Splitting/Folding Keyboards: Trash or Treasure?

I have had a few requests to review ultra-slim, ultra-portable digital pianos that fold or split in half, and when one of my followers asked me about this one I couldn't help but get it. It promises great things, such as a realistic action and quality sounds. Are they true? Let's find out.

[@gustavoibarra3989]

All the companies laughing until James starts releasing his own digital pianos

[@masterofgames8261]

It will happen...

[@jamescrossman4642]

Please do! I’m in college and trying to find something portable with a (relatively) good touch that I can use as a practice instrument in my apartment (piano major) and within a good price point.

[@nickopeters]

Don't think he won't...(!)

[@solomonlee5298]

And then here pwns the whole industry. Cuz this kid is quite damn intelligent.

[@kenny_boii]

@@jamescrossman4642 There was the VAX77. They went bust a few years ago. It was $4500 for a 77 key midi controller. It didn't use hammers it used magnets. I've seen two of them for sale in a closed 2nd hand shop.

[@luiggigomez580]

I can’t describe how much I love your review videos. You go into such detail and find the flaws and advantages that not many people would discover. So thank you for making your channel and helping people choose pianos or just to entertain them.

[@ThePianoforever]

Glad you like them!

[@loomPEDAL]

He's so annoyed by it, and rightly so it seems

[@joemamabidendementia]

Glad to see your channel growing so much!!! Congratulations and goodluck reaching 100k subscribers and hopefully 1 million subscribers!!!

[@thesteve4235]

This is the first video of yours that I have stumbled across, don't worry you come across as genuine, it seemed like an honest reveiew, something that's rare in the age of sponsored videos. Good work, I subscribed.

[@joseemanueel]

I can just laugh, the girl at the mountains is stock photo with a poorly photoshoped keyboard. To finish your review you can try the money-back guarantee and tell us how it goes.

[@Lomboki]

Very nice and honest explanation. Thanks!

[@ivanmengualalvarez7423]

I love that you made this video, because I've seen the ad on Facebook and the first thing that came to my mind was "te action must be terrible" and, surprise, it is. I've also seen ads of some sort of roll up keyboard, I think it would be interesting if you made a video reviewing one

[@IvanRx76]

I like your honesty dude!

[@zerksari]

Really interesting video which touches my research I've done before knowing that I'd travel and wanting a piano I could bring along, full 88, to the beach, etc. I opted for the Casio CDP-S100 and have no regrets, about 12kg, runs on batteries. It's long of course being a full 88, but a regular piano case takes it. I generally pack the piano case with the piano and my travel utensils (clothes, accessories) and have no issues with flights. And the clothes acts as dampeners. About 350 bux and the sound is excellent for the price. And geez, Bach really sounds bad on that thing. Which is hard to do ;-).

[@robertkilbourne323]

It would be nice if both sections had a separate MIDI interface. You could easily use each one as an upper/lower manual for an organ.

[@moi01887]

@4:00: What... your Steinway doesn't bend in the middle like that when you play it? ;^)

[@lesnidge3412]

Maybe not, But the Adele H, Phoenix Piano, made in France, folds and fits in a suitcase and weighs only 26 kgs. It doesn't cost USDs 200 either, but it is a full size, Steinway D copycat.

[@hcb3636]

@@lesnidge3412 Oh wow, the Adele Phoenix piano does look crazy interesting! Just googled it and found out its price is like whopping 15000 euros, but maybe that can be justified if a real premium keybed comes in a carry-on case.

[@judsonmusick3177]

A very good video, James. You did the piano-buying public a service.

[@NegativeReferral]

A lot of these cheaper keyboards you review use the same sound set: the Microsoft GM/GS Wavetable Synth, included with every Windows computer from '96 to today. This sound set's suckiness was practically calculated. Microsoft worked out a licensing deal to use Roland samples, but Roland only allowed them to use samples from their 1991 SC55 module - whose main samples date back to 1988. That "grand piano" sound was groundbreaking for '88, but it definitely shows its age. It's sampled from a real Steinway, but each sample is half a second long, and the rest is looped from a single sound wave. There's no velocity layers, so the synth just plays the forte sample at different volumes. The low recording quality "freezes" the Steinway's warmth into a honking, nasal quality. To make matters worse, Microsoft further downgraded the samples and made them sound highly unnatural. While this allowed them to include 128 sounds in 4 megabytes, this also made the sound set mediocre at best and unpleasant at worst. Half the sounds are out of tune! The synth leads sound more like alarm clocks than cool '80s keys, and that electric guitar sound (though nostalgic!) is so FAKE! The end result is a sound set that doesn't know whether it's realistic or synthetic. It lacks the organic essence of a higher-quality sample, but it also lacks the fun, kitchy, cool factor of an analog synthesizer. You can tell that the piano is SUPPOSED to be a piano. Heck, you can tell it was recorded from a piano. But you can tell it's not a piano - or rather, a Frankenpiano. These sounds remain copyrighted by both Roland and Microsoft, but they're used so often by other bootleg companies that no one even notices. Most of them don't even have kitch/nostalgia factor like a DX7 or cheap Casio - they're just bland. They're government-issue sounds for utilitarian purposes only, to be used as a last resort when you can't use better samples.

[@jcboutoire]

I actually enjoyed this video. Your honesty boosts your credibility. I love your Treble Test Piece, but in this it sounds "lacking" and "wanting". I was thinking, if the piano stand had a brace in the middle, it might stop the flop and flex; but when you put it on your stand, I saw how cheap it looked. And I appreciate how brutally honest you are. Thanks, James. Another reason why I love you and your reviews.

[@bsdguy]

James you have inspired the use of gram weights on digital pianos.....for sure!

[@michelvanbriemen3459]

I can already envision Yamaha's engineers figuring out a way to utilise that flex for aftertouch

[@nickopeters]

Thanks for the warning! I know somebody who would have jumped at buying that, but now I can tell them to hold out for that little red Yamaha you demonstrated a month ago instead.

[@tiago4599]

Hi, great work you did and always do. Could you review the Alesis recital 88-key?

[@thomasottvideos]

In terms of the keyboard flex: Think of it as a flat accordion.

[@rexknop7917]

Thank you James! Your comments gave my midi piano roll a purpose, it,s going t become wall art! I don’t remember what it cost but it wasn’t much and will look great above my classic synth posters, they probably cost more than it did. I’ll send you a picture when I have time. Lol

[@ikereeves3522]

A simple solution for reducing flex could be done by including a 2' slat (like a thick Venetian blind) that would be inserted into brackets along the bottom. It could easily be stored attached to the folded instrument .

[@michaelskywalker3089]

I was thinking along those lines as well. The problem for me is that the excessive flex should have been solved before the product was offered. Did they expect that the consumer would be obligated to install a retractable rod or 2 inch slat to be inserted on installed brackets along the bottom? The solution to the flex problem should have been incorporated into the original product, to minimize weight and maximize the portability of the instrument.

[@troystory3785]

"He's dead, Jim!" Now you can review the roll out placemat pianos they have at guitar center 🤣 Seriously though, this is probably the first and only video that's saved me $200+ 🤯 Ah well, my Yamaha P-121 is still easier to carry around than any other piece of equipment I own. I joke with my bandmates sometimes that I'll end up buying a spinet piano I can haul to gigs, but honestly, if I can find somewhere around me that sells them, I might actually give that a try. Thank you so much for humoring me James, and I'm glad it made for an entertaining video 😂 A small part of me wanted the DuoPiano to be everything it touted, but deep down I knew it was gonna end up being a "musician's tourist trap". P.S. Have you considered making or including any instrument destruction segments in your videos? I wouldn't mind seeing some Casios or Williams Legatos being run over by a truck or whacked by a flaming baseball bat. To test the limits of their durability... of course. 🤣

[@jacobbrown1690]

you make anything sound good

[@chrisjoebekham]

so glad to see this video..i was about to buy this toy....so now i know...go away toy!!

[@sumdude6007]

la Campanella on mini keys, the stuff of nightmares

[@collectorofcats294]

🤣 also Etude op 10 no 5 and op 25 no 5!!!

[@collectorofcats294]

The gigue from Partitia No 1 would probably be troublesome as well...

[@luishuacca3421]

Are the keys the same size in width as a real piano?

[@Birdulon]

As someone who's done a little bit of keyboard chopping, I don't think it's necessarily a doomed concept but there are definitely compromises involved. Adding proper rigidity to the joint involves a bit more weight, so in a contest of portability the more manageable shape comes at a cost. Being able to use just half a board is cool (at least for non-graded actions) but not having a cheek on the end can be a bit concerning, and adding thin material there messes with the spacing when you join the other half, unless you also consider shaving some of the next key off which isn't all that much fun either! Unfortunately it's a bit of a costly feature and the more respectable companies that could likely pull it off don't have much of an incentive to, as it's not a proven market and people who don't really want the feature would balk at the price and weight markup. Great video as always James!

[@douglasw.7864]

Love your videos James. I too have been spammed by seller on Facebook about this product. It looks like something you’d find at a flea market stall.

[@dokh22]

Great review as always James! Have you come across the Clavier Folding Piano? Intrigued to know how that compares to other folding piano options.

[@ThePianoforever]

It reminds me very much of others I have seen, but more expensive haha. I would not expect very good performance from it.

[@kuroneko23hikari81]

Yes! I keep seeing an ad for the Clavier Folding portable piano, but not many reviews, so I'm really torn on whether I should get one to try out or not...as i'm used to playing an acoustic piano, but my new place doesn't have space for one. So it would be nice to see more video reviews about this new portable piano! :)

[@toddheidenreich3866]

I would love to hear your thoughts on a Dexibell VIVO S1. It’s certainly not cheap, but it is extremely portable. One of the things I like about Dexibell, is that all of their pianos have the same sound engine in it, no matter which one you buy.

[@fatherandsonsmusic785]

Enjoyed the video! Do you think about reviewing some Hammond keyboards? They seem interesting. Thank you in advance!

[@teresa0923]

Thank you😊❤️

[@raynaudier8622]

Didn't see it on your KZbin page; any chance you've reviewed the French "Piano de Voyage" folding travel piano? Would love to see what you think of that; it looks pretty sturdy.

[@VocalArtsProductionALIWArtists]

Could you please make a review on the piano sound of the Yamaha DGX 630 compared with the DGX 650 or later. Appreciate it too if you could compare it with other brands. Thank you.

[@sunpathviewer]

Been busy but miss you James. Moving my studio and it’s taking time getting my internet service. Be catching up more soon. Thanks. You know My peeve is quality action.

[@kenjaffe9132]

Thank you for the review. As a voice teacher who wants to be able to be on the go and is looking for a to table piano that I can use with students for scales and the like, your review helped me decide whether to upgrade from my silicone roll-up. Seems like no one has yet made something nice enough yet. Bummer.

[@PianoDawg1620]

If you can roast it slowly, You can roast it quickly.

[@cresshead]

i wonder if you can't change the sound on it is down to a falling battery level and the o/s being less voltage so less response to the control keys?

[@rob26b]

Hi. Which bach song is that at time 23:05? Thanks for the review. I was considering buying this but now I will save my money. Cheers.

[@TechlyplusGames]

Fugue No. 2 in C minor

[@artka2552]

Maybe it is not great for the concert but how good it is i class of foldable pianos? I need one for traveling and my roll-up rubber piano seems still much worse from the start.

[@Chazd1949]

The flex could be improved with a sliding brace to connect the sections firmly.

[@samel88]

Hahah, that was so fun to watch! xD I love when you review so horrible products! :DD You probably dont enjoy it as much as I do :D

[@samel88]

26:25 hey thats me! ;D

[@therigrat1124]

Sorcery! Ha! A great funny installment.

[@jassingh7156]

Hey James what kind of Keyboard stand do you use? because I’ve noticed you’ve stacked 2 very heavy keyboards on them once before and it would be very helpful to know thank you!

[@ThePianoforever]

We use a few different models here, but the ones we use for the double keyboards would be the Quicklok M91 I think with the extra adapter for the additional keyboard.

[@jassingh7156]

ThePianoforever thank you very much!!

[@denniswilson5384]

"Frankly zero musical value" 😂😂 I got a good laugh out of that statement. The company that made this device should really be ashamed, especially after all of the wildly misleading statements they make.

[@createmapmap3326]

Infinite Response VAX77 was the finest folding keyboards for musicians but it was out of production. The same creator, Van, did a Kickstarter for VAXMIDI, after a long delayed, I got a mediocre build quality keeping in my store room now.

[@cannedmusic]

Have you reviewed the Alesis Recital Pro? That one also looks way too good.

[@kenny_boii]

You really need to get your hands on the Vax77. I remember back in 2010 it being hyped like crazy. It was supposed to be the next big thing. Never got to play one but it's a midi controller you can find a few videos on youtube.

[@collectorofcats294]

Hi there... I just got back into playing the piano and taking lessons again. I have a 6’ Everett grand at home and I am looking for a lightweight, portable keyboard that I can take to work and other places where I can practice on my downtime. Basically, I want something that I can use to work out fingering, scales, arpeggios, technical exercises, Hanon. I’m currently leaning Italian Concerto (my nemesis), Beethoven’s Pathetique, and I’m beginning to look at Chopin’s Ballade No 1, Winter Wind, and Liebsleid (Kreisler/Rachmaninov). Basically just something that I can slow practice on... Will this keyboard be detrimental to my attempts to improve? Thank you... Kat

[@ThePianoforever]

This would definitely be detrimental to your attempts to improve. Even for a beginner I wouldn't recommend it, and for someone who actually knows how to play the piano this thing is next to useless for technical exercises and advancement.

[@m.m.paulministries8086]

Hi James...which folding Piano would you recommend for me?

[@josielau1218]

Can u recommend a good portable one then? Pls

[@michaelskywalker3089]

The great thing about this instrument is that it would be relativity easy to improve the functionality and features to make it at least a decent portable composition or practice instrument. The folding keyboard is a great idea that would have to be applied by a top company like Yamaha, Roland, Casio or Korg. Simply inserting a rod that can span the middle third of the keyboard and using a detachable metal hinge system would improve it along with a simple lcd screen and numeral touchpad interface to control the voice and tempo selection. Of course any improvement would increase the price and weight, but as it is any 61 key arranger instrument or entry-level 88 key keyboard is better.

[@garychap8384]

_"replicates the feel of a real concert grand piano"_ * (*) In that when you press the keys, they go down - and then they (usually) come back up on their own.

[@daniel4984]

I would love to see you compare a korg grandstage (if you can get one) with a korg SV2

[@angelusignis16]

Can you make a review to the konix PJ88 foldable piano please

[@OldSoulDax]

Please, can you do a review of the Roland LX 700 series? Thanks

[@srinathhs]

Hi, Can you do a comparison of piano sounds in something like yamaha genos (or any similar instrument) vs nord stage 3 (or other) high end digital pianos.

[@gabharri910]

I wonder if you could use an 3.5 mil to quarter inch (or vice versa) adapter to use other sustain pedals

[@Zaskar1978]

Please review the new Kawai ES series, ES-920 and ES-520.

[@debragardner827]

While not great by any means, maybe they were comparing the sound to those of most roll-up pianos I've heard. Compared to them it sounds pretty good. I wouldn't buy it though because there are other keyboards around the same price that sound much better and because of the possibility of the latch and pins breaking. Still, James, you do make pretty much any piece you play sound good. Thanks for the reviews!

[@michaelturner4457]

Any chance, could you do a review of roll-up keyboards. I've seen them in China. But I'm not a musical expert.

[@ishady27]

Funny I saw someone played it and it sounded incredible but when I played it, it sounded terrible, so it depends on Who played it, lol

[@diegomendoza1900]

Hi. I would like to hear your opinion on the Casio Ap-710.

[@Anamnesia]

Just started watching, but it’s intriguing...

[@Anamnesia]

Oh well...

[@David-kx3xf]

Question for people with experience buying musical equipment. I have recently bought my first digital piano. the stand i bought makes it much higher than I have gotten used to on upright pianos. the store has told me that this is a normal minimal height for a stand, does that make sense?

[@ibby_h5574]

i dont have much knowledge about stands, but when i play, i like the keys to be low enough for my so that my shoulder and arms are perpendicular to each other when im playing.

[@brent6565]

Thanks for your input. You made up my mind. Lol

[@DJStefandeJong]

You should try a jack to minijack plug on a regular pedal, should work.

[@DJStefandeJong]

Btw most of the digital piano's are made to resemble uprights, not grands. My Triton Pro X has a semi decent action but it is still lighter than a real piano/grand.

[@emdB67]

If it DID come with some kind of music stand / rest that clipped into the slot, it would probably have made the thing a lot more rigid. ;-)

[@hotchpotch3278]

I've gigged on so many ropey keyboards and pianos that I'm less fussy than most about action etc. I actually bought a duo piano and, while playing it the other day it slipped and the plastic clip which holds the two halves together broke! Now I'm not sure whether to rig something to hold it together or glue it together permanently as it will still be more compact than most 88 note keyboards.

[@hotchpotch3278]

The plastic it's made of doesn't seem to bond with most glues. The only thing that sets this keyboard apart from better ones on any level is it's collapsibility but if you use it, you're more likely to break the insubstantial clip. I'd have to say don't buy.

[@KatieBerryBooks]

Maybe a wider table would help with the flex. The one you used is a little narrow. :-)

[@sundancer7381]

Perhaps if there was a metal brace underneath the piano the whole length.....that would stop the bending as much. Maybe get a welder to add a bar or flat piece?

[@nicholascampos2384]

@ThePianoforever So I want a real feeling great sounding piano. I’m going for the p515. Should I get it yes or no? It’s in your hands. Help me

[@ThePianoforever]

I am very happy with my P515.

[@Kyrieru]

What's the difference between a vst and a digital piano though? Both are either sampled, or generated.

[@scottliu6042]

Do a review of Alesis Recital Pro please.

[@cartapax5077]

I want it.

[@lesnidge3412]

Look up the Adele H, Phoenix Piano, it does feel like a real piano. It has a foldable full keyboard but fits into a suitcase. The sound is comparable to a Steinway D at less than a tenth of the price. It is so much more than an electronic piano.

[@ThePianoforever]

That does indeed look interesting! I think saying the sound is "comparable to a Steinway D" is a bit of a stretch to say the least, but it really doesn't sound bad. Might have to look into this one...

[@MS-sz7se]

I am looking for a keyboard that I can use in bed at night to pin-point practice a certain part. It doesn't need to sound grand and need a great key action, but portability and price will be on my top priority. Do you think it will worth at like $150-$200?? BTW I am an early intermediate player.

[@SimpleMelody101]

The sound this thing makes is like that of my $15 toy piano.

[@springwaltzly]

James, would appreciate if I can get a copy of your treble test piece score. It has become an earworm for me, would like to play it.

[@JarvisRose]

As a long time gigging pianist/keyboardist (125 gigs a year with no roadie) I always wanted to knock on all the manufacturers doors and have them build split 88 key boards or at least split versions of their quality instruments. Yes, many of us have had to endure purchasing and driving station wagons, vans or SUVs and still those 88 key heavy monsters were cumbersome to lug out and/or fit in the vehicle. The concept of the Duo should be given a closer look for we musicians that drive hatchbacks and fold down rear seat sedans, not to mention we who visit chiroprators weekly to mend our sore backs. So, let's not dismiss this concept form this Chinese company.

[@ThePianoforever]

Yes, I think the concept has some potential behind it for sure. We just need someone to design one with quality sounds and a reasonable action.

[@ThePhillyPharm]

Have you seem the Lumi keyboard too?

[@KQPianos_music]

I bet this was a recording of a grand piano (VST) on their website

[@leofangd8501]

Perfect for traveling kids in the world of pokemon.

[@rikspector]

James, Here's a hypothesis. So the company ordered these wunderkinds from China,received them, and got what they expected or maybe they were horrified(yeah) and desperately decided to pull a bait and switch to entice the suckers (err,I mean the unwary. Either way that's their problem, and should not be yours or ours. So thank you for the exposing them to us, hopefully someone will really make a quality splitting Keyboard. Cheers, Rik Spector

[@leogamer98]

roland fantom 8 review plz

[@magicwood2360]

Your probably spot on with the MacBook, unfortunately that keyboard sounds very metallic and electronic.

[@davidtyler357]

I get the slight impression that you did not like the piano😂, “a hot pile of mess!” Thanks for being honest. Maybe they should offer it as half price Lol, half the price, half the fun! I would like to see you take a sledgehammer to it🤣 .

[@jordanhealy1606]

Next will be a rollout piano... we demand CHEAPER!!!

[@andrewmurray1550]

You get "better" tone out of one of those step on pianos.....😉😉😁 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gIOlYo2Ipc-gjNk

[@Joseph_harpist]

The keyboard also work with phones via OTG cable for the midi controllers which add the values to it's portable for the music on the go. I think James didn't like the sound because the notes it's play were off by semitone.

[@kingz7151]

7:10 if you look at the laptop you can see what I think is FL Studio?

[@revengeme7915]

The main question is How long it last?

[@luiseduardotorresgalindo2806]

por favor este teclado tiene traspose, o sea de puede teansportar, gracias profe, desde colombia.

[@MrRmeadows]

Are the speakers also junk?

[@Gangl10n]

Please CP88 vs P515, i cant choose.

[@BUJU2007]

At least it sounds better than the williams legato 88-key

[@MrFlint51]

Would the music stand reduce the flexing?

[@ThePianoforever]

A traditional music stand would make this this break in half.

[@hakunamatata1352]

Please do a video on the piano you would buy for your child if you were broke, and your child expresses interest in piano playing ('piano' being anything with a black and white keyboard, really).

[@ThePianoforever]

The used market is a great place to go for digital piano deals. I've been only reviewing new products, but at some point I may explore the used market and show some of the great deals available.

[@hakunamatata1352]

@@ThePianoforever thanks!

[@BIoodBath]

Next review a phone keyboard app

[@waranghira]

6:15 it's the MIDI cable most probably

[@TheRealWinsletFan]

That video is the one in their facebook Ads

[@howumighthaveanimatedthat2159]

Yamaha PSS-A50 see what you can do with limit keys.