A good instrument is extremely important for developing finger strength and proper technique on the piano.  Unfortunately, many of the keyboard instruments that families have in their homes are unsuitable for learning piano.  I cannot overstress the importance of having an appropriate instrument.

ACOUSTIC OR DIGITAL?

A question I am often asked is: "Which is better?  An acoustic piano, or a digital piano?"  Ten years ago, the answer was "a real piano."  But with advances in technology in recent years, the balance has tipped.  Today, the answer is, "it depends."

An electronic instrument has several significant advantages over an acoustic piano.  First, it is always in tune.  Real pianos need to be tuned at least once a year, even if they are not moved.  And some pianos go out of tune again fairly rapidly, perhaps even a couple of weeks after an expensive tuning.  Unfortunately, tuning the piano is not a high priority in many homes, and most pianos played by piano students throughout the country are badly out of tune.  I believe that playing every day on an out of tune piano harms the student.  At a minimum, it makes the piano less enjoyable to play.  But I suspect it may also desensitize the student to pitch and may actually damage the ability to hear pitch and to tell when a note (including their own singing voice) is out of tune.  For this reason alone, a quality electronic instrument would be a more practical choice for most families.  Second, quality digital pianos have better actions than do many “real” pianos.  Frankly, the action found in most spinet, console, and upright pianos isn’t very good.  (I have personal experience with this.  When I was a young piano student, my parents purchased a small spinet piano that had such a light action that my fingers did not develop enough strength and I had problems whenever I played another piano.)  The third advantage of an electronic instrument is that it can be turned down in volume, and can even be used with headphones, which is helpful in many family situations where others are trying to study.  If closed-ear headphones are used, they also help the student to concentrate on the piano and not be distracted or disturbed by TV, other people, and noises in the room.  The final advantage is that an electronic instrument can be easily moved without damage, which is a huge plus in today’s mobile society.  The bottom line is, a good new digital piano is more practical and economical for most families than a used acoustic piano in a comparable price range.

On the other hand, if the choice is on the upper end of the price spectrum, between a Clavinova-type electronic instrument versus a small grand piano, the grand will sometimes win.  There is nothing quite like playing a real grand piano.  But beware: there are some really bad sounding and bad playing baby grand pianos out there, too, especially on the used market.  (I have played a few grand pianos in my life that were even worse than my parents’ spinet!)  But if it’s a choice between a relatively new Yamaha or Kawai grand piano versus a Clavinova, in most cases I would recommend the grand.  But in such cases, the price will be much higher.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A DIGITAL PIANO FOR HOME USE
(Note: keyboards for stage use are discussed at the bottom of this page)

If you decide on an electronic instrument, you need to be aware that the vast majority of electronic keyboards sold in the USA are not musical instruments at all, they are merely toys.  There are three things that are critically important when buying a digital piano:

1. A weighted hammer action.  This means it feels like a real piano when your fingers press the keys.  Most electronic keyboards do NOT have a weighted hammer action and are NOT suitable for learning piano.  Not for beginners, not for advanced students, not for children, and not for adults.  If you have one of these keyboards with spring loaded plastic keys that have no resistance when you press them, I would advise you to get rid of it.  List it on KSL.com for half of what you paid for it and be overjoyed when someone takes it off your hands.

2. 88 keys.  This is not critical for beginners, but after the student has been playing for a year or so, you will regret not having purchased a keyboard with a full 88 keys.

3. An authentic, full, rich, grand piano sound.  If the student enjoys the sound, they will play it more frequently and for longer periods of time.  It is worth the extra money to get one that sounds good.

That’s it.  Nothing else is important.  Having a sequencer, prerecorded songs, automatic chord playing, 100 different sounds, a fancy touch screen, bluetooth, and lots of LED lights and gizmos will not help you or your child learn to play the piano more quickly or better.  In fact, in my experience, they may actually do the opposite, as the student will spend his or her practice time goofing around with the sounds instead of practicing.  You’ll pay a premium for these features, and if you’re on a tight budget, it’s a waste of money.

INEXPENSIVE DIGITAL PIANOS RECOMMENDED FOR HOME USE

Until recently, the only way to get the three important things (weighted action, 88 keys, and good sound) was to spend a lot, either on a quality acoustic piano or perhaps on a high end Clavinova.  This has changed in the last decade.  There are now several stripped down instruments for home use that fill the three requirements adequately. 

In the very lowest price range (around $500), the Roland FP-10 and the Yamaha P-45 are two to consider.  Of the two, I think the Roland is better because it has a better action and better samples, although its amp and speakers are quite weak.  But with headphones it sounds great.  The only problem is, for the last year or so they have been very hard to find.  When they came out with their new FP "x" models  they apparently decided to not offer this lowest price model anymore.

In the next price range, $650-$750, the Roland FP-30x (below) and the Yamaha P-125 are a big step up from their less expensive siblings, and are definitely worth the extra cost if you can afford it. Either of these is a decent piano for the price, but once again I think the Roland is slightly better.  An advantage of either of these pianos is that they are good enough to also be used for amateur public performances (see the section below on pianos for performing.)

There are several other brands in these price ranges, and there's nothing really wrong with them, but in my opinion the Yamaha and Roland have noticeably better sounds and actions.

I recommend against buying used keyboards.  Most of the lower priced ones that you will find on local used listings do not have a weighted hammer action, and are complete garbage.  Others don't have touch response, or have really bad sounds.  The predecessors of the Yamaha P-45 and P-125 (P-85, P-95, P-105, and P-115) were good instruments in their day, but because the prices for new ones have come down so far from where they used to be, and also because the quality of the actions and the sounds have improved so much, in my opinion it is worth the difference in cost to get a new digital piano with a warranty.

DIGITAL PIANOS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR HOME USE

If you have an intermediate or advanced student in your home, and want a digital instrument that will allow him or her to reach their potential, you are going to need to spend at least $1,500.  Before you have a heart attack, remember that in past decades, after adjusting for inflation, families with piano students had to spend around 10 times that much money to get a new console piano.  When compared with the cost of acoustic pianos, harps, string instruments, brass instruments, woodwinds, etc., $1,500 is not an unreasonable amount to spend on a child's instrument.

In the $1,500 price range, I recommend the Yamaha P-515 (below).  It is a state-of-the-art instrument with a fantastic action that feels almost identical to that of a real concert grand piano, including that the keys of the lower notes have a heavier touch than do the keys of the higher notes.  The white keys are made of imitation ivory and have a great touch that does not stick to the fingers, facilitating fast playing.  The black keys have a slight texture, so they feel like wood keys instead of slippery shiny plastic.  The piano has three different piano patches, all of which are 4-layer sampled piano sounds, including the sound of sympathetic string resonance when the pedal is depressed, and key off samples that sound like the dampers coming down on the strings as a key is released.  The polyphony is huge, and the musical expression is excellent.  It also has a very realistic piano action and sound.  If you put on headphones and close your eyes, these instruments are almost indistinguishable to the fingers and to the ears from a 9 foot concert grand piano.  Not just any 9 foot concert grand piano, but the fantastic Yamaha CFX grand that is one of the best in the world.  If you have a serious piano student who is at an intermediate or advanced level, and you can't afford a Clavinova or a real grand, or are in an apartment with limited space, then this is the piano you need.  These instruments come with a decent sustain pedal, and if you get the stand that is made for it you can also order a three pedal option that works like a real grand piano's three pedals.
All of the Roland FP and Yamaha P models will need a stand.  Link to the article on this web site called "Keyboard Accessories" for a discussion of stands.

If you have a bigger budget and want a nicer looking piece of furniture in your living room, but still want a digital instrument, the Yamaha Clavinovas are the best high-end electronic instruments on the market.  Most of them are elegant looking, I do recommend them if you can afford the extra cost and you are not planning to use the instrument on stage.  By the time you pay for a stand and a bench, the lowest priced Clavinovas (which don't need a stand and come with a bench) are not much more expensive than the P-515.

The Clavinova models I recommend all start with the letters "CLP."  The CLP line offers the best quality to price ratio by eliminating the added expense of unnecessary electronic features.

The CLP-725 ($2,000) has features similar to the P-515 keyboard discussed above, but with a beautiful console and bench.  It is offered in rosewood, satin black, or polished ebony (extra $400).  It has binaural sampled CFX grand piano samples with astonishing brilliance and expression, a Grand Touch "S" keyboard action with synthetic ebony and ivory keytops and escapement, Grand Expression 2 modeling, Virtual Resonance modeling, triple grand piano pedals, 10 voices, a 40W amp, and 2 speakers.  This is a model I do recommend... IF that's your price range.  If you can afford more, I would go for one of the higher models, because this model is significantly underpowered, and it will not be as loud as a real piano.  But the tone will be excellent, especially with headphones.

The CLP-735 ($2,700) has all the features of the CLP-725 plus 28 more voices (38 total), including another binaural sampled concert grand piano (Bosendorfer), and a couple of old classic piano sounds from the days of Chopin.  It has a bigger amp (60W) plus tone escape ports, and smooth release technology, which sounds slightly more realistic.  It is offered in rosewood, walnut, satin black, white, and polished ebony (extra $500).  I'm not a big fan of this model.  It is still underpowered, and I don't think the extra price gets you a much better piano.

The CLP-745 ($3,500, photo below) has all the features of the CLP-735 plus a 100W amp and 4 speakers, wooden keys instead of plastic, and audio/midi interface and bluetooth that can play songs from your iPad through the piano speakers, and it can be hooked up to an iPad to use the Smart Pianist app.  Same colors/woods as the 735.  This is a model I do recommend because of the bigger amp and speakers.  This model is an excellent choice for most families.

The CLP-775 ($4,700) has all the features of the CLP-745 plus a 284W amp and 6 speakers plus 2 transducers and enclosed speaker box and a real wood soundboard which greatly improves the sound.  Also, an upgraded Grand Touch action that is the best that Yamaha makes, and a touch screen control panel that disappears when not in use so it looks like a real piano, and a slightly a taller cabinet that looks very much like a real Yamaha console piano.  Same colors/woods as the 745.  I highly recommend this model for those who can afford it.  The bigger amp, more speakers, speaker box, soundboard, and improved action are well worth the extra $1,200 if you can afford it and you want the most realistic action and fantastic sound.  If are seeking an EXCELLENT digital piano for under $5,000, this is the one for you.  Also if you have a child who is aspiring to become a concert pianist, I would seriously consider this piano.

The CLP-785 ($5,800) has all the features of the CLP-775 plus over 500 voices, and counterweights in the keys.  It is also taller, and nearly twice as heavy, and it has a fold down cover like a real Yamaha upright piano instead of a pull out cover.  It's beautiful, but it's not any better sounding than the 775.

Another model you may want to consider is the CLP-765GP ($4,500, photo below).  It is similar to the CLP-745 except it has a grand piano shape and a 184W amplifier.  The top of the line CLP-795GP ($7,500) is similar to the CLP-785 except it has the grand piano shape.  The lid on these models rises like a real grand, and when closed it sounds like a real grand with the lid closed.  They are smaller in size than the smallest acoustic baby grand piano, but sound like the biggest 9' concert grands.  They are beautiful instruments.

I have several cautions regarding Clavinovas.  First, I'm not a fan of the CVP line (lots of sounds, drums, buttons and gadgets) and CSP line (piano instruction and hooking into iPads).  You don't get a better piano, and you pay a lot more money for all the bells and whistles.  So for the best sounding piano for the best price, I recommend that you stick with the CLP line.  Second, technology has advanced so rapidly in recent years that I do not recommend used Clavinovas.  I would rather have the cheapest Clavinova model in the newest lineup than the most expensive Clavinova that is just a few years old.  And third, in the price range of the upper end Clavinovas, you might want to instead consider looking for a real acoustic grand piano.  (Acoustic pianos are discussed below.)

WHERE TO BUY DIGITAL PIANOS

For all home-use digital pianos except Clavinovas, I generally recommend that you purchase from Sweetwater.com, which I have found to be the best music equipment dealer in the country, with excellent prices, fast free shipping, best customer service, free extended warranty, and best instrument repair service.  Their web site is great and you can just order online, but if you have questions, you can call them.  If you call, you'll be speaking to a real musician, with real experience and knowledge, who can give you advice and help, not just someone at a call center who knows nothing about musical instruments.  My personal representative is Kevin Spunde, who can be reached at (800) 222-4700 x 1732.  Tell him I referred you.

Sweetwater has some, but not all of the Clavinova models.  For Clavinovas, another option is Kraft Music, which seems to specialize more in Yamaha Clavinovas and has a bigger selection.

ACOUSTIC SPINET, CONSOLE, and UPRIGHT PIANOS

I'm becoming less and less of a fan of non-grand acoustic pianos.  Today's digital pianos pretty much have them beat on the quality to price ratio.  Acoustic pianos look nice, and some of them sound great, but quality used ones still cost as much as a new Clavinova, and new ones are even more expensive.

I recommend that you avoid spinet pianos altogether.  Console pianos are much better.  A used console piano in good condition will run between $2,000 and $3,000. An upright will cost $1,000-$2,000 more than a console. A new piano is approximately double the price of a used one.  Summerhays Music in Salt Lake City (Murray) usually has an excellent selection of used pianos in the basement.  The Piano Gallery is right next door and also has some.  If this is the route you choose to take, I would be happy to check out the piano you are considering before you purchase it.  There is a HUGE range of quality in both action and tone in these instruments.

ACOUSTIC GRAND PIANOS

If money is not an issue and you want the ultimate instrument, talk to me about acoustic grand pianos.  As good as the latest digital pianos are, there is something about playing a quality acoustic grand piano that cannot quite be duplicated.  Used grands are plentiful and there is usually a good selection at Summerhays and Piano Gallery.  A used 5' baby grand will cost approximately $5,000 to $10,000, depending on the brand and the condition.  Used 6' grands are typically in the $10,000 to $15,000 range, with good brands (Yamaha C3 or Kawai RX-3) on the higher end of that range.  A 6 foot Steinway Model A will cost you 3-4 times that much.  As with non-grands, new pianos are approximately double the price of the same piano, used.

So which do I recommend in the $5,000 price range: an old, used, 5 foot, off-brand, acoustic grand, or a brand new Yamaha Clavinova CLP-765GP?  This may surprise many people (including me!) but after much pondering, for most families I would recommend the Clavinova.  Here's why: The acoustic grands take a lot of room in your house, they are heavy and hard to move (a very important consideration for today's mobile generation), they need to be tuned regularly, and if they are more than a decade old they are prone to develop problems with the action and the dampers that are expensive to fix. The 5 foot grands sound very tinny in the bottom end because the strings are so short.  To get a decent sound, you need at least a 5 3/4' to 6' grand, and it is near impossible to find a quality 6' grand in the $5,000 price range.  And even a $10,000 used 6' grand still sounds like a small grand... because it is a small grand.  With the Clavinova, you get a brand new instrument with a warranty, it weighs 1/4 as much, it takes less space in your living room, and it sounds like a 9 foot concert grand instead of a baby grand.  Not just any 9’ concert grand, but the Yamaha CFX concert grand, which is one of the best in the world. You never have to tune it.  You can turn the volume up or down, or you can use it with headphones and not disturb anyone.  With a good pair of headphones, if you close your eyes, you’ll swear you’re not only playing a 9’ concert grand, but it will sound like you’re playing it on a concert stage.  The action is almost identical to a Yamaha concert grand, and the sound is so realistic it will blow your mind.

There are two downsides of the digital piano compared to a real acoustic grand.  First, the digital will lose value faster than an acoustic because technology will continue to improve.  And second, there is something about playing a real, mechanical grand, with real hammers hitting real strings (even if it doesn't sound as good as a digital) that can't be imitated electronically.  All the funny wood action noises, the quirks of the piano, the tactile feel, the way the sound hits your ears, and so on.  So if you are primarily interested in a classical music piano repertoire, I would shop for a real grand.  But if you are pursuing popular music, get a Clav.  (Or, better yet, a professional digital piano, discussed below).

If you decide on an acoustic grand piano, beware.  Not all grands are created equal, even within the same price range.  Don’t let a salesman talk you into an expensive piece of junk.  Case in point: the Fazio in USU’s Performance Hall is the most expensive piano in the valley, but nobody can stand to play it; all the concert pianists HATE it!  Some salesman convinced the ladies who donated the money that Fazio was better than Steinway, but they never bothered to talk to any concert pianists to find out whether they like the action and the tone!  Likewise, the used piano market has a wide range of quality.  Don't buy a used piano just because it seems like a good price.  Let me help you select an instrument in your price range that you will be happy with for life.


BOTTOM LINE

Regardless of your budget, here’s the bottom line: 1. Don’t let your child practice on an electronic piano with a spring-loaded, soft-action keyboard.  A weighted hammer action is essential for students to develop finger strength and proper technique.  2. Don’t let your child practice on an out of tune acoustic piano.  At a minimum, listening to out of tune notes makes practice time less enjoyable.  At worst, it may damage the student’s developing musical senses.  If you have an acoustic piano, get it tuned at least once each year.

STAGE KEYBOARDS FOR PERFORMING

For students who are mostly interested in contemporary music (pop, rock, country, etc.) and want to perform in public, either as solo artists or in bands, the Roland FP-30 or Yamaha P-125 (described above) can be used as an entry level performing instrument.  The Yamaha P-515 can also be used if you don't use the heavy stand that is made for it.  But none of these keyboards are ideal for stage use.  You may want to instead consider an actual pro line instrument that is specifically designed and manufactured for stage use.  The advantages are: strong construction for traveling makes them better able to handle the shocks and bumps associated with being moved to gigs, lighter weight, and a much better variety of extremely high quality piano and other sounds.  The disadvantages are they cost more, most don't come with music stands, and most also don't have any internal speakers so they must be plugged into a PA system or a keyboard amplifier (or headphones) to hear them.

In the bottom price range for stage keyboards, in my opinion the best quality for the price is the Roland RD-88.  It is a light weight, high quality, small profile, stage model for $1,400.  Unlike most stage pianos, it DOES have small built-in speakers, so you don't need to plug into an amp to hear it in your house.  They are not loud speakers, but they are better than nothing and they are light weight.  The RD-88 has a HUGE library of 3,000 sounds (by way of comparison, the more expensive Korg Grandstage has about 550 sounds, and the Yamaha CP88 only has about 80 sounds).  Because it is a stage model, it is built for the rigors of gigging, unlike home models.  It also has 1/4" output jacks (like a guitar) to go to a mixer, unlike home models that you have to monkey around with a headphone jack.  It has a full 88 keys but weighs only 30lbs (the Korg Grandstage weighs 44!).  The reviews are stellar!


In the mid price range ($2,000-2,900), there are a half dozen manufacturers of pro digital pianos, but in my opinion, only two are worth considering: the Yamaha CP-88/73 and the KORG Grandstage 88/73.

Similarities: both are designed and made in Japan.  Both have very easy to use panels and user interfaces.  Both have smooth transition when switching sounds.  Both have instant access to banks of presets that you can create and save.  Both have balanced outputs.  Both have several fantastic grand piano sounds, including damper resonance, key off sampling, etc.  Both also have excellent electric piano, string, and other sounds.  Both have the ability to play more than one sound at the same time, either split or unison (Korg 2 at a time, Yamaha 3 at a time).  Both offer 88-key and 73-key versions.

Advantages of the Yamaha (below): The most realistic grand piano keyboard action, the best piano sounds, an all metal outer construction that I think is better looking, possibly a slightly higher build quality, and the ability to play three sounds simultaneously (instead of two).  If you are mostly concerned with getting the best grand piano sounds and action, the Yamaha is the one for you.

Advantages of the KORG (below): A little easier to play action, five times as many sounds to choose from, a music lyre is included at no extra cost (Yamaha's is an extra $80), a very nice pro keyboard stand (worth $300) is also included at no extra cost, a few special features like a 3 band equalizer and a really cool Dynamics control, far better Hammond organ sounds, some really excellent Rhodes and Wurlie electric piano samples, and the 88 key version is slightly less expensive than the 88 key Yamaha.  Subjectively, I also believe its control panel is slightly more intuitive and easy to use.  This is the one I own because I need the extra sounds and features.

The full sized (88-key) Yamaha CP-88 is priced at $2,500, and the 73-key CP-73 is $2,000.  The full sized KORG Grandstage 88 is priced at $2,200, and the 73-key Grandstage 73 is $2,000.  The 73 key versions would be adequate for most performing situations, and they are about 10lbs lighter and less awkward to haul around.  However, if this will be your only keyboard for practicing I would recommend getting the full 88 keys. 

There are a half dozen competitors to these two, but I don't recommend them.  For example, the Roland RD-2000 has nice features but it is an old design that is past due for an upgrade.  Its pianos do not sound as crisp and clear as the Yamaha and KORG, and its user interface stinks.

In the high price range ($3,000-5,000), there is nothing I recommend for stage use.  Nearly all of them are horribly heavy to carry around, and they are also much more complicated and difficult to use in a live performance situation.  For example, the Nord Piano 4 is an excellent sounding instrument, but it is overpriced, and the build quality and reliability are poor.   The top of the line Rolands do not have as good of keyboard actions as the less expensive Yamaha CP-88 and KORG Grandstage, and the user interfaces are designed for recording, not for live performance.

All stage pianos need a keyboard stand, cord, amp, and other accessories.  For a discussion of these items, go to the article on this web site entitled "Keyboard Accessories."

WHERE TO BUY STAGE KEYBOARDS

I generally recommend that you purchase pro music gear from Sweetwater.com, which I have found to be the best music equipment dealer in the country, with excellent prices, fast free shipping, best customer service, free extended warranty, and best instrument repair service.  Their web site is great and you can just order online, but if you have questions, you can call them.  If you call, you'll be speaking to a real musician, with real experience and knowledge, who can give you advice and help, not just someone at a call center who knows nothing about musical instruments.  My personal representative is Kevin Spunde, who can be reached at (800) 222-4700 x 1732.  Tell him I referred you.
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