INTRODUCTION
The charisma, sound and feel that comes with playing the acoustic grand concert piano is something every pianist, especially the classical ones or the purist will forever crave to experience. However, while the opportunity of playing an acoustic grand piano appears to be scarce and the cost of owning one makes it a dream yet to be accomplished for most pianists. However, while you wait for the dawn of your dreams, latest digital pianos are already here for you and they represent an awesome alternative by every standard and factor.
In addition, digital pianos aren’t too different from acoustic pianos; instead, they are upgraded acoustic pianos that are born out of innovation.
Beyond the sound and feel they produce, which is synonymous to the experience of the acoustic grand piano, the digital piano comes with numerous excellent features that give you enormous power over the kind of sound you want and where you want it to sound. The latest models come with features like FX, LED display, metronomes and other programmed sounds and voices. In addition to these, you can connect your piano to other devices such as a recorder, a smartphone, a PC, etc. and music amplifiers, play numerous types of sound simultaneously, adjust the volume setting and ultimately customize the kind of sound and feel you want.
There are many digital pianos on the market currently and whether you are a beginner or a classical pianist, making the right choice of piano that will seamlessly fit into your budget, last long and give you that desired musical feel maybe and up to the task. Therefore, we are providing you with ample information that could help you purchase the best digital piano for a classical pianist, and you really need to be guided properly for maximum utilization of your resources and optimal satisfaction.
#1 YAMAHA P SERIES P105 88-KEY DIGITAL PIANO
Yamaha P Series P105 88-Key Digital Piano is our top pick for the best digital pianos for the advanced pianist. It is a compact and stylish piano and having one is something every potential and existing pianist.
This Yamaha product comes with the pioneer Yamaha’s Pure CF engine which gives the natural sound of the renowned Yamaha’s CFIIIS concert grand piano which is notorious in most big stages of the musical world. It is indeed a digital piano and thus it has digital features such as a USB port that allows you to connect it with your mobile devices or computer and use it alongside many computerized and programmed applications; and an AUX line-out that allows you to connect it to amplifiers, computer sound cards, powered speakers, recordings and mixing console to stage your outdoor live performance. That’s not all! It also has an in-built speaker that ensures your practice indoors without disturbing your neighbors.
Special Features
- PureCF Yamaha renowned engine
- 88-note weighted GHS keys
- In-built drum patterns
- In-built duet
- 128-note polyphony
This piano is easy to use and it is versatile for every pianist at any level of play. It is an 88-weighted keyboard whose keys could be easily adjusted to suit your playing preference. The lower notes keys are heavier than you’re the higher note keys and on an overall, playing this piano gives you the privilege of making authentic note touch.
Pros
- Great for beginners
- Sounds really magnificent
- The keys are very touch-sensitive
- Amazing for the price
- Comes with a stand and pedal
Cons
- Sustain pedal is shorter in duration compared to a real piano
- Speakers are a bit small
This digital piano fits your desire roundly with its two-way stereo systems, and it is not too expensive to be owned.
#2 CASIO PRIVIA PX-860 DIGITAL PIANO
This piano is the grand slam of the Privia line. It comes with an outstanding and resonating air technology that makes it a magnifico in sound production. It is one the best digital pianos is 2019.
Casio Privia PX-860 Digital Piano sounds great like a 9 foot grand piano and the sound comes with a seamless dynamism that sets your music spree on fire. The sound originates from the Acoustic and Intelligence Resonator (AiR) processor which allows you to access grand piano samples that have been recorded at a dynamic four levels to ensure that you derive the acoustic grand piano sound with your digital piano.
Special Features
- 88 Ebony and Ivory feel keyboard action
- Touch sensitive keyboard keys
- Off Stimulators
- Multidimensional morphing AiR
- Tri-sensor Scaled hammer action
This digital piano also has a 88 full sized weighted keyboard and its keys have three great sensors which make it really sensitive to give you performance with great accuracy and speed. It also has a USB Midi port that allows you to connect it to your PC and use it with other applications without needing to download drivers.
Pros
- Sounds great even with the little in-built speakers
- Easy to assemble and use
- Keys and keys bounce well
- Include a splitting keyboard
Cons
- Does not connect to WiFi or Internet
- Less hollow note
Casio Privia PX-860 Digital Piano is designed to give you the highest level of playing performance that could turn your sitting room into a great concert hall.
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#3 KAWAI KDP90
This digital piano appears on its own lane with one outstanding feature: Harmonic Imaging Sound Technology. This sound feature is the most awesome thing about the Kawai digital piano series. It is one of the best digital pianos for a classical pianist.
Kawai KDP90 is an 88-key Graded Hammer action piano that has an exceptional dual sound and four mode 192-note polyphony. It has a built-in Alfred Piano lessons and two unique soundboard stereo speakers that give you the concert sound you hear in the world best venues.
Special Features
- Harmonic Imaging Technology
- Advanced Hammer Action IV
- 88-key, note Graded Hammer Keyboard
- Unmatched audio transference feature
- Bluetooth/USB features
- 192 notes Polyphony
- Grand feel damper pedal system
- Sliding key cover
This digital piano has a sturdy and consistent architecture with a unique rosewood finish. It audio transference has unmatched quality and it comes with a stereo headphone, a lesson book and an awesome USB feature that allows you to connect it to external devices for various purposes.
Pros
- Has an undeniable impressive piano sound
- Durable
- Key sliding cover for protection
- Soft, Sostenuto, damper feel
- About 15 instruments sound
- Premium rosewood finish
Cons
- Average inbuilt speaker
- Few sound modifying features
- Little LCD display
Kawai’s KDP90 is an exceptional keyboard for practice, studio and performance settings. It is everything an improvement could be and purchasing one gives you an ingenious compromise between cost and performance. Upon our buyer’s guide, you will strongly add this digital piano to your scale of preference as a classical digital pianist.
#4 YAMAHA DGX650B
This is another Yamaha Piano that gives quality pristine sound.
This digital piano is versatile and comes with many interactive features that make it optimal for both learning and playing. It is designed with the acoustic touch and possesses the PureCF sampling which is formulated with the recordings of the Yamaha 9-foot concert piano from pianissimo to fortissimo, ensuring that you derive maximal contemporary music experience.
Yamaha DGX650B has 88-note weighted GHS actions which give you the feel of the hammers inside an acoustic piano and make you learn how to position your fingers when you finally have the opportunity to play the grand piano.
Special Features
- PureCF-sampled piano
- AUX line input
- 128-note polyphony
- 88-note, weighted GHS action
- Style Recommender
This digital piano has a versatile USB feature that allows you to play audio, record your play and transfer your play to your PC and music player. The AUX Line-Out is also versatile. It allows you to play music from your devices or connect to other keyboard, amplifiers and powers speakers. That’s not all and this will make you marvel! This piano has a great LCD display and a great feature called “You are the Artist.” With this feature, you could choose the song that you want to play before you start playing.
Pros
- Smart chord feature
- Magnificent acoustic tone
- Great action key
- Style recommender feature
- Highly versatile
Cons
- The speakers are small
- Volume output is low
- The display is a bit antiquated
This is an awesome piano and if you are blind, playing the DGX650B will make you feel as if you are on a grand piano. It is one of the best digital pianos in 2019.
#5 YAMAHA ARIUS YDP-181
This digital piano is really versatile and gives the perfect acoustic feeling to both beginners and classical players.
It has the PureCF engine coupled with a 3-degree pre-recorded stereo sampling voice gives you that top-notch grand acoustic feeling you strongly desire when playing a keyboard. It delivers, and the 88-note, graded hammer weighted keyboard makes it relishing to play whether during practice classes or stage performance.
Special Features
- PureCF-sampled piano
- AUX line input
- 128-note polyphony
- 88-note, weighted GHS action
- Storage USB device port
- Dual voice ability
Yamaha Arius YDP-181 also comes with a USB device port that allows you to connect other storage or music devices and play music from it using its small in-built speakers. It can also be used to store recordings of your play into your storage devices such as a flash drive. In addition, the damper pedal gives you an outstanding output and control over the sustained sound. Furthermore, with this digital piano, you could play two different instrument sounds at once.
BUYERS GUIDE
We understand that you can’t purchase all these digital pianos at once and making a choice could be hectic. So, we’ve provided some factors you should consider before making your choice.
- Quality: All the digital pianos that we have described above are quality digital pianos and so in terms of quality; any of them is a perfect choice.
- Cost: It is always best to spend within your purchasing power. Since they all have great qualities, you could purchase anyone within your budget limit.
- Purpose: Some are great for practice while others are better for performance. Depending on your purpose, our reviews will guide you. Purchase a digital piano that suits your purpose.
- Things to look out for: When purchasing a digital piano, ensure that it has an 88-note keyboard; a standard width keys; keys with weighted action; a pedal and the kind of equalization features you could use. All our keyboard fits this well.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Which brand of the digital piano is the best?
All the pianos here make up the best digital pianos for a classical pianist. However, they are of different brands. The best brand amongst them all is the Yamaha brand. The Yamaha series has a history of greatness, reliability, and awesomeness and until tomorrow, Yamaha will always produce the most sought out digital pianos.
2. Which Piano is the best under 3000 USD?
Due to the quality, most of the digital pianos that we have reviewed here are quite expensive. However, having a budget of 3000 USD still gives you the privilege to own one of the best digital pianos for classical pianist between 2019 and 2020. With a budget of 3000 USD, you could purchase Yamaha Arius YDP-181 which is one of the great pianos you could have. Others that are great although not reviewed in this article that you could purchase with that budget include Roland FP-50, Yamaha YDP-52, Nord Piano 3 and Kawai ES-8. Some reviewers have placed these pianos as the best for your budget of 3000 USD.
3. How much does a digital piano cost?
Well, digital pianos come in three different physical architectures: the simple slab pianos, the console pianos, and the grand pianos. Most of the pianos we’ve described above are grand pianos. A simple slab piano is one that comes without a feet pedal and no cabinet. At best, it has a simple stand. It will cost about 200-1,000 USD depending on the brand and sophistication. The console which comes with a stand and an in-built pedal system will go for about 1,000-5,000 USD depending also on the brand and feature sophistication. Some may even extend to about 10,000 USD. Lastly, the big guys—the grand pianos like most of the ones we’ve reviewed above could go for 3,000-20,000 USD depending also on the brand and feature sophistication. Irrespective of the cost, owning a digital piano is something you can’t compromise and the most enthralling fact is that no matter your budget, there is a digital piano for you.
4. What are the Best Digital Pianos for Beginners?
Most of the digital pianos that we’ve reviewed are versatile pianos. They are not just the best digital pianos for an advanced pianist; they are also the best digital pianos for beginners. So, purchasing any of these digital pianos covers you from piano kindergarten to doctorate. However, for optimal beginner experience, Casio Privia PX 160BK is a perfect option amongst all of them. Others although not listed here that could give you that phenomenal beginner experience includes Yamaha P44B, Yamaha DGX230, Korg B1SP, Yamaha P45 88-key, and Casio LK-190 61.
5. What Is The Difference Between Digital Piano And Keyboard?
A digital piano differs from a keyboard in many aspects. Primarily, they differ in purpose. A digital piano is designed to give you that experience you admire in the world biggest venues when the traditional acoustic grand piano is being played. They are made with recordings and sampling of the real acoustic piano to give you an affordable and mobile experience of the real acoustic piano. A keyboard is just a shadow of what the digital piano gives. The keyboard simply helps you learn how to use your fingers and enjoy a few musical notes.
6. Do Digital Pianos Need Tuning?
Digital pianos are only made to mimic the acoustic piano and replicate the feel. It beams out pre-recorded samples coupled with programmed equalizations and amplifiers. Therefore, it practically requires no tuning.
7. What is a Digital Piano Polyphony?
This simply refers to the highest number of notes your digital piano can at the same time. This note makes playing the digital piano awesome and the kind of sound it produces when it is being played. They could range from 16 to 256 depending on the brand and feature sophistication. It is important to note that the higher the polyphony, the more advanced the digital piano and the more expertise that is required to play it.
CONCLUSION
Having a digital piano is great for both beginners and advanced pianists and irrespective of how you admire the traditional acoustic grand concert piano; a digital keyboard could also provide the same feel. The digital pianos we’ve just reviewed for you are the best digital pianos in 2019 with weighted keys. We have tried to cover the best digital pianos for beginners and for the advanced pianist as well. Stick to our buyers guide and ensure that you purchase a great digital piano that will suit your purpose and match your budget. We wish you a phenomenal, terrific and bang-up musical experience.