If an item can not be repaired, a similar alternative product or cash discount (as defined in this policy) will be offered The greatest elements of the tone can strike out and project across the room without you having to open a lid. Home and Away - Play On Stage Or At Home The Privia pianos (PX range) don’t sound as good as the Celviano range. They’re a little tinny because of their small cabinets and speakers. On the first Privia models (PX100), the keys were quite rattly and had too much side to side movement. Casio have vastly improved this now. Each new model they bring out performs a little better. I’m sure for most people, the important factors would be the price, how realistic the sound and how it feels. For me the feel would have to be just right for me to consider a digital piano over a real one.

A/ The key weight on digital pianos is lighter than most upright pianos and much heavier than keyboards, as a general rule. You trot off to another piano shop to get some more advice and to compare prices. Again you walk in and you’re confronted by a similar set up. The salesperson, like before, shows you the different digital pianos and advises you that the Kawai is the best piano, not the Yamaha, and CERTAINLY NOT the Roland. “Roland digital pianos are overpriced!”, they say. Advice: Kurzweil offer a nice range of digital pianos, stage pianos and keyboards. Their student model, M110, is really good value, and their mid-range model, MP120, has a really authentic sound. Their multi-functional piano, MP15, competes well against more expensive pianos from other makes. Kurzweil’s grand piano CGP220W and top of the line home piano CUP320 are beauties… their keys are wood and feel firm and solid – you’d think you were playing on a real grand piano. I have played on a Clavinova and thought it was very good indeed. I was impressed by the weight of the keys and sound quality was excellent. I didn’t spend much time on it though and as a beginner don’t really feel qualified to comment too deeply. The piano also comes with four reverbs with the dual layer function that adds flexibility when changing effects.The weighted keys that are found in most all digital pianos are designed to enhance the overall performance and sound generation of the hammer strikes. As the technology that goes into developing the digital piano continues to evolve, the more the weighted keys played a key role. The detailed hammer action is where the digital pianos shine and they produce a sound that has been said that almost reaches the level of the grand piano. That is really high praise for the makers of digital pianos to be able to make their products being placed at or near the same level as the best of the best pianos in the industry. Not only do you get the expected grand piano voice you also get 7 more, ranging from electric piano to organ. Strings is usually my personal favourite as I like to layer that with the piano and play movie theme tunes or ballads. If you haven’t tried that before then I can recommend you give it a go – it’s great fun! I am going to have to save up a bit first, but as I had no idea about digital pianos, you’ve already saved me loads of time and effort, so thank you very much for that. When I do decide to get one, I’ll just read your recommendations again.

Graham, thank you for your piano information. I studied your “which digital piano”& set my heart on a Yamaha DGX 660, Clavinovas are out of my price range. I tried that & Casio Privia at Cookes of Norwich but when shown a Kawai CL37, which you didn’t think too highly of, I fell in love with it’s sound, very light touch , silent but weighted action & only 11 inches deep. You also receive 7 more voices in addition to the anticipated grand piano voice, which range from electric piano to organ. It also comes with built-in 20 watts speakers which produce excellent and clear sound. Also, it includes effects so you can start playing right out of the box. A stage piano is simpler to move because it weighs less than an extremely heavy acoustic piano, which typically requires two removal men to help get it into the house, much alone consider putting it upstairs in your own bedroom. How Does it Feel?

Specifications

Advice: Go ahead and buy any Roland digital piano from the HP, RD, DP, RG or FP range (you pay a little bit more for a Roland, but they’re reliable and rarely go wrong). I did this comparison and review a while ago and having played the latest Kawai models – I have to say they are definitely improving! If you’re looking for a digital piano with all the gear included at a reasonable price, then the SDP-2 Stage Piano by Gear4music is the best buy for you. It is a compact and lightweight digital piano by Gear4music ideal for home and stage use. My personal favorite instrument is usually the string section since I enjoy layering it with the piano and playing ballads or movie theme songs.

The main disadvantage to having 88 weighted keys in a digital piano is cost; generally speaking, digital pianos with more than 61 weighted keys tend to be much more expensive than their 61-key counterparts. Additionally, if you are only playing shorter pieces (or don’t need all the extra range), then you may not feel like spending extra money for something that won’t get used often. Lastly, depending on the size of your living space or studio, you may not have enough room for an 88-key digital piano; this could mean sacrificing other elements such as sound quality or portability just so it can fit comfortably in your space. The inclusion of the sustain pedal is a great addition too. While someone learning to play may not need this initially, the ability to use the pedal for increased expression is something that will eventually become very useful for new players.Moreover, you don’t need to use the SDP-2 with the included stand. It’s easy to remove, and the lightweight and compact design makes it simple to travel with. Many thanks for your excellent digital piano guide, an impressive amount of information in laymans terms. I’ve also done a score sheet for each brand so you can see how each compares. The overall rating is an average of each score. The most important scores are for touch, sound, and value for money, Graham Howard

When the time comes to go on-stage, the SDP-2 is ready for that too. The RCA outputs let you plug into mixers and amplifiers. Their stereo-output also means in a live setup, you can control panning, so you can get the exact stage sound you want. In addition, when you use the USB to Host output, you can use the SDP-2 as a MIDI controller. So if you do find yourself in the studio – you can hold your own.Q/ Thank you for this very informative article. Roland sounds good. Is the feel of the keys like that of a piano, or is it as light as the keyboard? Since I am a beginner, I have been asking every one for advice. I would value yours. I liked the article. I thought it was very honest. You obviously know your stuff, so an honest approach will always be preferred by readers, controversial or not. It features 88-touch sensitive weighted keys to help to master your playing style. Hence very perfect if you’re a beginner or just want to improve your playing techniques.