best Korg Electronic KeyboardSince the company was established in 1963, Korg has grown to be a big name in the musical instrument industry, reputed for their provision of high quality and often unique instruments that have inspired musicians all around the globe. They have, on the odd occasion, been inventors and innovators within their field, and are responsible for more than a few of the synthetic sounds that we know and love nowadays.From amplifiers to accessories they have you covered, and their online store is a bit of a one-stop-shop for all your musical essentials. What started in the sixties as a company specialising in synthesised sounds has outgrown its roots and become something entirely more refined, able to produce both the instruments and the IT technology that will make you get the most from your sound. Today we are going to take a closer look at a choice selection of their wide range of Korg Digital Pianos, aimed at both professional musicians and amateurs alike.Related:What are the Best Korg Digital Pianos to Buy?
Korg specialises in their advancement and improvement of electronic sound, and this might be the seed that brought their Digital Piano range to life. With a special blend of talent and drive the Korg team have gone above and beyond to try and bring the that money can buy into the market, and to make them accessible to all.They have an attention to the dulcet tones of the music that ordinary musical engineers do not have. Buying Korg product means that you will be investing in a product that you can expect to last, and while other companies might be cheaper they simply don’t have the same quality of sound or meticulous attention to detail.In this buyers guide, it is our intention to be as honest as we can be, to highlight the good and bad points of each Korg piano and to try to direct you towards the one that will best suit your individual needs.Though each product is of the highest professional quality, they differ in many ways, from size to style, price to mobility, to name but only a few.
Let us take a closer look at ten of the extensive and impeccably crafter Korg Digital Piano range. 10 Best Korg Digital Piano Reviews. The PA600 includes the Knox keyboard bench and headphones, plus foot pedal. It has advanced sound engines with DNC (digital noise-cancelling) abilities to give realistic, vivid sounds as if it were not completely electronic. It also plays affluently thanks to its installed PCM (Pulse-code modulation) enhancer that alters the music notes into over 900 different tones with a mix of 64 drum beats, giving the guitar-to-bass-to-drum audio allusion, but from the piano.The PA600 has an interface and new functions for chord improvement while playing it.
In addition, the piano is sound fitted with acoustic stereo sampling including the use of the steel pedal. Whatever is made, the piano can save the sound creation for any performance with it.The sound quality, in particular, is notable with its stereo master sound effect processors including using delayed and chorus tones, plus the guitar-based sounds that very much reminisces an actual guitar. Another great feature with the PA600 is the user buying different musical sounds from different countries around the world to globally infuse all the sounds at once.In addition, there is 96MB of memory to add in any accumulated sounds, including the SongBook database with the recall of all songs listed, giving strong wave memory.
Korg Concert 5000 Review 2018
It is a fairly slim instrument that packs a punch with sound with smartphone-like intelligence. It has the full 88 keys with a stand, open pedal, and bench. It is not complex and can be moved around; it features the essentials of an easy keyboard with a solid sound, including utilization of secondary tones (Sound) including the harp, pipe organ, strings, and two piano tones.Piano play mode allows users to access classic piano sound.
The open pedal is perfect to give the classic piano feel when playing and has a rubber bottom that holds into the floor while playing; connection includes a six-foot plug and nine-watt amplifier. For new players, the SP-170S has the power switch and volume knob on the front for easy use, plus three levels of touch: light, standard, and heavy.The keyboard is constructed like a normal piano using Natural Weighted Hammer Action that involves a heavy feel on deeper tones and lighter with higher tones. Reverb and chorus sound effects give players a comfort of playing like if it was an acoustic piano with its two speakers that reverberate high quality.In addition, there are two headphone jacks in the back for private dual-sound playing, as well as to connect to a portable recorder.
The X-Stand is built with 1-inch tubing and quintuple position setting knob for strength and height adjustment. The seat, built to take 250 lbs, is made with steel and a cushion for comfort. It comes in two colors: black and white.
The Korg SV with Vintage sound is the ideal Digital Piano for the retro instrumentalist. With 36 of the most desired vintage sounds included, you get more choice than most vintage keys can offer. With a substantial total of 88 keys, this Piano is a decent size for your average mobile musician.When you buy you get a damper pedal, a stand as optional and a bag to keep it all in – which is always great if you are in and out of gigging all the time. To me, this Digital Piano was more aimed towards the travelling musician – although it would still look good at home.It has a professional feel to it that most with-stand keys just don’t have. This doesn’t look like a kiddies plaything, it looks like a pro instrument. That’s probably the thing we like best about it.
The fact that it has the all-important input and output sockets, along with space for a headphone jack. Take our advice and never ever invest in a keyboard without a headphone connect The neighbours get really angry, really quicklyEspecially if you are a drunken musician like many.This model operates with single functions switches and knobs and buttons in much the same way as an early 00’s keyboard might have. It’s cute, and fun, and would suit any number of pop themed gigs (which are coming back into the trend this season with the revival of bands like Steps.)It’s also a great conversation starter if your mates are all keyboard players.
We will recommend this model for those of you who need a decent instrument that can travel well, and move on to another review if you are looking for an ornament for your living room. The Korg SP Digital Piano (with a built-in speaker) is the Digital Piano in our review that is easy to transport and scores highly in the ‘mobility’ department.