Choosing the Right Digital Piano for You // Mannys Music

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All Things 88?

If you’re keen to play piano, then you’ll definitely want to make sure you get a piano with an 88 key fully weighted action. You can of course start learning on a keyboard with less than 88 keys that aren’t weighted. This seems to be ok initially as you are just starting to get familiar with the notes and the placement of your fingers on the keys.

The downside is that you are not going to get any type of technique developing. This is because there is a big difference between just having springs for resistance in the key action (non-weighted), as opposed to having progressively weighted keys with weights in them (88 note fully weighted action).

Years ago, this would have meant splashing a LOT of cash, but these days 88 key models are more affordable than ever.

Portable Piano

If you’re after a really compact piano that doesn’t take up a lot of room at home that you can even store under a bed, then a portable piano will do the trick.

The Roland FP-30X is one of our most popular models. It’s a great affordable option if you’re new to piano or coming from another instrument such as guitar. There are awesome high-quality sounds onboard featuring Roland’s Supernatural piano technology. There’s also Bluetooth integration for connections to apps such as Apple’s Garage band. You can use it as a portable piano and stage piano on a foldup keyboard stand. Or option it with the KSC-70 timber stand and KPD-70 Three-pedal Unit to turn it into a compact home style furniture piano.

Home Piano

If you’re after something that looks more like a traditional piano, you may want to look at something that’s designed specifically for home use.

You can move up in Roland’s range with the RP-102 and the compact F701, but brands like Korg, Yamaha and Casio also have great options. The Yamaha YDP-144 has great sound, utilizing their CFX sample engine and has a nice fully weighted action. Korg’s LP-380 is packed with tone options and features their much-praised RH3 keyboard, the same one used on their higher-end C1 models. While Casio has two really nice pianos in this category – the PX-870 and the more budget friendly PX-770. The 870 has an upgraded speaker system and built-in audio recorder, but the 770 shares its keyboard and sound engine.

Stage Piano

The great thing about high quality portable pianos is that they are always up to the task of live performance in any situation. The FP-series are all designed as dual or triple purpose pianos - portable, home or stage, depending on what setup options you choose as Many digital pianos have optional stands and pedal systems.

If you are wanting an instrument that will perform at a higher level for stage, church or studio use then it’s worth considering one of the pro-level offerings. In this space, Roland’s FP-90X features a powerful onboard speaker system that is good enough for use in an acoustic live performance with no need for external amplification and their top-notch PHA-50 premium keyboard action. The Yamaha P-515 has an amazing sound engine, featuring state-of-the-art multisamples of two of the world’s most sought-after concert grand pianos, the Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial. And the Casio PX-560 is great for someone looking for more than just a piano, with in-depth sound editing and arrangement options.

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Choosing the Right Digital Piano for You

All Things 88?