Now you are here because you are learning to play the piano or an intermediate-level pianist or a professional player. Then you are in the right place.
With the development of music instruments in the world, owning a piano keyboard is not a big deal.
There are now many kinds of piano keyboards from famous brands in the market, but not all are great. Some are good, some are not. You may find this piano keyboard suitable, but your friends may not.
So, in this article, we will list down the top best digital piano keyboards from well-known and reputable brands. All you need to do is to read and find out which one fits you the most.
3 Kinds Of Digital Piano Keyboards
There are some of the digital piano keyboard types in the market, but we show you the common ones that are used widely.
Type 1: Digital Console Piano Keyboard
This kind of piano is like a traditional/ acoustic piano. However, it’s much lighter and easier to move thanks to its lightweight and small size.
The piano is placed against the wall, and there are some elegant designs which make it like precious furniture in the house.
If you want a traditional piano but have a low budget, you can consider this piano. It shows the convenience, but the manufacturer suggests that we should have a fix position for the piano keyboard.
Also, you can see that there are some features of digital console piano keyboard, which are the same as an acoustic piano.
There are commonly speakers, pedals, and base on the piano. They are accomplished with lively sound effect and weighted key, which makes you feel that you are playing a real classic piano.
Type 2: Portable Or Stage Piano Keyboard
In contrast to the digital console piano keyboard or acoustic piano, portable or stage piano keyboard is more flexible and convenient.
While you are recommended not to move those two kinds of piano, the portable piano is moveable and easy to carry.
It’s also preferred by the live band who often have to go to many places.
It looks like a simple keyboard with keys and some same features as console piano. It also includes weighted keys and realistic sound, but there are not any pedals or bases.
You often need a divided pedal unit and folding stand to use along with the piano keyboard.
You also need an amplifier to make the sound louder.
Type 3: Electronic Piano Keyboard
As its name, the sound from this piano is electric. You can produce various kinds of tones creatively with this tool.
It’s suitable for a stage show or studio production when you create yourself a personal music product.
However, if you are a pure classic pianist, this may not fit your need.
The sound is not as real as that of a traditional piano. The keys are not weighted, either, and it doesn’t have the full 88 keys.
It doesn’t bring the true feelings of the acoustic piano keyboard.
Knowing the types of keyboards makes you aware of what you need and like. Now, let’s check the top best piano keyboard brands from all over the world.
Top 10 Best Digital Piano And Keyboard Brands 2020
1. Yamaha
Founded in 1887, Yamaha has been a huge shark in the world of piano and digital piano keyboard.
They have been releasing a variety of products from stage keyboard to acoustic, electronic, and digital pianos. They are highly rated thanks to the outstanding models made over years and years.
Yamaha is undoubtedly the best piano keyboard brand across the globe for sound quality, appearance, versatility, and elegance.
The products from this brand are often used by the professional or expert pianist in the world.
However, you can also find a Yamaha piano keyboard for beginners or intermediate players with relatively high quality but lower price.
Yes, Yamaha targets a wide range of players from newbies to experts. They offer many types of piano keyboards that may fit the needs of everyone.
While standing on the top of the competition, Yamaha remains developing the higher quality, great programs, and performance to keep the products perfect.
2. Kawai
Established in 1927, the Japanese piano brand is one of the companies having the longest history in the world.
Kawai brand has focused on its flagship product – acoustic piano – for almost a century.
They are well-known by the true quality of sound made from the precious wood pieces and weighted keys.
Now, the design language is added into the digital piano keyboard.
The new sound remains excellent as that of the acoustic piano.
The features are the same with high elegance and detailed craftsmanship.
This brand can definitely compete with Yamaha as they both have won many awards over the years.
3. Korg
While Kawai takes their attention to traditional products, Korg concentrates on innovation, development, and technology. They have developed the digital piano keyboard since 1963, which aims to build the most advanced digital instruments.
This was a courage step of the company while the technology was still new to the market. They put the product to test the market and now have a brilliant success, which offers them a precious standing in the competition now.
The language of design in Korg is versatility, technology, and synthesizer. Their products are suitable for performing on stage or recording in a studio.
The classic product – M1 – with 16 voices and 8 parts has been one of the most remarkable products of Korg. It became the top selling digital synthesizer of all time after beating two flagship models of Yamaha and Roland.
4. Casio
Casio is one of the most renowned technology brands in the world with a wide range of products: watch, calculator, and digital piano keyboard.
They have value products at a reasonable price, which makes you rest assured and interested.
Digital piano keyboards of Casio have notable features which are excellent comparing to other pianos.
There are weighted keys making real feelings.
The sound quality is perfect that you can just find in other luxurious brands.
Casio is here to guarantee a great product with an inexpensive cost.
5. Roland
Roland is famous for electronic instruments. However, their core product is a digital piano keyboard.
It can be said that they have the most advanced digital piano in the world, thanks to their technology. Their stage pianos are recognized and supported by many musicians. They also make digital grand pianos for home-usage.
Roland is one of the best digital piano keyboard brands which offer the real quality of sound the same as that of the acoustic piano.
The Grandstage 88 is one of the most remarkable products of Korg when it concentrates mostly on Jazz music effect. There is a 3-band EQ and 4 effects added which allow you to adjust while playing to create and tweak your tone accurately in the meantime.
6. Nord
Nord piano brand concentrates on developing digital products as the current trend of the market. The Swedish brand was first introduced in 2010 with a product consisting of 88 keys and hammer action.
Nord piano can play all kinds of sounds, but it is produced to be an alternative tool for acoustic or electronic piano. There are many interesting features on the product. The effects section has reverberation and amplifier simulations, which allows you to play a wide range of tones.
The Nord piano can also make the sounds more realistic by combining the unplayed strings in sympathy with the played strings and samples of pedal noises.
There are about 120 programs that you can use in 24 banks with a large memory of RAM for samples (500MB).
Within just six years, Nord piano has released three models with the warm welcome of pianists all around the world. Clavia, founder of Nord, has received good feedbacks and reviews from a reputable music technology magazine.
7. Kurzweil
Kurzweil Music System is an American brand which manufactures the electronic musical instruments. This American brand is innovative and high-technological as they have released many modern products following the trend of the market.
Since the company was first founded, there have been many series of products made such as K250, K150, K1xxx, K2xxx, etc. Having been released since 1990,
K2xxx remains one of the most powerful synthesizers with the best sound provided.
It simulates the tones of grand piano mostly.
Kurzweil developed some versions of the product, but it was not until 2008 that K2xxx series stopped.
However, the brand also focuses on the stage piano such as Artis/Forte series and SP series.
Of course, the American brand doesn’t have any inexpensive products.
They just have advanced models with high price, but their quality is always guaranteed.
8. Rock Jam
While Yamaha is leading the first place among the best piano keyboard brands in the world, Rock Jam is here to make the competition more interesting.
Rock Jam offers an outstanding design which can attract any of the pianists.
It may have a more beautiful appearance than that of Yamaha’s product with the same sound quality.
There are many features that you may like in Rock Jam models: sustain pedal, headphones, piano stand, music sheet stand, etc.
This brand is also suitable for beginners who are learning to play digital piano because of reasonable price and easy ways of using.
9. Alesis
The US piano brand has been writing their history since the 1980s with a wide range of electronic instruments. They have produced electronic drums, digital audio interfaces, professional recording equipment, and many other amazing audio and percussion products.
This brand’s product fits the needs for both beginners and professional pianists.
Some pianos have 88 lightweight/weighted keys offering many kinds of sounds and tones.
They also have up to 128 polyphony.
Why is it considered to be the best for beginners?
The lesson mode is effective and easy to follow.
There are two separated key zones: one for teacher and one for student.
This allows you to play at the same time with your tutor/student and makes the learning process quicker and faster than ever before.
Most of the Alesis models are inexpensive and affordable that you can buy for your children to play.
10. The ONE
You may not have heard about the ONE digital piano keyboard brand because it just has been released recently. But its technology may surprise you.
The ONE is especially suitable for beginners and intermediate players since the piano keyboard may be your private tutor.
The high-tech piano keyboard can connect to a phone or tablet running iOS or Android system. By this way, it allows you to use any apps supporting you to learn piano.
As it is designed for beginners, the sound quality is acceptable. There are three stand pedals included. The sound system is good. The samples are enough for practice and playing at home.
However, this keyboard can’t be used for performing on stage or professional show.
Buying A Keyboard – First Things First
No matter if you are a beginner or the professional musician, consider carefully before making a decision is essential. Our questions below will help you decide and make thing easier for you.
How Much Is Your Budget?
Hundred dollars for the regular piano keyboard to practice or a thousand dollars for a top-notch professional keyboard?
Don’t worry because there is a variety of product in all price ranges. You can buy an inexpensive one when you are new and learning to play the piano. When you are a pianist, choosing a digital piano keyboard requires more time and consideration.
What Is Your Level Of Skill?
It is just wasting of money to spend a thousand dollars for a piano when you are just a beginner. Why? Because you don’t use and understand the entire features of the piano keyboard.
Players with different levels have different purposes and needs. It’s important to find a piano keyboard fitting you the best.
Number Of The Keys
A standard piano keyboard has full 88 keys. But that’s just for the professional pianist. Are you a musician player? If you just play the piano for your hobby or are practicing, you don’t have to play the full-key piano. There are available digital piano keyboards having less than full 88 keys.
Portability
Are you playing for a band? Do you have to carry your piano to places? If the answer is yes, then you should consider the portability when choosing a digital piano keyboard.
The manufacturer designs some types of a digital piano with different purposes. Some are fix in one place, some are movable and versatile to make the delivery easier. If you put the portability in high priority, that digital piano keyboard must have lightweight and is easy to transport.
The Sound Features
There are two things to consider when it comes to the features of the sound: polyphony and voicings. When the technology makes the digital piano keyboard a great tool with excellent effects, an issue happens: how many notes can a keyboard simulate?
The answer regards to polyphony. The polyphony is the number of notes produced. We can use it to evaluate the quality and performance of the digital piano keyboard. In common, the higher polyphony comes with higher ability to play complex notes.
Voicings are also considered in a digital piano. A good piano keyboard has only a few of voicings that are limited to real piano and sounds of keyboard. If a stage or recording piano has more voicings and digital sounds to play with, it is more advanced and better.
Conclusion
The music industry has been developing rapidly in recent years. We are now seeing many electronic music instruments that have changed the whole major.
There are now many electronic devices that are having the same features as the original products. That’s the magic of technology.
Digital piano is no exception. We can see a transition from the traditional products to the innovative and modern one. They are not only more convenient, stylish, and portable, but also easy to use and bring true feeling like the real classic products.
Above is the list of the best digital piano keyboards in 2020 according to our experience and review. We show you the different types and the popular brands of piano keyboards.
We also tell you what to consider before buying a digital piano keyboard. If you still find it hard to choose a piano, please comment below so that we can give you advice and recommendation.
