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garlau
Published on 10/30/08 at 05:30
Not a lot of possibilities with this one. To me, it's a basic everyday keyboard.
UTILIZATION
The functions are sometimes a bit complicated.
The hammering actions of the keys is the closest I've felt to an acoustic piano - it really felt real. I borrowed this keyboard for 2 weeks, I used it constantly, and I sometimes felt like I was still playing my upright C3 Yamaha piano, which I had last used three weeks ago. It REALLY feels like a real piano under your fingers.
SOUNDS
It FEELS like a real piano...but it doesn't sound like one. The P140 is truly bizarre. It allows you to express yourself musically through your fingers, to truly express nuance and a light touch, just like a real piano. But the actual sound produced is pathetic. It seems that Yamaha wanted to make a piano that was sensitive to how it is played, and it is, but it reacts musically like a broken down, out-of-date cheap keyboard. With the P140, it's really easy to misplay the notes, turn all the music into noise, lose all ability to express nuance, etc ... In short, when it is played lightly, delicately, it sounds ugly.
On top of this, the amplification is horrible. And the fact that you can plug into an external amp does not make turn this into a jewel, far from it!
If you don't believe me, if you can, play it and record yourself playing. Then move back 2 meters, and listen to you what you have recorded. It'll sound just like a gramophone!
OVERALL OPINION
I compared the p140 with the Roland FP4, then bought the 2nd (I was able to borrow them both before buying). At first, I didn't hesitate: I wanted the p140, because it felt just like playing a real piano, and then I caught the awful quality of the sound (oddly though, the piano sounds are actually good enough; in fact, they're TOO precise, too mechanical, which is very different from an acoustic piano's depth of feeling and character). I think the P140 could have been an excellent piano, but they totally missed the chance. Let's say that Yamaha was very close to making a great device, but ultimately, to me, it fell flat.
I finally went over to the FP4, and I do not regret it (very important to know on this site).
Note that the hammering action in the p140 is much more pronounced in the bass.
This piano can still be useful for someone looking for a good way to practice building your finger muscles; it's a good way to work on your technique. But don't play this if anyone's around you, you'll look like a terrible player!
UTILIZATION
The functions are sometimes a bit complicated.
The hammering actions of the keys is the closest I've felt to an acoustic piano - it really felt real. I borrowed this keyboard for 2 weeks, I used it constantly, and I sometimes felt like I was still playing my upright C3 Yamaha piano, which I had last used three weeks ago. It REALLY feels like a real piano under your fingers.
SOUNDS
It FEELS like a real piano...but it doesn't sound like one. The P140 is truly bizarre. It allows you to express yourself musically through your fingers, to truly express nuance and a light touch, just like a real piano. But the actual sound produced is pathetic. It seems that Yamaha wanted to make a piano that was sensitive to how it is played, and it is, but it reacts musically like a broken down, out-of-date cheap keyboard. With the P140, it's really easy to misplay the notes, turn all the music into noise, lose all ability to express nuance, etc ... In short, when it is played lightly, delicately, it sounds ugly.
On top of this, the amplification is horrible. And the fact that you can plug into an external amp does not make turn this into a jewel, far from it!
If you don't believe me, if you can, play it and record yourself playing. Then move back 2 meters, and listen to you what you have recorded. It'll sound just like a gramophone!
OVERALL OPINION
I compared the p140 with the Roland FP4, then bought the 2nd (I was able to borrow them both before buying). At first, I didn't hesitate: I wanted the p140, because it felt just like playing a real piano, and then I caught the awful quality of the sound (oddly though, the piano sounds are actually good enough; in fact, they're TOO precise, too mechanical, which is very different from an acoustic piano's depth of feeling and character). I think the P140 could have been an excellent piano, but they totally missed the chance. Let's say that Yamaha was very close to making a great device, but ultimately, to me, it fell flat.
I finally went over to the FP4, and I do not regret it (very important to know on this site).
Note that the hammering action in the p140 is much more pronounced in the bass.
This piano can still be useful for someone looking for a good way to practice building your finger muscles; it's a good way to work on your technique. But don't play this if anyone's around you, you'll look like a terrible player!