Whether you are going for your first stage performance on the keys or are a pro looking to upgrade, A digital stage piano is the perfect combination of keys to Jam with. They are pretty useful because it is a practical glitch to go on stage with a bulky upright or grand piano.
If you are also in a dilemma to choose the best digital stage piano, these awesome alternatives to real pianos can come in handy. These digital pianos are perfect for stage vibes.
If you are in a hurry now to read our full buying guide on digital stage pianos, you may check our top pick or jump to the review section:
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Our expert recommended the top 5 best digital pianos for stage performances:
Name | Author Rating | ||
---|---|---|---|
![]() | Yamaha YDP163B | ★★★★★ | |
![]() | Editor's Choice Yamaha P255 | ★★★★★ | |
![]() | Casio PX560BE | ★★★★✰ | |
![]() | Yamaha CP300 | ★★★★✰ | |
![]() | Yamaha P125 | ★★★★✰ |
How is A Digital Stage Piano Different From Other Digital Pianos?
While digital pianos and stage pianos are from the same broad kiln there are some differences that you must know. Digital pianos are the broader category that can be used for any purpose and the term ‘digital piano’ is not enough to explain the ideal setup of use.
Stage pianos are certainly different from the other key combinations for similar purposes such as synthesizers or keyboards. What sets them apart is the perfect mix of the feel of the brilliant acoustic pianos that is combined with an electronic keyboard. These portable stage pianos offer the best feel along with lovely sounds of real piano and are also specifically designed for a stage performance.
The best is the portability that lets you get rid of the need to hire piano movers for every performance.
Things to Keep in Mind While Choosing the Right Piano for Your Stage Performance:
As with all other purchases, the price tag and the resultant dent on the pocket are major deciding factors when you are analyzing the top digital pianos for the stage. While a good digital stage piano will always be expensive, there are some good quality options that may be a tad bit more affordable. Since it is a long-term investment it is a good idea to not confine your choice based on cost.
While cheap stage pianos may come with lesser keys, it is recommended to opt only for a good 88 key weighted piano. The material of keys is also worth a consideration. Real stage pianos have ivory keys and the stage versions range from different materials such as ebony, plastic etc. The choice of material, however, depends on individual artists.
Different pianos come with different key mechanisms and based on our research, the ones with fully weighted and hammer action keys are the best ones that artists swear by. You can also choose based on the various built-in features that come as a part of your piano package.
It is a good idea to not get carried away by big promises and opt for the features that you will need.
Best Digital Stage Piano Review
1. Yamaha P255 Review – A Professional Stage Piano
Features
- Ideal for both practice and real stage performance
- Easy to carry, portable design
- Built-in speakers make it easy to set up anywhere without amplification
- Comes with a controller app for iOS that can help easily adjust the settings
- Inbuilt sound engine (Pure CF) yields piano voices to emulate an acoustic piano
- Realistically emulates the finest grand pianos
- Natural speaker vibrations for a balanced tone
- EQ sliders allow for sound customization
This gives more flexibility of placement. The ios controller app offers easy touchscreen access to control all piano functions, it helps you graphically choose the layers and effects. It also comes with a sound boosting capability that helps in to deliver the sound clearly to the audience by increasing the volume. Bright and low tones can be produced to suit the song and environment with the help of available EQ sliders.
- The inbuilt speakers are very efficient and the sound boost gives a very crisp effect
- The headphone output is amazing
- It offers the option for instant switch-off button
- The feel of keys is better than most stage pianos
- A lot of fun sounds are included and one can also mix sounds for dramatic effects
- Audio can be recorded directly from the flash drive
- 3.55 mm jack is not included and you must buy a separate adapter to use headphones
- The x-stand makes slight creaking noise
- Accessories are very expensive
2. Yamaha YDP163B Arius Series – A Top-End Digital Stage Piano
Features
- Convenience and performance of electric piano combined with the sound quality of acoustic piano
- One of the top digital stage pianos that accommodate the growing skill levels of the pianist
- Key quality is good enough to emulate the finest digital stage pianos
- Amazing sampling technology with Pure CF engine for brilliant sound
- Dynamic and expressive play capacity just as in grand pianos
- Graded hammer 88 non-slip keys
- Heavy touch in the low end and light touch in the high end
- Perfect for early learners with a focus on finger techniques with the keys
- Stereo sustain for better pedal performance and realistic sound
- It comes with a state of the art stereophonic optimizer
- iOS compatible
- Comes with a recording functionality
- A songbook and some prerecorded songs are included
Here is another great performing stage piano from the house of Yamaha that does a fairly good job of emulating an acoustic piano that reproduces sounds similar to that of the better options. It incorporates the GH3 weighted action in its keys and is thus quite similar to the grand acoustic pianos in terms of range and response. It comes with 50 songs in the built-in memory. The iOS app allows easy navigation and control by offering access to a good GUI. It also comes with a 2 track song recorder for practice and recording.
- Easy to assemble with clear instructions
- Weighted keys feel very good
- The sound is like an acoustic piano
- Cabinet and wood finish is impressive
- Headphone functionality works very well
- Not suited for advanced pianists (Advanced means ‘Very Advanced’)
- Some customers claim that the hardware fasteners are low quality
3. Casio PX560BE – A 88-Key Digital Stage Piano
Features
- Massive splits – layers can be created at a time, 4 zones and 14 layers can be created together
- Tones can be edited and sculpted accordingly
- Control is very simple with 2 real-time knobs and a modulation wheel
- It employs great sound filters for superior quality
- It is very lightweight
- It offers easy integration with pedals and switches
- It has a powerful built-in speaker
Listening to the sound is a very pleasant experience. It surpasses the basics of digital pianos with 550 tones to include a lot of instruments and genres of music. With superior looks, it is sleek and creates an impression at the first look. It has features that let you explore more than just the basics.
- Very good aesthetic appeal
- The feel of keys is very good
- The LCD screen works very well
- Sounds are amazing with just the inbuilt speaker as well
- Sounds are very good and it goes very well with other instruments such as guitar
- Damping control cannot be done with sustain pedals
- Sample libraries are not very impressive
- Limited learning options and tools for beginners
4. Yamaha CP300 – A Very Good Stage Piano with Natural Wood Keys
Features
- 88 note wooden key graded hammer action
- Slim and lightweight with easily understandable buttons on the panel
- All controls are easily available
- Premium GP incorporates the sound from top-selling grand pianos
- Vintage EP imbibes sounds and classic tones from the bygone era
- Stompbox effects can be created with virtual circuitry modeling
- Layers and splits are as easy as the touch of a button
- Wooden keys with synthetic ivory tops and graded hammer action for an amazing touch response
- Sensors are included to determine keystroke strength and also includes a damper sensor
- Voice category buttons make it easy to change voices or even allow storing favorite voices
- Refined copper strings for warmer and more delicate sound
- Some pre-included layered sounds are very good
- Value for money product
- Key response is very good
- Very lightweight
- Sound quality quite similar to acoustic pianos
- While changing sounds, the interface doesn’t remember progress and bounces back to the beginning
- The interface is not easy to navigate
5. Yamaha P125 – 88 Key Weighted Action Digital Piano
Features
- Sophistically designed and user-friendly
- Full weighted 88 keys
- Heavy action in low keys and light action in high keys
- Pure CF sound engine for superior sound just as an acoustic piano
- Easy split mode to play different voices with each hand
- Convenient USB to host connectivity
- Easy MIDI to audio transfer
- Two-way speaker system for a rich stereo sound in both upward and downward directions
- Can be controlled using the phone and other smart devices using the smart pianist app
- Easy Personalization
The only cable is required in order to connect to software and facilitate USB to host connectivity. One can also accomplish MIDI and audio transfer. With a user-friendly and minimalistic design, it is extremely convenient and portable for all your stage performances.
A dynamic and high-quality sound and ultimate touch response set it apart from the other cheap digital stage pianos in the market. It boasts of a rich stereo sound with its improved 2-way speaker system that resonates sound in both upward and downward directions. A convenient and free app called the smart pianist enables you to control it using smart devices. From voices to beats to personalized settings, everything can be done with the app.
- Natural feeling weighted keys
- Better sampling and speakers that the previous versions
- Recording feature works very well
- Very compact and simplistically designed, ideal for small spaces
- The bass button is included for good music effects
- Sustain pedal is not of a good quality