Keyboards In Thailand. Where To Buy?

[coalminer]

Hi,

My daughter, 5 years old, is showing a great affinity for music.

Everytime we go to The Mall or any other supercenter and pass the musical instruments department, she runs to the keyboards and start to "play" on the keyboards.

I'm myself a qualified music teacher and I can play several musical instruments.

Thus I went to look for a good keyboard for my daughter.

The best option would be to buy a piano, classical or electric.

Prices for a full piano are acceptable (starting at 35,000 Baht) and the reselling value of such a piano is still high.

But the pedagogical value of modern synthesizer keyboards is much higher as a piano keyboard.

For example, Casio has a range of keyboards in which the keys that are to be depressed light up and even shows the right fingering while playing. This keyboard is ful MIDI compatible and has an USB connection to store the music scores on a PC or an USB Drive. The price of this keyboard starts at 12,500 Baht.

Off course, there are also the "throw away" keyboards which are sold ajmost everywhere for about 1,500 Baht. Although these keyboards are fairly good for a beginner, they lack the interface which I esteem indispensable (MIDI I/O).

I have been looking all over town, and only found Casio and Yamaha keyboards.

Nobody else had the other brands like Roland, Farfisa, Korg, etc.. in stock or would even order them, although Roland and Korg are reowned over the world.

I'm pretty sure that these brands must be sold in Bangkok, but I dont know where.

Does anybody knows of a dealer of these brands, and can give me his address and other information (website, model and prices, ertc...)

Coalminer

[jackr]

Here's the Korg distributor in Bangkok:

Music Concept Co.,Ltd.

4/1-2 Central World, 3rd Floor, Room # B333,

Rajadamri Road, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330.

TEL : 662-255-6448/9

FAX : 662-255-6244

[email protected]

Don't think there's one in Muang Thai for Roland.

I brought my Alesis QS6 over with me from the UK and an Ozone controller to mess about with software but agree these generic things from the mall are a bit of a waste of time. You could always pick up a fairly substantial controller and a copy of Reason, or similar, to save yourself a load of baht. Saying that, easier for the kid to turn on and play a synth or piano than mess about with computers etc.

[steveromagnino]

I'm pretty sure that these brands must be sold in Bangkok, but I dont know where.

Does anybody knows of a dealer of these brands, and can give me his address and other information (website, model and prices, ertc...)

Coalminer

There is a piano shop in Amarin plaza, might get something there. Alternatively, Fortune Town has a few music shops. I think there is a yamaha music in there they might be able to tell you where to get one.

Finally, I have an Kawai analog syth; has the nice piano feel to the keys, would make a nice MIDI controller (which is why a bought it), has a piano sound as well as a bunch of others. I bought it and never got around to using it; think it is worth like 30,000b or more (supposedly when I got it was worth like 50,000b and I got it heavily discounted), but it is yours for 9k. Full length keyboard, with major control options for adjusting the sounds to lots of things; I had planned to use it for live house music similar to Mark De Clive Lowe, but never got the idea sorted due to being an inept pianist and having no time to practise, or even to hook the thing up.

I am fairly sure it has MIDI i/O; can't do the lighting up keys thing, but I question the value of that over practising scales etc anyway. Currently it is in my 'monument to failure' stack of half finished boats, sails, triathalon bike and boxing gear collection. Someone should use it, and I can't see myself getting around to that!

[coalminer]

Here's the Korg distributor in Bangkok:

Thanks for the address.

Wrote an email today (in English).

See if they reply to it.

Don't think there's one in Muang Thai for Roland.

I'm affraid that as with most of the shops in Thailand, you can find 35 shops in a row selling Yamaha or Casio keyboards but none of them will sell another brand.

I brought my Alesis QS6 over with me from the UK and an Ozone controller to mess about with software

Nice setup to mess around with.

But not quite a setup to give to 5 years old child, unless she is named W. A. Mozart or something similar.

Saying that, easier for the kid to turn on and play a synth or piano than mess about with computers etc.

Although she is still a kid or a child, I'm many times astonished about how she finds her way around with a computer.

She has a PC in her bedroom with only learning programs.

One of these programs, "Bananas in pyjamas" has a lot of learning games hidden in the main program.

She has been able to find these games without any help, where I would have need to search for ages for these links.

She reminds me of the "Kubrick" block a few decades ago, when Scientifics all over the world published the discovery that children had almost no trouble in finding the solution.

Thanks for your help,

Coalminer

[coalminer]

There is a piano shop in Amarin plaza, might get something there. Alternatively, Fortune Town has a few music shops. I think there is a yamaha music in there they might be able to tell you where to get one.

In The Mall where I live, there are several shops who sell Yamaha and Casio keyboards, and there is even a Music School sponsored by Yamaha Piano's and keyboards (organs). But none of them can tell me where I could find material from the competition (Roland or Korg).

Finally, I have an Kawai analog syth; has the nice piano feel to the keys, would make a nice MIDI controller (which is why a bought it), has a piano sound as well as a bunch of others. I am fairly sure it has MIDI i/O; can't do the lighting up keys thing, but I question the value of that over practising scales etc anyway. Currently it is in my 'monument to failure' stack of half finished boats, sails, triathalon bike and boxing gear collection. Someone should use it, and I can't see myself getting around to that!

If the Kawai keyboard has indeed a MIDI In/Out, I would be interested in it for my daughter.

The price, 9,000 Baht is not to expensive for a keyboard for my daughter.

The pedagogical value of "the lighting-up keys" has not been evaluated by a professional instance, and thus it can be argued about. But as my daughter will have a qualified music teacher 24/24hrs at her disposal, the "lighting-up keys" is not important.

I would be pleased if you could send a few pictures of the Kawai synth (piano?) (PE) and if you can find out if it has indeed a MIDI In/Out. Expanding the numer of sounds/voices and capabilties of the Kawai Piano is peanuts if a Midi In/Out is available. If you know the exact type of this piano, it should be very easy to find a full description on the Internet.

Regards,

Coalminer

[MrSnrang]

The Roland distributors:

Music Solution, Co., LTD.

496/13-115 Petchaburi Road

Ratchatevi Bangkok

02-2089922

Theera Music

330 Wernnakornkasem

sampanthawong Bangkok

02-2239127

[scooterboy]

Well - don't keep us in suspense!!! Is it a good keyboard, what's the model? Is it bought or sold?