UK Piano Page Piano Forum

Hi,

For those of you about to purchase of a digital piano, here are some points to consider:

With a home digital piano, you don’t have the tone and touch of an acoustic piano, or the same ability to convey the subtle emotion and feeling in your music. An acoustic piano holds its value better and last longer than a digital piano. Finally, a digital piano keyboard, like all electronic devices, eventually becomes obsolete.

That being said, digital pianos have improved considerably over the years. You’ll notice that the modern models can almost replicate the touch and feel of the traditional acoustic piano. The most important factors you should consider before deciding between a home digital piano and an acoustic piano are your musical preference, goals, budget and space available. We recommend going to a store and comparing the two so you can make a better decision.

Just to add to this. I am totally in favour of digital pianos. Haven't touched an acoustic piano for longer than I can remember. Just the following comes to mind:

Digital pianos are *far* easier to move than acoustic pianos
Digital pianos require NO tuning - a one off cost
Digital pianos are versatile - you can adjust the volume, and even use headphones
Digital pianos are great for experimentation and playing around with different sounds if wanted

Despite all this, I *personally* still prefer older digital pianos. My favourite ever model is the Yamaha Clavinova CLP-124. Whilst this model is now approximately 15 years old, it still is to me a very smart piano. I also believe this piano balances functionality with performance. This piano is not a half-piano, half-computer, half-robot creation. It does not have a massive LCD screen letting you do absolutely everything and anything to your music. It simply has a few welcome features, all available quite simply at the touch of the respective button. The piano also has 2x50 watt speakers... this is a powerful beast! The casing is in my opinion the best casing I have ever seen. The piano looks smart and professional, yet will fit in to most environments perfectly. Unfortunately, these are now difficult to get hold of, as they are only purchased through private sales because they are discontinued by Yamaha. Also, I'd hope that the reason there are so few sales of these pianos is because the people who got them 1st hand are still VERY much attached to them. One of the two that I regularly come in to contact with is 1st hand and very much cherished!

But yes... those are my opinionated and totally unjustified thoughts! Hope someone may find them interesting / even go so far as to partially agree!!

Hi Guys

After reading many of the above/below posts, here are my views about digital pianos compared to acoustics. Not naming any specific brand of piano, I myself much prefer the acoustic piano. Of course, back in the 1970's when I started piano lessons, digitals with 'weighted keys' were unheard of, or if they were around - very expensive.

I have been teaching piano since 1981, and even now - I teach on the odd digital in the customer's home - but NAAH, the sound isn't there for my liking! I was teaching legato pedalling one day, and before I knew it, the sound had quickly 'cancelled' itself out before I moved onto the next note (and explaining to the pupil about releasing the pedal at the same time as playing the next note). Also, what is the left hand pedal all about on a digital???? - yes, I know its called the 'soft' or 'una corda' pedal, but it doesn't do anything!! - and fancy having a sostenuto pedal on a digital!!! - bit like installing the latest computer software for my grand mother.

Although I enjoy playing on some digitals (just for fun) - they are no good for the serious learner; nor are there many provisions for one in ABRSM instrumental exams or music festivals. I can't help noticing that there is a huge difference in touch - a felt hammer, striking a thunderous bass string, with 5mm baize washers under the key - you get a proper feeling of "depth of touch".

Also another test! -- try on a good acoustic overstrung piano the following:
1. Depress a chord slowly, without making a sound (say, C major - C E G) with right hand.
2. One octave lower, play the same chord firmly & loud - still 'holding onto' the right hand chord.
3. Now release the left hand chord - and listen....... you should hear the right hand chord sympathetically vibrating in the background as the lower octave sets these strings into vibration.

Now try this with a digital piano..........

Also, is there such a thing a "half-pedalling" on a digital? This is to clear some of the sound from the previous chord/harmony.

Yeh, I think I'll stick to the acoustic version!!

Colin Nicholson wrote:yes, I know its called the 'soft' or 'una corda' pedal, but it doesn't do anything!!

"Una Corda" on an upright piano is almost fictional too. The keys do not move on an acoustic as you would see and feel on a grand piano.

Colin Nicholson wrote:Also, is there such a thing a "half-pedalling" on a digital? This is to clear some of the sound from the previous chord/harmony.

It is increasingly common for digital/stage pianos to include this feature but it usually reserved for the 'better' models.

yeh, totally agree about the 'una corda' feature. Yes, an acoustic piano just creates loads of lost motion (and bags of tape play), so you get the feeling you are floating in space, but its up to the pianist to "relax" here and takes less pressure off the finger work!!-----but yeh, you can still fairly loud if you want to!!

When I had piano lessons back in the early 80's, when I reached Grade 6 standard, my piano teacher let me have a go on his Bluthner Grand - wow! I can always remember the ivory keys, deliving into space, and when I used the 'una corda' pedal, there was a real sensation of a 'silvery' sound to the strings. Perhaps the shift mechanism screw was turned in too much to allow the hammers to only strike one string instead of two, or perhaps the action was worn out a bit..... but yes, I always remember the "real" sound of the soft pedal.

For piano playing, of course acoustics are better. However, some people have neither the space nor the budget for an acoustic and want to buy a digital. If it's introducing someone to piano playing or it means that they wont give up because they now have a tidier cheaper option, then I'm all for digital pianos. Some have quite a pleasing sound, and a decent touch. I have one as well, a rather nice one. It's not in the same league as my grand, but I enjoy playing it.

The advent of the digital piano has been a positive event in music, not a negative one. It brings the piano to a wider audience. Also, many people who have digitals get curious to see what an acoustic piano is all about, and maybe even buy one!

I'm aware of some of the negative impact that digitals have on music, but overall, its been great. That said.... pass me a Steinway!