For a lot of people who lack the budget or space in their house for a full-sized piano, a digital piano is the next-best thing. While no digital instrument can truly recreate the sound and scope of a Grand Piano, some of them can come awfully close.
Plus, digital pianos are often perfect for people who compose/perform digital music, because they usually have a wider variety of electronic interfaces than traditional pianos.
The tricky part is deciding which brand to buy. They all have their good qualities; it’s largely a matter of deciding what you want.
A Quick Buyer’s Guide To Digital Piano Brands
Casio
Casio is traditionally associated with “toy” instruments for kids and amateurs, but recently they’ve been making inroads in the serious digital piano market. Because of Casio’s long history and their self-owned production facilities, they can offer products at very affordable rates.
Casio’s products still aren’t considered “top of the line,” but they’re often a great compromise choice for a musician on a budget who wants the best sound possible for a low investment. They’re also great touring instruments for rock bands who need a good piano sound.
Yamaha
If there’s a true “jack of all trades” in the field of digital instruments, it’s Yamaha. At their low end, you can get a very nice-sounding instrument that’s great for beginners or children. At the high end, they offer highly innovative crossbreeds of traditional pianos and electronic instrumentation that seek to combine the best properties of both.
Plus, Yamaha is well-known for the durability of their products. They’re usually exceptionally well-made and can stand up to plenty of performances.
Kawai
Another Japanese firm, Kawai is often overlooked despite having a long history of great musical products. Their digital pianos and keyboards aren’t flashy, and lack name recognition, but they always have a highly advanced design and great build quality.
Kawai also tends to put more focus on digital input/outputs than many other brands, making Kawai one of the top brands for digital music-makers who can’t afford flashier brands.
Korg
Korg has a long history in synthesizers, and demands wide respect. Korg is also arguably the king of touring equipment. Their products are extremely user-friendly and virtually everything is editable, making them long-time favorites among onstage players.
Plus, their prices are usually quite reasonable and within the range of most professional artists.
Roland
Roland is probably the Steinway of synthesizers: Universally known, well-respected… and arguably overpriced for what you get. Some of the biggest names in the business swear by Roland, but unless you’ve got money to burn, the chances are you could get better price/performance value from other brands.
Which brands of digital pianos is your favorite?