What are the benefits of buying a digital piano? If you’re like us, you probably grew up with an acoustic piano in y our home and always dreamed of having the same for your family. It’s no wonder why—the classic feel of an acoustic piano, when it’s a new grand piano or a used upright piano, brings with it a lot of memories. It’s like reading a paper book as opposed to reading on an e-reader.
However, even many of us “classic” piano lovers are turning to digital pianos, and it’s no wonder why. Technology has come a LONG way since the early years of digital pianos, providing many benefits of buying a digital piano that even acoustic piano enthusiasts love.
Benefits of Buying a Digital Piano
Original digital pianos were not much more than simple, portable keyboards on stands—and maybe with a corded sustain pedal dangling down, if you were lucky. However, the technology experts at renowned piano companies such as Yamaha have been working for years to create a digital piano that everyone, even skeptics, can love.
1. More Affordable than Acoustic Pianos
One of the main reasons new piano owners love digital pianos is because they are affordable. Unlike acoustic pianos which start around $5000 (such as the Yamaha B1), digital pianos can start as low as $2000-3000.
2. High-Quality Grand Piano Sound
The technology for sampling sounds in digital pianos has come leaps and bounds since digital pianos’ early years. Now, you get lifelike sounds from the best grand pianos in the world, such as the 9’ Yamaha CFX Concert or the world-renowned Bösendorfer.
Improved speakers, including spruce cone speakers, mean this sound is clearer and more realistic than ever. Higher quality Yamaha Clavinovas, such as the Yamaha Clavinova CLP-685, even have the same virtual resonance modeling, which simulates the full resonance of the soundboard, rim, and frame of an acoustic grand. This makes the digital piano sound even more realistic than ever.
3. Same Touch as Acoustic Pianos
If it’s been a while since you played a digital piano, you may not have experienced this yet. In the past decade and a half, digital piano technology has improved even the touch and feel of a digital piano. Now, instead of the light-touch, lifeless keyboard keys that all take the same amount of (very little) pressure to push, digital pianos model the acoustic piano touch. This means weighted keys, textured black keys, and touch that differs just slightly on the lower notes compared to the higher registers—just like a real piano.
For those classic piano connoisseurs, this is one of the biggest (and newest) benefits of a digital piano.
4. Don’t Require Tuning
Another benefit of digital pianos is that they don’t require tuning or other upkeep. Since their sounds are programmed in, they don’t require any tuning from a professional tuner. This saves you money every year in upkeep and prevents those cringe-worthy in-betweens you get when your acoustic piano starts going out of tune.
5. Players Can Use Headphones
This is one of the benefits of buying a digital piano that families love most of all. Being able to practice with headphones means you can play any time of day or night, can practice in private if you’d like, or can drown out the sounds of a busy household while you play. Digital piano converts tell us that once they’ve been able to play with headphones on a digital piano, they have a hard time ever going back to a piano that doesn’t have this feature.
6. Different Instrument Sounds
Unlike acoustic pianos that have one sound and tone, digital pianos are very versatile. They can play different instruments or can even play different types of pianos with different sounds. This means you can adopt a resounding Yamaha CFX when for your dramatic expressionist pieces, a brighter piano sound for classical songs, an artistic jazz piano when you play your favorite piece by Art Tatum or Duke Ellington, or even a B2 when you want to play Boston or other classic rock.
7. More Engaging for Kids
Another benefit of buying a digital piano is that they are more engaging for children or other first-time learners. As a child, you may remember first learning to play those simple 2- and 3-note songs for the first several weeks of piano lessons and wishing you could play “real” music. Now, your child can experiment with different instrument voices, background rhythms, and even smart accompaniments.
8. Background Rhythms
Students of all ages and abilities love playing along with background rhythms. Unlike the boring metronome ticking away next to you, a background rhythm helps you learn to keep a steady rhythm but with a more authentic playing experience. However, newer Yamaha Clavinovas take these background sounds to a whole new level. Read more about this in the next benefit of buying a digital piano!
9. Smart Accompaniments
New technology means even better accompaniments than before. The latest Yamaha Clavinovas are letting you create an entire ensemble of your choice of musicians that play along with you. You control the harmony and dynamics, as well as the style of music. Your backup musicians will follow your lead, taking your piece from solo to masterpiece in just a few clicks of a button.
10. Recording Capabilities
One reason more experienced pianists see a benefit of buying a digital piano is because of the recording capabilities. You can record in a variety of audio formats and share in whatever way works best for you. This means digital pianos are becoming an even more robust tool for musicians making and sharing music.
11. Learning Technology
Not only are digital pianos equipped with technology, such as guide lights that help you play some of your favorite songs, but they’re also compatible with a number of apps that help you or your child learn to play.
12. They Last Longer Than They Used To
You’ll hear some piano stores pushing acoustic pianos because they last longer than digital pianos. This is a tricky subject because while it’s often true, it still doesn’t always make the acoustic piano the better purchase.
Because of upgraded technology and manufacturing, digital pianos last a much longer time than many people realized. Unlike cell phones or laptops that last 2-5 years, digital pianos can last up to 20-50 years, depending on the quality of the piano and upkeep.
Are Digital Pianos Worth It?
In most cases, yes! A digital piano is worth it as long as you buy a digital piano that fits your goals and needs. In many cases, it means you can get a higher quality piano than you could if you bought a comparably-priced acoustic piano. It also provides many of the same benefits of an acoustic piano, such as traditional sound and touch, while also offering technology and opportunities that can’t be replicated in a digital piano.
How can we help?
If you are interested in learning more about digital pianos or are in the market to purchase one, please reach out! Piano Gallery can ship digital pianos nationwide and offers free delivery within a 150 radius of our three Utah piano stores in Murray, Orem, and St. George, Utah.