Weighted vs Unweighted Keys & More 🎹 | Keyboard Lesson

[@sweetwater]

What kind of key action do you prefer? If you enjoyed this video and want to learn more, don't weight 😉click those like and subscribe buttons to stay in touch 👍

[@theniilanteymills]

weighted action... the most sensational

[@Astronomater]

For keys i like graded hammer action. For drumming i prefer synth action

[@dbfsdailybeatfreestyle]

Good video but will say you didn’t mention the rolli gel type keys of the seaboard to be a contrarian. Or after touch and vte. Or Linstrument.

[@SA-bp5kw]

Good video

[@jaquesteddyruxpin932]

Any musician worth his salt can play just as flawlessly on an unweighted keyboard as he can on a weighted one, the quality of sound is more important than ANYTHING else, I'd much rather play an unweighted keyboard with Stellar piano sounds than a weighted keyboard with subpar piano sounds and vice versa

[@matchbyjulia]

I love how slow you talk, it’s a big deal for someone like myself when trying to learn! Thank you!

[@HELLYEAHF00]

All the keyboard reviews i watch never mention about the touch or feel of the product.. Its frustrating

[@Mixu.]

Yeah most of them just list the things you can read in the product info of the product anyway. Like what buttons does it have and whatnot

[@rex2d292]

What would be crazy would be if you could tune how heavy or light your action would feel so that your consistent in how you play no matter who is playing. I have felt both upright and grand piano actions and they are very different. It also could be that the feel of piano actions could be different for all pianos but I do believe that it can be done especially with the technology we have today.

[@JohnNyerges]

Best explanation ever Jacob!

[@andreasoberg2021]

Good video. One problem I have found with several weighted keyboards is that they feel nothing like a piano. Instead they often compensate with just being very difficult to press. So great, nothing like a piano, but now also impossible to press the keys! I had to send back a S88 keyboard with weighted and instead use the 61 semi weighted keyboard since it was impossible to actually play on the S88. I have a Yamaha G3 Grand Piano as reference and it is very easy to play with.

[@__kt2851]

Very informative and straight to the point. Thank you!

[@fatitankeris6327]

I've recently looked inside a...very old grand (it had ivory key tops) and now I know why the graded action makes sence. The hammers have thinner felt layer at the higher notes, so the sound remains clear (you need to make the hammer harder for the higher note strings to be as clear as the lower note strings).

[@cosmedic]

Great presentation 👍🏻 Thank you sir! I grew up playing acoustic pianos but never understood the connection to today’s technology.

[@lu-gc7gm]

This was super helpful! I’ve been playing for around 5 years (I’m 17 and I’ve been playing on and off, I recently got back into it because I’ve had a lot more time) and I’ve been playing on a 61 key un weighted keyboard this whole time. I’m finally making the switch to a hammer action graded digital piano on Friday when it arrived and this video was super helpful in helping me know not to buy a semi weighted since I don’t know a lot about these types :))

[@dadondada41]

Very well explained

[@r.hollman6123]

So how about showing a comparison chart that shows which features described in the video are found on each of the keyboards you sell.

[@RobBrogan]

Yeah that would be great. It took a lot of research just to discover these terms. Now that I know what I want, it’s unfortunately less clear on the different product pages what kind of action is really inside. Would be great to know what the Roland reference was, or what other things on Sweetwater match his different definitions.

[@chancetobar]

You rock! 🔥🎹🔥 thank you!!!

[@samyentertainment3086]

Very informative, thanks!

[@jijst5]

fantastic video man

[@ronyniv22]

Just what i was looking for. Excellent video!! (y)

[@thatsstilltbd5398]

I have been playing for 35 years almost always and mostly on a grand, first four years on an upright but yea, having played almost exclusively on a grand acoustic, my God I can't play a keyboard with semi weighted keys for the life of me. My fingers just slip and slide all over and I hit the wrong notes just as much as I hit the right ones and I can play say, the presto agiatato movement of moonlight sonata just fine but you wouldn't even know what I was going for on an unweighted touch sensitive, spring action, or semi weighted keys. Even full weight is not as comfortable as hammer action on a digital.

[@jacquibrookes8257]

Incredibly interesting and helpful. Thankyou. What is the Korg natural touch on their mikro series?

[@HornieCow]

Yamaha's motif 88 range has "ballanced hammer effect" where does it fit within the types you mention in the video?

[@sweetwater]

Hello! Balanced = weighted action, but even across whole range of keyboard. As opposed to graded, which is weighted action that is heavier on the bass range keys and lighter on upper octaves. Thanks for the message!

[@lisamackenzie7260]

I've heard some people say they prefer unweighted keys (even if they're a piano player) because it's easier to make beats with unweighted keys. Anyone else agree/disagree?

[@sgeggbub1008]

Agree

[@annurajeev]

thank you very much , very informative

[@misterkerr7129]

Very informative, thanks

[@gdevelek]

One major thing is obviously missing, a ranking of what to prefer from all these options. I think fully-weighted, hammer-action with ivory touch is at the top but I'm not too sure.

[@marcusstrymon693]

I have a yamaha ck 88 with weighted keys.... I really struggle when playing fast rhodes for instance or use it for midi drums because they dont snap up quickly enough

[@funkyjones]

Yes...educational and helpful.

[@user-JM1967]

I prefer Synth Action!

[@jonasbender5312]

Are hammer action keys harder to press down then unweighted keys?

[@sweetwater]

Hello! Yes, hammer action weighted keys are heavier, like they would be on an acoustic grand piano, and require a bit more force to press than unweighted keys. This article goes into quite a bit of detail about things: www.sweetwater.com/insync/keyboard-action-and-key-weight-experiment/ If you'd like to go into more detail, please call my number below. Thanks for your interest! Nick LaMendola, Senior Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 1660, [e-mail]

[@bensanchez4977]

Where did you buy your t-shirt mate?

[@swdx]

Great content!

[@skidrow846]

I luv ur mercury shirt :D

[@sthengr]

Thanks for schooling me, I'm a guitarist who whats to by at least one keyboard for the studio but need help narrowing down the options. I do not have a particular keyboardist in mind so that makes it very challenging. Is there a happy medium somewhere in between all the different actions that most players could adapt to for jamming, not recording. Thanks for the education.

[@lesliejohn9061]

great explaination!

[@flix4u]

Long time player - amateur, but appreciate the lesson.

[@sekritskworl-sekrit_studios]

Great video. Please do one explaining aftertouch, polyphonic aftertouch, and explaining the difference.

[@ITPoshLady1]

Hi thanks for the info, I'm an adult beginner, is it important that i get a piano with weighted keys, will unweighed keys hamper my progress

[@lars1588]

I'm in a dilemma. I'm looking to get a new keyboard that will serve most of my needs, and I've been looking at the Yamaha MODX series of synth workstations. The 61-key and 76-key versions have synth action keys, which I am used to. The 88-key version has weighted keys. I'd like to be able to use the keyboard for just about everything from synths, to electric pianos, to organs, to pianos. I'm not obsessive over little details in feel or sound, so I was just curious if I'd be fine sticking with the significantly cheaper synth-action versions for versatile playing. I mean, I've been fine with synth action on my cheap keyboard for pianos and such, and I don't like the feel of heavy keys, but I also want a realistic piano sound, since my acoustic piano is not that great.

[@JacobA666]

What about semi-weighted keys?

[@DarkPa1adin]

Can I assume that graded weighted hammer action is the closest to acoustic piano?

[@sweetwater]

Hello - great question! Graded hammer action is indeed closest to the action on an acoustic piano. Jacob actually did a more in depth article on the differences between various weighted keyboard actions here as well: www.sweetwater.com/insync/keyboard-action-and-key-weight-experiment/ Thanks! Jason Filloramo, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 1281, [e-mail]

[@nizrael-pianocovers977]

great video, very informative.

[@iamfrodo28]

Can anyone tell me the artist of the background music used in this video? I really like this jazz version of "Once Upon a Dream".

[@nielsenvega]

Excellent

[@Demos_Kratos_World]

What does FSB stand for in “FSB keyboard”?

[@sweetwater]

Hi, thanks for the interest! FSB is a proprietary term used by Yamaha for the keybed on their PSR-SX arranger keyboards, but that's actually a fantastic question: I'm not sure what it stands for and couldn't track down any info through my normal resources here. I'm going to go ahead and reach out to my contacts at Yamaha and ask them. I'll circle back here once I have an answer. In the meantime, feel free to contact me directly with any further questions! Caleb Lowrey, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 1620, [e-mail]

[@pillarist8517]

i bought a synth 49 keyboard when i started learning 3 days ago, I just messaged the shop if I can trade it still for a 88 one with semi weighted keys, I can't play Still Dre like this

[@Submersed24]

hahaha That's funny because that's the standard I go by too

[@elmehdioubouhouch]

Please anyone can tell me is the montage 8 good for piano or not what kinda of action on it, I can't see the hammer action in the montage, but I really like the sound on it

[@sweetwater]

Hello, MéSter Mé-èDoOx! The Montage 8 does indeed have fully weighted balance hammer action. If you like the sound of it, I'd say it'd make for a great piano for you. Thanks for the interest! Cody Kraus, Sweetwater Sales Engineer, [phone] ext. 1766, [e-mail]

[@elmehdioubouhouch]

@@sweetwater i wanna buy it can tell why i can't access to your website I'm from Morocco and i want to buy it at sweetwater

[@mikaelmandefro6]

Interesting !

[@darrenhirst9900]

Why is a piano always drunk? Because its always getting hammered 🤣

[@fuglbird]

KZbin and the rest of the internet indicates that hammer action keyboards are much noisier and prone to failure than semi weighted or synth action keyboards. What is your experience?

[@Black98i]

close your eyes, it's Shia Labeouf's voice.

[@13yabes99]

Is it possible to play synth fast in weighted key?

[@rexen7732]

I am a pianist who has learned on a real piano, but I have played weighted synth pianos before. I can tell you that if a weighted key synth's action is close to a piano, then playing fast should be no problem. :)

[@doodaddy1454]

do all "weighted keyboards" use physical hammers? From this, I gathered they do, but I have a hard time believing it.

[@justxbreathe]

... I can't possibly be the only one who noticed, right..?? 4:16

[@ShaharHarshuv]

Is anyone actually "used to" ivory feeling? I never played a working piano with actual ivory XD

[@sunnachai]

My first piano when I was a kid have real ivory keys, very old one my mom bought for my aunt in early 50's. Frankly, I don't remember how was it feel

[@BudderB0y2222]

Synth gang rise up

[@famouscryp4130]

The neckbeard bruh

[@Miraclin]

Please have a smile on your face

[@hsn10]

This is nonsense that person never played Hammond organs. Hammond have very light keys, not semi weighted. On semi weighted keyboard you are too slow to play fast Hammond tricks.

[@RioRioRio1234567890]

Man I wonder how much of this is scripted

[@harkerroland9750]

I dont really care about the weight what i care keys not jiggle or wooble and touch sens....

[@jorge28624]

The hardest key is standing by, ready to be push down by you! - buff keys - dark keys - asian keys - white keys - deaf keys - classic keys - racist keys - mystery keys - psycho keys - dog keys - jewish keys - big keys - thick keys - curvaceous keys - affectionate keys - 80s keys - 90s keys - sleepy ass keys - broke keys - baroque keys - parmessan keys - mystery keys reveal keys - fake keys - famous keys - sensitive keys - and once again: jewish keys.

[@earlcabusao3630]

Jorge Araya Navarro ???

[@JustAlex0504]

???