Stepper

Thanks for taking the time to reply, Rod. That's all good stuff to know.

Great review. The CDP S100 was on sale in the US recently for about $350. So tempting. I enjoyed this review by Angelo Tsocos: https://youtu.be/y7jWW2Cch20

Jokeyman, thanks so much! Wonderful information, much appreciated. Yes, I've been watching lots of videos of pianists, observing their sitting position, elbow height in relation to keyboard, hand & wrist motions. So playing piano is not like typing, where the fingers act like little pistons pressing on keys. I can hardly wait to work in person with a teacher to smooth out the physical mistakes. Lest anyone think I'm a frail granny, I'm a long time cyclist, work out regularly with a kettlebell trainer, take spin classes, & can still do push ups. I knew there were a few aches in the hands lately, but was shocked how diving into learning piano set fingers, hands, wrists, elbows aflame. Mashing down on the keys several hours a day, no matter how much fun, taught me a lesson. Thank you again, Jokeyman, for your insights.

Hi Joe. No, I don't have an acoustic piano to try. Nor will I ever own an acoustic -- too impractical at this stage of my life. So it's not so much a desire to replicate the feel of a true piano, my concern is more about stresses on the hands, wrists, etc. Yes, I'm paying attention to technique! But with my 61 key board, I still have to quit early so as not to have soreness. My problem is improving as I strengthen. I think a keyboard with better action or response would help, hence my interest in the cdp S350. (Plus it has a good range of cool effects & features.)

Looks like there's enough room for a computer monitor too, for those of us using apps for music & wishing for something larger than a tablet.

What a great idea! Looks much neater too.

I'm a complete beginner. I have a Yamaha 61 key keyboard, but have already run into the difficulty of harder key presses near the fallboard & the problem of playing chords with black & white keys simultaneously because of differing weights (Can't play Bflat Major chord keys without unintended "grace notes.") I'm female, mid-60s, so maybe those of us with weaker, older hands have difficulty with these things. Anyway, I was thinking the CDP s350 would still be an improvement over my Yamaha, NP12, even though the CDP S line supposedly has the same issues. Given my age & level, I have no illusions that I will ever play like James Pavel Shawcross, so of course I don't have the same keyboard needs. But hand fatigue & arthritis irritation are real concerns. Is the CDP s350 key action a big step up from a typical 61 key keyboard? Or only a little better? ETA: getting to a store to testdrive these keyboards is difficult in my rural area.