Termyn8or
Posts: 18681
Joined: 11/12/2005
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Find out if she has a MIDI port. Most addon soundcards do but I dunno about laptops, you need to check. If it has it there are more options, as said, at the music store.
A used even full 88 key unit that connects to the MIDI interface might cost three hundred, but you can get a stand alone Casio Previa for not much more. I'll tellya, that is not a bad idea. I bought one and I have never heard anything so small that sounded so much like a real piano. It has it's own speakers but can be plugged in of course. And if she just gets the MIDI keyboard she will need the voices installed in the PC and also have a qualiy sound system hooked up to it to get a decent output. Or is she going to play piano on those little two inch speakers ?
Casio Previas are selling like hotcakes, full 88 weighted and touch sensitive keys and a very good audio subsection and speakers. Perfect for a dorm or small apartment. Mine gets connected via the headphone jack to a six hundred watt stereo on Saturdays, and it sounds great. I paid 500 for mine,and of course later found out they could be had cheaper, but also found that they were different models. My exact model might have dropped fifty bucks, but there are other models that cost like 300.
Yup 300 for a full 88 key. Mine has a MIDI interface but I don't know really how to use it yet, maybe I never will, in my current situation I just don't need it to interface with the PC. Ask her why she wants that instead of a full fledged keyboard. She might have a reason for wanting that specifically, only she can say. I would highly recommend asking her.
I am pretty sure mine has the MIDI interface if that's what she wants. Before you buy, I'll get you the exact model number. They came out with cheaper models, but my owner's manual is pretty damn thick.
I would have paid a thousand for mine, but not really, only because f my financial situation, 500 was OK, a thousand I would not pay, not because it's not worth it, but because this is discretionary spending. Thing is I was so impressed when I checked it out I told the salesman, "Get the box". It is very close to playing a real piano, and all it takes is the wallwart to provide 12V. That means it can be made to run in a car, camper, RV, anything with a lighter plug. An adapter could easily be made.
It is loud enough on it's own to play with an acoustic guitar, and many times it did when it was here. Right now it is at my buddy's house in a virtually soundproof room.
If you get one of these, just because I am almost an engineer, try not to turn it upside down, in fact I would keep it level. There are weights in there and you don't want to screw them up. Feeling the action of the keys, I think that like a real piano, there are no springs. If you send her one, tell her to check every key and that they all feel the same. That is how it is supposed to be. If anything is wrong, get it replaced under warranty.
The other question, does she play or is she just starting out ? If she already plays I think she would appreciate a Previa.
Spend money wisely, ask her, a Previa might get her what she really wants. Maybe she just found out you can get keyboards that only play through the computer and is trying to take it easy on you. With a Previa she can have what she really wanted but wouldn't ask for because of cost. Real electric pianos run up into the tens of thousands of dollars. This thing is damn good for 500. It even has a sustain pedal.
I'd run it by her, Maybe "How would you just like a REAL keyboard/digital piano ?".
Mine can record what is played in MIDI format, play it back while you record a second track and I think it can put out a MIDI signal, although it doesn't seem to have USB. Does she really need it in the PC ? At this point we don't know.
And as a Parent I would be happy that she wants to play music. I think it is a sign of higher intelligence. I would tend to want to accomodate her. That's what Parents are for. See music is math without numbers, they put numbers to it, but that means nothing. If she wants to explore in that area I would help. Just find out what she needs/wants so you don't waste a bunch of money.
T
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