Question I get constantly from adult students on a budget: will practising on an unweighted keyboard hurt their technique? My honest take is that it matters more than people want it to - dynamic control and finger strength don’t transfer cleanly from a springy action. But I’d love other views before I keep repeating myself.
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Anecdote in favour: I spent a year on a light keyboard, then sat at a real piano and could barely voice a chord. Switching to a weighted digital fixed it within weeks. Wish I’d started there.
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Agreed - at minimum, fully weighted hammer action. The repertoire ceiling on a synth action is real once you hit anything needing voicing or fast repeated notes.
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Do you think it works both ways then? Like, overpressing and lacking dynamic control on the light keys after practicing on weighted keyboards? Honestly, I have almost no experience with light keys, I usually just ignore them, so I was wondering how easy it is to switch back and forth if someone needs to do it professionally.
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I think overpressing is absolutely a problem on light keys. It gives you the danger of developing bad habits…
Yes, I have some experience because of different keyboards I was using for composing, through a MIDI keyboard that was very light. It takes some time to adapt. I agree bad habits form easily from overpushing the light keys.