Difficulty Adjusting To Weighted Action

[dama]

I bought my Px-5s in December. I have to say that I agree with everyone in saying how great this keyboard is, so many interesting features and sounds.

 

I'm really having difficulty getting use to the weighted action though and I been getting a lot of soreness in my hands after playing it. I didn't really notice it when trying it out in the stores and I can't understand exactly tell what's going on. My hands would occasionally bother me from time to time when using my Nord Electro 3, which has semi-weighted keys, but now I'm getting consistent pain and strain and my hands and knuckles get red.

 

My intent was to buy a weighted action keyboard to play more expressively and use it for the piano and Ep sound and use the Nord for the organs, etc. The Nord is so springy for the acoustic pianos. Also the 25lbs is to max I want to carry up and down stairs.

 

I'd really hate to have to sell it and I'm still hoping to get use to it. This post is no way a knock to the Px-5s quality, but rather due to my own condition. I did try the cheaper Yamaha p-35 which seemed easy to play, but I felt I might not get the real weighted experience and the features were very limited.

 

I have set the action to "light". Could anyone recommend a Velocity setting or something that would make the action even lighter.

[Jokeyman123]

Set velocity response to "!" in functions menu which gives the lightest response possible. Are you a piano player? If you are, then what you may be feeling which is different than an acoustic piano is the sudden dead stop on key bottoming out. I've added extra piano felt under several of my keybeds to try to cushion this effect but it will not help much if your technique involves alot of hard playing. An acoustic has (usually) a much softer response at bottom of key travel since a felt hammer is striking strings and has more "give" once the hammer hits unlike most digitals.  Not much you can do except adjust your technique. If you are not coming from piano and have always played spring action keyboards, might want to get a piano instructor or any player with acoustic piano technique to give some tips before you wreck your wrists or fingers which is possible with any piano, digital or otherwise.

[Display Name]

I bought my Px-5s in December. I have to say that I agree with everyone in saying how great this keyboard is, so many interesting features and sounds.

 

I'm really having difficulty getting use to the weighted action though and I been getting a lot of soreness in my hands after playing it. I didn't really notice it when trying it out in the stores and I can't understand exactly tell what's going on. My hands would occasionally bother me from time to time when using my Nord Electro 3, which has semi-weighted keys, but now I'm getting consistent pain and strain and my hands and knuckles get red.

 

My intent was to buy a weighted action keyboard to play more expressively and use it for the piano and Ep sound and use the Nord for the organs, etc. The Nord is so springy for the acoustic pianos. Also the 25lbs is to max I want to carry up and down stairs.

 

I'd really hate to have to sell it and I'm still hoping to get use to it. This post is no way a knock to the Px-5s quality, but rather due to my own condition. I did try the cheaper Yamaha p-35 which seemed easy to play, but I felt I might not get the real weighted experience and the features were very limited.

 

I have set the action to "light". Could anyone recommend a Velocity setting or something that would make the action even lighter.

 

You may want to try adjusting the velocity in the tones themselves.. ie. making them less sensitive (not quite like an organ but less like a piano).. maybe that will help? Good liuck!

[User 29303]

of course you can also use an external Midi Keyboard....from fatar or other brands and playing the Px5 Sound by midi......

[Jokeyman123]

Sorry-an error in my earlier post-I don't know how to adjust the PX5S velocity response, I was thinking of the PX-350,  my bad. Height adjustment-right, got to have the wrists at the right level for any keyboard as above posts already describe.  I agree-might not be bad idea to get some medical attention before you do more and possibly irreversible damage, gotta keep those hands healthy. I have repetitive stress injury in one hand and if I don't work on correct playing technique constantly, my hand will freeze up, it's not fun. 

[Joe Muscara]

I would suggest making sure your technique and your positioning is correct. If you are unfamiliar with proper position for keyboard-playing (arm, wrist, shoulder, legs if seated), there is lots of info to be found online. If you don't have experience with piano technique, there is info online about that as well, but you'll probably need a mirror, a video camera, or a teacher to see what you might be doing incorrectly.

 

If all those things turn out to be okay and you still have a problem, it may just be that there's something not right about the PX-5S action for you. Some of the suggestions above may help, but only you can say.

[dama]

Thanks everyone for your replies and advice. I know the first thing I need to do is take a break from playing altogether and even stop using the computer. Hopefully the soreness and inflammation will clear up. If not I'll seek medical help. The thought of a chronic condition is scary. I'm also an artist. I do have bad posture in general, medically speaking it's, Scoliosis and Kyphosis. I'll try to correct this to my best ability and seek out better technique also.

 

If you are, then what you may be feeling which is different than an acoustic piano is the sudden dead stop on key bottoming out. I've added extra piano felt under several of my keybeds to try to cushion this effect but it will not help much if your technique involves alot of hard playing. An acoustic has (usually) a much softer response at bottom of key travel since a felt hammer is striking strings and has more "give" once the hammer hits unlike most digitals.

 

Jokeyman, I found your sharing about the "bottom of key travel" interesting. The Px-5s might be too hard for my hands. I like the idea of softening it by adding piano felt to it. I'm hesitant to do that because if it still didn't help, I would have changed the keyboard and might void the warranty. It could also make it more difficult to sell, if that was what I needed to do.

 

I do believe I had less difficulty playing an acoustic piano and some other digital models that have a little softer keybed and a little less key travel. I guess like take first things first in trying to correct this situation. I also welcome any other comments.

 

Thanks! Steve

[Veselin]

Hi dama

 

Try setting higher hammer response in

edit - stage setting - common - hammer response.

 

In fact, try this combination. I think I've achieved a pretty close result with it. Test it out for yourself.

 

-Mike Martin's concert V2 stage setting

-edit - stage setting - common - hammer response = 3

-sys settings - general - touch = light

-stock grand piano sound

 

cheers

[cpcohen]

. . . . If you are not coming from piano and have always played spring action keyboards, might want to get a piano instructor or any player with acoustic piano technique to give some tips before you wreck your wrists or fingers which is possible with any piano, digital or otherwise.

 

+1 !!!!

 

Piano lessons -- for correct hand position and touch -- are cheaper than physiotherapy.  If your knuckles are getting red, you're _really_ mis-treating your hands.

 

.             Charles

[Jokeyman123]

Yes Dama you are right about warranty (I didn't say I did this on the PX-350 wink, wink!) And it doesn't solve the problem completely for me but it does reduce the shock a little. I wouldn't do any mods unless you've had prior successful experience with this kind of thing.and tremendous patience-I don't.  I've learned more out of sheer need rather than a "burning desire!" Fortunately the mechanism in the PX is such that if I avoid a "dead-stroke" with my technique, and adjust sensitivity to require less velocity as suggested in this post, it is better than some.

 

Very difficult doing this type of mod-see my horribly detailed description in this forum of how I did this with my XW-P1 which I also found to be tough on my hands when hitting key bottom. I put a fairly thick strip of felt under these keys. Purchased the XW used so was not concerned about warranty coverage, was more concerned about my hands.  Since XW keys are not weighted, the stress on my hands is not as great and the felt provides a softer sensation (and quiets the clunking) but I still found the action hard at key bottom unless I altered my technique, not so easy.

 

To duplicate the hammer action of a real piano would require a mechanism that releases the key hammer at key bottom (escapement mchanism) which is why a real piano has a cushioning feel when depressing the keys. Not trying to be a know-it-all but as a school music teacher years back I used to have to tune and repair my own dreadful school uprights when the school wouldn't give me funding to hire a pro piano tuner, why I started using electronic stuff on that gig! Hope this helps, sometimes just knowing stuff makes life a little easier.

[Hugh O Kelly]

At whatever you are doing,you are getting pain

then you must be doing it wrong.

 

I had a similar problem

but I got a new wife

 

All is fine now !

 

Piano lessons is a must

[dama]

I will use those stage settings, thanks! I'm on my second day of not playing my keyboards and it's depressing. My hands are only slightly less painful at best. I realize that taking care of them is top priority now.

 

When the pain subsides I will look into piano lessons for better technique and posture.

 

Any ideas of what type of piano lessons or type of teacher to look for? Should I be prepared to start from square one? I'm willing to try whatever it takes though.

[Hugh O Kelly]

A good classical teacher who will teach you not only scales in every key but how to sit and hold your hands properly

If she is pretty and you end up holding her hand,

thats no good

You won't learn much about playing piano.

[Display Name]

I will use those stage settings, thanks! I'm on my second day of not playing my keyboards and it's depressing. My hands are only slightly less painful at best. I realize that taking care of them is top priority now.

 

When the pain subsides I will look into piano lessons for better technique and posture.

 

Any ideas of what type of piano lessons or type of teacher to look for? Should I be prepared to start from square one? I'm willing to try whatever it takes though.

 

 

I would ask around at local piano/music stores.. the local schools music teachers may have some suggestions as well... maybe even the local church? Make sure you "audition" them and make sure they can help you with all your issues. Good luck! 

[dama]

Good idea, thanks Scott. I'll check Sam Ash and GC also. I've jotted down some numbers of local teachers and small music schools in the area. Auditioning them and noting if they will be able to help with these issues.

 

Some things I already know and need to work on. I do tend to hit the keys too hard and I play with too much tension. I guess I feel I need to "catch up" to a better level of playing, since I took a 30 yr abstinence and began playing with a bands a few years ago. Also weighted keys are larger and my hands stretch out more, so this isn't as easy as I thought it would be to get used to.

 

During the summer I was treated for tendinitis. I went to physical therapy. They concentrated more on my posture and less on hand symptoms. I need to get more serious with doing the exercises again and some warm up exercises.

[Hugh O Kelly]

My piano teacher 

I knew her in about 1978

Notice how she adjusts her seat

 

 

 

 

She's a concert pianist

so get the best you can

Its worth it

[dama]

Yes. She sits halfway on the seat and has good alignment. Also noticed around some.

[Hugh O Kelly]

When she played Scott Joplin ,he sat up in his grave to listen,

boy is she good.

[Gmul]

Gotta love ya Hugh. Legend