Nord User Forum

[aakash]

The ES8 does seem to have a noticeable escapement, but I don't feel any on the Grand's version of the RH3. Any else notice this?

I don't mind either way.

[nordkeys]

Subtle, but it is there.

[tkmmusician]

Um. I wonder. I'm a concert pianist, with decades on stage. I have to say that the escapement, or the lack of it, is one of my two really negative marks against the Grand, which on balance I enjoy enormously . Either it's there, or it's not...how is it "subtle"? Or is there a way of adjusting it?

[lawman]

tkmmusician,
Your post was very interesting. I'm not a concert pianist with decades on stage, but I have studied and played classical and popular material for 60 years, on a wide variety of grand (and upright) pianos. I currently play a Steinway B. I have never been consciously aware of the escapement while playing on any of those instruments. I know how a grand action works (and, in fact, I have two models, which make great conversation pieces). Also, when I press down on a key slowly I can easily feel the point of escapement, and note whether it lines up with those of other keys, as one would expect with properly regulated actions. When actually playing, however, no matter how softly or slowly, the escapement never is noticeable and my playing is not affected. Please don't get me wrong here. I'm not trying to contradict you and I seriously don't doubt your high level of expertise and knowledge of the instrument. I would really like to know, though, how you sense the escapement and how it affects your playing, if at all. This is something my instructors never mentioned, and I've always believed that adding an artificial "escapement" to a digital piano is nothing but a marketing ploy. I would love to hear your thoughts.

[tkmmusician]

Hi lawman,

With a true escapement, when pressing a key down slowly but completely, you run into some resistance near the bottom, which is overcome only by pressing harder, when you feel something releasing (the escapement) and then the key hits bottom. Also, after playing a key and letting the key rise again slowly , and then you press down again, you find the resistance of the escapement again.

The first thing I don't really miss, but the second very much. If I'm playing softly, especially something slow, I find the Grand loses responsiveness and I cant make a soft note repeat.