Over the weekend, I went to a friends place, who has this gorgeous Kawai upright piano. For those of you who play (not the keyboard, but the piano - there is a difference), you'll know why this feels special.
I have a digital piano myself. This specific piece has been my companion since 2010, it was the first gift I gave myself when I first started earning.
I like to think its fairly sophisticated. Weighted keys that mimic the real thing. There is a little pedal connected to the piano, which allows you to toggle between the sostenuto, the damper and the una corda effects.
I’ve also invested in a midi converter which records directly into Garage Band. Attached to it is a boom arm, which hosts a recording mic & a pop filter, which also records directly into Garage Band.
My little home studio setup, and I’ve really been enjoying making music on it.
BUT then, this weekend, I spotted the Kawai, and out of pure reverence, I just had to sit at it and play.
Instantly, the back straightened, the wrist straightened in line with the fingers, the elbow angle adjusted, in respect for this instrument. There was poise and attempted grace. Childhood lessons resurfaced, some of the old western classical pieces came out too. Mistakes happened too (uploaded for evidence), but it still felt beautiful.
Real wood & real strings. Real reverb which rang through the hall. No artificial weighting. And real acoustics, no speakers & no digital intervention. No cables! Just music & presence.
There may be convenience in the digital world, with efficiency & portability driving innovation, and I will always be appreciative of it, but sometimes and some things, are beautifully felt the original way, and nothing can ever replace those.
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