Getting started
Digital pianos come with some fantastic extra features
that make playing and composing music easyDigital pianos
Digital pianos share a lot of similar features
to electronic keyboards. They are capable of
creating sound effects and can also imitate
other instruments. It’s even possible to
record the music you play on them. Unlike
keyboards, however, digital pianos come with
weighted keys, replicating the feel of playing
an acoustic piano.
Larger digital pianos can also offer a full
eight octaves like an acoustic and you may
find that playing on one isn’t that different to
using an upright or grand piano. The harder
you press the keys, for example, the louder
the sound that’s produced. However, the lack
of strings in a digital piano means that the
sound results won’t be as natural or rich, as
they use sound chips and speakers to replicate
a traditional piano tone. One of the great
things about digital pianos, however, is their
low maintenance, as they don’t require regular
tuning and there are fewer things to go wrong
with their insides.“You may find that playing
on a digital piano isn’t that
different to using an upright
or grand piano”
Input/Output
Many digital pianos include a headphone jack
for private practising and some even enable
you to connect a mic. It’s also possible to
directly record the music you play via USBInterface
The user interface on most digital
pianos is relatively easy to navigate.
Through this you can control the
piano’s volume, select different playing
modes and experiment with available
creative sound effects settingsKeyboard
All digital pianos come with
weighted keys, which mimic the
feeling of playing on an acoustic; the
harder you strike a key the louder
the sound. Larger and slightly more
expensive models can also offer a
full eight octavesBuild and size
The build and size of digital pianos can vary greatly – there
are even some that are sized similarly to a baby grand
piano. Most are shaped like the upright one shown here