Heavy Velocity Setting -- Worth Investigating

[McMick]

Pretty much since I've owned this keyboard I've had a problem like a few others in that the action feels great at first, but if I play for a good amount of time, it's too heavy. In response to this, I just went ahead and set the velocity in general settings to light. That way I could hopefully hit the keys a little more lightly and still get full sound. But lately, I've found that I prefer the heavy setting for one reason: expressiveness.

 

In the light mode, it's much more difficult to exert control over the *loudness* of each note, whereas in the heavy setting you get a lot more room to work with, and can make very delicate notes along with very hard ones. So if you're like me and the action on this piano is a too heavy, try putting in the practice and exercises to get your hand strength up (assuming you don't have any conditions preventing you from doing so), and try the heavy setting. I think it works better even than normal for giving that little bit of extra room for more expressiveness.

[Jokeyman123]

I agree. And at least to me, this stiffer Privia action seems closer to the rather "weighty" keys on a good grand rather than an upright.  Why I think it is mandatory to do a variety of piano exercises before playing just about anything on these-Hanon, Czerny, scalesa arpeggios, anything to get your fingers ahnds and arms moving correctly. I too finally ended up with some carpal tunnel, the neurologist had no problem with my continuing to play piano, with some adjustments and it is not severe so far. Would have been much much worse but for one thing I learned a long time ago-from both my piano teachers and drum/percussion instructors which surely helped after all these years ,I can still play-keep my wrists fairly straight in relation to the keyboard or drum-why height adjustment of my seat is important. If I droop my hands down or up to reach and play with constant bent wrists-guaranteed you will cripple yourself, if not sooner definitely later.

[bob green]

I too like the heavy setting for getting the full range of expression from this keyboard, but I never felt the action itself was heavy. Then again, my former keyboard for practicing was a Yamaha P90.....that thing felt like someone poured molasses on the keys in comparison....

[Jokeyman123]

The newer CDPs are not much different-nice long key throw, not overly weighted but nicely so-very close to the PX's IMO. One of my students has one of the newer models, very nice actually.