| You have weighed up the pros and cons, all the types | | | | of the musical instruments that Suzuki make are very |
| of piano, and you have decided that a digital piano will | | | | fine -- such as guitars, violins, recorders, and |
| meet all of your needs. The problem is that all of the | | | | harmonicas -- however I was very disappointed |
| music shops give you different advice and you aren't | | | | indeed with their digital keyboards: they have a poor |
| sure which way to go! How can you decide which are | | | | action, the sound quality is poor, and they just feel |
| the best digital pianos? You may have tried printing out | | | | cheap to me. I would avoid. |
| information on the various models from various web | | | | - One of the popular digital keyboard manufacturers is |
| sites, and taken them to your local music shop, but you | | | | Casio , and their first products were almost toys, and |
| found that you are still struggling. So what's the | | | | were more oriented towards children and dabblers. |
| problem here? | | | | Now, however, their quality has improved enormously |
| A typical music shop will have many different digital | | | | and Casio digital keyboards are one of the best on the |
| pianos -- different makes, each with different sizes, | | | | market. They remain excellent value for money -- not |
| control arrangements, and capabilities. Some of them | | | | as good as the Yamaha or the Roland, perhaps -- and |
| look reasonably simple, with just a keyboard and little | | | | are a great way to start playing the piano. |
| else; others are covered with controls, buttons, sliders | | | | - Digital pianos from Roland are quality-built, and the |
| -- it's all too much! | | | | piano tone is very good. Roland has an extremely high |
| You are likely to find that each shop will recommend a | | | | quality brand, and rate their quality above offering |
| different keyboard. In one store they may suggest that | | | | lower prices. Roland digital pianos' sound is based on |
| the Yamaha, and provide a demonstration that | | | | samples from a Steinway grand piano, and is a good |
| "proves" their assertion. Then you go to another store | | | | quality piano to buy. |
| and they say that the Roland is the best, and provide | | | | - Korg produce digital pianos at the top end of the |
| various pieces of evidence that "proves" their | | | | market, as well as concert pianos; their digital pianos |
| assertion. You ask this store why the previous one | | | | are similar in function to those produced by Casio. |
| said the opposite, and they say that the other store | | | | Their price is reasonable, but in general their sound |
| doesn't know the market, they don't understand the | | | | quality and performance are not really as high as |
| technical details or your requirements, or they may | | | | Casio, Yamaha, and Roland. |
| have a different deal with the manufacturers or | | | | - Ketron is another manufacturer of good quality digital |
| suppliers. | | | | pianos, but they tend to be much more expensive than |
| You might think that you could ask a storekeeper for | | | | the others we have considered here. |
| advice, but most of the large stores will tend to | | | | - A third "K" digital piano manufacturer is Kurzweil . |
| pressure you into buying the piano they have | | | | They produce good quality digital pianos, but I know |
| overstocked, or that they make most profit on, or that | | | | they are not to everyone's taste. Probably best to try |
| the manufacturer has provided incentives for -- the | | | | one out before buying. |
| point is that you cannot always rely on them being | | | | - You may also see Kawai and Gem digital pianos for |
| independent and impartial. | | | | sale, but in my opinion their sound quality and keyboard |
| I have looked over a range of digital pianos, and here | | | | action tend to be poor, and I would tend to avoid them. |
| are my findings: | | | | On balance, then, when it comes to the best digital |
| - The most popular digital piano is made by Yamaha -- | | | | pianos, I would suggest going for a Yamaha or Roland |
| it is the best-selling digital piano by a large margin. | | | | if you can afford one; a Casio is a very good |
| Yamaha have been making musical instruments for a | | | | compromise if you cannot. |
| long time -- take a look at the symbol on a Yamaha | | | | When you have your digital piano, you will want to |
| motor bike: it's a tuning fork! Yamaha build their digital | | | | learn how to play it properly so that you get full |
| pianos so that they give the player an experience that | | | | enjoyment out of your investment. If going to actual |
| is very close to playing a real piano, and the sound it | | | | piano lessons with a real person doesn't appeal to you, |
| makes is based on a sample from one of their | | | | there are some excellent courses available from web |
| concert pianos. Yamaha digital pianos are an excellent | | | | sites on the Internet. Try to make sure the course you |
| buy. | | | | choose allows you to go at your own pace , and |
| - Another keyboard manufacturer that has the same | | | | provides a large number of sound samples for you to |
| name as a motorbike manufacturer (but in this case is | | | | play along to -- and ideally has video elements too, so |
| not related) is Suzuki (as in the Suzuki Musical | | | | that you can see what you are supposed to do. |
| Teaching Method that you may have heard of). Many | | | | |