When choosing the piano for a beginning student, a balance must be maintained between features and its usage. Spending extra money on features that may not be necessary for a novice is a waste. Although, it is important to have a good learning keyboard but not a necessity to go out and purchase a grand beauty first hand. You can go for either a second-hand instrument or some cheap versions. With a plethora of brands, types, ranges, shapes, and sizes, it becomes a daunting task to make the right choice.
You might feel overwhelmed to see features of an acoustic piano in an electronic keyboard but this is not enough. Basic information is important to choose an apt piano. In order to give you a chance to make an excellent choice, we have prepared a list of 5 top digital pianos for beginners and a buying guide followed by it. Read on to find the best instrument that suits your needs
TABLE OF CONTENTS
10 Best Digital Pianos for Beginners
Let’s see what we have on our list of digital pianos that will be suitable for beginners or piano learners:
1. Casio CTK2550 61-Key Premium Keyboard Review
Features
- More affordable
- Portable, weigh under 10lbs
- Audio input uses the keyboard’s speakers to play music from your iPod or phone
- Impressive built-in songs, tones, and voices
- Set up a learning system
- Sampler
- Runs on both batteries and plug-in adapters
With its 10lbs of weight, your tiny tots can carry this Casio digital piano anywhere and the versatile connectivity it offers is remarkable. Plug into your computer for recording or to an audio port for a loud music play.
It is obvious that 61 keys are not enough for a professional to play complicated compositions. For such pieces, you would need 76 keys or an 88 keys keyboard to play at such a level.
Talking of its features, it is embellished with 110 built-in songs and 150 built-in tunes along with 48-note polyphony. In simpler words. No matter how many notes you are playing at once, you will hear them all. It is packed with 10 reverb options to give an impression as if you are playing in rooms of different sizes.
A sampler feature is also found in this instrument to record a 1-second clip directly into the keyboard. A mic and a sustained input are also added for those who need a sustain pedal for their music. This newbie works on batteries or a plug-in adapter.
Thus, if you are in desire of a pocket-friendly and portable instrument, CTK2550 stands above all. In addition, this nicest digital piano offers a wide variety of sounds for emerging players.
2. Yamaha PSREW300 76-key Portable Keyboard Review
Features
It comes with a full set of 76 keys that are enough for most piano players and a level ahead for those who want to graduate from the 61 keys model. The overall design is pretty simple and striking at first. This beauty is not complicated with buttons spread all over and the control interface helps to navigate the instrument easily.
- Lightweight
- Durable and highly functional
- 76 keys
- Champagne color
- 2-way speaker system
- 50a 0 in-built sounds
- 30 in-built songs
- 6 track recording system
- USB port connection
Furthermore, it is available in a unique color: champagne gold that is not easy to spot on any other piano. It’s clean finishing with a gloss enhances the natural color of the speakers and compliments the black and white keys. Size and weight are other great features of YPG 235.
The compact length of 46”, the width of 16”, and weight up to 16 pounds, makes it easy to carry the instrument. The 2-way speaker mechanism tweets out the best quality of sound and the optional Bass Boost system adds a little bass to your play. Thus, the sound is the trademark for 235.
With over 500 additional sounds and 361 signature XGlite voices, makes it is a worthy tool to own. You will also find Yamaha’s Y.E.S. v.6 Education Suite that teaches piano players of any level how to play the piano with different abilities. However, an aspiring piano player has got plenty of work to do with this model.
Its 6 track recording system allows the player to piece together the different layers of instruments with 6 different effects. This is a great deal for young players to upgrade their performance and for music composers to put different instruments together.
Overall, in this price range, you get a full package that allows a great range of connectivity and an amazing PC button to avoid those irritating function selections.
3. RockJam 54-Key Portable Electronic Keyboard Review
Features
- Great value for money
- Designed with 54 keys
- Built-in stereo speakers
- Effective teaching mode with LCD
- Over 1000 rhythms and 8 percussion sounds stored
- Stand for convenient usage
The app is great and full of bright colors helping to learn basics, including playing different songs. And luckily RJ 654 is loaded with 30 songs to start and you can add later according to your needs.
This baby board not just feels good but it’s tiny-winy enough for children to play with the buttons, which are easy to press and explore. In addition, an LCD is embossed on the keyboard whose screen is backlit that helps to know what is going on. And according to some users, its blue light is easy on the eyes than the yellow one.
There are over 100 sounds to choose from that promotes learning and a better performance every time. Now, record your melodies and play along as the drum beats. But the only drawback is that there is no microphone offered with the set.
Overall, looking after your budget, Rock Jam 654 proves to be a good beginner’s digital piano that has plenty of features stored for your kids. With its easy-to-read LCD screen and built-in speakers, it is an ideal choice for young enthusiasts.
4. Yamaha PSRE453 61-Key Portable Keyboard Review
Features
The keys are made for easy and quick pressing that results in convenient playing especially for those who are uncomfortable with hard keys. These tiny and sleek keys are a representation of drum and effect sounds. As drum sounds are hard to find on the keyboard, Yamaha has done a trick by sticking pictures of each drum just above the corresponding keys that need to be triggered to produce the right sound.
- 61 comfortable keys
- 385 voices
- 32 polyphonic notes
- 25W built-in speakers
- Sustain pedal
- Versatile connectivity
- Symbolised keys
Above these drum symbols, you can find the labeling of different chords, which are written in shorthand. This is a clever technique to learn about the different types of chords especially when you are playing difficult compositions of Classical or Jazz music.
In the center of this well-presented keyboard, you will find a screen that shows the notes you are currently playing. It also informs you about the type of song or style you have selected to play. Wow! This is a helpful and user-friendly beast for our young talent.
Furthermore, if you get fumbling up with the menu you can simply press the grand button that will take you back to the default sound. It comes stuffed with 385 sounds and other sounds that would excite the beginners.
It even offers a built-in accompaniment that makes sure you are not lost while playing the mix. Plugin your MP3, AUX, external speakers, and even headphones to play along with your favorite jam. For a quality acoustic piano feel, it comes with a sustain pedal and a power adapter delivering a gala time for a beginning piano student.
5. Alesis Recital 88-Key Beginner Digital Piano Review
Features
- Stylish and compact designing
- Designed for studio recordings and LIVE performances
- 88 keys
- 5 built-in instrumental voices
- Most Affordable
- Versatile connectivity
The recital is built with LED buttons and 88 weighted keys with adjustable touch functionality. Its lightweight and compact body make it easy to store the product at home. Obviously, at this price, you won’t get the feel of an acoustic piano but this keyboard does its job well at a fair price.
The keyboard is enhanced with 5 voices that give a wide range of capabilities to pull out the best of music. Reverb and chorus customization capabilities are also present to give a realistic playing experience.
Its education feature is its highest selling point that teaches using the lesson mode. It works on by splitting this keyboard with 88 weighted keys into two distinct sections allowing the teacher and student to play along without having to turn the keyboard.
The user interface of the keyboard is a complementing feature that gives a classic feel while swaying on the keys. Along with this, a great means of connectivity is also provided. Use headphones, USB, AUX, or plug-in power to connect. And if you are looking for a personal rehearsal then all you need is to connect the headphones to the 6.35MM audio jack and speakers will automatically get muted.
Thus, no matter what music you are playing through this keyboard, appreciation for its quality is guaranteed. Moreover, you can use it for LIVE performances using MIDI.
15 Things to Consider to Buy The Best Piano for the Beginners
Keyboard basics
Before shopping for a good piano, it is recommended to have a clear idea of what you are shopping. Therefore, for shopping an apt keyboard it is important to get a full-fledged knowledge of some basic terms.
1. Keys
Electronic keyboards come with various key sets, ranging from 25 to 88. This factor is dependent upon the space restrictions and the kind of music you would be playing.
2. Action
Weighted, hammer, synth, and semi-weighted are some different types of actions where each action delivers a different feel. Weighted and semi-weighted respond to the like of a traditional piano. Hammer is an enhanced action that gives the response of an actual mechanical hammer. The synth is like an organ, keys are played smoothly without any restrictions.
If you are inclined to the feel of a piano then a keyboard with weighted and semi-weighted action including the hammer action is apt.
3. Touch sensitivity
This allows the keyboard to sense the force with which a key is pressed to create a sound or send a MIDI message.
4. Polyphony and multitimbrality
Polyphony is the number of sounds produced by the keyboard at once and multitimbrality is the number of sounds played by the keyboard at once.
A good keyboard is one with extensive polyphonic capabilities that generate sufficient instrumental sounds to mimic an entire orchestra.
5. MIDI compatible
Musical Instrument Digital Interface is the full form of MIDI, which in simpler terms means a communication protocol for electronic computers and instruments. MIDI messages do not contain any sounds rather it serves as a blueprint to tell the instrument which notes to play and at what velocity.
6. Arpeggiator
This is a chord whose notes are played correspondingly rather than all at the same time. When you play a single note on the keyboard, you can hear an arpeggio created electronically by the arpeggiator.
7. Sampler
This device allows you to record a digital sound and also lets you make any alterations if needed. Therefore, if you are planning to incorporate any external audio clips into your composition then a keyboard with a sampling device is a must.
8. Controllers
A keyboard should offer a wide range of controls depending upon your needs. For synths, you would want pitch and modulation wheels whereas, for MIDI, knobs, and sliders are necessary. Many keyboards nowadays are offering a touch screen facility that gives enhanced control over the keyboard.
Other features
Apart from the technical jargon of a keyboard, there are other features to look for when purchasing an instrument. Consider the following factors to make the right choice.
1. Quality check
The performance of the keyboard depends on its exterior and interior components. A piano equipped with high-end quality soundboard and string would result in an improved range and resonance. On the other hand, the exterior of the piano is also an important part. If the cabinet is poorly made then no matter how well made the interior is, the sound will be negatively affected.
2. Size
Larger pianos tend to produce higher-grade sounds as longer strings help in smooth transitions of the registers. Thus, the bigger the better. Choose the size according to your feasibility. For a mansion, a grand piano would fit in easily whereas baby pianos are used in practice settings. Thus, a full-sized keyboard with weighted keys becomes the primary choice for limited spaces.
3. Affordable or expensive?
The pricing of a piano lures upon its size and quality. A higher-quality would cost you more than a cheap quality would. It is recommended not to choose piano online as it lacks the option of testing. Used pianos are also pocket-friendly but they should be thoroughly checked by a technician.
4. Looks do matter
This factor varies from person to person. Some look at pianos as a style statement of their house. While others consider it as an important detail. Different styles and hues are available but the most common are mahogany and black, as they complement a wide variety of home decors.
5. Connectivity and input/output
A keyboard should have a wide variety of compatibility with the computer. USB, MIDI, mLan, FireWire, and other types of interfaces should be either built into the keyboard or must be available in external form. Most of the keyboards nowadays provide all connections and also offer IOS compatibility to give a full-packed performance for cloud-based storage.
The input and output port of the keyboard is a vital factor to consider if you want to use the instrument as a workstation for digital audio. This saves you from purchasing extra interfaces.
6. Storage capability
Many keyboards are built to offer an external storage option. Flash Drives, Compact Flash, Secure Digital, and Smart Media card slots are common features found on a keyboard. Also with USB connectivity, you can easily transfer files from keyboard to computer or cloud storage or vice versa.
7. Rightful Purpose
One should buy a piano according to their needs. If an enthusiast were looking for a piano as a long-term interest or a casual hobby then a medium quality piano or a full-sized keyboard would work. Whereas if you are interested in owning priceless possessions, then investing in a pricier model would rightfully serve your purpose.
Bottom line
Regardless of what piano you are buying a handful of knowledge for both types is required. As technology is upgrading, digital pianos are giving an edge competition to acoustic pianos in areas of sound or feel. Moreover, digital pianos are now widely accepted by most music schools. But if your goal is to become a concert pianist then there is no better option than a grand acoustic piano. The aim of the article was to give a basic knowledge of the pianos and top 5 reviews of some fastest-selling best piano for beginners are mentioned for your convenience to make a better choice for yourself.
