Are waterfall keys worth it?

[hvksh]

I am looking at purchasing a clonewheel organ, but I am on a tight budget. I’ve read that waterfall keys make it easier for palm slides and other organ glissando techniques, but would I still be able to perform those techniques well without waterfall keys? I don’t want to spend extra money on a keyboard with a waterfall keybed if it doesn’t help that much.

 

[delaware dave]

Actually, I have no use for non-waterfall keys. Even playing the piano I see no advantage of non-waterfall keys. Theyprovide no advantage that I can see. Waterfall keys on the other hand do offer an advantage for glissandos without tearing up your hands.

 

[Biggles]

You are opening a can or worms, some love waterfall, some loath them.

In the UK we have a yeast based food product called Marmite, nobody is in the middle with it, either love or loath, Aussies have Vegemite which elicits the same following (tried it once when on vacation in Oz and I am in the loath camp. Hence its the same with waterfall keys.

Best advice if you can would be to visit a music store and check out a keyboard with waterfall keys like one of the Nord models. I have played a couple of Nords and like the action and feel but its what suits you that matters.

Good luck in your quest

 

[anotherscott]

I am looking at purchasing a clonewheel organ, but I am on a tight budget. I’ve read that waterfall keys make it easier for palm slides and other organ glissando techniques, but would I still be able to perform those techniques well without waterfall keys? I don’t want to spend extra money on a keyboard with a waterfall keybed if it doesn’t help that much.

Waterfall (meaning rounded front edge, shaped like, well, a waterfall) is not the most important thing. If sliding your palm along the front of the keys is part of your technique, you want them. But not everyone uses that technique. I do my palming along the top of the keys, so waterfall is not crucial... but rounded rather than sharp key edges is essential (else blood ensues). But every keyboard sold as a clonewheel has acceptable keys for this.

I guess I'd say it's like asking a guitarist whether a whammy bar is essential. For a lot of players it is, and for a lot of players it isn't. Only the player knows which category he falls into.

 

[b3maniac]

I would suggest finding a dealer that had the model that interests you and go play it. The action of the key mechanisms
is equally important to playing feel and performance. Flatface keys might not help if the keyboard mechanism is not smooth.
Don

 

[CowboyNQ]

In the UK we have a yeast based food product called Marmite, nobody is in the middle with it, either love or loath, Aussies have Vegemite which elicits the same following (tried it once when on vacation in Oz and I am in the loath camp.

I'm yet to meet a non-Australian who loves Vegemite.

Most Aussies (myself included) do love it though.

I think the issues are twofold:
1. It's definitely an acquired taste, and we put in the work from pre-school age thanks to our kind parents.
2. Most non-Aussies spread it way too thickly.

Glad I could deal with the big issues.

 

[delaware dave]

You are opening a can or worms, some love waterfall, some loath them.

And what are those reasons? Because they're not ideal or palm smears? BTW, that's the question at hand by the OP? Most people don't like waterfall keys because the weighting is different, the action is stiff or loose, is not ideal for playing piano. I've never read or heard waterfall keys were less ideal than standard keys for playing organ and doing palm smears, never. You're speculating about various clones and stiffness of the keybed. That wasnt the question proposed and even if you do think that waterfall keys arent ideal for organ palm smears then you're the first person I've ever heard that from, so from a standard deviation point of view, you would be an outlier. So for the question at hand I don't see how I opened up a can of worms. Perhaps for other reasons, yes, but for organ palm smears, waterfall keys are preferred. And like Anotherscott, I adjust my technique of palming across the top of the keys on non-waterfall keys, but have bloodied the hands when in the heat of battle on stage I come up short and the non waterfall edges catch my hands. This never happens with waterfall.

 

[Biggles]

And what are those reasons? Because they're not ideal or palm smears? BTW, that's the question at hand by the OP? Most people don't like waterfall keys because the weighting is different, the action is stiff or loose, is not ideal for playing piano. I've never read or heard waterfall keys were less ideal than standard keys for playing organ and doing palm smears, never. You're speculating about various clones and stiffness of the keybed. That wasnt the question proposed and even if you do think that waterfall keys arent ideal for organ palm smears then you're the first person I've ever heard that from, so from a standard deviation point of view, you would be an outlier. So for the question at hand I don't see how I opened up a can of worms. Perhaps for other reasons, yes, but for organ palm smears, waterfall keys are preferred. And like Anotherscott, I adjust my technique of palming across the top of the keys on non-waterfall keys, but have bloodied the hands when in the heat of battle on stage I come up short and the non waterfall edges catch my hands. This never happens with waterfall.

I think you are misinterpreting what I mean.

Personally I have no preference one way or the other.

Experience on forums with this question has been love them or hate them, not much of grey area in between

As with everything, our suggestions count for nothing, it is what works for the buyer that matters and they can only know if they try out the kit before they buy.

 

[anotherscott]

I think the point is, if you're buying a clonewheel (as the OP is), nobody loathes waterfall. Either you really like them or you don't particularly care , but nobody (that I've seen) hates them. So not really a can of worms.