TheBoringPianist
While traveling out of town, came across very nice Roland Go keyboards at a local piano store. The ones on display were 61. You can get them with 88 keys. The keys are semi-weighted with a nice action & textured keys like a full-size keyboard. Much better sound samples than before. They’re light but not as portable as the Piano de Voyage. For less than half the price with built-in speakers they’re great for road trips.

So far no major issue with the Piano de Voyage. Doesn’t take up much room in the suitcase. I’m able to put it on a small table. Without internal speakers I need to use headphones all the time. For the price I’m paying I’m only getting semi-weighted keys. Hopefully the company would release a fully weighted version soon.

I got another folding piano in 2 pieces. Takes seconds to unfold but the action feels stiff & springy. When you get settled in 1 place for more than a few days, can leave the keyboard out than having to put it back in the carrying case after each practice.

Have half of my sheet music in PDF so don’t have to carry many paper copies.

    6 days later

    Ok, this is currently a Prime deal... talk me out of it (or into it) 😃
    Seriously though, I'm just looking at something to practice on while sitting in the patio, or longer journeys, or just for fun really. Is it worth the <$100?

      Sophia, As you are beginner, I think you might enjoy this kind of keyboard for a few hours, but I have a feeling you will tire of the awful quality soon. My experience with this sort of keyboard is that the keys start malfunctioning quickly. If you want something for the patio or for vacations in that price range, can I suggest a melodica instead? Melodica isn't appropriate for practicing classical music, but you can definitely practice your blues soloing on it! And it's a legitimate gigging instrument.

      If you want to explore more, the Melodica Men channel is worth a look.

          rsl12 oohh nice, thank you!!! And the price seems right too 😁

            lol I definitely bought a melodica a while back — the same model used by Kaori in Your Lie in April as well as by the orchestra in Nodame Cantabile. (As an aside, watching Your Lie in April when I was just starting to get back into piano after my long hiatus is what made me learn the Pavane and Ballade No. 1)

            "You're a smart kid. But your playing is terribly dull."

            You guys are wicked... now I definitely want one 😂

            Sophia My Piano de Voyage just arrived today! Might do a separate review thread, but first impressions:

            1. Wow 88 keys I can fit into a carry-on or large backpack!
            2. Assembly and setup is very straightforward
            3. Semi-weighted keys are a bummer, but they're working on a fully weighted version
            4. I can see myself using it to learn notes and keep my fingers from getting too rusty on the road

            "You're a smart kid. But your playing is terribly dull."

                A melodica is a fun instrument but a different instrument from a piano like an accordion with a keyboard but plays differently with just 1 hand instead of 2.

                  TheBoringPianist 3. Semi-weighted keys are a bummer, but they're working on a fully weighted version

                  For car travel or maybe train/bus -- will be great. For plane travel - with fully weighted keys -- heheh -- it's probably going to be a case of just taking the PDV and leaving clothes etc at home. But I guess that paying for excess baggage/weight is an option too.

                    thepianoplayer416 , I agree, and I should have made the point earlier. Melodica looks like a keyboard instrument, but really, in terms of musical interpretation, it's more useful to think of it as a wind instrument. Being able to play on a keyboard is important, but like a flute/clarinet player, things to think about include breath control, vibrato, tonguing, and the types of dynamics that are possible with wind (crescendos on held notes, for example).

                    Or you can not think of any of those things at all and just have fun with it.

                      TheBoringPianist

                      Not going to say too much about the Piano de Voyage since I've already done my own review video a few months ago.

                      I came across a Y-T video posted by a professional musican who took the keyboard to gigs as a substitute for a regular keyboard. In public performances people rely on external speakers + amplifier to give a sound boost so wouldn't make a difference if the keyboard has no built-in speakers. It's ok to be playing Jazz or Pop style music.

                      Learning a "Classical" piece on a keyboard with semi-weighted keys is ok. Switching back to the regular keyboard with fully weighted keys takes a few minutes warmup. Playing technical runs on soft-touch keys a finger tends to stay down after each key press unless you're consciously lifting it. Otherwise notes would overlap since the keys don't have any resistance to come back up after they're pressed.

                      Guess when you're on a flight, you don't want a keyboard that is too heavy. On my last trip I was able to fit the Piano de Voyage and the Folding Piano 88 from Carry-on in the same suitcase. When it comes to the piano sound & action, the Piano de Voyage isn't too bad. Other portable keyboards tend to give a rather artificial defaut piano sound.

                        4 days later

                        Sophia Sophia, that Prime deal looks tempting and the white finish is very fresh looking. 61 keys gives you a wider range than the mini Casio with just 32 keys. However, the one drawback is the weight of it... it weighs nearly 4 kgs, whilst the mini Casio weighs just 1 kg, so you might find the weight on your lap a bit uncomfortable after a while, especially on a hot day. You could buy a stand for it, but beware of the ones that cross in the middle - I just could not get on with the one I had, because wherever I put my legs the cross part was right in the way - a cross I could not bear in the end! So, in my case I would probably get the smaller Casio, because it's so small and light that I can imagine sitting in the garden, or even on a beach somewhere, tinkering away beneath the sunshine.
                        Of course, there's another option - buy both! Keep one in the conservatory (if you have one) and use the other while out and about... spoil yourself!

                        "Don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars." (Final line from Now,Voyager, 1942)

                          Well (un)fortunately I missed the opportunity and it went up to its old price... I'm still keyboard-less or even melodica-less for now. I'm still waiting for that special (but affordable) keyboard to catch my eye... darn @Rubens for showing that cat keyboard 😆

                            Well, this one is not truly an "exotic" keyboard, but it's fun to look at anyway.

                            When we still had a bass player in our practice group, I used to play on the keytar to get a couple tones/solos in here and there. I enjoyed that and it helped me build improvisation skills. There are various color combinations available on ebay and the "blade" (the red thing) can be customized with decals, etc. Btw, this one runs on 8 AA batteries. One battery charge lasts about 4-5 hours or so.

                              MandM I've had my eye on those for a while. I have no practical use for one, but I want it anyway! 😃

                              Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

                                MandM I used to play on the keytar

                                Do you have video? If so I want to see and hear this! It looks like it would be very fun and awesome!

                                    Sophia

                                    Hehehe! If I find the catty keyboard at a reasonable price I'll buy it and send it to you. Pinky promise! 😝

                                      rogerch Perhaps someday, when I have mustered up enough courage to show my playing 😀

                                        Before you know it, we'll be as cool as this guy!

                                        Enthusiastic but mediocre amateur.

                                          TC3 Yeah, now we are talking ... I like that song !

                                          • TC3 likes this.