How many of you are using a pedal that allows half-pedaling? I'm curious if it's worth the extra expense to upgrade for this ability. Currently I'm using the SP2, which I like a lot!
Half Pedalers!!
- Thread starter WilsonC
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happyrat1
Destroyer of Eardrums!!!
All my sustain pedals are single throw M-Audio SP-2's as well.
I don't think any of my boards allow for half pedalling anyway.
Plus, to top it off, I'm more of a synth/organ style player than a real pianist so I've never really missed the feature.
I'd suppose if I were taught with a real acoustic piano it would make more of a difference but I can't say as I really miss the feature at all.
Gary
I don't think any of my boards allow for half pedalling anyway.
Plus, to top it off, I'm more of a synth/organ style player than a real pianist so I've never really missed the feature.
I'd suppose if I were taught with a real acoustic piano it would make more of a difference but I can't say as I really miss the feature at all.
Gary
Like Gary, I don't personally use the half-pedalling feature so it's not here nor there to me. The only playing I do is in rock bands - subtleties like that don't really cut through.
However, I guess the short answer is - if you play the kind of music that benefits from half-pedalling, then it's worth it!
However, I guess the short answer is - if you play the kind of music that benefits from half-pedalling, then it's worth it!
Thanks for the input everybody. I do find my self half pedaling with the sp2 from time to time on quiet passages. Of course it accomplishes nothing since my pedal does support that feature. Hahah. But maybe its a psychological thing that makes me feel better.
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I took only classical lessons for about 5 years, jazz for 3, more piano in music school (composition) and since then have just continued on my own, but I never even really got into half pedaling in classical music. Each piano is so wildly different (especially uprights), that I find it kind of dubious to really use it as a controlled technique, but maybe that's just my ignorance talking. I think most keyboards these days use the same interface for their sustain input as their Expression input, allowing for continuous controllers like half-pedal sustains, but I've never bought one. I know all my software VI pianos have them programmed too.
I've heard the same thing, each piano is different...even the same models. Thanks for the input!
Fred Coulter
Collector of ancient keyboards
I'm curious as to what keyboard you've got that supports half pedaling. I know my Kronos does, and my Tyros does not. I'm not sure about my DGX, but that keyboard may be relegated to a daughter soon.
(Hey, if you've got a real piano and a real arranger, why do you need a DGX? That's the question my wife asked me, and I didn't have a good answer for her.)
(Hey, if you've got a real piano and a real arranger, why do you need a DGX? That's the question my wife asked me, and I didn't have a good answer for her.)
Hi Fred! It's the DGX660. I'm not sure but I think it may be a recently added feature for that line of boards?
I was trying to decide between the Yamaha and a couple of the newer touch screen Casios. I loved the Casio interface, but I was happier with the sounds of the Yamaha. Plus it was on sale! I really want to try one of the Roland DS88's, and the Kronos.
I was trying to decide between the Yamaha and a couple of the newer touch screen Casios. I loved the Casio interface, but I was happier with the sounds of the Yamaha. Plus it was on sale! I really want to try one of the Roland DS88's, and the Kronos.
Rayblewit
Love Music / Love Life
Volume control and multiple voices.
Fred Coulter
Collector of ancient keyboards
Rayblewit: Remember, I do have some other keyboards. They include decent piano sounds and feel. (Although not all three pedals.)
Fred Coulter
Collector of ancient keyboards
My DXG supported a three pedal attachment. If the DGX supports half pedaling, wouldn't there special pedal attachment provide it?
The three pedal attachment is one reason I got the DGX. Wasn't as concerned about half pedaling at the time, but that was then.
Yep, that's right! The 3 pedal unit support half-pedaling. And also the fc3, and the new fc3a single pedals from what I can find.
Do you like the 3 pedal unit?
Do you like the 3 pedal unit?
happyrat1
Destroyer of Eardrums!!!
My Kurzweil PC3K8 also has three switch pedal inputs and two cc pedal inputs but doesn't support half pedalling. What functions it does support depends on which program I am running and all controllers are user assignable.
It also has a breath controller input and a ribbon controller input.
Like I said, I've never missed the feature.
Gary
It also has a breath controller input and a ribbon controller input.
Like I said, I've never missed the feature.
Gary
Breath controller sounds like fun!
happyrat1
Destroyer of Eardrums!!!
I agree that a breath controller sounds like fun but Yamaha stopped producing the BC3A almost a decade ago and aside from overpriced buckets of peoples used spit on Ebay there's only one compatible unit on the market and the idiots are charging $300 USD for $25 worth of parts.
One of these days I plan to build my own from a few schematics I've found on the internet.
As for the ribbon controller? That's still in production and I do own one. Three octave slides are a hoot.
Gary
One of these days I plan to build my own from a few schematics I've found on the internet.
As for the ribbon controller? That's still in production and I do own one. Three octave slides are a hoot.
Gary
Fred Coulter
Collector of ancient keyboards
Yes, for what it is. Unlike the pedals on my Kronos, the best thing about the DGX pedal unit is how it fits into the DGX stand. The pedals (like the pedals on a piano) are right where you expect them to be. This makes piano playing much easier. The Kronos pedals tend to move, even though they also support half pedaling for the piano patches on the Kronos. (Which is why I bought the DGX in the first place, and why having a real piano suggests that it's time to go.)