03/11/2022 03:13 PM
Buying a keyboard can be intimidating, especially considering the price! But having a quality instrument can make a big difference in both how much you enjoy practice and your level of success as a music student. In this article, we explain the 5 features that make the biggest difference between a high quality electric keyboard and a cheap imitation.
LENGTH
The first factor to consider is the length of the keyboard. A full-length piano has 88 keys. Many digital keyboards are made full-length, although some are manufactured with only 76 keys or 61 keys. A 61-key keyboard is adequate for most beginners, but will not have all the keys needed for intermediate and advanced repertoire.
When weighing whether or not you'll need a full-length instrument, consider the size of your practice space, how important it is for the keyboard to be easily portable, and whether or not you plan to perform more advanced music.
Key Question: "Number of keys?"
ACTION
When talking about a piano's action, we are describing how the keys respond to your touch. In an acoustic piano, pressing down a key causes the "hammer" (a felt-covered, mallet-like lever) to strike a string or group of strings, producing sound. Many digital pianos attempt to recreate the feeling of this mechanical action by adding "weight" (resistance) to each key.
The best digital pianos are made to have fully-weighted hammer action, and graded action. "Graded action" or progressive action, indicates that the keys at the lower end of the keyboard have slightly more resistance than the keys at upper end, mimicking the action of a real piano. Many cheaper digital keyboards are unweighted or semi-weighted, meaning they will not feel similar to an acoustic piano.
When playing an acoustic piano, touching a key with more force causes the hammer to strike the string with greater speed, creating a louder sound. Digital pianos recreate this effect using a feature called "velocity touch." Typically, keyboards with weighted keys will also have velocity touch.
While semi-weighted keys might be okay for students interested in learning to play pop songs or simple tunes, fully-weighted hammer action and velocity touch are necessary to learn classical repertoire with proper technique and develop the finger muscles and coordination required to play a real piano.
Key Phrases: "fully-weighted keys," "progressive action," and "velocity touch"
POLYPHONY
The word "polyphony" literally translates to "many sounds". When applied to digital pianos, we use it to mean playing more than one pitch at once. In the early days of synthesizers and digital audio, electric instruments could play only one pitch at a time. Often on these instruments, playing more than one key would change the electrical signal and produce a completely different tone.
Today, almost all digital pianos support extended polyphony. But cheaper keyboards may support a lower degree of polyphony. When shopping for a digital keyboard, you should look for a piano that has at least 64 notes of polyphony.
The best digital pianos have several hundred notes of polyphony, although this shouldn't normally be an issue, unless you're playing along with midi tracks.
Key Question: "How many notes of polyphony?"
SOUND
This might seem obvious, but sound is the most important factor when considering buying an instrument. A digital piano seeks to mimic the sound of an acoustic piano as closely as possible. This sound is achieved by using layers of recordings and digital modeling algorithms to recreate the organic acoustic elements of a piano's tone.
When shopping for a digital piano, pay attention to the number of samples or voices, the audio processing unit or memory size, and the type and number of speakers.
Interest Fact: Cheaper keyboards generally have a wider variety of instrument sounds, like strings, organs, guitars, and more. But, the acoustic quality of the piano tones on these instruments is often worse than a more expensive digital piano with a smaller sound library.
COMPATIBILITY
Some digital pianos have USB, Bluetooth, or Midi compatibility. These are included so that producers and recording artists can record directly into a digital audio workstation (DAW).
For most students, compatibility is not a major decision factor. But if you're interested in composing or songwriting, make sure the instrument supports the connection type that matches your DAW and computer.
Key Question: "USB/Midi input & output?"
RECOMMENDATIONS
CASIO CDP-S100
The CDP-S100 is a great entry piano for anyone looking for a portable keyboard. The CDP-S100 is smaller and lighter than most other comparable keyboards. This keyboard is great for practice or performance, and comes at a price below most other pianos in its class.
Key Features:
- Full 88 keys
- Scaled progressive hammer action
- velocity sensitive
- 10 built-in sounds
- 64 notes of polyphony
- USB MIDI Compatible
- Headphone Jack
- 1 pedal input
- Power: A/C or Battery
Price Range: $375-$425
YAMAHA P45
The P-45 is the lowest-cost, 88-key, weighted action digital piano that Yamaha offers. This keyboard has a basic set of features, ideal for the needs of the beginner piano student.
Key Features:
- Full 88 keys
- Graded hammer action w/ touch sensitivity
- 64-note polyphony with 10 built-in voices
- MIDI Connectivity: MIDI over USB
- 1 Headphone jack
- 1 pedal input
- Reverb and chorus effects
- A/C Power adapter
Price Range: $500-$625
CASIO PX-1100
Casio's digital pianos are well known for authentic playability and lifelike sound. The PX-S1100 incorporates smart technology with a high-quality musical instrument. The PX-1100 can be controlled via the Chordana play app using bluetooth or usb connection, for accompaniment, or midi playback.
Key Features:
- Full 88 Keys
- Scaled action with velocity touch
- 19 programmed voices
- 128 notes of polyphony
- MIDI: USB & bluetooth
- bluetooth connectivity
- Line output: Yes
- 2 headphone jacks
- 3-pedal inputs
- Reverb, Hall Simulator, Surround, Chorus, DSP, Brilliance
- A/C Power
- No Battery power
Price Range: $550-$800
CASIO PRIVIA
Casio Privia Series digital pianos are known for having authentic playability and lifelike sound. The Privia series is perfect for lessons, recitals, and at-home practice, with a variety of models to fit your exact needs.
Key Features:
- Full 88 Keys
- Scaled action with velocity touch
- 19 programmed voices
- 128 notes of polyphony
- MIDI over USB
- Line output: Yes
- 2 headphone jacks
- 3-pedal inputs
- Reverb and chorus effects
- A/C Power
- No Battery power
Price Range: $650-$1400 (based on model)
ROLAND RP-102
The RP-102 is not an overly complicated keyboard with too many extra bells and whistles. This instrument is a full furniture cabinet complete with top quality piano samples, a realistic touch, triple pedals, and a sleek look.
Key Features:
- Full 88 Key, piano cabinet
- Hammer weighted keys
- Velocity touch
- Pedals: damper, soft, sostenuto
- 15 programmed voices
- 128 notes of polyphony
- MIDI: USB & bluetooth
- Bluetooth connectivity
- Line output: Yes
- Headphone jack
- Effect panel through Roland Piano app
- A/C Power
- No Battery power
Price Range: $999-$1400
Digital pianos come in a variety of styles, shapes, qualities, and prices. We acknowledge that most beginners won't be able to hear a huge amount of difference between middle-priced instruments like those recommended in this article.
So, our final suggestion is to treat purchasing a piano as you would an investment: pick a model that meets or exceeds your current needs, so that you will continue to enjoy playing the instrument as your skills grow.
Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the products listed above contain affiliate links, meaning NOLA School of Music may receive compensation through products purchased through these links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn commission from qualifying purchases.
If you have questions about a specific piano model or want to develop your skills on a piano keyboard, sign up for music lessons at NOLA School of Music!