Established in 1887, Yamaha is perhaps one of the most legendary and reputable brands out there. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love to own the VIVO S9, I absolutely would. Where Korg really shines is when it comes to stage pianos and workstations. Yamaha offers digital pianos for everyone from beginners to professionals, and for both home and stage performances. Countless professional musicians favor Nord’s piano sound; it’s rich and has real depth. The all-important piano sounds come from two independent sound engines; SuperNATURAL engine and V-Piano technology. As for the organ engine, that’s surprisingly good, both in its quality and its choice of instruments. However, I tend to focus mostly on the acoustic pianos for this kind of instrument, and they are very good indeed. Nord keyboards can look a bit intimidating to a beginner with buttons everywhere. Roland’s FP-30 is somewhere between the ideal beginner keyboard piano and a budget choice for a pro. Getting to know the best brands, what they are good at, and sometimes what they aren’t good at, will help you avoid many unsuitable options. The entry-level to Kawai digital pianos is thankfully much lower than $20,000. We have reviewed some of the very best instruments on the market and chosen our top 12 for your consideration. This Australian piano manufacturer is relatively new, getting its start in 1990. Within the industry, and amongst more advanced players, Kurzweil still holds some of that reputation as a fantastic-sounding piano. The sounds include acoustic pianos, electric pianos, synth, strings, and organs. Despite being so slim, the PX-S3000 houses a powerful stereo speaker system so you can play without an amplifier. There are some other dual and split keyboard modes for general performance use. We want to give you an understanding, in simple terms, of what each manufacturer has to offer. Every stage piano and digital piano that we chose has something to offer. Along with C. Bechstein, Bösendorfer and Steinway & Sons, Blüthner is frequently referred to as one of the "Big Four" piano manufacturers. It could be down to new ownership of the company or a lack of enthusiasm to lead the way as they once did. Some of the best Digital Piano models by Roland are Roland F-120, Roland RD-300NX, and Roland RD-800. It comes with Yamaha’s graded hammer standard keybed and 64-note max polyphony. The FP range and the new RD-88 through to the RD-2000, covers the intermediate through to advanced levels with increasing price points. How is it possible then to have a decisive ranking of the top 10 best selling piano brands in t he world? Playing devil’s advocate, I’d have to point out that I’m not a massive fan of the weighted keys in the Stage 3 and Piano 4 models. For a pro, the biggest benefit is the SuperNATURAL piano sound that’s good enough for any stage. The best digital pianos with weighted keys for the home, The best digital pianos/keyboards under $1000, The best digital pianos/keyboards under $500. The RockJam RJ761 is one of the best keyboard solutions for beginners, and people who are in the market for a cheap electronic keyboard with accessories. The thing that the C1 Air has in its favor is the sound quality it delivers at a relatively low price. Korg has a wide range on offer, from MIDI controllers under $100 to workstations that will set you back thousands. It’s one of the best digital stage pianos on the market and has the most realistic feel in our top 12. It’s the perfect partner for Casio’s Chordana Play app that has lots of tutorial content. If they do so, they will be a force, because the piano sounds on their keyboards are absolutely gorgeous. Within a few notes, it’s clear that the overall sound quality isn’t going to challenge any high-end stage pianos. Straight away, you feel a level of quality that you wouldn’t expect to see under $600. Out of all the manufacturers on our list, Kawai is the piano specialists. There are also a few master effects with dedicated controls, like delay, EQ, and reverb. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We will keep it simple; if you are spending less than $1000, you should avoid Kurzweil. At first sight, the YDP-103 is a lovely looking digital piano in a rosewood cabinet. In particular, the flagship Kronos and its more affordable relative, the Korg Krome. Kurzweil manufacture arranger keyboards, too, like the KP110, and it’s certainly worth a look. The surprising thing about the piano sounds is that even with classical or jazz playing, they don’t get muddy as most cheaper keyboards do. Roland added an onboard MIDI recorder so you can capture your ideas. Anything under that doesn’t seem to be made with the same pride in the Kurzweil name. Like the RD-2000, it integrates very well with external gear and even soft synths. Features of Roland HP- 605 and 603. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Yamaha’s 130+ year history includes many periods of major development for the company. Could you find a better keyboard and grand piano sound for under $400? Bluthner is into innovation and risk-taking with new and exciting designs and ideas. The Nord Stage 3 integrates with external MIDI gear perfectly, like it was part of the keyboard. If you want to compare digital pianos, this one should be on your list. Korg’s beginner keyboards tend to be their MIDI controllers, so you may be disappointed if you want an entry-level piano. As for the sound, build quality, looks, and anything else worth mentioning, Nord’s are almost perfect. The DGX-660 has a max polyphony of 192 notes, which speaks highly of its piano credentials. Here are some of the best digital pianos from Yamaha: Yamaha YDP-184 At first sight, the YDP-103 is a lovely looking digital piano in a rosewood cabinet. The Recital Pro is the best digital keyboard piano for the money. The truth is, no one can give you a definitive list of the top 10. The progressive weight and responsiveness are hard to beat unless you go for a real piano. There are 10 acoustic pianos with three flagship grands, the Yamaha CFX, S700, and a Bösendorfer Imperial 290. It sounds like a small feature, but it’s fantastic to use, and it’ one of the things you come to expect from a Nord. It is a digital piano with progressive hammer key action. NW stands for natural wooden keys. If you want a dedicated stage piano, you will struggle to find any better than the Grandstage 88. Top 7 Digital Piano Brands (Updated) When beginning in the realm of computerized pianos the undertaking of picking one can appear to be overwhelming to a few. The ivory-feel keys, the versatile arpeggiator, the quality of piano tones, and versatile recorder are all unexpected at this price. It also has a dedicated USB-to-device memory slot to transfer your recordings. Much to our surprise, the PX-S3000 comes with 700 onboard voices. Sadly, we can’t ignore the price, and for that reason, it’s hard to choose Kawai. The keys have a simulated ebony and ivory feel, and combined with the weight; they feel very realistic. The best known of all digital piano brands. by James Nugent Last Updated January 12, 2021. It looks awesome, and it’s super-portable. Whether you are a beginner or a pro, you should be familiar with the best digital piano and keyboard brands available in 2021. The instruments are beautiful, rare, and perform well.Known for making their studio grand and concert grand pianos out of rare natural timbers, they have only made less than 60 pianos to date. Kurzweil’s CUP1 is available for around $3000, and it’s one of the best-looking digital pianos you will ever see. We had to mention the PX-S1000 as we included its more expensive bigger brother in our top 12. Onto the sounds, and that’s where the Nord Stage 3 really shines. We featured the YDP-103 in our top 12 because overall, it offers better value for money to beginner and intermediate players. Top 3 Digital Piano Under 300$ of 2020 While the Yamaha YDP-103 may be considered a budget Arius, but it’s one of the best sounding pianos at this price. Kawai ES8 – Best Professional Digital Piano (Under $2,000) Casio PX-870 – Best Home Digital Piano (Under $1,000) Kawai KDP110 – Best Home Digital Piano (Under $1,500) Yamaha CLP-735 – Best Premium Home Digital Piano (Under $3,000) Dexibell’s range covers stage pianos, portable keyboards, home digital pianos, and digital organs. The speakers sound great with the 200 onboard rhythms, or you can stream your own via Bluetooth from a mobile device. There are two that stand out for the keyboards and synths, the DX7 and the Motif. It’s simple, the overall quality has slipped, but the high-end Kurzweil’s are still up there with the best of them. The cabinet has a built-in 3-pedal unit for damper, sostenuto, and soft, much like a real piano. Nord keyboards are the must-have instrument for many professional musicians. To give you an idea of how expensive they can get, their CP series concert grand digital piano sells for over $20,000. It’s the same piano tone that you can hear in much more expensive Roland pianos. It comes with a massive 700 sounds and 64-note max polyphony. The RD-2000 is the most advanced in a long line of Roland RD keyboard pianos. Let’s be clear, it doesn’t sound as good as the high-end choices on or list, but it’s around 80% cheaper in some cases. Dexibell is the newcomer on the list, but they haven’t done much wrong in their short history so far. For such a slim instrument that weighs under 25 lbs, the scaled hammer-action keys are astonishing. This is because of the way that the sound is examined from the acoustic Steinway show fabulous piano. Yamaha CLP665GP Digital Grand Piano: £3,347, Bonners At the touch of a button this can produce the sound of one of the best pianos in the world. The sleek casing is finished in a glossy black befits a concert grand piano; it’s gorgeous. The SuperNATURAL engine powers some acoustic piano voices, electric pianos, and over 1100 other sounds with 128-note max polyphony. We are here to help. Suzuki is a leader in producing all type of instruments so we had very high expectations when we reviewed this grand digital piano and frankly we were not disappointed. It comes with eight assignable knobs and two assignable wheels. The Alesis Recital Pro is an entry-level keyboard piano that offers insane value for money. One strong point of the FP-30 is the speaker quality; you don’t lose the richness of that SuperNATURAL piano through the built-in speakers. It’s exactly what you’d expect, a slightly streamlined version of the PX-S3000. Where Yamaha had the DX7, Korg had their M1 synths. As you can see, we haven’t gone too technical on specific keyboards here; it’s not the place to do so. It has fully-weighted hammer-action keys and a max polyphony of 128 notes. The keyboard action won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but that and the high price are the only drawbacks. There is no doubt they are premium keybeds, but my personal preference leans towards some of the other high-end brands in this area. The problem is that they are likely still some way behind Yamaha and Korg in that area. The flagship piano tone has real weight to it; it delivers a wide range of dynamics and expression. Roland’s V-Piano engine offers some beautiful grand piano voices with full polyphony. That makes it easy to use and easy to move around. As always, there are no bad choices in our top 12. The built-in effects include speaker simulations for the organ sounds, phaser, chorus, ring mod, and most others you can imagine. The Nord Lead is also one of the most popular; it’s the one that started it all. Roland also makes some excellent MIDI controllers, something not all manufacturers on our list do. It’s an instrument that will look good anywhere in the house, which is important for a digital piano. The Yamaha YDP-184 is the latest in Yamaha’s Arius line of digital pianos and is its most advanced model. As always, our goal is to help you maximize your budget and find the keyboard or piano that will get the best out of your playing. Yamaha’s Pure CF sound engine is fantastic, the keyboard action feels good, but it all hinges on the features. Some of the most expensive stage pianos available cannot boast such an expressive keybed. The fact it integrates so well with other sound sources makes it infinitely expandable, too. History that can’t be matched. But, compared to models from other manufacturers with similar sound quality, it’s good value for money. The electric pianos feature some more vintage tones, the CP80 and 75 Rd. The high-end of their stage piano range caps at about $5000 with the Kurzweil Forte. A digital piano, on the other hand, is much more affordable and also almost maintenance free. It goes from synths, accordions, and stage pianos to stunningly realistic console digital pianos. It’s worth noting that amongst the sounds are recreations of two classic Roland electric pianos, the RD-1000 and MKS-20. They are reassuringly expensive, to say the least. It lacks the versatility and finesse of the more expensive models but delivers where it counts, and it looks great in any room. But, it won’t come with the same feel in a lightweight package, so it depends on what you value most. The core qualities, the feel, and sound are still excellent, especially for a beginner. It comes with Yamaha’s graded hammer standard keybed and 64-note max polyphony. Sound engines include the SGX-2 acoustic piano engine, EP-1, VOX organ, and the AL-1 analog modeling engine. There are 12 voices in total; six main sound types each have two variations. The most popular would be the Nord Stage 3, which is the ultimate hybrid of amazing piano voices, killer synth sounds, and a fantastic organ engine. The Yamaha DGX-660 is definitely an outside choice. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. But, if you’re spending upwards of $1600, you should check them out at the least. We hope that this article has given you the foundation you need to start your search and find the one. The FP series offers a great piano sound with a small section of other voices and no complications. How a keyboard feels will always be judged by personal preference, but in my opinion, hammer-action keys rarely feel better than they do on a Roland. You know what you get from the SuperNATURAL sound engine; outstanding acoustic and electric pianos. It really combines the best of both worlds. Yamaha’s Virtual Circuitry Modeling provides stunning vintage effects. It’s lightweight, easy to get around, and the built-in speakers are very good quality. Further up the Arius range, with a higher price tag, sits the Yamaha YDP-184; a digital piano that we have highly-recommended before. Although, Casio is often unfairly looked at as being just for beginners. The best thing about the FP-30 is undoubtedly the SuperNATURAL piano sound. Links to the best digital pianos we listed in today's digital piano review video:1. These performance powerhouses deliver a fast and creative workflow thanks to their large touchscreens and intuitive layout. Historically, there’s been a fairly big gap between traditional pianos and their electronic counterparts. In some ways, Korg shared a similar journey to Yamaha, albeit with a shorter history. It has 200 rhythms with varied auto-accompaniment styles that make for decent backing tracks. Having such a powerful processor is only a good thing if it’s being used properly, that’s where Dexibell’s True to Life (T2L) sound engine comes in. Some of the best digital piano brands for beginners include: Yamaha; Korg; Casio; Roland; Axus Digital; We hope this guide has simplified digital pianos for you and will help you choose the best one for your needs. Surely you don’t need to spend $2000 on a digital piano if your goal is to just play it as a hobby. Yamaha sampled their stunning 9ft CFIIIS concert grand with incredible accuracy. That beautiful feel is mostly thanks to Korg’s RH3 keybed (Real Hammer-Action). Another mainstay has been their desire to stay on the cutting-edge of sampling and sound design throughout the years. It hence goes that Yamaha is the brand of choice for the best digital piano with weighted keys. The brand’s stage pianos rank among the best available because of the … For most people who buy pianos, the best digital piano is not necessarily the world-class piano that is expected to be ungradable. Kurzweil is a slightly confusing one to judge; on the one hand, it’s easy to dismiss them; on the other, they make some of the best digital pianos available. Yamaha has done a fantastic job of creating an instrument with a vintage sound that meets a modern musician’s demands. At a glance, you’d be forgiven for assuming it was a budget MIDI controller, but it’s a legit compact digital piano. The CP88 is one of our favorites because of its authenticity; it should be amongst anyone’s best-rated keyboard pianos. It’s a genuinely fantastic instrument, from sound to build quality. The reality is that every manufacturer on our list has something good to offer, the key is finding out if it’s good for you. The piano tone is rich and detailed, and some depth can be added via any of the four built-in reverb types.It has 10 demo songs and 10 piano preset songs, but you can stream anything through the built-in speakers via USB and a mobile device. I still love the feel of a Roland keybed over most others. Musical interests include jazz, funk, hip hop, blues, and rock. A couple of years later came the release of the Nord Modular, the first-ever digital modular synth. It has some flaws, like the non-piano sounds aren’t great or the weighted keys aren’t progressive. Best acoustic piano brands feature hammers that hit its strings when you push notes. Unlike some other manufacturers that we have highlighted, Nord does not have a hugely varied selection available. They always offer value for money, and sometimes value for money is looked down on in musical snobbery. But, if you are looking for a digital piano over $1000, a Korg might be better valued than a Yamaha or Roland of the same price. The Yamaha Arius range is widely regarded as some of the best digital pianos for home use. The result is a mix of that Roland know-how with Dexibell’s modern approach to processing. However, it’s all about the grand piano sound, and it comes from Casio’s AiR Sound Source. For beginners through to advanced players, check out the Yamaha P-45, YDP-144, and the CP88 from Yamaha’s current line-up. It also has ivory feel keys that are very nice to play. It has a basic built-in recorder so you can listen back through the 20w speakers or using headphones. The synths came a little over a decade later in 1995 with the first version of the popular Nord Lead. Now, you have the Nord Wave 2 and the Nord Lead A1, which is a streamlined version of the classic synth. They range from beginner-friendly options to very high-end pianos; we are looking at the Privia PX-770. The Privia range of digital pianos put Casio on the map because they sound great and are reasonably affordable. The best digital piano is suitable for you and cost-effective. Once you identify the brands that offer what you are looking for, then it’s time to dive deeper into the technical detail. By the 1990s, Casio firmly established itself as a maker of great beginner keyboards, and into the 2000s, they were producing some of the best digital pianos around. Roland. Julius Blüthner Pianofortefabrik GmbH, is a piano-manufacturing company in Leipzig Germany. Founded in 1887, Yamaha has played a significant role in advancing musical technology, from innovative piano building techniques to some of the most powerful electronic instruments ever made. The Yamaha Arius YDP-184 also incorporates some of the most innovative sampling technology available today in any upright digital piano. It has eight accompaniment rhythms and 30 onboard songs. If you do want something a bit more upmarket, there is the Celviano range. Yamaha. We didn’t include the P-45 in our top 12, but it’s one of the best-selling electronic keyboard pianos for a reason. The best Yamaha keyboards and digital pianos 2021, The best 88-key keyboards with fantastic feel, the slimmest 88-key hammer-action stage piano, The best Casio keyboards and digital pianos 2021. The RD-88 is an excellent addition to the stellar RD series. There are various highlights to pay special mind to and some to maintain a strategic distance from. Stunning concert grand pianos were sampled with four dynamic levels to produce a very expressive voice for the PX-770. Yamaha manufactures some of the cheapest keyboards to some of the world’s most expensive synths and pianos. The Yamaha Arius range is widely regarded as some of the best digital pianos for home use. The Clavinova (CLP) range also led to the YDP line-up that includes some more budget-friendly options that are fantastic for beginners. It’s the keyboard that can do everything, and as far as sound quality goes, it’s hard to fault. From high-end pianos to sub $100 keyboards, the same commitment to being intuitive and user-friendly remains. It’s a budget piano that’s very popular with beginners because it’s so simple to use. Despite not being the best-known brand on our list, Kurzweil once dominated the digital piano market. Our pick is the YDP-103, at the lower end of the Arius price range. It’s surprisingly versatile for an instrument that isn’t often considered more than a great piano sound. The PX-770 is one of the best digital pianos for the money. Their range includes pretty much everything that has keys. It sounds great and feels like a more expensive keyboard, well worth a look. The ebony/ivory feel keys are a really nice touch and create a more realistic playing experience. If you are a student, features like Twin Piano that creates two identical piano ranges (split) is fantastic. Suzuki MDG-300 Micro Grand Digital Piano. It can serve two purposes; as a portable stage piano or a home digital piano with a wooden stand. However, for under $400, it’s beyond average! Meanwhile, nearer the top of the budget and performance tree, there’s the jaw-dropping Nord Piano 4, which is the professional’s choice for stage use. Price and quality are important, but it all depends on what your expectations are. This digital grand piano is simply breathtaking and easily compares to the Yamaha CVP 409 GP when it comes to the sound. One of the things that makes Yamaha such a giant in the music world is that they make something for everyone. Finally, if you’re spending $3000 or more, you must consider Kurzweil, especially for a console digital piano. There are 35 voices all together (of varying quality), but the electric pianos, strings, and organs stand out. It sounds awesome, and the vintage effects are lovely. Primarily aimed at intermediate to advanced players, but they do offer a few options for beginners. They don’t feel as real as the high-end Yamaha or Roland digital pianos, but they do feel good, they generally cost less, and you won’t outgrow it too quickly. Being a true performers keyboard, the Stage 3 has a wide range of gig-ready effects. The RD-88 isn’t meant to compete on that level; it’s meant to play to its strengths, which are its sound quality and portability. Nord likes to do things their own way, and a good example of that is the modulation peg. The Nord Stage 3 is the flagship piano in the range and the most expensive on our list. The models on this best digital pianos 2020 list are judged based on key action, piano sound quality, relevant features and price. Therefore, we prepared a list of some of the top best brands along with some digital piano models that we’d like to recommend for you: Yamaha. It is not only the most well sold digital piano on the market, but it is also one of the best sellers. As a company, Nord started back in 1983 with their first instrument, the DPP1 (Digital Percussion Plate 1). If you have the money and you need a serious, professional stage piano, the Nord Stage 3 could be the one for you. For stage pianos, you should check out Dexibell’s VIVO S-line keyboards. However, if you are purely focused on the piano sound and feel, and don’t care about other voices or functions, that’s when you should look to Kawai. Nord offers dedicated stage piano’s, piano/synth hybrids, and fully-fledged performance synths, all of which are very high-end. Priced around $10,000, the Kawai Novus NV10 is the best hybrid digital piano on the market right now. The grand piano sounds are similar to something you’d expect from a more expensive Casio digital piano. They make some of the most beautiful acoustic and digital pianos in the world without the distraction of manufacturing countless other instruments. The keys feel great, although perhaps a little lighter than expected. The keyboard action feels a bit different from other high-end stage pianos, and it’s a compromise between a realistic piano feel and a smooth action for synths/organs. The color is a very deliberate act to distinguish themselves from other manufacturers, and it works. The Casio CDP-S350 offers remarkable value for money. So, why are they on our list? With so many different models available, choosing the perfect instrument can be a bit confusing. When you get to that point, please make sure you check out our reviews on some of the various models that we highlighted in this article. When you start to move into the really top-rated pianos, you should be at a point in your playing where you notice the smaller details. That brings us to some of Yamaha’s defining models, starting with the Clavinova digital piano line that optimizes the luxury piano feel. It also features a Duet Mode for student/teacher lessons, creating two equal keyboard zones. Above is the list in which we have included the 5 best Digital Piano brands 2021. At a glance, Nord keyboards can look a little complicated because the top panel looks very busy. If you are looking for trustworthy digital piano reviews, you came to the right place. It’s a lightweight and portable stage piano with extremely high-quality sounds. Built-in chorus and reverb effects can make the piano sound even richer.