Keyboard and pedals?

Hi,

there are several viable piano controllers available nowadays. Which is best for you depends on your needs, your personal preferences and also largely on your budget. So a universal answer is difficult.

For example, a Casio Privia PX-150 with CS-67 stand and SP-33 pedal unit will give you three pedals and already quite a good piano action, although maybe slightly on the 'light' side. The Privias actually are rather nice controllers, although their internal sound should be considered an 'emergency fallback' (i.e., just ignore it's there at all). Though to be fair, the new PX-x50 series has improved quite a bit in that regard.

A significantly more expensive possibility is the Kawai VPC-1. This is a specialised MIDI controller just for piano playing, featuring almost no buttons at all but a very nice piano action and a triple pedal; however apart from its price it is also quite heavy (almost 30kg) due to its piano action and thus requires a sturdy stage piano stand. Including e.g. a K&M 18810 stand it is almost as expensive as a middle-class digital piano, although speaking from my personal perspective you will have a hard time finding a better piano action at its price point.

Even more expensive options include full digital pianos, e.g. the higher-end Yamaha Clavinovas and Roland  pianos as well as  Kawai's CA and CS series; but these are almost prohibitively expensive to be used just as a controller. You might also want to have a look at this thread.

Concerning pedals: a separate MIDI grand piano pedal unit did exist until a while ago, it was as far as I know the only product of its kind and far from perfect, and has been discontinued. You might have success getting a single continuous pedal (e.g. the Roland DP-10) to work using the 'MIDI Expression' unit. You could then e.g. map the Fatar's pedal to soft (since half-pedalling is not really necessary for the soft pedal, I think) and use a Roland DP-10 with the MIDI expression thingy as your sustain pedal. This is, of course, a rather tinkery option.

The PX-150 has a much better feel than the old Fatar. I used to own one, and I had a lot of trouble getting pianissimo. I think the Casio will provide a far superior feel. Also it allows 1/2 pedaling for the damper.

You should be able to sell your Fatar and buy a gently used Casio with stand and pedals without shelling out more than $100-$150.

Another option would be to wait to see if Casio comes out with a new and improved line this winter. The PX-150 is two years old.

The SL-990 uses the TP/40 keyboard, which is actually Fatar's "big" piano action. It is still used even in newer models, albeit sometimes e.g. in an updated version with wooden keys. Apart from that, many controllers and pianos by different manufacturers use Fatar actions (e.g. Doepfer), mostly the TP/40 or the TP/100 (particularly when weight and price is a concern). So, if you are looking for a noticeably different piano action, your options are limited (but not zero).

The mentioned current Privia PX series (mainly PX-150, PX-350, PX-5) all use the same tri-sensor keyboard. It's quite precise, especially for its weight (about 12kg if I recall correctly), and its touch is, while on the light side, still not unrealistic and allows for controlled play. I own a PX-3 myself, which uses a slightly older version of the same keyboard. Since it has a lighter touch, I would recommend compensating a bit for it in Pianoteq (touch curve).

Then there is the Roland A-88. It uses Roland's own 'Ivory Feel G' keyboard, is still quite a light instrument (about 16kg?), and from what I understand the Ivory Feel G is perfectly usable (though maybe again a bit on the light side). It is a bit more expensive than the PX-150, and from what I've heard the keyboard is not that much superior to Casio's piano action, but I would strongly recommend visiting a dealer and making that determination for yourself. A lot is personal taste anyway.

The Fatar/Studiologic Numa Nero uses a 'TP/40WOOD' keyboard, which is almost the same as in the SL-990 but with wooden keys. This means it is heavier (the instrument weighs >20kg) and also probably has a heavier touch, which in my opinion actually helps pianissimo play. So it might also be an option. However, it is already quite expensive.

Last but not least: you might consider changing the touch curve in Pianoteq and see if that helps you with the SL-990.

I've just found the setting! :-)

[Edit]... and tested it and it works.

Let us know how that works. Enjoy your Fatar.