Digital piano

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A digital piano is a kind of electronic keyboard designed to feel and sound like a traditional piano. In addition, a digital piano can include many features that are found in various other electronic instruments such as:

  • a MIDI interface and act as a so-called Midi controller;
  • many sounds (including other types of keyboards, strings, guitars, horns, etc.);
  • metronome and auto accompaniment with various levels of fingering (chord recognition) support;
  • demonstration play-along features, recording, sequencing and play-back.

In this article we particularly will examine some of the features that can are interesting for piano and more general music education.

Features and kinds of digital pianos

(As of fall 2011 !)

A good digital piano should at least include the following function:

  • A few good piano sounds either obtained by carefully sampling a real piano or by modeling a piano sound.
  • Connectivity: MIDI, USB, iPAD, CD
  • Multi-track squencing in various formats (including MIDI and WAV/MP3)
  • Piano-like action, i.e. a weighted keyboard, some kind of grader hammer action and ivory-feel keys.

As of fall 2011, a decent enough digital piano costs about 800 Euros. The cheapest good "arranger" piano (i.e. some built-in orchestra function) costs about 1200 Euros.

There exist several kinds of digital pianos, in particular:

Upright e-pianos

These look almost like real pianos but weight less, i.e. about 80kgs. Implement a variety of keyboard sounds. There exist both low-end and high end versions in terms of sound quality, keyboard action and extra features. Many of high-end versions also implement "arranger" and and auto-accompaniment features found in "ensemble pianos". The difference are a much small LCD screen, less control buttons and less features.

Typical examples:

  • Yamaha Arius (YDP) low-end series
  • Yamaha CLP 4xx series, Yamaha CLP-295
  • Yamaha F11 / H11 series (high-end)
  • Kawai CA, CN and CS series
  • Roland HP series, Roland RG-1, Roland LX-10, Roland DP series

Price range:

  • 450 - 10000 Euros

Compact pianos and stage pianos

We probably can distinguish between two kinds: home entertainment "compacts" ans so-called stage pianos for (mostly) professional performers. Some models fall between this and the compact and arranger categories.

Compact e-pianos

Are lighter than upright e-pianos below. Most models are entry-level in terms of sound, keyboard quality and extra features. But there are also high-end models, often also branded/usable as stage pianos.

Typical examples:

  • Yamaha YDP series (portable models like the YPG-535, YPG-635 or P-95)
  • Casio PX-330
  • Casio CDP series, e.g. CDP-100
  • Kawai CL series
  • Korg SP170
  • Roland F-110
  • Roland FP-4F/7F (stage pianos with rhythms)

Price range:

  • 200 - 2000 Euros

Stage pianos

Stage pianos have the same functions as upright high-end e-pianos but weight much less. They usually do not include accompaniment (rhythms), some don't have speakers, i.e. they need an external amplifier. These pianos usually feature complex controls for adjustment of sounds and globally speaking produce the best e-Piano sounds while matching reproduction of grand piano sounds.

Typical examples:

  • Casio PX 3
  • Yamaha CP series, e.g. CP1, CP5, CP300
  • Clavia Nord series
  • Roland FP-7F, RD-700, Roland V-Piano
  • Korg SP170, SP250, Korg SV-1
  • Kawai MP-6 Stage Piano

Price range:

  • 350 - 5500 Euros

Arranger keyboards

There are several kinds

Upright arranger digital pianos

These types include a built-in orchestra, i.e. add relatively sophisticated auto-accompaniment. They also support multi-track sequencing, editing features and usually feature a nice LCD display. Some models also can connect to the Internet.

Typical examples:

  • Yamaha CVP series: the CVP 509 is considered to be the best model in its class (around 7000 Euros)
  • Kawai CP series
  • Casio AP series: the CASIO AP-620 is considered to be the best price/perfomance model (around 1200 Euros)
  • Roland VIMA RK-300 (sold as multimedia entertainment machine since it can produce visual output, e.g. karaoke movies)
  • Roland FP-4F and FP-7F (a stage piano with rhythms)
  • Korg PA588 (compact, light weight)

Prince range:

  • 400 to 10000 Euros

Some grand piano versions exist, e.g. the Yamaha CVP-409. See also upright e-pianos like the Roland HPI and Yamaha CLP series that do have some of the functionalities these "arranger" digitial pianos have. Finally, also see arranger keyboards, of which some are quite close to a digital piano (i.e.g 88 keys and weighed/graded keyboard action)

Compact digital pianos

Same as above, but portable. Probably smaller loudspeakers and not as good keyboard action.

Typical examples:

  • Roland VIMA RK-300 (sold as multimedia entertainment machine since it can produce visual output, e.g. karaoke movies)
  • Roland FP-4F and FP-7F (a stage piano with rhythms)
  • Korg PA588

Educational keyboards

Educational keyboards have the same features digital pianos with arranger plus some educational software and (often) a larger LCD screen. However, keyboard action and technical features are low to mid-end only.

Typical examples:

  • Roland HPi series
  • Yamaha DGX 640 (includes "Yamaha Education Suite")

Price range:

Arranger keyboards and workstations

Most so-called "arranger keyboards" like the Yamaha Tyros line only have 61 keys and these are "light", i.e. don't have the heavy graded action of a piano. Few digitial pianos seem to have the features of high-end arranger keyboards. E.g. The Yamaha CVP 409 is based on the Tyros 3 (and not the latest Tyros 4 line). However, some arranger keyboards have more keys, e.g. 76 and feature so-called semi-weighted action. Some models of the Korg PA series are good examples. Workstations are yet another keyboard variant,

Typical examples

  • Yamaha PSR mid-end series
  • Korg PA series
  • Yamaha Tyros
  • Roland Prelude
  • Roland GW-8 workstation
  • Casio CTK-700

Price range:

  • 100 to 6000 Euros

Digital grand pianos

Digital grand pianos can be very sophisticated, i.e. allow to adjust design of sounds and keyboard action. They may or may not include all the features of a good ensemble piano.

Examples:

  • Yamaha CVP 409, Yamaha Avant Grand N3
  • Roland RG and KR (accompaniment) series, Roland V-Grand

Price range:

  • 5000 to 20000 Euros

Educational features

Some of these features are not just educational, but can Many mid- and high-end ePianos will implement at least some of these functions.

Twin Piano Mode

Allows to split the keyboard into two equal sections, so that teacher and pupil can play along.

Built-in metronome

Should be adjustable

Spell out chords

Play a chord and see it either as letter code or sheet notation.

Recorder / Sequencer

Multi-track recorder for recording one's own play

MP3/CD player

Be able to play music in the background for playing along

Play along features

  • Piano can read a midi file, display the sheet music and/or light keys to hit

MIDI Interface

  • Piano can interact via midi cables or a USB key with a PC and interact with composition software.

Digital sheet music

Models with larger screens such as the Yamaha CVP 505 or 509 or the Roland HPi series allow to display sheet music and to interact with the learners actions.

For example, the Roland HPi-7F "digiscore" series is marketed in the following terms: “A large, flat-screen LCD is built into the music rest of each piano, providing “digital sheet music” and a variety of skill-building programs. DigiScore makes learning fun, and can even evaluate your performances and check your finger strength.” (HPi-7F, retrieved 18:54, 5 September 2011 (CEST)).

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