Yamaha S90XS 88-Key Balanced Weighted Hammer Action Synthesizer Review

Great sounds. I wish it is smaller and have a wooden Graded Hammer action.The keyboard feel simply not as good and responsive as the Motif xs. I personally feel the keyboard action need improvement for a more correspondence piano feel.

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Product Description:
The Yamaha S90 XS Music Synthesizer is an exceptional keyboard for performing and creating. It's a truly realistic, naturally expressive synth with a true piano sound. Its highlights include convenient, real-time controls for adjusting the sound as you play, the ability to record audio to USB memory, extensive computer music features, ease of use, and compact size and portability. The Yamaha S90 XS is designed specifically for players who want high-quality piano sounds and expressions; casual players and hobby musicians will appreciate the synthesizer's exquisite sounds, advanced features, and superb playability just as much as professional artists.Sounds that satisfy The S Series features all the voices, performances, arpeggios, and virtual circuit modeling effects found on Yamaha's flagship Motif XS Music Production Synthesizer. The S90 XS adds a huge 142 megabytes dedicated exclusively to high-quality piano waveforms, for a total of 456 megabytes of instrument samples. Foremost among these piano sounds are the samples taken from Yamaha's world-renowned S6 concert grand piano. This synthesizer fully captures the richly textured sound of the wonderfully expressive S6, and provides a warm, concert grand piano sound.In the past, conventional keyboards had sounds designed primarily for the listener. The S90 XS, however, was designed to satisfy the player. Yamaha reasoned that when a performer hears and experiences the best possible sound, their performance would be the best possible too. The result is the S90 XS, a genuine musician's instrument that truly inspires the live performer as well as the music creator and arranger.Streamline your performance The S90 XS electronic keyboard lets you quickly and conveniently create your own custom performances with the amazingly fast and easy Performance Creator feature. Select a voice, then quickly program layers and splits-even assign a drum voice complete with arpeggios to create your perfect performance. Let's say tha

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Yamaha YPT-300AD Full-Size 61-Key Touch-Sensitive Keyboard Review

This is the best keyboard with 61 keys.I should know because I tested practically all of them.Also, all the stores the specialize in music instruments carry Yamaha keyboards. No other.That was a pretty good sign to me when I went to the music stores here in Maryland and saw nothing but Yamaha.This keyboard has the best piano sound out of Casio, Sharper Image and Radio Shack.Radio Shack would come in second.It has more voices then the others.Don't be turned off by it not having a power adapter because that seems to be the industry standard.Casio and Radio Shack also charge more for you to buy a power adapter.Definitely buy this one ahead of Casio. If you're turned off by the price, then get a radio shack one.You won't lose much quality with the sound.

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Product Description:
An affordable 61-key portable keyboard that also doubles as a personal music teacher, the YPT-300AD has it all: 482 instrument voices, 106 accompaniment styles, General MIDI compatibility, and such bonus functions as Yamaha's Education Suite 5 and Portable Grand. The combined features are great for beginners, but also come in handy for music hobbyists who value reliability and versatility in a portable keyboard.
New players will particularly delight in the Yamaha Education Suite (Y.E.S.), which features 102 built-in songs separated into left- and right-hand parts for easier lesson planning. Y.E.S. also offers three keyboard lessons for each hand, including Listen & Learn, which breaks down the melody or rhythm of a selected song; Timing mode, which lets you play the melody or chord by pressing any key with the correct timing; and Waiting mode; which stops the playback of the song until you find the correct note. Finally, Y.E.S. monitors your practice progress, gives you feedback, and teaches you how to play chords by referencing its sizable chord dictionary.
The YPT-300AD offers a number of non-lesson features as well. Yamaha digitally sampled its world-renowned grand pianos and transferred the rich, full tones to the YPT-300AD, so you can enjoy the warmth and clarity of a grand piano sound with the push of a single button. Other General MIDI-compatible voices include trumpets, violins, drums, guitars, bass, drum kits, and even a choir. All told, players can access as man as 482 General MIDI voices, putting a virtual orchestra at your fingertips.
The auto-accompaniment feature is another favorite. Select from the 106 accompaniment styles, and the keyboard will create a backup band to follow you throughout the song. Best of all, you have complete freedom to match different styles. Want to find out how Mozart would sound as a disco star? Go for it. The voices and accompaniment styles are diverse and interesting thanks to the 32-note polyphony, which ensures that the keyboard can play back 32 different parts or sounds at once (including 16-part multi-timbre)--enough for even the most demanding piece.
Playback versatility is always a concern with entry-level portable keyboards, but the YPT-300AD excels in this area as well thanks to its touch-sensitive keys and digital signal processing (DSP) options. The touch-sensitive keys add passion to your playing by responding to the pressure from your fingers. A heavier touch creates a louder response, while a lighter touch gives a softer tone. As a result, your keyboard will respond like an acoustic piano--the more expressive the playing, the more passionate the tune. The DSP, meanwhile, helps simulate the experience of playing in a variety of locales, from a small room to a large concert hall (Carnegie Hall, anyone?). The DSP modes include nine reverb effects and four chorus effects.
And even though music is its milieu, the YPT-300AD also offers a sound effects kit, with such options as laughter, applause, and screams. Almost 50 effects are at your command, making you a de facto sound effects technician. And thanks to the five-song memory and easy-to-use two-track recorder, you can wear the engineer's hat as well.
Finally, the Yamaha YPT-300AD lets you take advantage of the Internet on a whole new level. The unit includes built-in Flash ROM capability and MIDI in/out connections for synching up with your PC. Once Internet enabled, you can pick and choose songs to download into the Flash ROM memory, then learn to play them via the Yamaha Education Suite. And there's no scrolling through menus or fussing with confusing interfaces. Simply press the PC button and you're on your way.
Additional features include a large backlit LCD display that shows the musical staff and chords as you play, genuine ported stereo speakers with separate amplifiers, a built-in metronome, a sustain pedal jack, and headphone output for private practice. The YPT-300AD measures 37.25 by 5.06 by 14.62 inches (W x H x D) and is backed by a one-year warranty on parts and 90-day warranty on labor.
What's in the Box
YPT-300AD keyboard, AC adapter, music rest, user's manual.

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Yamaha CP50 88 Key STAGE PIANO, Black Review

great action, similar to the motif xs. If this keyboard has only one sound, I would wish for the YAMAHA S6 piano, but it did not include the s6. Disappointed. The CP5 with wooden keys has even much better action and might have the s6 sound.

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Product Description:
Yamaha's CP50 electronic piano takes the core sounds and technology of the CP1, while it's flexibility and portability make it perfect for the working pro on the go. The CP50 adds a wide range of sounds to the CP1. Clavs, organs, strings and more make the Yamaha CP50 perfect for church, school, and live situations where everything needs to be performed on one keyboard. The Yamaha stage piano features not only Virtual Circuit Modeling effects, but also many effects taken from Yamaha's Motif XS line of Synthesizers. The CP50 piano has a graded hammer action and a lightweight, portable keyboard design.

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Yamaha PSR-E413 61-Key Digital Keyboard Review

The PSR-E413 is Yamaha's next addition to their portable keyboard line. It was designed with the new musician in mind, and includes numerous learning tools (the Yamaha Education Suite being the most prominently featured) and "cheater" features (Yamaha Performance Assistance Technology let's you hit the wrong key and still sound correct). Unlike many other beginner level keyboards, however, the PSR-E413 has numerous features that will allow new musicians to grow into semi-professionals without having to buy a new instrument - 504 voices (instruments the keyboard can sound like), 100 arpeggio types, 165 preset styles, 30 preset songs, a pitch-bending wheel, and 5 song/6 track recording. Other common features such as "touch sense" (the keys can sound louder or softer depending on how hard they are pressed), a USB port, sustaining pedal port, and a headphone/output port are also present.

What all of that boils down to is simply this: the E413 is fun to play and sounds great. The price is generally within the acceptable realm for beginners, and the features make it something even those at a semi-professional level would like to play (though, in all honesty, most professionals are going to want a less portable 76+ key unit). After going to numerous music stores and online sources, this model ended up being the best fit for my budget and needs - I highly recommend it.

I have two complaints with the PSR-E413 as packaged. The first is that the music stand (which easily slides into two slots on the top-back of the unit) is made of cheap plastic, and looks like it will break easily. The second is that a number of additional items are needed to fully enjoy this instrument. The first thing you'll need is a plug-in power adapter (I was shocked that the keyboard didn't come with one) unless you want to spend hundreds of dollars on batteries. Next, you'll probably want a keyboard stand (a decent folding one costs anywhere from $20 - $60). An AB-type USB cable is necessary to connect the instrument to your computer and fully realize its potential. After that, a dust cover and case might also interest you. Finally, headphones and a foot switch/pedal should be considered, especially if you like being creative and don't live alone. Yamaha offers a few of these items in a special set called the Survival Kit B (it includes the power adapter, foot switch, headphones, and an extended warranty), but I don't recommend it, as the headphones and pedal it contains are of inferior quality.

Note: This model replaced the PSR-E403 as of May 2008. The two are extremely similar, with the E413 containing a few upgrades (165 vs. 155 styles; 100 arpeggio functions vs 50; etc..). The feel and most of the features of the two, however, are almost the same.

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Product Description:
The Yamaha PSRE413 61 Key Digital Keyboard expands the capabilities of one of Yamaha's most popular PSR lines. The PSRE413 includes features for every playing level such as the Yamaha portable grand and Yamaha education suite. An on-board arpeggiator includes 100 different patterns along with 20 different arpeggio voices. A full set of real-time controls gives you easy access to all of the capabilities of the PSRE413. A USB port is also included so you can download songs for learning from the internet. If you want to write your own songs, the PSRE413 also features a 6-track sequencer so you can layer your own tracks.

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Casio 61-Key Portable Keyboard with Stand - Black (CTK720STAD) Review

Now, it's been ages since I have had a keybaord or piano around the house. I wanted to get myself back into the swing of things again so I thought I would low-ball it on the price and just get something to get the creative juices flowing again. Well, you get what you paid for.

The CTK-720 arrived today perfectly fine (sans a few nasty dings in the box, the unit was unscathed). I set it up, hooked it up to my own speaker system to make sure it would have the chance to produce a nice clean sound. Boy, not even my speakers could help it.

Beyond the fact that this is definitely a "Beginners" keyboard in the way that just about any instrument other than "piano" sounds like a midi file circa 1980s there is an odd issue. As a 5-octave keyboard you would want to be able to move around, but there's something odd in the mid octaves on the CTK-720.

Bear in mind, before this I had owned Korgs and Rolands, 88 weighted piano key styles. So I may be a bit spoiled. But for the first time in my life I have heard an electronic keyboard that actually needs to be tuned. The mid-range octaves on the CTK-270 produce a warble when the key is first pressed. Much like a piano that has the cord ever so slightly out of tune.

Unfortunately, my tuning key does little to help me with am electronic keyboard. It's a shame, if it weren't for the dodgy "tones" and the mysterious out-of-tune mid-range keys it would have been a nice keyboard to start out on all over again.

I will give it two stars just because it's still functional. I may just be a bit too discerning at this point.

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Product Description:
Portable, MIDI Interface, Volume Control Slider. It has 61 keys and has 242 tones with a 100 demo songs

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Casio LK110 Electronic Keyboard Key Lighting / Midi Review

This exact Casio LK 110 can be purchased new for $69.00 at Guitar Center, Musician's Friend---just to name a few.

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Product Description:
The LK-110 is a perfect starter-keyboard for any player at any age. The key lighting feature helps players develop timing and accuracy, highlighting areas of concern so you can direct your practice for more efficient learning. With 100 songs, an interactive lesson function and a wide variety of tones and rhythms, you will be able to play a host of different musical styles and time signatures in no time

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88-Key Piano With Bench And Stand Review

The Yamaha Digital Piano is a smaller piano than the traditional spinet piano and is perfect to sit along a wall in your office or another room without taking up much room.The sound is beautiful and the key action has the feel of a regular piano.This same piano was featured at a local piano dealer of Yamaha pianos for $1850 in the Charlotte NC area and we were able to get the very same piano for slightly over $1000.It is wonderful for a piano student because the piano records and the student can play back their song and hear where any mistakes were made.I highly recommend this piano.We love it.

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Product Description:
Perfect for beginning students and experienced players alike, the YDP-131 Digital Piano delivers authentic piano sound with exceptionally natural response. With 6 different instrument Voices that utilize the AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) stereo sampling tone generation, and featuring an expressive GHS (Graded Hammer Standard) keyboard, this instrument is a joy to play, practice and perform on. It also features 64-note polyphony, three foot pedals and a built in speaker system. Dual voice capability lets you play two different instrument sounds at the same time, while a 1-track song recorder allows you to capture your original musical ideas and performances.
Just like high-grade digital pianos, the YDP-131 uses Yamaha's renowned AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) tone generation technology and Stereo Sampling. When you play a key, what you hear is a "sample", or digital recording, of the same note on a high quality concert grand piano. Applying the know-how gleaned from over 100 years of crafting fine acoustic pianos, Yamaha created the highly acclaimed GH (Graded Hammer effect) keyboard. Unlike conventional digital piano keyboards that use springs or dampers to simulate piano feel, the GH keyboard uses weights and mechanical linkages to provide a new level of realism. You'll notice the difference it makes as soon as you start playing. Classically beautiful woodgrain body, with sliding key cover to protect the keyboard from dust, matches any decor perfectly. What's more, the YDP-131 is lightweight so it's easy to move. Best of all, it's maintenance-free: there's no need for expensive, periodic tuning or other special maintenance.Dual mode allows the mixing of two soundsBuilt-in one track recording systemDigital reverbAdjustable MetronomePiano music library including the 50 Greats for Piano music bookDamper, soft and sustain pedals MIDI In/Out/Thru

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YAMAHA 61 KEY PORTABLE KEYBOARD W/AC ADAP *NIC* Review

I bought this keyboard to replace an older one, with 3/4 size keys. My main reason was simply that I wanted one with full-sized keys, but I got far more than just that.Its Grand Piano voice is full, rich and authentic in its sound.Most of the other voices are also remarkably realistic-sounding. It's fun to have a variety of voices, to reduce the monotony that can result from the repetition that practice requires.It came with an instructional DVD that was very helpful- take the time to watch it.

The speakers give ample sound even at lower volumes. The keyboard never sounds tinny. You can buy a more expensive keyboard and get more features (though this one has more than I need), but unless you are spending 4 times as much, it won't sound superior.You can also add headphones or a sustain pedal, if you want.

There are only 2 drawbacks for me.Firstly, the LCD screen would be easier to use if it were backlit.Secondly, on a 61-key board, the middle-C is off center. (This is true with any 61-key board. The simple solution is just to move your chair over a bit.)
Despite these minor complaints, I love it.It's great to have music in my home again.

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Product Description:
YAMAHA YPT200AD 61-KEY PORTABLE KEYBOARD WITH PORTABLE GRAND FUNCTION

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LP-350 Home Digital Piano Review

SOUND AND FEATURES: 4.5 STARS

Let's get this out of the way--Korg designged an excellent sounding piano.You should compare this with the less expensive Yamaha Arius YDP-S31 if you want to make an apples to apples comparison.They are similar in features.I've little doubt that they are made from the same components somewhere in China.We don't plan on doing any producing on the piano, although we have entertained using the MIDI controller for some computer learning tools for our children.The only feature that I absolutely have to have is the volume control.It has one.

The sound of the piano is rich and authentic.I am not a piano player at all (I can, however, appreciate sound fidelity), but my wife is--she learned on an old acoustic and has played on dozens of different types and brands and understands the feel and sound of a good piano (and organ).She finds it more than acceptable in terms of simulating the playing of an acoustic piano.As my children learn to play, we are more than confident as their skills progress that they will be able to transition to the authentic acoustic pianos without having to relarn the weight, feel and sound of them.

DESIGN AND BUILD: 2.5 STARS

I assembled it myself in under 30 minutes.Piece of cake.I was mostly disappointed in the finish--I had assumed that it would be a glossy black- it is not.It's a matte black and silver, a thin easily chipped paint that covers medium density fiberboard.The frame isn't as sturdy as I would like it, and not as attractive as Korg makes it out to be.For a piano that is supposed to be a decorative accent that suits a particular lifestyle (read more expensive), I was expecting a higher quality build.

Which brings me to my other problem.The Hammer Weighted keys.When I assembled the piano and took the securing tape off of the cover, I noticed that the three top keys were out of kilter.I'm not talking the out of kilter you usually find on traditional string and hammer pianos, where the lighter keys offer a looser play, the keys were literally rattling around in the frame.I requested a replacement.OVERAL PURCHASING EXPERIENCE 1.5 STARS

The 1.5 Stars is for the inital sale there is no redeeming quality about the rest of my purchasing experience.The price is excellent. My biggest gripe, of course is that I still don't have the piano.After returning it to be replaced,the piano went on back order.It's been on backorder for a month and then the store (name redacted) will start shipping the pianos out.The first time they estimate they will receive the piano will be February 5, one month and two weeks since I requested a return, and almost three months since I initially ordered it.My family loved the piano for the one week that it stood in our home, but I have to say that I'm less than thrilled about the fact that I haven't been able to enjoy a piano that I paid almost a thousand dollars for due to the shoddy manufacturing process that caused me to send it back even before I had the chance to enjoy it.

TOTAL SATISFACTION: SOMEWHERE AROUND 3 STARS

The sound and features bring this back up to average.Without the excellent sound and feel of this piano, you would definitely be looking at another piano.The SP-250 seems to be this piano's sibling in terms of features.A little more work on the manufacturing process could go a long way.Who knows?Maybe the delays in the ordering are to increase the quality of the build for customers.I tend to doubt that, as the more rushed someone is to produce something, the more mistakes they usually make.

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Product Description:
The LP-350 digital piano is pleasing to both the ears - and the eyes! At less than 11 inches deep, the modern slim-line styling is space-saving and efficient, and designed to visually complement nearly any living space. When not in use, the thoughtf...

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Kurzweil SP2XS 88-key Stage Piano With Speakers and Stand Review

Now that all Kurzweil's can be layered and split, their glaring weakness is all the more conspicuous.The company, in my opinion, makes the best digital pianos--in terms of sound, versatility, and keyboard "feel"--but with the most convoluted, incoherent, least helpful instructions.Guaranteed to lead to many all-nighters for musicians just trying to "set up" the keyboard for the next day's gig, which may not have a bass player or drummer.

If you have q friend, or a knowledgeable techie/gear-head who works cheap, by all means hire him.The manual, as usual, looks like it's been written by a committee.After talking about the most "powerful" dimension of the keyboard as its adaptiveness to set-ups, it fails to explain or illustrate how to construct sounds in the favored "set-up," or "500," mode rather than the more limiting "performance" mode.It gives no directions or helpful illustrations on how the user might be able to use one of the factory set-ups (all of them unusable) as a "template" to help the user with the creation of his own more practical set-ups.It doesn't explain how to transpose a good acoustic bass sound up an octave into a playable range without having all of the notes in the treble, or right hand, also transposed, except into an unplayable range.It provides a paragraph on doing a "hard reset," so that the player can get rid of all the monstrosities he's created and start afresh--unfortunately the manual fails to provide the vital information that before the "reset" button will activate the instructions permitting a hard reset, the user must first depress the "Global" button.(By accident, and several hours later, I finally stumbled upon it.)

Whether the reader finds it merely curious or confounding, the manual will introduce and begin to discuss some of the specifics of splitting, layering, set-up programs, etc.Then in a late section of the book, the reader finds a paragraph stating that the instrument is capable of "layering and splitting, which means adding on another sound or dividing the keyboard into two or more zones so that different sounds can be played, a feature that can often be convenient for a musician, especially one who is playing in a show" (!!!).In other words, the paragraph sounds as though the authors are unaware that anything preceded it.Instead of specific instructions, we're given a reductive introduction that sounds like it belongs in the ad sheet!I's in details like this where Kurzweil seems determined to cut the corners, in the process cutting the frustrated user to shreds.

I could say that this latest Kurzweil gives me more problems when, during the middle of a fast-moving passage in the middle of a tune, I attempt to go from one program to another.Often the button doesn't register my quick press, the light blinks back at me when it should have changed--but for all I know I've programmed it wrong.The same goes for the sustain pedal.It's the slipperiest pedal I have yet to encounter on an electric keyboard.At one time, Roland marketed a pedal with a heel flap, which made eminent sense and was quite effective (enough reason to get rid of it in this inscrutable market).The bottom surface of this Kurzweil pedal is less abrasive than Kurzweil pedals I've had with my K1000, PC2, or PC1se, squirting across a linoleum floor like a hocky puck repeatedly over the course of a 4-hour job (might as well have been 40).Maybe that's the way they like them in Minnesota.

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Product Description:
The Best...The SP2X delivers the legendary Kurzweil sound, with all of its detail and refinement, in a digital stage piano which is both professional and easy to use. Using the next generation of Kurzweil technology, the SP2X provides some of the be...

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Yamaha P155B Contemporary Piano with Ebony Top Board, Black Review

Dont expect a big difference in sound quality over the P-140 or you will be dissapointed.At most there may be an ever so slight increase in micro-dynamic expressiveness on softer, subtle passages (maybe that's the 4th layer?), but dont expect anything to jump out at you.I mean subtle! Not much difference in the decay versus the P-140.About the same. I owned them both.The action is heavy and responsive on the P-155 (same as P-140) which I like and the features are an improvement over the P-140.Given how inexpensive and small digital memory has become, it would be nice if Yamaha could give us a DP with a natural sounding decay instead of a looped one. On a real piano the harmonic overtones decay faster than lower fundementals.This sonic reality has not been incorporated into this instrument unfortunately.The P-155 does sound resampled, just not enough to show a really audible difference from the P-140. At soft levels its pretty good but at mezzo forte or louder decay is unnatural, like the P-140.Sound quality via the built-in speakers is the same as P-140. Dynamic range and volume is a little better because of greater wattage but thats about it. Speakers and frequency range are unchanged.Unlike P-140 you can choose brightness levels in between Bright, Normal and Mellow for a total of 5, not 3 choices which is nice.If you can get one for $1,000 or less its worth it but I wouldn't spend 1200 on it over the P-140, unless you need the new features.

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Product Description:
Whether you're practicing at home, playing with the band, or doing alive solo performance, the P155 series offers professional quality sound with our legendary touch. Thanks to top-shelf Yamaha digital piano technologies, musicians don't have to choose between portability and piano quality- the quality you expect from a company that's been building world-class acoustic pianos for over a century.

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88-KEY Portable Educational Keyboard Review

Great value, and a marked improvement over the old 500 and 505 models.The speakers produce a richer sound tone, and the display window is much clearer and easier to read.Additional features over the 505 include one-touch "auto-accompaniment", where you can try different background rhythms to your recorded notes (jazz, rock, salsa, etc) at a single touch of a button.There are a few more voices to choose from, and the "sweet" sounds are more realistic than on the old models.The unit looks better as a whole, being a sleek silver instead of a dull plastic beige.Also, the controls are a lot more "touch friendly", especially the selection "spin wheel" that lets you choose features much faster than the older models did.

Connectivity is much simpler than on the 500, requiring only a simple USB cord instead of a special MIDI cord.

The one downside of this keyboard is that a USB drive is the only portable media compatible with this unit, and unfortunately they place the plug-in port in the back, which make it somewhat difficult to reach over and plug the drive in while you're trying to play and select.Because of this, I take away a star, and hope that in their next model, Yamaha will put the USB port somewhere in FRONT where it's easy to reach and plug the drive.

I actually recommend this unit over the DGX 620 (Yamaha's highest available model at the time of this review).All features are exactly the same on the two models, except the keys in the 620 are weighted to as close to a real piano as you'll get.Yamaha calls them 'Graded Hammer Standard' keys.

The 520 does not have the GHS keys, but the trade-off (besides a considerably lower cost than the 620) is a lot of weight...the 620 unit as a whole weighs 19 lbs more than the 520 unit.So if you're a traveling musician like me and have to load and unload your keyboard all the time carrying your instrument to your gigs, you're actually much better off with the 520.Get the 620 only if you want a more realistic feel and don't want to move the keyboard a lot.

Overall, an excellent instrument...and if you have any of the older models, I highly recommend an upgrade!

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Product Description:
88-Key Portable Educational Keyboard

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Williams Symphony Elite Digital Piano Review

My 8 year old son has been taking piano lessons for almost 2 years and has a real talent for it.His piano teacher uses a Casio keyboard that has a foot pedal attached.She kept advising me that he needed a pedal for his keyboard to sustain notes.His Casio "Magic Light" keyboard was purchased 10 years ago as a birthday present for my husband (which he never used). It works great, but doesn't support a foot pedal.Also, the cheaper keyboards do not duplicate the "hammer-action" weighted response of keys on a real piano.Lastly, a full-size keyboard is 88 keys, but ours had only 60 something. I was having a discussion with his piano teacher as to my options.Buying a new piano was out of the question; we're talking 10-20 thousand dollars.However, you can purchase second hand pianos for a few thousand dollars, or "adopt" a used piano for nothing but the cost of having it delivered.A guitar teacher overheard us and offered a wonderful alternative: a digital piano.As he said, "It looks like a real piano, it sounds like a real piano, but it doesn't cost as much as a real piano."He advised us to visit a Cafe next store which had a digital piano in the back.We did, and it was a Yamaha digital piano.It had a brown wood finish and an understated beauty.I immediately was excited and would have gone out that day to buy one.My son was not equally excited, however.It did not look like a real piano to him (which he still wanted).I went online and looked at other brands of digital pianos and noticed the "Williams Symphony Elite Digital Piano."My son was hooked when he saw this one.It looks very much like a real piano.I purchased it online (it costs $899 at virtually any site you order it from).There are two other models: the Williams Console digital piano, which looks to be a regular digital piano with no bells and whistles and it looks like black wood; the next level one is the Williams Overture 88-key digital piano.It has all sorts of digital effects and also has the black wood.The Williams website compares the "Overture" model and the "Symphony Elite" model as the difference between driving a Cadillac and a Bentley. You're paying a few hundred extra for the glossy black finish, more digital effects, etc.Not knowing much about the technical details, I decided to go with the "Bentley" of the Williams line, the Symphony Elite.I would rather spend a little extra and have a piano that will last my son for several years as he expands his technical knowlege.The piano arrived two days ago.My husband said it was delivered curbside by UPS Roadway.This is because the box is quite heavy.He had to open the box in our sunporch and carry pieces upstairs to our second floor individually. I wasn't home when he assembled the piano, but he had no complaints of it being difficult.When he called me at work after assembling it, he referred to it as being a "monstrosity".It measures approximately 55 inches across the top. It has a glossy black finish like a grand piano.The music rest is gorgeous.It has a stainless steel "W" logo on it.There are two shiny brass little wands that can be pulled up to support your songbook or music sheets.This is a great improvement over the steel wire that didn't hold up much of anything on his old Casio Magic Light.Also, there is the delightful keyboard cover that slides out over the keys, again, just like a real piano.Finally, there are the three foot pedals identical to a real piano.Just as a piece of furniture, it is aesthetically beautiful.I don't pretend to know all of the technical details (you can find them listed under the piano picture above), but it has over a hundred voices, effects, demos, computer connectivity via USB, and the ability to record yourself. Hidden discreetly under the piano to your left are jacks for using headphones,USB/MIDI and to plug in a microphone. It also has a metronome.My son sounds great when he uses the church organ voice.The beauty of this piano is not only in its appearance, but in the freedom to enjoy the various effects of a keyboard.When my son plays this piano, it looks like I should put a candelabra on top of it!He is very happy, because he feels like he is playing a real piano.

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Product Description:
The Williams Symphony Digital Piano combines realistic voices with excellent playability. Players can choose the clear tone of 138 different instruments or use among 100 different rhythm styles for fully orchestrated compositions. The Symphony Piano provides an endless source of musical enjoyment in a luxurious black gloss finish cabinet with sliding key-cover.

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Yamaha CP300 Stage Piano Review

Good piano sound, plays like a real piano, has good choir sound, the string sounds could be better, especially when blending with the piano. And then there are all the MIDI sounds that I didn't realize came with it, and I still haven't gotten to the bottom of all the features.

I like the way the often-used functions are laid out as buttons, that is a good design and a good implementation.

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Product Description:
Like all fine instruments, the CP 300 simply begs to be played. Sit down with one, and the instrument becomes an extension of your hands and your musical imagination. The authentic piano voices and rich expressiveness come alive at your touch, and the sound is big enough to blast through a full band onstage - yet nuanced enough to work magic in an intimate club.Yamaha's extensive experience in crafting fine acoustic pianos helps us in creating the ultimate digital pianos. Our advanced Graded Hammer Effect (GHE) action gives all keys an authentic resistance that increases from the top register to the lower - just as on an actual acoustic piano. Which means that you can naturally pound out thunderous low notes with your left hand and let the fingers on your right dance and fly with the high notes.In crafting the authentic sound of the CP series, we used meticulously recorded stereo samples of top-quality instruments, taken at various playing strengths, and included subtle elements such as String Resonance, Stereo Sustain, and even Key-Off Samples that capture the felt dampers muting the piano strings - providing the most authentic sounding and finely nuanced acoustic piano voices possible.The CP stage pianos are also master keyboard controllers that give you full command of your gear. Play and control external tone generators. Assign different voices to different keyboard sections and create multi-textured layers of sound. Four instrument Zones on the CP300 with panel sliders, let you easily tweak the level of each instrument as you play. You can also freely reassign the sliders and wheels to control other sonic characteristics of your gear, such as sound attack, decay, brightness and filter cutoff.The CP300 features professional quality balanced XLR output connectors. These give you the cleanest, clearest noise-free signal - both for serious recording in the studio, and playing onstage where long unbalanced cables may compromise your sound.

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Yamaha Arius YDP160 Digital Home Piano (with Piano Bench) Review

A year ago, I was looking for an inexpensive digital piano. After sampling several options at places like Guitar Center and the like, I reduced my choices to three: the YDP-160 and Casio's PX800 and AP200. Despite costing a lot more, I went with the Yamaha.

After almost daily (OK, nightly) use, I can say in full confidence that I'm happy with the choice I made.

Unlike the Casios, the Yamaha piano is sturdy. Unlike the Casios, the key action is very realistic and the sound generation excellent, withnice and well rounded warmth and color. Yes, it's not a real, mechanical piano, but when you play it it feels very natural.

The only downside I can think of is the output power, which, at 2x20W(?), is not enough to fill a large room. It's more than OK for the kid's practice and I'm using the headphones when playing so this is not an issue.

If you're no ready to spend the money on a Clavinova (or even an upright) but want a good-sounding, quality digital piano, look no further.

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Product Description:
Yamaha raises the bar again with the Arius YDP160 Digital Home Piano.Authentic sound, natural touch and an absolute joy to play, both in practice and performance, in an advanced yet affordable console digital piano.Exceptionally natural key touch virtually replicates that of an actual grand piano with the premium Graded Hammer Effect keyboard of the YDP-160.Built-in AWM stereo sampled instrument voices faithfully reproduce their complete range from the soft, dark lows to the glistening, bright highs.The damper pedal includes an authentic Half Damper effect, giving you nuanced expressive control over the sustained sound far more realistic than a simple on/off footswitch.Built-in song recorder and metronome make the instruments ideal for piano lessons, practicing, or even as a scratch-pad for your next masterpiece.50 specially selected piano songs of standard piano repertoire are built into each Arius, either for your listening enjoyment, or as a rehearsal tool while playing out of the included 50 Greats for the Piano book.True Piano Feel and Expressive Control - Graded Hammer EffectDrawing on over a hundred years of experience and craftsmanship in making world class acoustic pianos, the Arius series provide exceptionally natural, grand piano-like touch, with realistic weight gradations-heavy in the lower end, and light in the upper. The premium Graded Hammer Effect (GHE) action of the YDP-160 provides even greater expressive control than GHS. In addition to its quieter mechanism, GHE features an extra key sensor capable of reproducing fast repetitive playing of a single note with perfect articulation. So Graded Hammer Effect keyboards suit skill levels from Chopsticks to Chopin Etudes and everything in between.AWM Dynamic Stereo Sampling for Authentic Piano SoundThe Arius series digital pianos feature Yamahas sophisticated AWM (

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Yamaha YDP161 Digital Piano with Bench Review

I am absolute newbie with sight-reading experience from my former choir signing days!I wanted to learn to play a piano but did not want the tuning and expense of owning the real McCoy and then find i didn't want to play it.Especially living in an apartment there were the neighbors to consider as well as the premium floor space.Then I came upon the digital piano and this form solved all my problems in one quiet swoop.You get what you pay for, so do some research on your must have and budget.I just knew that i wanted a brand name in the world of music so the yamaha was a given.Now I was deciding between the 161 and the 141, both new models released on 2010.I finally went with the 161 for the better hammer action and that it offered the 128 notes polyphony.These might be minor issues for you, but my passion to learn made me decide that rather than upgrade later, I would splash out a little bit more now and have the piano for a lot longer.If you live in an apartment like me, the bigger speaker offered by the 161 was not a huge selling point as I practice most of time with the head phones.Only when I wanted to show piece a well practiced piece do I unplug the headphones.The size of this piano is awesome and compact in depth and with the 88 keys, you have the grand piano sound without taking up a lot of space.

Other features include a metronome than can adjust for different time signature like 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, etc; 50 preset songs were you can mute either the right or left hand and you can practice with it (this is really for the intermediate player, but nice to look foreword to!

The 161 has two headphone plug INS to allow for a second listener.There is midi that allows you to record more of your own music onto a computer (for composition) or you can down load music to the piano too.

The weights of the keys are superb and I am loving the experience, the sound and the accessibility the digital format offer me.

For the price it is reasonable.It is worth shopping around for competitive bundles.I did not end up buying my piano here.But I am so happy with my experience that I really highly recommend this model for beginners who are looking to progress to play full scores.For beginners, I recommend the Alfred's adult all in one course.It is by far the best series out there.For a novice in the world of music theory, My husband is really impressed with the progress that I have made in less than one week.

For those who have wanted to fulfill a dream, don't hesitate any more, this is the best option and you will love yourself for buying it.Happy playing,

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Product Description:
Stepping up to the YDP-161provides true piano sound and feel. The Graded Hammer keyboard and 128-note polyphony responds to the beginner and experienced player, both in practice and in performance. The 3-level AWM Dynamic Stereo Sampling Voices deliver remarkably authentic and responsive sound.

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Yamaha PKBB1 Portable Keyboard Bench Review

I bought this for my children to use with their keyboard. It is ready-assembled and fairly sturdy - perhaps a little on the small side for a large adult, but great for my children aged 9 and under and ok for me (I'm only 5'4)

Nice bench for the price.

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Product Description:
Perfect for use with almost any keyboard, Yamaha's PKBB1 portable keyboard bench offers solid and affordable comfort. Finished in black with a soft, padded seat, its height is adjustable between 17.5 and 19.5 inches for tailored comfort. A handy locking mechanism lets you fold the bench flat at the push of a button for easy transport.
What's in the Box
Bench, instruction sheet.

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First Act 44 Key Piano Keyboard Piano Review

This unit has a polyphony of at least 7 notes (you can play them all at the same time).One of the concerns of the similar Casio keyboard is that it has a maximum polyphony of only four notes.Someone learning more complicated chords, with a melody on top, would have a problem with the Casio.

This First Act keyboard has backup chords.When the feature is enabled, you can select major, minor, or dominant seventh chords by touching one or two of the lower octave of keys (see the online instructions if you can't figure it out).I haven't tried the Casio, but I didn't see anything in the writeup or the many reviews referring to such a feature.

Like the Casio, this keyboard starts up at full volume.But my feeling on that is if your kid can't figure out how to immediately lower the volume, he's probably too young for this.Perhaps a xylophone would suffice for now.But if you've got a prodigy :) go for it.You certainly can't beat the price.If someone with a musical background is there to give a child some pointers, he/she can get off to a very good musical start with this.

One other comment - I believe both companies make other electronic instruments for children and beginners, but I've always believed the one best instrument to learn music on is a piano (or keyboard).The whole 12-note concept is laid out before you like a diagram of music.I never really understood how anyone could grasp the whole idea beginning on a sax or a guitar.(Notice, you always see a composer or arranger seated at his piano).

Five stars for this one.I like it.


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Product Description:
First Act 44 Key Keyboard Piano features 10 instrument sounds, 5 percussion sounds, 8 demo songs, 8 rhythm patterns, record and playback function, volume and temp controls. Sleep mode saves battery life. 4 AA batteries required (not included).

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Casio WK-3800AD 76-Key Electronic Keyboard with Power Supply Review

The Casio WK3800 is a fun and very versatile keyboard with good quality onboard speakers.My previous keyboard, which I still have, is an older Yamaha PSR series.The WK3800 gives you a good deal of control and "fine tuning" for each of the preset digital voices/tones (e.g., attack/release, touch response, reverb, vibratto, resonance, octave, pan, equalizer, and other effects, which can be saved as new user tones ... and then mixed(using layer and split) onto the keyboard and saved as an entry in the register. You can monitor/record on several separate tracks of and, later, put them all together for a rich composition playback. The only downside with recording to the separate tracks is that you lose the layer/split functions during recording (a small hassle that I hope the next series of Casio keyboards will rectify). If you would like to have a layered and split recording (four tone settings used), you have to record each of the four tones separately (i.e., record yourself playing your song four times). This limitation of the record function is the only reason I did not give the Casio WK3800 4 stars out of 5, instead of a perfect 5.

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Product Description:
The Casio WK3800 keyboard is ideal for home/project studio use, open-mic performance, education/classroom applications, or simply for pure musical enjoyment.The WK-3800 76 Key Musical Keyboard with touch response, allows you to select up to 894 tones that include orchestral sounds, synthesized sound and more. The Auto Accompaniment that will allow you to simply play a chord and the corresponding rhythms, bass and chord parts play automatically. A big LCD screen graphically shows you fingerings, keyboard keys to be pressed, and notes, making keyboard play more informative and enjoyable than ever before.This powerful instrument features an on-board sequencer and a mixer, for unmatched creative possibilities, plus powerful 2-way bass reflex speakers to take your performance to the next level. Computer connectable via USB and also includes an SD card slot and floppy drive.AD-12 AC adaptor included.Casio WK3800AD FeaturesRich Advanced TonesA total of 400 Advanced Tones are programmed with DSP tones to make them richer and more powerful. Advanced tones like Stereo Piano and Tremolo Electric Piano enhance the Piano and Electric Piano tones to create a totally new sound.50 Drawbar Organ TonesThe keyboard includes 50 realistic drawbar organ tones. Drawbar organ tones can be controlled using nine digital drawbars. You can also select percussion or key click, and even edit the parameters of preset tone and save up to 100 original tones in user tone memory.Flash MemoryBuilt-in Flash memory lets you expand your selection of tones and rhythms by downloading data from the CASIO MUSIC SITE, or by the CD-ROM that comes bundled with the keyboard. You can also store up to 200 SMF format music files for playback.Piano Setting ButtonThe press of a button optimizes the keyboard setup for piano play.166 Preset Rhythms + 16 U

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Yamaha YDPS31 Arius Console Piano with Folding Key Cover, 3-Pedal Cabinet Review

I've had the digital piano for about 1 year already and still loving it. Totally converted to a believer in digital piano.Even though it is in the lower end of the line, it doens't feel that way.The weighted keys have a real acoustic piano feel to it, and it is very sensitive to touch. The sounds are beautiful.It actually sounds better and feel better than the 15 year old acoustic piano that I had when I started learning piano as a kid.The most beautiful part of it is that I can play it in the middle of the night without waking anyone up.

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Product Description:
A competitively-priced, contemporary-designed digital piano with Dark Alder finish cabinet and Graphite-colored key-bed.Soft-Shut key cover, improved pedal frame, and GHS natural touch action means you get a basic, affordable digital piano from a music manufacturer you can trust.

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