Selecting Your First Digital Piano
(Also Known as an Electronic Piano)
by Mage, Teaching Artist & Musician
Last updated May 26, 2022 ⭐️ Please note that availability of models is subject to change and prices may be different after clicking each thumbnail photo; feel free to message me if you have any questions about particular models.
Some of us are interested in a digital piano rather than an acoustic piano for a few reasons:
- Space – If you do not have enough space in your home for an acoustic piano a digital piano is a lot more compact.
- Cost – A digital piano costs less than an acoustic piano. Even if you end up getting a used upright (also known as vertical) acoustic piano the cost of getting it professionally turned every year adds up.
- Noise – A digital piano allows for silent practicing as most of the models have a headphone jack so that you can hear the sound through your headphones rather than the piano speakers.
- MIDI/Computer Features – If you’re interested in hooking up your piano to your computer or tablet for recording or music notation purposes a digital piano allows for this; there are some acoustic pianos that have this feature too, but generally it’s the digital ones used for this.
- Secondary Piano – Do you have more than one musical person in your home? Do you find that they want to practice the piano at the same time? Or do you LOVE your acoustic piano and sometimes must practice at night but don’t want to wake up the neighbors? Then a digital piano makes for a great addition to your home!
What to Look For
A digital piano should have the following features, and this will help for beginners too as you won’t end up having to upgrade and waste money with another instrument during such a short time as you’ll end up quickly outgrowing a mini keyboard:
- Full-sized keys
- 88 keys total
- Hammer action keys (graded or scaled hammer action is even better)
There are so many so-called “digital pianos” out there that are more like keyboards, and while they are great for making music and producing sounds they will not feel like an acoustic piano, and if you are interested in getting the most authentic touch then you will want to select a digital piano with features that are similar to those of an acoustic piano. Some of these keyboards will list “semi-weighted keys” as a feature, but this will not feel like an acoustic piano. Also they may boast a lot of different sounds and patches, but those are not necessarily that important when you are first starting out, and even then you can always connect a digital piano to your computer or tablet to get additional sounds.
At the same time there are also digital pianos that are designed to look and act like acoustic pianos; some even look like grand pianos! Two examples are the Clavinova digital grand pianos by Yamaha and the V-Piano digital grand pianos by Roland. In this article we will focus on purchasing your first digital piano; most beginners are seeking something that is low-cost but high enough quality that they will want to practice and develop good habits playing on a suitable instrument. (If you are interested in other options outside of this article please contact me!)
Available Models for Beginners
The following are some digital pianos that work great for beginners and professionals alike. They have the 3 features mentioned above, and they are all in the lower end of the price range.
Yamaha P71 88-Key Weighted Action Digital Piano With Sustain Pedal And Power Supply (Amazon-Exclusive)
This one is the exact same model as the P45 except it’s exclusive to Amazon with the lower price. If you upgrade to the home bundle version you get a piano bench and a piano stand. Click the links below for more details
- Digital Piano Only
- Home Bundle (includes stand & bench)
Casio CDP-S150 88-Key Compact Digital Piano Bundle with Adjustable Stand, Bench, Sustain Pedal, Instructional Book, Austin Bazaar Instructional DVD, and Polishing Cloth
or
Casio Privia PX-160BK 88-Key Full Size Digital Piano with Power Supply, Black
Just like the Yamaha P71 the Casio Privia comes in different “bundles.” You can get just the digital piano by itself OR the choice of the following bundles:
- Compact Digital Piano Bundle (includes Adjustable Stand, Bench, Sustain Pedal, Instructional Book, Austin Bazaar Instructional DVD, and Polishing Cloth)
- Digital Piano Only
- Essentials Bundle (includes Behringer Headphones, On Stage Keyboard Stand, World Tour Bench, Casio Sustain Pedal and On Stage Dust Cover)
- Portable Bundle (includes Keyboard Bench, BEHRINGER Pedal and Keyboard Stand, Dust Cover and the book Adult All-In-One Course: Lesson-Theory-Technic: Level 1)
- Beginner Bundle (includes Pedals, Piano Bench, Polish Cloth and Keyboard Stand)
Roland FP-10 88-key Entry Level Digital Keyboard with Bluetooth
This digital piano comes equipped with Roland’s PHA-4 Standard Keyboard: with Escapement and Ivory Feel, so you can’t go wrong. Its sound generator also features SuperNATURAL Piano Sound. You can purchase a stand and bench if needed.
Alesis Recital Pro | Digital Piano / Keyboard with 88 Hammer Action Keys, 12 Premium Voices, 20W Built in Speakers, Headphone Output & Powerful Educational Features
Unlike the Yamaha P71, Casio Privia PX-160BK, and the Roland FP-10, the Alesis Recital Pro does NOT come with a “bundle” option, so that means you would need to get your own keyboard stand and bench (recommendations are included below). Also it must be noted that the pedal is NOT included.
Interested in Acoustic Pianos?
Mage Music has a partnership with Steinway & Sons as part of their Educational Partnership Program. Contact me to find out how you can finance or rent a Steinway acoustic piano.
Note: As an Amazon associate I earn through qualifying purchases.
