When I got my first digital piano, there was strong opinion that they were not as good as a real acoustic piano. I was happy with the sound though, and at least I was able to get start learning piano. I still have that piano and enjoy using it, but I am aware of the huge advances in digital piano technology and vast improvements in sound. Today you’d be hard pushed to tell the difference in a blind listening test.
Take a look at some of the videos in the Video section of this site and you will see that many of these are on digital pianos and most sound really good.
A digital piano is a very practical way for anyone who wants to learn to play piano or can already play and wants an instrument of their own to play on.
Advantages of a Digital Piano
Portability (some digital pianos)
If you need a piano that you can move around easily for playing at various locations, there are many models that are suitable. These can be used with a portable stand and usually have connections to take advantage of external amplification for improved sound.
Affordability
A good quality digital piano can cost less than half the price of an upright acoustic piano. There are also no ongoing maintenance costs, unlike acoustic pianos that require regular tuning by a professional, and as they are mechanical, may need other maintenance over time.
More Sound Options
Digital pianos offer more than just the piano sound. They may have several other “voices” or sounds available to play such as electric piano, organ, harpsichord, strings etc. They can also offer effects you can add to the sound such as chorus or reverb, which makes the sound feel like you are playing in a large space such as a concert hall.
Ability To Record Your Playing
Many digital pianos have built in recorders that allow you to record your playing. You may then play back the recording and play alongside it. In his way you can play a duet with yourself. Alternatively you can record you left hand playing, then as you learn the right hand notes you can practice playing the right hand notes with the recorded left hand. It is also possible to connect many pianos to your computer so you can record your performances direct to you computer and build a library of your playing.
Digital Pianos are More Compact
Most digital pianos take up little space so can easily fit into most rooms.
Tuning Not Required
As digital pianos are electronic instruments, they never need tuning.
Preparing to make a Choice
Before choosing a digital piano, you should consider you particular situation, as this will help you narrow down your choice.
First think about the available budget you are prepared to spend. This will be your first factor in short-listing digital pianos to consider.
Secondly you need to consider if space is an issue for you. Generally digital pianos have a more compact footprint that a regular acoustic upright piano so they should fit into most spaces, but if you have a problem with space, some models are very slim and space saving. So if space is an issue, then you will want to look at the very slim models or perhaps a portable piano.
Now you will have narrowed down you choice models that fit your budget and available space. It’s now time to look at the individual models and see what they offer. The main features you may want to consider at this point are:
- How many keys does the piano have
- What sounds do you want
- How much volume do you need
- Is there a headphone jack or jacks
- What connectivity does the piano have
Understanding a Digital Piano Specification
Once you start looking into individual models you will begin looking at their specifications. Here is a guide to the main elements of a specification.
Number of Keys
A regular acoustic piano has 88 keys. In the digital piano world, however, there can be less. Typically you may come across models with 61 or 76 keys. The benefit of this is that the piano is very small or may be a portable model. The disadvantage is that you may find some pieces of music you want to play that require you to play notes that are not within the available notes on the keyboard.
Many years ago I had a very old Honner electric piano and I began learning a piece that had a bass note that was off the end of the keyboard! This was very frustrating as I had spent some time learning the first part of the piece and didn’t realise that there were some notes further into the piece that I was unable to play.
If you can accommodate a piano with the full set of 88 notes, you will avoid this frustration!
Touch Response Keys
What makes the piano such an expressive instrument is the ability to control the volume of individual notes. This is done by the pianos touch responsive keys. This means that if you play the note lightly it will play quietly, but if you strike the key hard, it will play loud. The volume also varies between very quiet and very loud dependent on how you play the key. Many basic keyboards have a volume control for the whole keyboard, so however you play the keys they will play at the same volume. These keys are not touch responsive.
In a digital piano the keys should be touch responsive so that you have a fully expressive piano. All pianos reviewed on this site are touch responsive.
Weighted Keys
On an acoustic piano there is a mechanical system that causes hammers to strike the strings within the piano. This results in some weight felt in the piano key when playing. This weight also helps the pianist with play expressively. Good digital pianos simulate the weighting effect on the keys so that the piano can be played expressively. There are varying degrees of weighting. You may come across the following terms:
Semi Weighted – Usually found on budget pianos or portables. This is usually achieved using a simple spring mechanism to provide a feeling of weight to the key.
Weighted – Again may be found on budget to mid price pianos. These have a more elaborate spring mechanism to provide a heavier feel to the keys.
Hammer Action Keys – now we’re getting there! This method uses a mechanism that in some way replicates the same action found on acoustic pianos. The weight effect is provided by a small hammer located and attached by a lever system near the key, rather than a spring. Each manufacture will have there own method and details will be available from their promotional brochures or on their website.
Graded Hammer Action – On acoustic pianos, the weighting felt when playing keys in the bass or lower end of the keyboard is often heavier than keys played in the treble or upper range. Some digital piano manufacturers have developed weighting systems to replicate this. It is said to provide better control of expression and dynamics when playing.
Headphone Jacks
Most digital pianos have a headphone jack. After all the big advantage of a digital piano is the ability to practice without disturbing anyone. Some pianos come with two headphone jacks so you can practice duets with a friend or have someone teach you using headphones if you don’t want to disturb anyone. Two headphone jacks is a great feature for schools.
Number of Sounds or Voices
Digital pianos usually come with a range of on-board sounds or voices. Typically these will include electric piano, harpsichord, organ, and strings. They will often also include a means to modify the sounds with features such as reverb and chorus. It is often also possible to layer sounds so that more than one sound is played when you play. Another feature you may find is the ability to split the keyboard and play one sound in the base and another in the treble.
For me the important sound is the quality of the piano, all the extra sounds are a bonus and not a requirement. It may be different for you. Concentrate on the sounds you would actually use and don’t be tempted by vast numbers of sounds if you are on a limited budget. Make sure that the sounds you want are good quality.
Polyphony
Polyphony is the ability of an instrument to play many notes at the same time. As digital pianos are electronic instruments they have to be able to create and amplify the sound for each note played at the same time. But there is a limit due to the amount of electronics required to play each note. When I bought my piano most pianos could play 32 notes at one time. Mine has a polyphony of 64 notes, which means it can play 64 notes at the same time.
“Wait a minute” you say!! “I only have ten fingers. Why does the piano need to be able to play so many notes at the same time”?
Well, on all pianos there is a pedal called the sustain pedal. When you press the pedal with your foot, the notes you play while the pedal is pressed continues to sound after you take your finger off the key. So if playing a series of chords in succession with your foot on the sustain pedal, the piano has to continue playing all the notes until they fade naturally. So the piano needs to be able to play more than ten notes at a time to be able to cope with using the sustain pedal.
A good polyphony to look for is 128. This should be able to cope with the most demanding player, but 32 is OK and 64 is pretty good.
Sound Quality
This can vary a lot across different models. The main factors being the quality and wattage of the amplification and the number, quality and size of the speakers. Obviously a small portable piano will not be able to produce a strong immersive sound when compared to a high end cabinet model, which will have a powerful amplifier and multiple large speakers. But this can be overcome by using external amplification and speakers. It all depends on how you intend to use the piano. For people who just need a piano to learn and play at home, the sounds on most digital pianos will be more than adequate. It is when you want to play in larger venues that the sound may become an issue. Even so, it is always best to try and get the best quality sound you can to improve the enjoyment of your piano.
Connectivity
Many digital pianos have sockets on the back that allow you to connect your digital piano to other electronic equipment. Usually this will be a PC or laptop. The normal connection found is called a MIDI connection. This stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. Using this connection you can connect your piano to a PC or laptop and record your playing. You can also record separate tracks from your piano using different sounds, and then play them back together so that it sound like a group of people playing. There is also software available that will produce standard music notation from what you play, so you can use this to compose your own music.
To connect a piano with MIDI sockets you’ll need a MIDI to USB converter cable, unless you have a PC/laptop with a MIDI connection provided. In which case you’ll need a standard MIDI cable. Some digital piano models have USB output so for these you would just need a standard USB cable.
What Make Should You Choose
It is probably best to stick to well known makes that sell well. These company’s have reputations to protect and usually have extensive knowledge and development behind them. A well known brand is more likely to use quality electronic components and parts in their pianos and so should be more reliable.
Recommended Makes are:
Yamaha – Yamaha have a long history of digital piano manufacture and of course they make acoustic pianos as well. This gives them some insight into how to transfer the feel of a real piano to a digital piano. As well a pianos and digital pianos, they also manufacture drums, guitars brass instruments and many other products. Yamaha pianos are used by Elton John, Alica Keys and many other piano/singer artists.
Roland – Roland manufacture a wide range of musical equipment including drums, digital pianos, guitars, synthesizers, amplifiers and other musical accessories. They are at the heart of modern music and used by artists such as David Bowie, Tom Odell and Damon Albarn (front man from Blur).
Casio – Casio have been around since 1946. Usually associated with watches and calculators, Casio is making great strides in the digital piano world with many reviewers giving their digital pianos top review status. In terms of value there are very strong. I didn’t realise they made digital pianos until a couple of years ago when I saw one displayed in a large store. They also make keyboards and synthesizers. Their many years experience should translate into good reliable instruments.
Other strong branded makes you might want to consider are Korg, Kaiwa and Kurzweil.
Remember, it is always best to try and audition the digital pianos you are interested in, no matter what you learn online. In the end it is how much you like the sound and the feel of the keys that is the real way to find the best piano for you. It is very much a personal thing. I hope the information in this site will at least help you to short list some models for further investigation.