Stage Pianos

[bass_dinger]

On 09/12/2025 at 17:12, SumOne said:

 

I could see it being a deal breaker for other people though seeing as a key target audience is people practising at home - lots will want to use apps like Flowkey and Simply Piano and that would requires the audio to go both out and back in via USB to listen on the ES-60 which isn't possible without it having an interface, or many will just want to practice with headphones on and be able to play along to backing tracks via an aux in or bluetooth which isn't possible either. There are possible workarounds but they are a faff and costly for most of the target audience e.g. Connect an external audio interface

 

So....let's see if the Kawai ES60 would work for me:

 

• I want to be able to listen to myself play, along with a YouTube track. 

 

• I want to be able to listen to myself play, alongside a midi track, and to record additional midi tracks, into Musescore.

 

• I want to use the keyboard to send midi to my EMU Classic Keys Module (which has Midi In, Midi Out and Midi Thru.

 

I have a Behringer UMC1820 interface with midi in and midi out (and 8 channels of line-in), plus a Kurzweil SP76 with "traditional" midi (two 5-pin DIN). Currently, the Behringer  UMC1820 is doing everything that I require, and which I listed above. 

 

[SumOne]

8 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

 

So....let's see if the Kawai ES60 would work for me:

 

• I want to be able to listen to myself play, along with a YouTube track. 

 

• I want to be able to listen to myself play, alongside a midi track, and to record additional midi tracks, into Musescore.

 

• I want to use the keyboard to send midi to my EMU Classic Keys Module (which has Midi In, Midi Out and Midi Thru.

 

I have a Behringer UMC1820 interface with midi in and midi out (and 8 channels of line-in), plus a Kurzweil SP76 with "traditional" midi (two 5-pin DIN). Currently, the Behringer  UMC1820 is doing everything that I require, and which I listed above. 

 

I'm not certain, but I think you'll be fine along with the Behringer interface as the ES-60 can send out audio (not via USB) to the Behringer and the YouTube audio can also go into the Behringer and get mixed and you listen to both from its output, and the ES-60 can send out midi via USB to the EMU. 

 

With a keyboard that has a inbuilt interface with USB audio in and out and USB midi you could potentially do that stuff without the Behringer. 

[Hellzero]

On 05/12/2025 at 21:05, bass_dinger said:

For me, the Roland was the instrument that I wanted to play at home.

 

Why don't you go for the Roland FP-30X as it will tick all your boxes without the need for an external audio interface and as you'll also need the 3 pedals option for the next grades, it will be the perfect companion.

 

Sometimes looking only at the price is the worst thing to do.

[Hellzero]

And if money is tight, Bonners, Andertons and many others offer real 0% finance over 3 to 6 months: This could be a great plus allowing you to buy the best keyboard for you, and not especially the more expensive one.

[bass_dinger]

29 minutes ago, Hellzero said:

 

Why don't you go for the Roland FP-30X as it will tick all your boxes

 

You are right - a good reminder. 

 

I think that I wanted to have the complete story, not just for me, but for others who find this thread in the future.  

 

However, in gathering the details together, I had forgotten that my goal was to get a piano which worked for me, both now and in the future.  

[Hellzero]

This pedal should work with the Roland FP-30X if you don't want to buy the whole cabinet: https://a.aliexpress.com/_mq9ET5v

[SumOne]

I've gone and done it and bought a Viscount Legend One 73 and after day of use I'm really impressed with it. 

 

It feels excellent to play and almost every preset sounds more than just usable - they sound great. Editing is all relatively intuitive (haven't needed to open the manual, which is always a good sign).

 

It feels like a solid premium bit of kit (apart from the knobs all having a bit of sideways give - I assume that's intentional though), it feels like something that'll still be working and relevant in 20 years. Lots of connectivity (disappointingly no option of audio out via USB though - that wood help future proof it a bit more as I expect most higher end keyboards will get it soon). 

 

Playing this vs other keyboards I've owned (MPC Keys, CK-61, P45, ES-60) is a bit like the difference between watching a film on a phone vs cinema:  it is difficult to explain as you still basically get the same thing but it's an all together better experience. 

 

 

My main negative is:

Spot the display.... it's tricky!. You know how just about every other stage keyboard has a decent sized screen and main controller in the middle?... Well, it turns out that's for good reason! A piddly little screen over to one side is difficult to see and doesn't show enough info (it needs to provide a lot on drawbar positions, 4x mixed sound levels, split zones, dual keyboards, fx types and levels etc. but only limited stuff can be shown without menu diving and what level of info is displayed is often difficult to read), and you need to use your right hand to make changes, whereas positioned in the middle would give option of whatever hand is free. 

 

Another small annoyance is constantly flashing lights for fx zones to tell you the fx is on if you're viewing the others zones e.g if you're visiting 'master fx' then fx 1 & 2 buttons flash to tell you if those fx are on.. ... I know I've set the fx for my synth to have an Amp fx on, I always want it on - I don't need a flashing lights to constantly remind me it's on (even when the synth is turned off). It's like Homer Simpson's 'everything's okay alarm' . 

 

 

Anyway, other than those small gripes I do generally think it's great and am really pleased with the sounds and playability. Time will tell, but I think I'll keep it and be happy with it for many years. 

 

Now for the ever so slightly trickier part - getting good at playing it! Lessons booked from January. 

 

 

Edited 58 minutes ago by SumOne

[Hellzero]

Funnily, I'm telling myself that it would be great to sell my Casio AP-750 and buy a Roland LX-9 to be able to use Pianoteq 9 through an iPad with it and especially because this "new" Roland ticks all the boxes for me (having an USB TO HOST with audio plus MIDI both ways and an excellent amplification alongside the marvellous PHA-100 keybed with haptic feedback).

 

I'm still thinking...