What are the practical advantages of keyboards with non-weighted keys vs. weighted hammer action?

Question

This is not a question about what type toy keyboard a beginning piano student should learn on if a real piano is not an option. I am talking about professional quality keyboards in the above (to well above) $1000.00 U.S. range.

I have seen many professional keyboard players who prefer the non-weighted type keyboards over the weighted hammer acoustic piano type feel - even on their digital pianos.

I am wondering if there are practical advantages for the non weighted or semi-weighted velocity sensitive type keyboard (organ type feel) vs. the full weighted hammer style (real piano type feel).

I own both types, but seem to gravitate towards the weighted hammer action, perhaps because there was always an acoustic piano in my home growing up and I got used to playing that. But my Yamaha digital piano (with 88 weighted keys) does not have all the synth sounds that my other keyboard has.

But is it just a matter of personal preference - or are there some things that are easier to do on a non-weighted hammer keyboard?

I am considering the purchase of a keyboard that I can use for recording (in-home studio for my personal work) as well as on stage for live performance. In other words, both a work-station keyboard and a stage keyboard. More likely a synthesizer that can play piano sounds - but also all the other sounds I could use. It seems that most synthesizer's have the non-weighted style keyboard feel. There must be a reason.

If there are decided advantages for the non-weighted vs hammer action keys, I could certainly learn to like that type better.

I am NOT asking for specific recommendations for which keyboard to get. I am only trying to decide if I might be better served with a non weighted type keyboard (even though I would have to learn to like it).

Answer 1

What I've found is that the acoustic piano is the most expressive when played softly. We all like loud, but anything can be loud and the ear will tune loud OUT after a while. But it pays attention when things get quiet. And that's where weighted keys really help - on a digital too. If you don't have that weight, you'll get a more frequent oops-BANG during the quiet times.

But light/springy keys do have advantages. More rapid attacks, glissandos are a lot easier. And cheap/light are nice advantages if you can deal with the "hard(er) to play soft" part.

So if most of your music is loud, in a bar playin rock, light keys might be great. If you're going deep into the expressive, you probably want weighted keys so your hands can relaaax and play sooo softly.

Answer 2

• If you are playing an organ sound, you might want a keyboard that can feel and respond like an organ, rather than a piano
• It's possible to make a very shallow non-weighted action, which is helpful for some techniques (I like it better for triggering percussive sounds, for example)
• It's cheaper to make, so instruments are cheaper.
• The instrument is lighter to carry around.

Added note : Most synthesizers have a whole bunch of ways to affect the sound expressively beyond being velocity-sensitive - for many synth players, having a good set of controllers to route to expression / CC is more valuable than velocity sensitivity

Answer 3

Hammer action is noisier. Of course it is dwarfed by the sounds you hear, but when you have excellent reason for playing through headphones, that reason might also make light action desirable.

Also if your main instrument is not a grand piano but a harmonium or accordion or organ, there is no point in an percussive attack, and it may detract from the fine points of articulation on those instruments.

Answer 4

I've played both types. The non-weighted GOOD keyboards are significantly easier for a non-pianist to play. The hammer-weighted actions are better if you want a touch-response (velocity) that emulates a real piano. Some people say the non-weighted or non-hammer-action are toys; they aren't. Some of them are very good (thinking of the Kawai K5000 keyboard here, which is semi-weighted, non-hammer, and super-fast and has aftertouch and velocity).

So the question: can you play some types of music better on a non-weighted keyboard? I would say definitely YES. Fast passages will be easier to play, trills will be quicker, and the keys will be more responsive.

Try out both. See which one suits you.

Answer 5

I think advantage of non-weighted keys is that for organ sounds you can do smears/rakes

Answer 6

Weighted action is easier to play as a piano. Unweighted is a great deal lighter to carry to a gig! (I think weighted is worth it!)

Answer 7

Pianos are constructed to performed highly nuanced music where everything depends on the proficiency of a performer that can apply a whole range of touche.

Synthesisers are made to preform music that doesn't need nuances or any proficiency from the player – everything can be controlled by the envelopes of each synth or external controllers.

The advantages of a weighted keyboard is the ability to apply nuance to playing in the case where these nuances are 'readable' by the synth. Unless you need nuance you don't need a weighted keyboard.

Personally I'd choose a weighted keyboard any day – playing unweighted keyboards feels like playing a toy piano.

Answer 8

I have studied piano for years, I can honestly say that digital pianos with weighted keys destroy my fingers and have caused me to be on prescription iprophen for 3 months the heal them which in turn, destroys the stomach. I own a 6 foot grand piano as well as a light weight key digital. Both cause me zero problems in my fingers. At the time I was taking lessons from a professional at a college, he was not able to detect any reason in my playing that would cause this trauma to my fingers. So I sold the weighted digital haven't had a problem since (over four years) until last week I played a digital weighted key piano, and in nearly 20 minutes of playing, I felt the EXACT SAME PAIN. Be careful and let your body tell you which you like.