Which Digital Piano Should I Buy?
You've just booked yourself or a family member in for piano lessons.
Music Matters Connor Mitchell June 2017 (5)
Your search for a value-for-money digital piano that is also a good looking furniture piece has begun.
Hundreds of Digital Piano reviews are just a click away.But where do you start?
To save time and money you are welcome to join me in my search for just the right digital piano as I need a new one as well.
Being a piano teacher I have a firm idea of what I don't want in a piano. My new piano must have the following features in no particular order.
It should be light enough to be moved by two people, preferably on a trolley...no more heavy weight pianos for me!
I need a pleasant furniture piece to look at. I don't want a long piece of black plastic with black and white keys sitting on a half-made frame. The digital piano must look good.
It music have a closable lid to protect the keys from dust and moisture. No more placing towels over the keyboard after playing.
The keys must be easy to play but not too soft. This is called the "key action". If the action is too soft your fingers are not strengthening but you also tend to "slip" over the keys instead of really playing them individually and with control. If the action is too firm you are forever wishing it were softer as you battle with the necessary down motion to get the keys to travel their full distance to the base of the keyboard. An expressive action moves a bit easier than a firm action and naturally allows you to play more expressively with touch sensitivity.
The wattage or size and power of the speaker system determines the quality of sound. 40watts or more is a good guide. You don't want to be turning up the volume at the expense of being able to play louder when you need to. You may consider where the speakers are mounted also. If they point down to the floor instead of towards you when playing this may compromise the sound.
I want access to a full range of rhythms, but not necessarily too many different piano sounds. Rhythms can be accessed via button selections on the top of smaller electronic keyboards but once you get into digital pianos with closing lids, the rhythm section is often hidden "deep" in function buttons. This is ok if you are using them often. There whereabouts becomes familiar. However if you have to dig and delve for the rhythm section each time you use it frustrations can rise. Having said this, there are many ipad apps available which digital pianos can be connected to. The rhythms can be selected on the ipad and run through the piano at no extra inconvenience. This is probably the way of the future and something to keep in mind when considering spending an extra $500 or so on a piano which is ipad compatible. You simply update the app or the ipad and use the same piano.
OK, since you are still with me let's link into the amazing and intricately detailed piano comparison world of Tim and Eric Praskins. Tim is a music teacher in the US. I am referring you to his site as it is the best I have seen. I have read all about the various digital pianos Tim reviews and I think I have settled on the Yamaha CSP170 for home use.Not all the pianos Tim reviews are available in Australia. Many pianos are not in stock in this 2020 COVID year but dealers tell me they can be put on a waiting list. Good luck with your search and let me know how you go... Contact me.
