Professional piano sound in a compact package.
Have you never had the opportunity to display a piano in your living room? Have you always wanted to learn to play the piano, but don’t have the space and budget? That is now a thing of the past, because with the best digital piano you can play even in the smallest living rooms for a reasonable price.
In this article you will find out what a digital piano is exactly, what the most important specifications are and which piano suits you. We will also recommend the best digital pianos for your consideration.
Digital piano buying guide: How to select and buy the best digital piano yourself
Whoever enters the realm of digital pianos discovers a wide range of types. There are pianos for beginners, advanced players, especially for live performances in combination with a good vocal microphone and so on.
What is a digital piano (and what isn’t)?
Unlike a real acoustic piano, a digital piano does not have strings and mallets. The sound of the piano is sampled. This means that the piano sounds are pre-recorded, processed in the piano, and reproduced by the digital piano’s speakers.
Well, technically synthesizers and keyboards are also digital pianos, but that’s not how they’re referred to in piano land. A digital piano mimics an acoustic piano in several ways.
And that is why they have been loved by many pianists for years and offer an excellent alternative to a real piano. Because instead of having a gigantic grand piano in your living room, you can easily place your portable friend without them taking up too much space.
✔️ Advantages
Digital Piano
- Significantly cheaper than an acoustic piano
- Portable
- Control the volume and reduce noise pollution
Acoustic Piano
- Better sound sound
- Longer life span
- Remains challenging for the advanced piano player
❌ Disadvantages
Digital Piano
- Artificial sounds
- Shorter lifespan
Acoustic Piano
- Significantly more expensive than a digital piano
- Must be tuned (at least 2 times per year)
Perhaps you are now enthusiastic about the wonders of the digital piano and you have already searched the internet for a while.
There you will find a lot of specifications that are quite overwhelming, especially for the novice pianist. To guide you through this, I have highlighted the most important specifications below!
Tests
In my opinion, high-quality piano keys are what makes or breaks your piano. No matter how impressive your skills are, worthless tests won’t get you very far. That is why I have explained below the most important aspects that need to be taken into account.
Number of keys
Acoustic pianos have 88 keys as standard , with 52 white and 36 black keys to be exact. Most digital pianos are also equipped with this. Do you also play the acoustic piano, or are you planning to do so? Then choose a digital piano with 88 keys. This way you can easily transfer your skills to the digital counterpart.
You will also encounter variants with, for example, 61 or 76 keys. An additional advantage is that your piano is more compact and easier to transport.
The disadvantage? You won’t have the entire tonal range that a ‘normal’ piano does. However, you can usually raise or lower the piano keys an octave with the push of a button, so that you still have the highest or lowest octaves available. But the entire range is not playable at once.
What is an octave?
An octave is a collection of tones that repeats on the piano every seven white keys. For example, if you play a C note, and seven white keys further, you play it an octave higher.
Weighted vs. semi-weighted keys
With an acoustic piano you feel resistance when you press the piano key. This is due to the mechanism behind the fingerboard that strikes the strings with a hammer.
The hammers at the low tones are larger, and at the high tones smaller.
Pressing the keys gives more resistance to the low keys than to the high keys. The keys are weighted and provide dynamic playability.
A digital piano with weighted keys mimics this. This piano does not hit piano strings with real hammers, but because of a simple mechanism it feels just like an acoustic piano.
With semi-weighted keys, you also feel a counter pressure when pressing the piano key, but delivers the same resistance across all keys. Although they usually look like a real piano from the outside, they don’t deliver the same realism as a digital piano with weighted keys.
Touch sensitivity
While most digital pianos have it, there are also the ugly ducklings that don’t. This is about touch sensitivity. This means that the keys respond to the force and speed with which they are pressed. For example, they sound soft with a soft touch and hard when you quickly press them firmly.
The touch sensitivity is crucial for the dynamics in your piano playing. It doesn’t sound like much if every key sounds the same loud, regardless of the touch. I always advise you to buy a piano with touch sensitivity, if you take your piano playing even somewhat seriously.
Polyphony
Simply put, polyphony is the maximum number of notes that can be played simultaneously. A digital piano with a polyphony of 64 notes will display this number at most at one time.
Choose a polyphony of more, and you sacrifice a nice full sound, because tones disappear. Their sound decays with notes played later.
For simple piano playing, a polyphony of 48 notes is sufficient, but as soon as you make extensive use of a sustain pedal – where notes continue for longer – or if you play several sounds such as strings and a piano at the same time, you quickly exceed the limit.
Which polyphony do you need? To be honest, opinions on this differ widely. One says high polyphony is just a gimmick , while the other swears by it.
I myself have a digital piano with a polyphony of 48 in my house. In principle, this is sufficient for not too complex piano playing, but as soon as I use several layers, for example strings and a piano, I notice that tones disappear as soon as my playing starts to get ‘busy’.
Which polyphony you need depends on the type of music you play. My advice is to choose generously. If you start playing more complex music in the future, you will at least have a piano that reproduces this well.
Slab, console and stage pianos
The slab is by far the most popular of the three. Recognizable by this variant is that it is easy to transport, has internal speakers, is relatively affordable and resembles an average keyboard. Have you ever seen a digital piano in a bedroom? Chances are it was the slab version.
A digital console piano is similar to an acoustic piano. With accompanying frame and three pedals, they reproduce the feel and appearance of an acoustic piano. This one is aesthetically pleasing, but not always easy on the wallet. You will usually find this type in the more expensive segments.
A stage piano, as the name suggests, is intended for live performances. It typically features a wide range of options to customize your sound and is highly transportable. These often come without internal speakers, as they are designed to be connected to external speakers or a PA system.
Speakers
Aside from many stage pianos, digital pianos usually have built-in speakers in a stereo setup.
Internal speakers between 10 and 15 watts usually deliver decent quality. Personally, I find this quality to be inferior in most cases due to the lack of bass due to the dimensions of the speakers. A good alternative are external speakers, such as a set of good active speakers.
Functions
The great thing about digital pianos is that they usually come with a wide variety of features. This not only contributes to becoming a better pianist, but also a deepening in your daily piano playing.
Sounds
Digital pianos often have several sounds. They are standard equipped with one or two sounds of an acoustic piano, but usually also with a harpsichord, electric piano(s) and a group of string instruments.
Very nice to experiment with, and this will get you a long way. You will find that the more expensive digital pianos offer higher quality sounds and a wider range as well.
Learning tools
Handy for the novice pianist: fun learning tools that make practicing a lot easier and more interactive. Some pianos have built-in features such as piano light keys, helpful demo songs, and a metronome, so you can always stay in tune.
Headphones
Ideal for your roommates and neighbors. Connecting headphones to your digital piano. Unlike a real piano, you quietly practice your piano pieces with your digital friend.
Most digital pianos have a 3.5 mm or 6.3 mm input where you can easily connect your headphones.
MIDI connection
Some digital pianos can also be connected to your computer via the MIDI connection. A handy feature , especially if you plan to record and edit your piano playing, or expand your sound range.
If this is your goal anyway, consider a MIDI keyboard in combination with the best desktop PC or a good laptop.
Other functionalities
- Recording options are useful for spotting mistakes in your piano playing or letting other people hear your skills.
- A sustain pedal is an essential part of your piano. As a result, piano sounds continue as soon as you press the pedal. I recommend that you choose a piano model that already comes with a pedal. If you don’t do this, choose one that has a connection for this and purchase a separate pedal.
- Some pianos have bluetooth. This is an interesting functionality that allows you, for example, to follow where you are in the music with interactive sheet music, for example on your tablet.
Recommend the 5 best digital pianos
1. kwmobile universal sustain pedal for keyboard
Number of keys: 0
Weight: 340g
Piano type: digital piano
Keyboard type: weighted
2. Tastiera musicale Yamaha PSR-F52
Number of keys: 61
Piano type: digital piano
Keyboard type: unweighted
3. FP-30X-BK
Velocity sensitive: No
Number of keys: 88
Weight: 14.80 kg
Pedal included: Yes
Type of piano: Stage piano
Keyboard type: Unweighted
4. Bumba Toy Instrument
Velocity sensitive: No
Number of keys: 8
Weight: 474 g
Pedal included: No
Piano type: Digital piano
Keyboard type: Unweighted
5. DELSON Digital Piano Arranger Ringway 88 keys
Velocity sensitive: Yes
Number of keys: 88
Piano type: Digital piano
Keyboard type: Semi-weighted
Frequently asked questions about digital piano
⏱️ How long does a digital piano last?
A decent quality digital piano lasts on average 10 to 15 years. This of course also depends on the intensity of use and whether you use your piano economically.
🎵 How does a digital piano work?
A digital piano does not have the action of an acoustic piano. It reproduces piano sounds pre-recorded and stored on the digital piano. No strings are struck, but you activate an electrical circuit.
⚖️ How much does a digital piano weigh?
A digital piano weighs on average between ten and twenty kilograms and is relatively easy to transport. A digital piano with a frame easily weighs forty kilos or more and you should ideally place it permanently in a permanent place.
Which digital piano should I buy?
That’s entirely up to you and your budget; everyone is unique. What I do have for you is a handy table of what I believe are the most important specifications of the best digital piano. That way you make the best choice!
The best digital pianos which we recommend are:
- kwmobile universal sustain pedal for keyboard
- Tastiera musicale Yamaha PSR-F52
- FP-30X-BK
- Bumba Toy Instrument
- DELSON Digital Piano Arranger Ringway 88 keys
Conclusion
I hope that after reading this buying guide, you have become a little wiser about digital pianos. There is something for everyone, which is why a lot of specifications are also highlighted. Please take the time to read this article again!
Do you already know what your next keyboard will be? Good luck with your purchase and let us know your choice in the comment box below!