The Confusion between piano and keyboardist

[DerangedKnite]

(This will be probably a dumb post of mine but may as well work with it)

Ya see, I work with a digital piano, I produce songs with it (Which I don't share most of the time because they sound like a mess for now at least) Theres an arguement that goes in my head right now, Been trying to figure out band leads who use a piano or a digital piano, But the problem strikes me is that, Keyboardist is a such a like a not really well used term compared to pianist, Like you don't get much rockstars who play the keyboard

But when I looked up pianists I got several band lead pianists

2d (Which counted as a keyboardist but he says his a pianist)

Freddie merucy

Yoshiki hayashi

Paul mccartney

Elton john

Thorn yorke

Not going to count people like axl rose, Because the guy just touched a piano in november rain and then fucked off afterwards with the thing.

Starting to notice half of the rockstar pianists especially band leads seem to play digital pianos too...Or electric keyboards in that place.

So like, Keyboardist is not really much of a term compared to pianist.

Is it safe to call anyone who plays a keyboard a pianist?

[BrokenDeck]

At 7/11/23 02:13 PM, DerangedKnite wrote: Is it safe to call anyone who plays a keyboard a pianist?

My two cents

If you're utilizing a digital piano that has fully weighted keys that simulate how an actual piano's keys feel like, I think calling yourself a pianist is fair.

If you've only ever played on 5 octave keyboards or smaller that are light plastic keys, then it's a different story.

[DerangedKnite]

At 7/11/23 03:00 PM, BrokenDeck wrote:

At 7/11/23 02:13 PM, DerangedKnite wrote: Is it safe to call anyone who plays a keyboard a pianist?

My two cents

If you're utilizing a digital piano that has fully weighted keys that simulate how an actual piano's keys feel like, I think calling yourself a pianist is fair.
If you've only ever played on 5 octave keyboards or smaller that are light plastic keys, then it's a different story.

5 Octave, Nah I got one that like extends most of my table, Like I have to take off my mouse in order to use it. I can definitely say it has weighted keys in it, I guess? The keys have a feeling to them, And its a electric one, So I can play like synth sounds on it and what not.

[DerangedKnite]

At 7/11/23 03:37 PM, Leavesz wrote: The way I understand it is that a keyboardist is someone who can play any instrument that has a keyboard, and a pianist is someone who specifically only plays the piano or it is their main instrument. So calling someone who plays a keyboard a pianist would be wrong if they don't also play an acoustic piano.

Also, I'm assuming the reason some keyboardists are often credited as pianists is that non-musicians don't know there's a difference between the two.

I mean thats the most closest, I'll take toby fox as an example, He creates songs with his piano of course but the thing is, Most of his songs are digitally made too, Which he also composed himself, Wouldn't that make him a keyboardist?

[DerangedKnite]

At 7/11/23 04:11 PM, Leavesz wrote:

At 7/11/23 03:45 PM, DerangedKnite wrote:

At 7/11/23 03:37 PM, Leavesz wrote: The way I understand it is that a keyboardist is someone who can play any instrument that has a keyboard, and a pianist is someone who specifically only plays the piano or it is their main instrument. So calling someone who plays a keyboard a pianist would be wrong if they don't also play an acoustic piano.

Also, I'm assuming the reason some keyboardists are often credited as pianists is that non-musicians don't know there's a difference between the two.

I mean thats the most closest, I'll take toby fox as an example, He creates songs with his piano of course but the thing is, Most of his songs are digitally made too, Which he also composed himself, Wouldn't that make him a keyboardist?

(Assuming he's not clicking in midi notes on a piano roll and actually recording them with a midi controller) He'd be a keyboardist and a pianist.

Keyboardist could mean they play an electric piano, an acoustic piano, a celesta, or even a synthesizer; it's not a very specific term.

Pianist would mean they specifically play an acoustic piano.

Its pretty weird because, You rarely get any actual big keyboardist musicians, But plenty of pianists who just so happen to play electric keyboards too. Theres an image of yoshiki hayashi with a keytar, Thorn yorke used a keyboard plenty of times, So did elton john, And so did the lead of depeche mode dave gahan, Gary numan too, And paul mccartney heavily used electric keyboards.

So in that case shouldn't they count as keyboardists too? Why are they all considered pianists?

[DerangedKnite]

At 7/11/23 06:26 PM, Leavesz wrote:

At 7/11/23 06:05 PM, DerangedKnite wrote:

At 7/11/23 04:11 PM, Leavesz wrote:

At 7/11/23 03:45 PM, DerangedKnite wrote:

At 7/11/23 03:37 PM, Leavesz wrote: The way I understand it is that a keyboardist is someone who can play any instrument that has a keyboard, and a pianist is someone who specifically only plays the piano or it is their main instrument. So calling someone who plays a keyboard a pianist would be wrong if they don't also play an acoustic piano.

Also, I'm assuming the reason some keyboardists are often credited as pianists is that non-musicians don't know there's a difference between the two.

I mean thats the most closest, I'll take toby fox as an example, He creates songs with his piano of course but the thing is, Most of his songs are digitally made too, Which he also composed himself, Wouldn't that make him a keyboardist?

(Assuming he's not clicking in midi notes on a piano roll and actually recording them with a midi controller) He'd be a keyboardist and a pianist.

Keyboardist could mean they play an electric piano, an acoustic piano, a celesta, or even a synthesizer; it's not a very specific term.

Pianist would mean they specifically play an acoustic piano.

Its pretty weird because, You rarely get any actual big keyboardist musicians, But plenty of pianists who just so happen to play electric keyboards too. Theres an image of yoshiki hayashi with a keytar, Thorn yorke used a keyboard plenty of times, So did elton john, And so did the lead of depeche mode dave gahan, Gary numan too, And paul mccartney heavily used electric keyboards.

So in that case shouldn't they count as keyboardists too? Why are they all considered pianists?

Maybe it is the instrument they play the most, maybe it's just people not caring about what terms are correct, and it could also just be marketing. The word "pianist" makes them sound more like a "real musician" to people that think synthesizers, digital pianos and drum machines killed "real music".

Also, you play them pretty much the same way, by pressing the keys. And the layout is the same in any keyboard, synthesizer, or piano, so it's likely that if you know how to play one of them you also know how to play the others.

I mean exactly, I think its one of those miscall situations, Where everyone would go butt all with calling musicians who use electric keyboards as pianos, Really, I feel like keyboardist is the correct term for this, Since as you said, They all rely on the same keys, They all have the same structure, So its either call them a keyboardist or just call them pianists, Doesn't make sense to have a minority group of people be called pianists, Because they play a specific instrument thats a bit different than the rest, When those same people can easily jump to using an electric keyboard as if it was nothing.

[TeffyD]

I'd say pianist if you play a piano (or piano tone on a midi controller) for a band or bar etc.

I'd say keyboardist if you do more synth-oriented things, or just non-piano player in a band. Richard Wright from Pink Floyd did not use piano a whole lot, he did organs and synths.

Elton John is a pianist, and Richard Wright is a keyboardist.

[Czyszy]

Patrick Moraz is both.

[Troisnyx]

I class as a keyboardist. I handle piano and pipe organ on a regular basis, and harpsichord on an occasional basis.

[Fantas1]

At 7/11/23 02:13 PM, DerangedKnite wrote: (This will be probably a dumb post of mine but may as well work with it)

Ya see, I work with a digital piano, I produce songs with it (Which I don't share most of the time because they sound like a mess for now at least) Theres an arguement that goes in my head right now, Been trying to figure out band leads who use a piano or a digital piano, But the problem strikes me is that, Keyboardist is a such a like a not really well used term compared to pianist, Like you don't get much rockstars who play the keyboard

But when I looked up pianists I got several band lead pianists

2d (Which counted as a keyboardist but he says his a pianist)
Freddie merucy
Yoshiki hayashi
Paul mccartney
Elton john
Thorn yorke

Not going to count people like axl rose, Because the guy just touched a piano in november rain and then fucked off afterwards with the thing.

Starting to notice half of the rockstar pianists especially band leads seem to play digital pianos too...Or electric keyboards in that place.

So like, Keyboardist is not really much of a term compared to pianist.
Is it safe to call anyone who plays a keyboard a pianist?

ayo that's cool can you link me some of your work pls

no porn tho

[DerangedKnite]

At 7/12/23 09:37 AM, Fantas1 wrote:

At 7/11/23 02:13 PM, DerangedKnite wrote: (This will be probably a dumb post of mine but may as well work with it)

Ya see, I work with a digital piano, I produce songs with it (Which I don't share most of the time because they sound like a mess for now at least) Theres an arguement that goes in my head right now, Been trying to figure out band leads who use a piano or a digital piano, But the problem strikes me is that, Keyboardist is a such a like a not really well used term compared to pianist, Like you don't get much rockstars who play the keyboard

But when I looked up pianists I got several band lead pianists

2d (Which counted as a keyboardist but he says his a pianist)
Freddie merucy
Yoshiki hayashi
Paul mccartney
Elton john
Thorn yorke

Not going to count people like axl rose, Because the guy just touched a piano in november rain and then fucked off afterwards with the thing.

Starting to notice half of the rockstar pianists especially band leads seem to play digital pianos too...Or electric keyboards in that place.

So like, Keyboardist is not really much of a term compared to pianist.
Is it safe to call anyone who plays a keyboard a pianist?

ayo that's cool can you link me some of your work pls
no porn tho

https://vocaroo.com/1bajBqW3D6HD

The only work I have that is recorded is this, I am still practicing on this.

[DerangedKnite]

At 7/12/23 03:01 AM, CzySzy wrote: Patrick Moraz is both.

If his both, By definition doesn't' that make him a keyboardist then?

[DerangedKnite]

At 7/12/23 03:40 AM, Troisnyx wrote: I class as a keyboardist. I handle piano and pipe organ on a regular basis, and harpsichord on an occasional basis.

They are all samey to use right?

[DerangedKnite]

At 7/12/23 12:57 AM, TeffyD wrote: I'd say pianist if you play a piano (or piano tone on a midi controller) for a band or bar etc.

I'd say keyboardist if you do more synth-oriented things, or just non-piano player in a band. Richard Wright from Pink Floyd did not use piano a whole lot, he did organs and synths.

Elton John is a pianist, and Richard Wright is a keyboardist.

I mean my focus seems to be more of digital sounding than piano, I wanna mimick what gorillaz had in tranz, And try to ommit to making digital fusion music.

[Fantas1]

At 7/12/23 10:00 AM, DerangedKnite wrote:

At 7/12/23 09:37 AM, Fantas1 wrote:

At 7/11/23 02:13 PM, DerangedKnite wrote: (This will be probably a dumb post of mine but may as well work with it)

Ya see, I work with a digital piano, I produce songs with it (Which I don't share most of the time because they sound like a mess for now at least) Theres an arguement that goes in my head right now, Been trying to figure out band leads who use a piano or a digital piano, But the problem strikes me is that, Keyboardist is a such a like a not really well used term compared to pianist, Like you don't get much rockstars who play the keyboard

But when I looked up pianists I got several band lead pianists

2d (Which counted as a keyboardist but he says his a pianist)
Freddie merucy
Yoshiki hayashi
Paul mccartney
Elton john
Thorn yorke

Not going to count people like axl rose, Because the guy just touched a piano in november rain and then fucked off afterwards with the thing.

Starting to notice half of the rockstar pianists especially band leads seem to play digital pianos too...Or electric keyboards in that place.

So like, Keyboardist is not really much of a term compared to pianist.
Is it safe to call anyone who plays a keyboard a pianist?

ayo that's cool can you link me some of your work pls
no porn tho

https://vocaroo.com/1bajBqW3D6HD
The only work I have that is recorded is this, I am still practicing on this.

Huge thumbs up for this.

I tried learning how to play piano long time ago.

Have you tried fl studio?

I'm looking for a musician for my project.

BTW,

if you want an AI generated song cover or any asset ring a bell.

[Troisnyx]

At 7/12/23 10:07 AM, DerangedKnite wrote:

At 7/12/23 03:40 AM, Troisnyx wrote: I class as a keyboardist. I handle piano and pipe organ on a regular basis, and harpsichord on an occasional basis.

They are all samey to use right?

With the exception of the pipe organ. Hands yes, but not feet. Going from pedal to pedal without looking down is an exercise in and of itself.

[Czyszy]

At 7/12/23 10:06 AM, DerangedKnite wrote:

At 7/12/23 03:01 AM, CzySzy wrote: Patrick Moraz is both.

If his both, By definition doesn't' that make him a keyboardist then?

Yes and no. He plays the synths and organ like a rock keyboard player but when he sits behind the grand piano, his approach to the instrument is more of that of a classical musician.

[Troisnyx]

At 7/12/23 10:53 AM, CzySzy wrote:

At 7/12/23 10:06 AM, DerangedKnite wrote:

At 7/12/23 03:01 AM, CzySzy wrote: Patrick Moraz is both.

If his both, By definition doesn't' that make him a keyboardist then?

Yes and no. He plays the synths and organ like a rock keyboard player but when he sits behind the grand piano, his approach to the instrument is more of that of a classical musician.

To be fair, I use "keyboardist" as a generalist term, like "percussionist." All the keyboards bar the pipe organ require the same pair of hands, but massively different workflows.

Piano: Versatile and I lean more towards the jazz side of piano over the classical, but I do borrow elements of my classical training. It has pedals that do different things; the most commonly used is the rightmost sustain / damper pedal.

Pipe organ: No sustain and no weighted keys (except on some consoles where the keys are made thicker, but they are still decidedly thin on the edges). Pedalboard at the bottom that needs getting used to. You are holding the keys for as long as they sound, and that's your lot.

Harpsichord: No sustain, light keys. Like the piano, the sound decays after a while. Unlike the piano and much more like the organ, you hold down your keys for your desired sustain, and you can only do as much as your handspan permits.