- Digital pianos use microchips, amplifiers and speakers to create sounds similar to those of an acoustic piano. Digital pianos are essentially small pianos that store sounds in a digital bank rather than creating sound with hammers and string. Because acoustic pianos create sound when a hammer strikes a string, causing it to vibrate, there is no way to play an acoustic piano without others being able to hear the sound. Digital pianos create sound using electric components and can therefore play the sound through speakers or through headphones so that only the person playing the piano can hear the music. When playing an acoustic piano, slightly different volumes and effects can be created when striking the keys with different amounts of force and at different speeds. Digital piano keyboards emulate the feel and sound of acoustic pianos by using weighted keyboards and velocity sensors.
- Weighing in at about 200 pounds, digital pianos are not as light as electronic keyboards, but they are much lighter than their acoustic counterparts which weigh 440 pounds and up. Digital pianos can be broken down into parts and moved much more easily than their acoustic counterparts. Because they play back previously recorded notes, digital pianos do not need to be tuned and require very little maintenance besides the occasional dusting. Digital pianos are also beneficial to musicians who live in apartment buildings or other close quarters because they allow the music to be played through headphones. Some digital pianos are even able to mimic other instruments and interface with computers.
- Although very high-quality digital sound recording and playback is possible, the recording of a note played on an acoustic piano will never be exactly the same as hearing the note played in person. Digital pianos typically require very little maintenance, however, they are machines and are subject to problems that an acoustic piano is not, such as hissing speakers and poor connections. Digital pianos are also susceptible to a certain amount of obsolescence as technology changes and improves.
- When shopping for a digital piano, don't be bashful about giving the floor models at the dealer a thorough test. Listen to how the piano sounds through both the speakers and headphones. Make sure you are satisfied with the authenticity of the unit's sound and with the number of notes in chords the piano can play at a time without dropping any. The digital piano you choose should be one that not only sounds good to you, but one that feels good as well. You will want to select a digital piano whose keyboard feels the way you think a piano keyboard should. Digital pianos can come with a lot of extra features, so make sure that you select a unit that you will be able to learn to use without excessive frustration.
- When looking at digital pianos, it is important to know the differences between brands and the differences between a given brand's models. Different manufacturers will design their products to have different styles and looks. Manufacturers will also vary in the technology and methods used to record the notes that the digital piano will play back. Variations are also common in the methods manufacturers use to create the feel of an acoustic piano keyboard. Within a particular manufacturer's line, different piano models will have different features such as varying amplification capabilities and varying numbers of speakers. Different models by the same manufacturer will also vary as far as how many notes can be played at a time and how many different instruments the unit will imitate. Most manufacturers will have low-end, high-end and middle-of-the-road pricing options. There is often quite a noticeable difference between low-end and mid-range options. The differences between mid-range and high-end options will be more subtle and often have more to do with extra features than sound quality.
