How to choose a digital piano?

At the present, it is very hard to pick the best digital piano. The quality range of digital pianos is very broad and to find one that reflects the individual view and requirements of the user is difficult. There are several factors to consider...

Choose a digital piano

Why a digital piano?

A digital piano is practical, available, comfortable, compact and easily transportable– in contrast to a random ascoustic piano. Playing a modern digital piano feels nearly the same as playing its acoustic progenitor. Some models even offer an advanced teaching system or the option to arrange your own compositions.

Who is the digital piano for?

If you are buying a piano for a child or an adult beginner and the main reason is to replace an acoustic piano, it is important that the piano perfectly duplicates the sound of a classic piano. A child in an art school learns how to play a true piano, at the same time he can play a digital piano at home, the difference in feelings between the keyboard play should be minimal. The difference in their appearance is basic, not only to simplify the learning process, but also to maintain the musical experience’s quality. If it is a piano for a band or used for variousRock concerts, the ideal instrument should be a piano with a more complex production station and other specific accessories.

What else to watch out for when choosing?

The three most important characteristics that influence the decision as to which digital piano to buy are: sound, keyboard and polyphony.

Sound: every manufacturer uses a different way how to imitate the sound of an acoustic piano. The most important is the individual feeling from the simulation and naturalism of the sound. Some models offer a wide array of sounds, which may be futile as the user may not make use of them. You should focus more on the sound imitation quality of the samples. Manufacturers like Kurzweil, Yamaha, Roland and Korg offer a high sound quality.

Keyboard: the keyboard is a set of keys, where a sound is played after a key is pressed. The manufacture process of a keyboard – key balance and surface treatment – directly influences the feeling of the piano play. Key balance – the concept which expresses the effect of keys being pressed. As digital pianos lack the traditional mechanism, where hammers beat strings and generate the felling of a piano play, they have to imitate the mechanism and balance the various keys. A balanced keyboard therefore attempts to stimulate the resistance and reaction of the keys of a traditional hammer mechanism. Digital pianos of a lower price category use sophisticated methods to simulate a hammer mechanism. The keyboard cannot be expressed quantitatively it has a qualitative parameter which each manufacturer calls by a different way (Yamaha: Graded Hammer, Roland: Progressive Hammer). The quality of this mechanism for the mid and high price range approaches almost the perfect imitation of the feeling of playing.

Polyphony: When choosing a digital piano, polyphony is an important parameter – it represents the ability to play many sounds simultaneously. A piano with a higher polyphony allows the user to play complex melodies without omitting notes. Under normal circumstances, polyphony of 48 voices, which are used by most of the digital pianos in basic class may appear sufficient, but if you later start to combine different sounds into layers, it can prove to be a problem. And when you begin to use accompanying styles, the limits of polyphony become apparent sooner. The ideal amount is 64 voices, pianos of the best quality have a polyphony of 128 or 264 voices.

Is a piano of a lesser quality sufficient for a beginner?

A beginner cannot make use of all the functions and benefits of a complex digital piano. It is however important to know, that the attributes of a quality piano multiply the emotional experience of the play and the learning process is therefore simpler and motivating. A digital piano with higher-quality technical attributes, like a more sensitive keyboard, a higher polyphony and a superior sound allow the user to experience a true connection with the music. A better-quality piano fulfills the increasing requirements of the user. As the level of the user rises so must the complexity of the instrument. In case you choose a digital piano of a lesser quality, you may need to invest into a new piano sooner rather than later. A higher-quality digital piano is therefore a better choice for children, whose unending inquisitiveness and the need for an active interaction with the instrument needs a sufficient feedback. A quality piano is able to feed the child’s imagination, and so help their inventiveness and creativity which leads to a strong relationship between the child and music (like Yamaha Digital Pianos - available at CLP Models).

Which specific model is best for me?

Now that you know what is important when choosing a piano and what you need to keep in mind, the number of choices has likely decreased. If it is still not small enough for you to decide, we can help you. Every month a number of models go through our hands, based on this experience we have picked the best instruments based on their equipment.

Digital piano of a lesser quality: Specific models can be found here.
Digital piano of a middle quality: Specific models can be found here.
Digital piano of a high quality: Specific models can be found here.

Choose a digital piano

What accessories are included in the digital piano package?

The package of a digital or stage piano generally includes everything you need to play after you unwrap it. Every current digital piano possesses an integrated audio system and the package naturally contains an adapter for a problem-free operation. Always make sure after the purchase that the package contains pedals, which your instrument will sooner or later need. In addition to the basic accessories you are going to need a chair and headphones. It may be convenient to purchase sets, where headphones and a chair are included with the piano for a lucrative price.

If you are still uncertain, turn to our experts, who shall explain the details to you and help you pick the right instrument for you. Contact us on our email: piano@muziker.com

Choose a digital piano

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