The 4 most popular electronic piano brands
This article aims to give an unbiased account of the major electronic piano brands, many different retailers and salesman will give you differing views on each model, usually this is reflective of the commission they are getting. In this article I will highlight the merits and pitfalls of some of the most popular piano brands in an attempt to give you the reader, and honest account of what you need to know when purchasing an electronic piano.
Yamaha produce the most popular electronic pianos in use today, their most popular ranges include the Home piano range (clp), entry level and portable piano ranges (P series).Yamaha sell more electronic piano keyboards than any other company in the world and are dedicated to producing digital and stage pianos which sound as close to real thing as possible. All their digital and stage pianos are sampled from their very own Yamaha grand concert piano. If I were to purchase Yamaha electronic piano I would definitely go for the CLP, if I couldn’t afford that model then I would have to go with the YDP. If you’re a travelling musician then I would recommend the P range. You can expect to pay up to £700 ($1,200) for a basic model; if you buy online you may get up to 20% off the recommended retail price.
The Roland electronic piano is renowned for producing a warm, mellow tone around the centre keys, unfortunately this fades into a thin, false sound as you reach the higher notes. The sound for the digital piano is taken from a Steinway concert piano, but don’t get too excited, the sampled sound isn’t quite reproduced to the same quality. The HP and KR models have a light to medium touch; the keys feel very comfortable underneath the fingers, although they do become rather over pronounced in fast passages. Their stage pianos are some of the best in the world (RD & FP range); they provide a realist touch and sound, perfect for the travelling professional. Many great musicians have admitted that if they could have only one stage piano, it may be the Roland RD700.
Casio electronic pianos are great for those on a budget, their ranges tend to be a fair bit cheaper than other models, Casio digital pianos produce a great sound for the price, although the Privia range isn’t quite as good as their Celviano models. Previously, Privia models have been slightly awkward to the touch; however the Privia range has improved steadily throughout the years and is certainly a great model for any beginner to start off with. If any readers are considering going for a Casio digital piano, I would certainly recommend them choosing one from the Celviano range.
Although Korg maybe better known for its high end keyboards and stage pianos, the company do offer a limited range of electronic pianos, these tend to have similar functionality to Casio models. Korg’s digital pianos do fall somewhat short of similar models from Yamaha & Roland; however Korg’s instruments are reasonably priced. A basic model can be bought from around £999 ($1,500); with around 30% off retail if bought over the internet, I personally would recommend buying a Korg piano myself.
In conclusion, although these 4 brands are popular, you will notice that the quality and cost of their products vary greatly. Just because the brand of piano is popular does not make it a good choice, it is up to each individual reader to decide what is best for them, both in terms of functionality and price, I would strongly urge anyone considering buying a digital piano to purchase the instrument online to take advantage of the lower prices.
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Tagged With Casio digital piano, Casio electronic pianos, electronic keyboard piano, electronic piano, electronic piano keyboards, electronic pianos, popular piano brands, Roland electronic piano, Roland RD700, Yamaha electronic piano, Yamaha grand concert piano
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