Digital Piano Buyers Guide
What make things even worse is that there are many unreliable online resources (not pointing fingers here) that write about this topic without having any experience with digital or acoustic pianos whatsoever.
digital piano buyers guide
Many lower-end digital pianos will only play back the first 3-5 seconds of the real recording, then loop the sample so that the same part is played over and over, but with gradually decreasing volume.
In that case, to recreate the dynamics, the tone generator of the digital piano will just increase/decrease the volume of the same sample rather than using separate layers for different velocities, which is never ideal.
Console digital pianos differ from their portable counterparts in that they come with a furniture-style cabinet and 3 pedals that resemble the feel and look of an acoustic piano.
All these extra features make these digital pianos an attractive option for non-professional music production, composing, and exploring a wide range of musical instruments and music styles.
Buying a digital piano from one these 7 brands will save you the time and headache of dealing with lesser-known brands that deliver poor build quality and provide an unrealistic sound and feel.
Not only do digital pianos provide versatility and convenience not available with acoustic pianos, but they also come with a bunch of extra features that make playing and learning more enjoyable and fun.
Some digital pianos come with preset temperaments, which means you can change the standard Equal Temperament tuning to tuning systems that are better suited for playing certain styles of music (Indian, Arabian, classical, etc.)
Some digital pianos allow you to turn off the left- or right-hand part (track) of a song (built-in or downloaded from the internet) and practice it while listening to the playback of the other part.
While digital pianos can serve you for a long time (sometimes 10 or more years), their lifespan tends to be shorter than acoustic pianos, and this is not necessarily due to wear and tear (though this also can be the case)
While digital pianos are electric instruments with fewer elements that can break or wear out compared to acoustic pianos, there will still be some mechanical wear and tear, and your digital piano may need a repair eventually. This is especially true for the key action.
The second option is to buy a furniture-style stand that manufacturers often offer for their portable digital pianos. Such stands are sturdier than X-type stands and best suited for home use.
Most entry-level digital pianos come with a flimsy, plastic footswitch that feels nothing like an acoustic piano pedal. But it still does its job, and for a beginner, it would be a satisfactory solution.
Online sales for musical instruments are growing each year, and people are definitely growing in confidence about buying a digital piano online today over, say, 5 years ago.
As one of the largest online retailers in the world, Amazon provides a wide selection of keyboards and digital pianos, with special discounts and bundle deals (more discounts and next-day delivery is available for Prime Members).
Hi Lucas,I was checking online for digital piano reviews and came across your review, and I most say it was very comprehensive, thank you for sharing it.I bought a used Yamaha DGX640 but noticed after playing it for a while that the keys make a noise when played as you described in your review. I usually use headphones to avoid hearing the noise and have started to consider purchasing another piano. What do you think of the Alesis Coda Pro? I have never played it but have seen online reviews of it on YouTube, I will like your opinion of it. Thanks!
People use different criteria when looking for a digital piano. Some people doing their research depending on the price, others on their level of experience, some are looking for a particular type of digital pianos (portable, console, stage).
Hi, thank you so much for the reviews. It is very helpful in guiding me to learn more about digital pianos and be able to make a wiser decision. I am mainly thinking between KDP 110, ROLAND RP-102 and CASIO PX-870. I understand the price range is quite different and KDP is about $300 more expensive than CASIO PX 870at least in nearby stores where I live but I want to choose the best digital piano below $2000 and $300 is not a big deal in my opinion and I am only going to use the piano sound not other features. So considering that, which one would you recommend the most? and thank you so much for sharing your expertise.
This term stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface technology and allows one instrument to connect with another instrument or device (like recording equipment or a computer). Ideally, get a digital piano that has MIDI integrated with Bluetooth technology that allows the instrument to communicate with supported smart devices wirelessly.
What's more, many digital pianos can be hooked up to a computer or tablet via a cable or Bluetooth connection (or sometimes both) and used as a MIDI controller or for interacting with online lessons. Read our guide to connecting a digital piano to a computer to find out how.
As you can see from this guide, a digital piano can vary wildly in price, with very basic options starting in the hundreds and premium, all-singing-all-dancing instruments costing thousands. Now, how much you decide to pay, will largely come down to the features you want, how accurate you want the key action to be, and lastly, what aesthetic you are looking for.
We are currently living in the golden age of digital pianos. The technology housed inside these digital instruments is getting better and better with every passing year, meaning the tone and feel - and in many cases the aesthetic - is edging ever closer to their acoustic brethren. So, whether you're playing to accompany your own voice, performing a beautiful classical concerto, or setting the mood with smooth jazz, the digital piano really is the do-it-all instrument. With the market getting more and more crowded, it can be difficult to know where to start when looking for the best digital piano for your needs, but don't worry, that's what this guide is here for.
Daryl is a Senior Deals Writer at MusicRadar, and is responsible for writing and maintaining buyer's guides on the site as well as testing out products for reviews. Before writing for MusicRadar, Daryl worked for many years in music retail, helping musicians of all ages find the best gear for them. Whether it was a beginner's first keyboard or a top-of-the-range digital piano for the pros, Daryl was there to help steer players in the right direction."}; var triggerHydrate = function() window.sliceComponents.person.hydrate(data, componentContainer); var triggerScriptLoadThenHydrate = function() if (window.sliceComponents.person === undefined) var script = document.createElement('script'); script.src = ' -9-5/person.js'; script.async = true; script.id = 'vanilla-slice-person-1-component-script'; script.onload = () => window.sliceComponents.person = person; triggerHydrate(); ; document.head.append(script); else triggerHydrate(); if (window.lazyObserveElement) window.lazyObserveElement(componentContainer, triggerScriptLoadThenHydrate, 1500); else console.log('Could not lazy load slice JS for person-1') } }).catch(err => console.log('Hydration Script has failed for person-1 Slice', err)); }).catch(err => console.log('Externals script failed to load', err)); Daryl RobertsonSocial Links NavigationDaryl is a Senior Deals Writer at MusicRadar, and is responsible for writing and maintaining buyer's guides on the site as well as testing out products for reviews. Before writing for MusicRadar, Daryl worked for many years in music retail, helping musicians of all ages find the best gear for them. Whether it was a beginner's first keyboard or a top-of-the-range digital piano for the pros, Daryl was there to help steer players in the right direction.
On the other end of the price spectrum, we would have to go for the Casio AP-270 (opens in new tab). This entry-level digital piano punches well above its weight, and in our tests, we found that it offered outstanding sound quality for its wallet-friendly price.
The groundbreaking 700 series features the latest technology developed by Yamaha to perfectly recreate the feel and sound of an acoustic piano. In our tests we found the GrandTouch key action with its Linear Graded Hammer emulation offers a truly authentic touch that will easily convert anyone sceptical of digital pianos.
Okay, so Casio might not be your first thought for a high-end digital piano, but the Celviano GP-310 may just be the most authentic option on this list. This beautiful piano utilises a real hammer action, which is built in conjunction with one of the most prestigious names in pianos, C. Bechstein - and even uses the same Austrian spruce.
New for 2021, the Kawai KDP range gets an upgrade in the form of the KDP120. This sleek slimline digital piano is perfect for those looking to learn the piano but have limited space. The impressively small stature of the KDP120 still manages to deliver a rich, warm tone, mimicking the sound of the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand, while its 40W speakers - 20W per side - are more than enough for home practice.
Who says beginner instruments need to be basic and entry-level - certainly not Yamaha. The Yamaha Clavinova CSP150 is the ultimate beginner digital piano offering technology not found on any other instrument on the market.
Like many other digital pianos on this list, the CA49 has integrated Bluetooth MIDI, giving you the ability to connect to your mobile device, taking advantage of many piano learning apps and online piano lessons services. 041b061a72