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Some people take piano lessons, and only are able to practice when they are at their lessons, because they don’t have a piano at home.

If you or someone else in your household is a beginner, or has expressed an interest in learning, it really is best if you can have an instrument at home to practice on.

The problem is, a good piano can cost a lot of money, which many of us can’t really afford. So, is there another option? Well, there is one: a digital piano.

But is this going to be as good as having a real, acoustic piano to learn and practice on?

There are arguments both for and against learning on a digital piano, with some people saying that you need an acoustic piano to learn, and others saying that the digital piano is actually the better option.

In this comprehensive guide, we take a look at the benefits of each type of instrument, as well as how each works, and what beginners really need.

Let’s get started!

First of all, let’s discuss the sizes and prices for both acoustic and digital pianos. Anyone who plays the piano would love to have an actual acoustic piano in their home. When you come right down to it, a lot of people, even those who do not play, love the look of a piano in the home. But, is it really feasible?

If you don’t have a lot of room, a piano just isn’t going to work for you. Even an upright can take up a lot of space, and if space is at a premium, you just aren’t going to have the room. An acoustic piano also requires a fair amount of maintenance, such as tuning, which you will have to pay someone to do for you.

On the other hand, a digital piano is small and portable. Even the models that come with cabinets are much smaller than most acoustic pianos. Most digital pianos have a full-size keyboard, so you are getting everything you would with a real piano, but it is smaller and more portable. When was the last time you tried to take an acoustic piano outside of the home? It just isn’t going to happen.

Now we get down to prices. There is no doubting that you are going to save money by buying a digital piano instead of an acoustic piano. Sure, you can spend thousands of dollars on a high-end digital piano, but you can also get some fairly decent models, which are excellent for beginners, for under $500.

This is not the kind of deal you can expect to find on an acoustic piano, unless of course you happen to run across a really good deal on a second-hand model. 

Now we are going to talk about the make-up of both acoustic and digital pianos.

Let’s start with acoustic pianos. These come in two different varieties:

and then there are sub-types within each type such as:

The mechanics inside an acoustic piano are as old as the instrument itself.

There are hammers and steel strings, which are encased inside a wooden frame. The piano keys are attached to the hammers, so when you press a key, the hammer will move, striking the strings for the particular notes you are playing. This causes a vibration, which in turn produces sound.

The layout of the innards of acoustic pianos are different, depending on the type of piano. For instance, the frame and strings for a grand piano are horizontal, while in an upright model, they run vertically.

A grand piano is going to have less inharmonicity, and therefore have a richer, deeper tone, because it has longer strings. An upright model has shorter strings, so it doesn’t sound as well-tuned due to more inharmonicity.

This doesn’t mean that an upright piano is inferior to a grand piano, as there are also other factors that come into play when it comes to sound quality, including how the instrument was crafted, and the materials used to make it.

Now, let’s take a look at digital pianos. The first thing to look at is how the sound is made. The digital piano gets its sound from digital samples. These samples originally come from an acoustic piano, but because there are no strings or hammers, the sound just isn’t going to be completely true.

When you press the keys, the digital samples are going to come through the electronic speakers. This doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to get a great sound quality. Some digital pianos are about as close to the real thing as you can possibly get.

Many people don’t realize it, but there are actually three different types of digital pianos.

Next, we are going to compare the sound quality between acoustic and digital pianos. Obviously, if you are going to be spending any amount of money on a musical instrument, you want it to produce a nice sound.

No matter what anyone tries to tell you, an acoustic piano, either upright or grand, is going to produce the best sound. But, this doesn’t mean that many digital pianos don’t have great sound quality as well.

A digital piano isn’t going to give you that true grand piano sound, but it can mimic the sound of an acoustic piano so it is pretty close. The problem is that even the best digital piano is never going to have the same sound quality as an acoustic model, but some of them can come pretty close.

In fact, there are some low-end acoustic pianos that don’t sound as good as the higher-end digital models. But, all in all, if you are looking for the very best sound quality, nothing is going to beat a good acoustic piano.

Another thing to think about when choosing your instrument is maintenance. This is one area where a digital piano definitely has the advantage, as it requires little to no maintenance (unless of course there are troubles with the electronics, sticky keys, etc.). An acoustic piano requires a fair amount of maintenance.

For one thing, because they are made of wood, they need to be housed in an area where there is not going to be a lot of humidity, or frequent temperature changes. If the piano is not kept in the right environment (room temperature around 20 degrees C and a relative humidity between 45 and 70 percent), you are likely going to end up having problems with the inside components, not to mention the wood itself. This is not an issue with a digital piano.

Another thing to consider is tuning. An acoustic piano is going to require tuning about once or twice per year. This means that you will need to have a professional piano tuner come to your home, because it’s not like you can easily take the instrument to them.

This is something to consider when thinking about the cost of an acoustic piano as well, because the initial price obviously isn’t going to be your only expense if you want to own an acoustic piano. You never have to worry about tuning a digital piano.

Next, we need to take a look at the versatility of both acoustic and digital pianos. This is another area where a digital model is going to have more benefits than an acoustic piano.

For instance, a digital piano is going to have features that you just won’t find in an acoustic piano. Sure, an acoustic piano is going to have a truer piano sound, but it can’t mimic the sound of other instruments as a digital piano can.

Also, digital pianos offer drum beats that you can use while you are playing. Most quality digital pianos have record and playback features, again, something that an acoustic piano will never have.

You can record what you are playing, and it will be stored in a digital file. Finally, with a digital piano, you have control over the volume. You can even plug a pair of headphones in so you are the only one who hears it. An acoustic piano is generally going to be pretty loud, even if you are trying to play softly.

With an acoustic piano, you need to exert a bit of pressure to make sounds, while you can lightly touch the keys on a digital piano to produce sound, so you don’t necessarily get the same feel you would with an acoustic model. But, this is something that manufacturers have been able to overcome by creating weighted keys. These will mimic piano keys, at least when it comes to the heaviness.

Touch sensitivity is an advantage that acoustic pianos have over digital pianos, and why some musicians prefer to use an acoustic piano. When playing on an acoustic piano, how hard you hit the keys will determine the volume and tone of the notes being played.

So, even though you may hit a key with a different pressure each time, you are going to get the same sound. This can be quite limiting when it comes to expressing yourself musically. On the other hand, with a digital piano, the sounds are digital, so you can create a multitude of tones that you can’t produce on an acoustic piano.

Now we need to take a look at pedals. There are three pedals on an acoustic piano: soft, sostenuto, and sustain. Generally, sustain is used in all types of music, while the other two aren’t used as much. Low-end digital pianos don’t usually come with any pedals, but you can often buy a separate sustain pedal to use.

Better models will often have a sustain pedal, but that’s it, and in most cases, they are not available as extra options. If you think that you are going to be using these pedals, you will need to have an acoustic piano instead of digital.

Finally, you need to consider the portability of your instrument. If you are not concerned with having to take your piano anywhere, and you have the space, you may be more interested in having a traditional acoustic piano in your home.

But, if you want to take your piano to lessons, gigs, studios, or any place else, you can’t do this with an acoustic, and a digital piano is going to be your best option. Most digital pianos weigh 25 pounds or less, so they are highly portable and you can take them pretty much anywhere.

In addition to the features on each piano, there are other things that you need to think about before going out and spending hundreds, or even thousands of dollars on an instrument. First of all, what is your favorite musical genre?

If you are really interested in playing classical music, then an acoustic piano may be the best choice for you, because of the sound and the touch sensitivity. But, if you want to play rock, pop, funk, etc., you can really play around with the extra features on a digital piano. Other things to consider include:

If you are just starting out, you may prefer using a digital piano, because most of them come with so many terrific learning tools, including lesson software that you can use by syncing your instrument to your computer, iPhone, tablet, etc.

If you live alone and there is no one to disturb, you can go ahead and practice to your heart’s content on an acoustic piano. But, if there are going to be others around, they might not want to hear you practicing all the time.

A digital piano lets you take it to another location, so you can practice without bothering anyone.

Again, you need to think about anyone you may be disturbing while you are practicing. An acoustic piano is going to be loud, and if you prefer to practice late at night, you are going to keep others awake. With a digital piano, you can plug in your headphones so only you are going to hear what you are working on.

Whether you are going to choose a digital or an acoustic piano, there are certain features that should be considered when buying an instrument for beginners. These include:

While some people say it is fine to learn on a keyboard without a full 88 keys, others argue that one needs a full keyboard in order to learn things like finger spacing, scale, etc. Also, as the beginner progresses, they are going to want to use the entire scale of keys for certain songs.

An acoustic piano will have weighted keys, but not all digital pianos do. It is important that if you go with a digital model that it does have weighted keys, because they are much closer to the feel of an acoustic piano. The weighted keys will help the beginner to learn technique and build their finger strength.

This means that the keys respond in volume in accordance with how hard you press them. If you play softly, the volume should be lower, and if you have a heavier touch, it should be louder.

This is a feature that you likely won’t find on the less expensive digital pianos, but the higher-end models do tend to have this feature. There should also be an option to turn this feature off.

If you do decide to go with a digital piano, it is imperative that you also have an adjustable keyboard stand, and if possible, a bench as well. It is not easy to learn and practice with the keyboard in your lap, so you need to make sure that you are going to be able to play comfortably, with the keyboard at a level that is comfortable for you.

When it comes to a beginner piano, if you are going with digital, keep it simple. Beginners don’t need to have a lot of extra features, effects, etc. as it can be overwhelming. There is already a lot to learn, especially in the beginning, so there is really no need of adding to it.

This is especially important if the beginner student is a child, as they can be easily overwhelmed.

When it comes to digital pianos, two brand names stand out more than any others: Casio and Yamaha.

Maybe you’ve already been considering both of these brands because they’re so well-known, but you haven’t made your decision because you still need more information?

Well you’re in luck! In this comprehensive guide we cover Casio vs Yamaha digital pianos and give you the information you need in order to make the best decision, including:

Let’s get started!

The first name you might gravitate toward is Yamaha, because it has such a long and rich history of creating quality musical instruments. In fact, you may be inclined to steer clear of Casio products, because many people think of them as being low-end.

But you might just be surprised at the quality of many Casio keyboards and digital pianos. Yes, they do have some inexpensive models that definitely would not be great for professional use, but they also have some high-end models that can directly compete with some of the best that Yamaha has to offer.

There was a time when professionals wouldn’t even consider a Casio digital piano, but this attitude is definitely beginning to change as Casio releases more and more high-quality digital pianos and other digital instruments.

More professionals still tend to prefer Yamaha keyboards, but this is a trend that is starting to move in the Casio direction. Casio has been making several upgrades, and their latest products are getting some pretty great reviews, even from professional piano players.

Are you someone who care a lot about brand names? Most of us think that because a brand name is well-known and trusted that it just has to be better than any other brand out there. But, is this really the case?

Don’t let a brand name be your deciding factor because you just may be missing out on a quality instrument. Obviously, the better-known brand is going to have a pretty great selection. But, even though Casio has not been around as long as Yamaha, it doesn’t mean that this brand doesn’t have a great reputation itself. In fact, both brands are favorites of many when it comes to digital pianos.

Both brands are very well established, and well-known for producing quality instruments. Yes, Casio has only been around since 1980, but they have come a very long way in such a short period of time.

That being said, many people are still going to think of Yamaha first when it comes to digital pianos, simply because they have been around for more than 100 years. When you come right down to it, Yamaha is the more reputable brand of the two.

We are living in tough economic times, and no one wants to buy something that isn’t going to give them value for their money, including a digital piano. Which brand is going to give you the most for your dollar?

Well, as popular as Yamaha is, they can’t compete with the low prices offered by Casio. Any of the Casio digital pianos are going to have loads of great features that are similar to many Yamaha models, but in most cases, the Casio models are going to cost a lot less than anything from Yamaha.

In fact, you will likely pay more for a Yamaha digital piano, just because it has the Yamaha name. Just keep in mind that more expensive doesn’t always necessarily mean that you are getting a better product.

Another thing that you should consider is the range of products from both brands. This is likely where you are going to find that Yamaha gets the higher score, because they do have many more high-end products than Casio.

In addition to digital pianos, Yamaha produces a whole range of other instruments, workstations, and recording/studio gear. There are a few Casio digital pianos in this same category, but Casio just doesn’t have the range that you will find with Yamaha.

But, this doesn’t mean that you should discount the range of products from Casio, as they are coming out with more and more models of digital pianos and other instruments all the time.

You might think that Yamaha has the better range of instruments, but then again, you may just find yourself surprised at what Casio has to offer. For instance, the Privia line has some lovely, furniture-style digital pianos, including the PX-850, as well as portable models like the PX-150. They also have a great little stage piano, the PX5S.

Obviously, this doesn’t come close to the variety from Yamaha, but more doesn’t always mean better. Selection is something that you will need to weigh very carefully when it comes to your decision between these two brands.

Another important consideration is the skill level of the person who will be using the digital piano. If this is going to be for a beginner, it is not going to be necessary to go out and spend a lot of money on a professional piano. The features that you really should be looking for in this case will be built-in learning tools, decent sound quality, and some effects.

If the digital piano is going to be for someone who is more advanced, or even a professional, you will want to look for such features as the touch response, advanced digital features, and even recording and playback capabilities for composing.

Is your digital piano going to be used at home, or do you plan on using it in a studio and on stage? This is an important question to ask yourself when choosing a digital piano, whether it be from Yamaha, Casio, or another brand. If it is going to be strictly for home use, you may be interested in a console digital piano, which is offered by both Yamaha and Casio. This type of digital piano has built-in speakers, so you don’t need to worry about using an amplifier.

A console piano has a cabinet, which helps it to blend in with your furnishings and décor, and there are many other styles, in a wide range of price, and quality. One from Casio that you may be interested in is the Privia PX360, which uses the Casio AiR (Acoustic and intelligent Resonator) sound engine, a multi-dimensional sound source that help to create the sound of a traditional acoustic grand piano. This digital piano also has 88 full-size keys that are weighted, hammer-action, so it feels like playing a regular piano.

A comparable Yamaha model is the YPG-535. This digital piano also has 88 keys, as well as graded soft-touch action, which is often better for beginners and younger players. Basically, this technology means that the keys will respond differently to different pressure levels. If you hit the keys hard, they are going to play loud, and vice versa.

This keyboard has a built-in amplifier and speakers, and features the Yamaha Education Suite and Performance Assistant Technology that helps students learn faster and easier. It also has a recorder and sequencer, each with six tracks, so you can compose and record.

Now, you may not be as interested in a console piano if you plan on using it in the studio or on stage. Instead, you will probably be looking for something that is more portable. There are great options from both brands when it comes to digital pianos for stage and studio. These tend to have more effects than the home console versions, and they are available at a wide range of prices.

One interesting model from Casio for stage and studio use is the Privia PX-5S Pro. This is a mid-range model that weighs just 25 pounds. This digital piano has a full, scaled hammer-action keyboard, as well as many different voices (instrument sounds), including grand pianos and retro electric pianos.

It offers a 256-note polyphony (more on this later in the article), so you can play even the most difficult and complex arrangements. It also has four-zone MIDI control, with four knobs and six sliders that allow you to control internal sounds and external MIDI gear at the same time.

A comparable Yamaha model is the YPG-235, a 76-key digital grand piano that is also portable. The keys have a Graded Soft Touch (GST) action, and there is a six-track sequencer that allows you to record easily. The LCD panel is backlit, making it easy to see, and there are also panel lights. You can use the USB and Flash ROM to download songs and styles to play around with.

Both the Casio and the Yamaha have comparable features, with the Yamaha model having better in some areas, and Casio in others. Again, this is a tough choice. The best way to really know if a digital piano is right for you is to actually play on it. You might find that the less expensive Casio model is actually your favorite.

No matter what brand you are ultimately going to choose, it is important to narrow down the features you should be looking for in a decent digital piano. Even if it is just for a beginner, you want to find one that has good sound quality, several voices (more on this later), learning tools, etc.

If you are looking for a professional model, you still want these same features, except maybe the learning tools. Let’s take a look at the most important features to look for on a digital piano.

If you aren’t going to be playing through an amplifier, PA, etc., you need to choose a keyboard that has quality sound, with the right amount of volume and output. It will be important to have a keyboard that has built-in speakers, which both Yamaha and Casio models do have.

You may be wondering, why do I need a lot of volume or output if this is going to be a digital piano for a beginner and not for a professional on stage?

Well, even a beginner needs to be able to hear what they are doing. If there isn’t enough volume, it is going to be difficult to tell which notes are being played correctly, and which are being played incorrectly. Not only should there be plenty of volume and output, the sound quality itself needs to be great, whether you are a beginner or a pro.

After all, if you are on stage and your instrument sounds like garbage, people aren’t going to want to pay to see you perform. If you are in the learning stages and your instrument has a lousy sound quality, you are likely not going to want to practice and learn on it.

If you are using an amplifier, you may think that you don’t need to worry about built-in speakers. But, what happens when your amplifier decides it doesn’t want to work, and you need to use the keyboard?

Without built-in speakers, you will simply be out of luck, and won’t be able to play all. This means no practicing for the beginner, and unless you have a backup keyboard, no performing for the professional.

One of the most important features to look for in a digital piano is the sound quality, which is totally separate from the volume and output. Remember, just because a speaker is loud enough to rattle the windows, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is going to have a good sound.

While Casio digital pianos do have a decent sound quality, they do not have many models in the $1,000 or more range for semi-professionals and professionals. So, if you are looking for a high-end, expensive keyboard with the best sound quality, Yamaha is probably the best way to go.

On the other hand, if you are looking for something that is less expensive, you may actually find a better sound quality in some of the Casio digital pianos. This is definitely going to be the case if you are looking for a digital piano for a beginning piano player.

Yes, the sound quality is still likely to be better from a Yamaha model, but this isn’t always a key factor to look for in a beginner model. Yes, you want it to sound good, but since it is going to take at least a year or two before you start playing well, is there really any sense in spending a lot more money, just to have the Yamaha name, when you can get a less expensive Casio model that has a good sound quality, and costs a lot less?

Here is something else to consider when it comes to sound quality. If you are planning on using an amplifier, you may find that this is going to improve the sound quality, and the less expensive Casio model may sound absolutely terrific.

When shopping for digital pianos, it is a good idea to try each model you are interested both with and without and amp, just to see if there is any difference in the sound quality.

The next consideration is key action and touch response. There is one huge difference between a traditional acoustic piano and a digital model, and that is how the keys feel. True piano keys have some resistance, due to their mechanical components, including the wooden hammers and strings. If you are already an experienced player with an acoustic piano, your best bet is to look for a model that can mimic the action of the type of piano that you are used to playing.

Both Yamaha and Casio offer digital pianos that will give you the same feel as if you were playing on an acoustic piano. Look for a model that has weighted or semi-weighted action, because this is going to have more of a real piano feel. Hammer action will enhance this, because it actually uses hammers as a piano would.

The absolute best, if you want that true piano feel, is to choose a model that has fully weighted keys, or graduated weighting, known as graded hammer action. You will be able to play the low notes heavier, and the high notes lighter with graded hammer action.

Velocity-sensitivity is also important. The absolute best digital pianos will be able to sense minute differences in velocity, and know just how hard you are going to hit each note to give it the correct volume. This is not something you are going to find in a low cost digital piano, whether it is Yamaha or Casio. They will likely have volume level buttons instead, so you have a constant volume.

You are going to find the best sound quality in a digital piano that has digital sampling. These work by using real samples that are recorded from an acoustic piano, in a professional studio. This is such a difficult task that it is likely that it will play the biggest role in the price of any digital piano.

Both Casio and Yamaha offer a variety of digital pianos that have full keyboards, which is what you really should be looking for. Keyboards with fewer than 88 keys are not a total no-no, but if you want to be able to play in the full range, you need all 88 keys.

Beginners can get away with less keys, which is going to save you money in the long run.

Look for a digital piano that offers a variety of voices, or instrument sounds. Both Yamaha and Casio offer numerous voices in all of their digital pianos, including grand piano, organ, synthesizer, flute, accordion, harpsichord, and more. Don’t forget about things like percussion, and effects such as reverb, chorus, and delay.

Here is one feature that is extremely important. Polyphony is the number of voices that can sound at the same time. On cheaper keyboards, such as the low-end Casio models, you will find 32-note polyphone.

Ultimately, you should be looking for at least 64-note, with the best being 264-note polyphony, especially if you are doing accompaniments, using a sustain pedal, or using organ and synthesizer tones.

Both Yamaha and Casio digital pianos are available with advanced learning tools, and have the ability to be able to connect online so you can download other learning software.

Some of the most important learning tools you should look for in a beginner model include built-in metronomes, record and playback functions, accompaniment tracks, and visual aids to help learn chords and scales.