If you have decided to buy a new piano for learning purpose, then this guide is for you. This simple guide can help the beginners to buy a digital piano. You will know almost everything about which digital piano will suit your needs. So, let’s start!
Sensitivity and Response of the Keys
The keys of a digital piano refer to how much weight and responsiveness the keyboard possesses. While no digital piano can perfectly mimic the resistance of acoustic piano keys when struck, there are plenty of great digital pianos that have highly realistic key actions. To begin, look for a piano with a counterbalanced keyboard or a hammer effect keyboard. A graduated keyboard also provides a bit more realism, and some pianos allow you to adjust the responsiveness of the keys according to your liking, which is an exciting plus point. A beginner should have an 88 weighted keys keyboard.
Sound Quality
The next thing you need to evaluate is the tone and sound of the digital piano. Beginners won't need high-end tones and sounds, but higher the budget, the better will be the quality. If you are a beginner looking for a digital piano, then keep in mind that you will improve your skills, only when you get a piano with the best tone and sound texture for your budget.
The Sampling
Digital pianos reproduce sounds that have been recorded directly from acoustic pianos. The more quality the keyboard has, the greater the number of samples is taken for each sound effects. Besides, advanced models take different samples for the same note. This is because the texture of the sound is not exactly same on an acoustic piano if you vary the hue. Each brand has a specific system. For example, the "Supernatural" of Roland, or the Pure CF of Yamaha, is the most acclaimed. Most digital pianos include several basic piano sounds.
Polyphony
It's the number of notes you can play at the same time. The most basic models start with a polyphony of 32 notes, and it ranges up to more than 200 for the best models. So why do we need so many notes if we only have only ten fingers? For the "sustain" pedal. The best example of how polyphony affects it is in the following demo. Notice how the bass chord played at the beginning continues to sound despite the rapid succession of diminishing high notes.Speakers
The size, quantity, and power of the speakers will influence the audio output of the piano which includes the quality as well as the volume. As a contrast, with the increase in speaker size, the overall weight of the keyboard also increases gradually.
Sound Library
Majority of pianists upload their interpretations to the web mostly as a freebie. Thanks to the connectivity option of digital pianos you can efficiently utilize those interpretations in your model. Many piano manufacturers include some built-in music libraries, and some of them are free or while many of them come with a price (they can be quite expensive). However, the music library does not depend on the piano model you choose. So, if you are primarily interested in recording your sessions for YouTube or any other video platform, you should not worry too much about the sound that is incorporated into your piano because you have the possibility to change it in postproduction.
Materials
Consideration of the built materials is also crucial for beginners when it comes to investing in a digital piano. The cheaper models will offer plastic keys, while mid-range or expensive models will offer synthetic ivory built keys. The later key types improve your grip, in addition to providing a realistic execution style to help you reduce the difference between a digital piano and an acoustic piano. In addition to the materials, it is also useful for beginners to buy a digital piano that offers touch sensitivity and counterbalanced keys. These key types will improve your ability to play expressively, as well as develop the finger technique appropriately while you learn.
Portability
It is essential to think about the portability. If you need a piano for your home, you can easily buy a heavy-weight digital piano considering the space you have in your home. But, if you need to travel with the keyboard, you should go for a portable type. There are four main styles of the digital piano: vertical, contemporary, portable and stage. Vertical pianos look much like an acoustic piano, with the speakers placed in the stand's case. Contemporary styles look less like a piano and much more like a standard keyboard. Portable and stage pianos are easy to carry types and can provide a much stronger sound for musicians who expect more volume and get the most out of them. Each of these styles has their own positive aspects, but it is essential to know what digital piano style you will be needing before investing in any one of them. The digital stage pianos are designed specifically for professional performers since they require a louder sound and need to carry them everywhere they perform.
