In today’s world, sometimes it makes sense to invest in a digital piano rather than an acoustic. They take up less space than traditional pianos. They require less regular maintenance. And if you’re ready to combine your piano playing with online editing, mixing, and sharing, it’s the best choice around.
Still, not all digital pianos are created equally. To ensure you don’t purchase a digital piano you’ll be sorry to own almost as quickly as you bring it home, look for two important things.
The Piano Sample
Digital pianos don’t create sound by connecting the keys to strings via an action mechanism. Instead, digital pianos create sound by playing back recordings – called samples – of a real acoustic piano. The better quality of the recordings, the higher quality of the piano being recorded, the more the digital piano will create a realistic sound.
With both acoustic and digital pianos, it’s important to play every note and hear the sound being produced. Start at the bottom and work your way up, paying special attention to the lower notes on the keyboard. Strike a note on an acoustic. Hear how it bursts with energy in the beginning and gradually fades? Now do the same with the digital. Is the sound similar? The lower notes are usually a dead giveaway with more quality of sound.
The Action
It’s not just the sound that’s important. It’s also the quality of the hammer action.
When you press down on a key, it’s the back of the key moving up that is making the sound. Each key is weighted for feeling because each of the 88 keys has a different hammer size. The hammer strikes the strings to create sound, with hammers varying from largest to smallest as the notes move from lowest to highest.
This hammer action is what makes a piano feel like a piano. That’s also where digital pianos have lacked over time. Fortunately today, some manufacturers are getting very close with the feeling. And that’s where you should spend your time – make sure the “feeling” is there to ensure your skills in piano playing cross over between playing both acoustic and digital.
How do you find a progressive hammer action? A reputable dealer will show you the way. If you’re doing your homework online, just look at what a manufacturer calls the process. A great one will list it as progressive hammer action. The rest will cover it up with phrases like “weighted keys” or “responsive action.”
What questions do you have about purchasing a digital piano?
