A Natural Affinity: How Music Impacts Human Health
Music is innate to every culture on the planet, an important component in ritual, entertainment, religion, commerce and education. The natural rhythms of the human body give human beings an inborn relationship to music, which endows it with properties that help alleviate stress, relax the central nervous system, heighten mood, and release endorphins in the brain which reduce pain. Per Harvard Health Publishing, “these biological explanations and clinical observations may not do full justice to the effect music has on man and his world.”
To learn more about how music can have a positive effect on your life, Piano Theory Exercises offers the following:
A lifelong phenomenon
Music has many positive impacts on human health. Humans’ innate affinity for music, its pitch, timbre, tempos and rhythms predisposes them to respond positively to rhythm and melody, and has a palpable effect on mood and one’s sense of general well-being. This affinity is a lifelong phenomenon. Music is also a powerful means of self-expression, for venting feelings and frustrations. It also provides accompaniment for physical activities like dancing and physical exercise.
Heart health
The tempo of different kinds of music affects the human heart rate in notable ways. In fact, research indicates that whether one likes or dislikes a particular form of music doesn’t matter. As PsychCentral explains, it’s actually the pace of the music that impacts heart rate. While rap music and certain forms of classical music are capable of increasing heart rate, slower, more soothing music has the opposite effect. Additionally, people with high blood pressure have been successful at using music to help “train” themselves to calm down, thus lowering their blood pressure and keeping it under control, a finding supported by a British research study. Clearly, rhythmic properties of music are closely attuned to the natural rhythms of the human body.
Recovery from stroke
Stroke leaves the brain permanently damaged, with speech, memory and cognitive functioning often suffering the worst effects. Stroke victims who listened to jazz or certain forms of classical music every day experienced a gradual improvement in memory and their ability to concentrate, whereas stroke patients who listened to no music at all experienced no such recovery.
Piano playing in particular offers neurological healing benefits following injury. On top of that, it can improve aural awareness, fine motor skills, and seems to prevent aches and pains in old age.
Strengthens the immune system
The power of music lies in its ability to evoke profoundly emotional responses, producing secretions of immunity-bolstering hormones that help protect against illness. The emotional response humans experience when deeply influenced by beautiful music has been shown to reduce levels of the stress-producing hormone cortisol, which has a long-term damaging effect on the immune system.
Brain health
Listening to music or playing an instrument has been proven effective at improving the brain’s ability to process information and to acquire new information. Higher brain functioning involving mathematical abilities and spatial/temporal reasoning can be enhanced by listening to and performing music. For example, baroque music has a unique beat pattern that stimulates both sides of the brain, which aids learning and memory. The ability to internalize and remember the rhythms, tempos and pitch of music also improves the brain’s ability to retain information.
A musical space
As you can see, engaging with music at any age can provide a wealth of health benefits, and getting your child involved from a young age can set her up for a lifetime’s worth of physical- and emotional-wellness perks. Whether your child shows musical ability or not, there is great value in creating a private space where she can indulge in musical expression. A soundproof room that is calming and positive allows a budding musician to get the most out of playing an instrument without having to worry too much about volume—or being self-conscious about who else may be listening.
The positive effects of music on human health are both far-reaching and numerous, simple and profound. It’s not surprising given the similarity between the timing and natural rhythms of the human body and the fundamental properties of music. It’s a healing synergy with the capacity for eliminating and mitigating many afflictions and physical conditions.
Piano Theory Exercises offers music theory lessons, introductory instrument courses, and advanced lessons to people of all ages. Connect today to learn more about how music can make you happier and healthier!
This article was written by Stephanie Haywood from mylifeboost .
There are piano players who practice regularly and who even
practice a lot, but who advance only very slowly.
On the other hand, there are piano players who advance very
quickly, even if they practice sometimes less than those mentioned above.
What’s the difference between those piano players? Would it
be that piano players from the second group are just more talented than those
from the first group, or is there perhaps anything else behind it?
Well, of course talent will play some role, but there is
something else that influences even more the way you advance than only talent.
Because there are very talented piano players that hardly
advance (even when practicing a lot), but also piano players that are not that
talented but who advance very quickly (and who practice as much as the talented
players). How’s that possible?
It turns out that the way you practice is of crucial
importance for how quickly and effectively you advance on the piano.
Below, you will find 6 tips that will certainly help you to
increase the effectiveness of your practice sessions on the piano.
Tip number 1: regularity
Of course, it’s good to practice a lot: someone who
practices during one hour will improve more than someone who practices only 10
minutes, that’s not a secret!
But for a lot of us, practicing every day during an hour is
not an option, whether it’s because you don’t have that time or for some other
reason. And: it doesn’t even matter that much.
A problem however is that when people finally have some time
to practice (for example during the weekend), that they then suddenly start to
play 2 hours in a row and during the week they don’t even touch the piano.
It turns out to be much more efficient to play every day (or
even every 2 days) only a short time, for example 15 minutes, than only once
per week 2 hours in a row (even when those 2 hours are more than 5 to 6 times
per week 15 minutes).
Regularity is therefore the keyword.
And of course, it doesn’t matter that much when from time to
time you have to skip a practice session. In fact: it’s even good to have a
break sometimes.
And, to be honest: a minimum of only 15 minutes per day
isn’t that much of your time, right?
Tip number 2: be sure to adept a right position behind the
piano
A good body posture and hand position are of ‘vital
importance’ for success on the piano.
You can read more about the right body posture and hand
position in my article: “The correct body posture and hand position for piano
playing”.
Tip number 3: warming up
It’s good to do some ‘warming up-exercises’ before playing
the piano.
A big mistake which is often made is that you directly want
to play a new piece quickly even when you’re just starting to learn it.
And you might even be able to play some parts of that piece
(more or less) correctly at a high tempo, but each time when you reach that
difficult section it goes wrong and one or more mistakes creep in each time you
play that section.
Instead of slowing down, many keep playing the piece at high
speeds hoping that the mistakes will disappear at a certain moment by just
repeating the piece many times.
The only efficient way to get rid of those mistakes is to
slow down: play the whole piece in a (much) slower tempo. And play with a
metronome, because otherwise you risk to speed up unnoticed and when you arrive
at that difficult section, you’re already playing too quick to play it
flawlessly.
Slow down as much as is needed to play that difficult
section without playing mistakes. Is it still not possible to play it
flawlessly, then have a look at tip number 6.
When you’re finally able to play the whole piece at that
slower speed, then slightly increase the speed: put the metronome a little bit
quicker (for example 5 beats per minute more) and try to play it now without
making mistakes at this higher tempo. Continue like this by speeding up a
little bit at each step till the moment that you can play the whole piece
without any mistake at the tempo that you want.
Tip number 5: break up the piece in smaller pieces
When learning a new piece, you better break up the whole
piece in ‘bite-sized chunks’.
So, don’t try to play the whole piece directly in one go.
So, what size do those ‘chunks’ have to be? Well, that’s not
so easy to answer, that will depend on the piece. But I would say: take a
musical phrase that is manageable for you, not too long, but also not too
short.
Practice well that one phrase and when you can play it well,
then go to the second phrase and practice that well.
Then try to play both phrases together.
Go to the third phrase, practice it and then play those 3
phrases together. Go on in this way till you can play the whole piece.
And remember: always start slowly (see tip number 4) and be
sure that you can play the transitions between the phrases without faltering.
If this is not possible, then look at tip number 6.
Tip number 6: concentrate on that difficult section
Is it still impossible to play that difficult section
without any mistakes?
Then concentrate only on that section and practice it
(slowly in the beginning, as always). So, don’t try to play the whole piece,
but only that section and play it over and over till you can play it without
mistakes.
And that section, that could eventually be only very small: for
example, the transition from just one note to the next one. Practice that
transition repeatedly till you can play it ‘automatically’ without thinking. It
should be not only in your ‘brain memory’ but also in your ‘hand memory’: so as
if your hand could ‘automatically’ play that transition from the first to the
second note.
So, in fact you should break up a difficult section in even
smaller sections (so sometimes even as small as the transition from one note to
the other). Once you can play those very small sections, then try to play them
together.
When you finally are able to play that whole difficult
section without any mistake, then speed it up slightly and finally play the
whole piece.
Before you start to play the piano, whether it’s a practice session or before a gig, it’s good to start with a ‘warming up’ for piano players, just like you would do before sporting.
Now, to be honest, when you’re a total beginner and you do
very simple exercises, it’s perhaps less important (well, actually not important
at all) to warm up before starting your practice session, but when you’re
already (a bit) more advanced and you have to play pieces that contain a lot of
notes and/or are difficult to play, then a warming up is probably a good idea
to do before playing the piano.
Also before a gig, it’s mostly a good idea to start doing your
warming up.
So, how does it look like, such a warming up for piano players?
Exercise 1
Stretch your arms in front of you and let your hands hang.
In this position, shake your hands as if you wanted to shake them dry. Do this
during about 10 seconds.
Then hold your hands up (the arms still stretched) and wave
with both hands as if you were waving goodbye. The arms may move along with
your hands. Do this also during approximately 10 seconds.
Exercise 2
Bring both hands together like in the first image.
Turn your hands down as much as possible till you can’t go
further (second image) and leave it there for some seconds. Then turn your
hands as much as possible in the opposite direction (third image) and leave it
for some seconds.
It often happens that people who try to play the piano by themselves without an (online) teacher learn a bad body posture and hand position. And once you have adapted this bad habit, it’s very difficult to deprogram an incorrect body posture and hand position. But, is an incorrect body posture and hand position really that bad? Well, that depends… If you only want to play 2 or 3 (very) simple songs, you might get away with it, but if you really want to learn the piano well and to easily play many songs, then the right body posture and hand position will let you advance 100 times faster. This means that it is very important to adept the right body posture and hand position directly from the beginning.
The correct body posture
First of all, it’s necessary to sit behind the piano at the right height.
For that purpose, be sure to have a piano bench that is adjustable in height. Adjust the height of the bench in such a way that when you play the piano, your arms are horizontal or eventually slightly downwards.
Your feet should be flat on the ground, or eventually on a pedal and your knees should be just under the piano keyboard. Keep your back straight.
And, this is very important: relax! When you have a tense posture behind the piano, your playing will suffer. So: relax your shoulders, relax your body.
The correct hand position
A correct hand position is at least as important as a correct body posture. Beginners tend to play with flat hands, and in the beginning you’ll get away with it, but when you want to play more difficult pieces later on, you get into trouble when you play with flat hands. So, be sure to adept also the right hand position directly from the beginning (again: it’s difficult to deprogram bad habits). Your hand should be as in the second picture below, as if you were holding an imaginary tennis ball in each hand while playing the piano.
So again: be sure to adept those correct positions for your body and your hands, and you will advance much quicker on the piano.
A lot of people don’t like music theory, they say that it’s boring, difficult and not necessary, because:
it prevents you from being creative
it takes away all spontaneity while playing music
it’s only for jazz musicians and musicians that play classical music. I play rock/blues/reggae/hip-hop…, so I don’t need music theory
music theory is totally unnecessary: there is software that does all the music theory for me
And you hear even more arguments against music theory.
Why do I think that music theory IS important?
To answer that question, let me discuss the arguments mentioned above.
It prevents you from being creative Some musicians believe that by some sort of ‘divine intervention’, they receive musical ideas and that music theory only gets in the way of this ‘magic’ reception of those musical ideas. I rather believe that it’s the other way around: by knowing your music theory, you will get musical ideas easier and quicker. You know which notes ‘work’ and which won’t, in stead of just trying to guess the right note by trial and error.
It takes away all spontaneity while playing music Here, the same arguments apply as for #1: by knowing what ‘works’ and what won’t, you can play with much more spontaneity and you also reduce the risk of playing mistakes.
it’s only for jazz musicians and musicians that play classical music. I play rock/blues/reggae/hip-hop…, so I don’t need music theory In every musical style, chords and scales are used, not only in classical music or in jazz. For example, in almost all styles of popular music the pentatonic scale is used. When you start to learn to play a certain musical style, you’re actually learning the music theory that applies to that musical style.
Music theory is totally unnecessary: there is software that does all the music theory for me Computer programs exist for almost everything…with the exception of creativity. Real creativity, real innovations only arise from the human brain, not in a computer program.
Even more arguments
Besides the above mentioned arguments, there is more to say in favor of knowledge about music theory when you play an instrument.
Imagine that you play in a band and the bass player tells the saxophone player: “We play in D minor“, and you have no clue of what he actually means by that, then the whole band has to stop to explain to you which notes you have to play in a D minor chord. When you finally understand how to do that, then all creativity and spontaneity will have disappeared like snow in the sun.
You can see from this example that music theory also acts as a language, as a means of communication between musicians. When you don’t know this ‘language’, you will perhaps still be able to play music, but not in a very efficient way.
When you know music theory, you will understand the relationship between all the elements in music. For example, you understand why you have to play a particular note and not another, you know how to form chords and why chords are formed in that way.
And what about reading music?
Is it possible to be a musician without being able to read notes? Yes, it’s possible! But: You could compare this situation with real life and ask yourself: can you live without being able to read? Ans also here the answer would be: yes, it’s possible! But imagine that you couldn’t read. In our today’s society you would have a big handicap, because you wouldn’t be able to read anything, so no books, no information on the Internet, you wouldn’t know the price of a product in the supermarket, and so on…
So this is the same with reading music. If you’re a musician who can’t read notes, you might be able to produce some nice music, but you can’t read music of others, and you can’t write down your own music.
So if you want to learn a new piece, you’ll have to wait till someone explains you how to play it, or you have to be very skilled in playing by ear. But even if you know all that, it’s still much more quick and efficient if you could have read the music from notes in sheet music.
Is it difficult to learn music theory and how to read notes?
Some people say that they don’t want to start learning music theory and reading notes because it would be too difficult.
And actually, it doesn’t have to be difficult. Especially when it’s well explained.
When music theory is well explained and presented in small pieces, then everyone who wants can learn music theory.
And fortunately, you’ve come to the right place, since on pianotheoryexercises.com you will find a good and clear explanation of music theory and reading music for (total) beginners, and all this explained by a teacher with more than 25 years of experience. All the lessons are completely free. In addition, on pianotheoryexercises.com you can do interactive exercises in which you can practice the theory and reading notes.
So, you’re looking for a new piano. Perhaps you’re just starting to play the piano and are looking for your first keyboard. Or you are already playing for a while and you want to upgrade your piano. Whether you are a beginner, an intermediate player or even an advanced or professional player, it’s not always easy to decide which piano or keyboard to acquire. This article will help to find the best piano or keyboard for you.
The first question is: do you need an acoustic piano or an electronic keyboard?
To be able to answer this question, you should take in consideration the advantages and disadvantages of both options. But a short answer could be: go for an acoustic piano if:
you have the money to buy an acoustic piano
you have enough place (especially for a grand piano)
it doesn’t disturb neighbors or others in your house.
you don’t need any other sounds than only one piano sound
you don’t need it for gigs
Why an acoustic piano? That’s because the feeling of the keys and the sound are that of a real piano.
But there are many reasons why you would prefer an electronic keyboard:
you need a stage piano for gigs
other sounds are needed than only the piano sound
you want to play with headphones (or to be able to play at low and high volumes)
you are a beginning piano player
you want to connect the piano to the computer (for example for composing songs on digital audio workstation (DAW) software)
there is not enough place for an acoustic piano
it’s a hassle (and it’s expensive) of having to tune the piano twice a year
a digital piano is less expensive
Nowadays, good digital pianos have piano sounds and a feeling that come very close to that of a real piano, which means that the choice for a digital piano instead of an acoustic piano is a legitimate one.
If the money is the only issue, you could consider to buy a second hand piano. But keep in mind that an acoustic piano has to be tuned once or twice a year, which can be quite expensive too.
If you want to buy a new acoustic piano, go to your local piano or music store, the people there will be glad to advice you in your choice.
If you are more interested in an electronic keyboard, you will find all the necessary information in this article that will help you to decide which model to choose.
The following table will also help you to make a decision whether to buy an acoustic piano or an electronic keyboard:
Advantages
Disadvantages
Acoustic piano
– It has the only real piano sound
– It has the only real piano feeling
– Expensive
– Big and heavy
– Not possible to play quietly (no headphones possible)
– Has to be tuned 1-2 times per year
Electronic keyboard
– Less expensive
– Easy to transport
– Lots of sounds (not only piano sounds)
– Doesn’t have to be tuned
– You can play at every desired volume
– Possible to play with headphones
– You can connect it to a computer
– Not exactly the real sound of an acoustic piano
– Not exactly the same feeling as an acoustic piano
How do electronic keyboards imitate a real piano feeling?
In an acoustic piano, a hammer strikes one, two or three strings. The hammer is connected by a lever system to the key. This causes a resistance when playing the key and this is the typical ‘piano feeling’.
Cheap keyboards and most synthesizers don’t imitate the real piano feeling: when playing the keys on such a keyboard, you don’t feel any resistance like you would feel when you play on an acoustic piano.
Better keyboards have weighted keys to simulate this ‘piano feeling’. There are several types of weighted keyboards:
Semi-weighted keyboards (this is simplest and cheapest solution)
Here, a spring is attached to the key to give it some resistance when playing.
Hammer action keys
Here, the resistance comes from a small hammer connected to the key by a lever system, replicating the mechanism found in acoustic pianos.
Graded hammer action keys (this is the best, but most expensive solution)
The same system as in ‘hammer action keys’ is used, but now more resistance is encountered when playing lower keys and less when playing higher keys, like in acoustic pianos.
For a (beginning) piano player, it is important to have at least a keyboard with piano feeling. So a semi-weighted keyboard is the absolute minimum. Better is, of course a keyboard with hammer action.
Other functionalities in electronic keyboards that imitate acoustic pianos are velocity sensitivityA keyboard with velocity sensitive keys responds to the speed of the key-press. A higher speed results in a louder note. This imitates the acoustic piano where the speed of the key-press determines how fast the hammer hits the strings which changes the volume of the sound. Apart from very cheap toy pianos, practically all the modern electronic keyboards are velocity sensitive. and aftertouchMost electronic keyboards respond to the pressure applied after hitting the key. This is called aftertouch. Aftertouch is often used to control vibrato, volume or other parameters..
The number of keys on a keyboard
An acoustic piano has 88 keys. Digital pianos try to copy their acoustic equivalents and have therefore also mostly 88 keys, but other types of electronic keyboards don’t necessarily always have 88 keys. There exist keyboards with 49 keys, 61 keys, 73 keys, 76 keys and of course 88 keys. As a piano player, I would recommend an absolute minimum of 73 keys, but personally I would go for an 88-key keyboard, unless you have to transport it often (for example for gigs). When you perform often on stage, the weight of an 88-key piano might be an obstacle, so in this case you could opt for 76 or 73 keys.
What types of electronic keyboards exist?
We can distinguish 4 main categories of keyboard-types:
Digital pianos
Synthesizers
Workstations/arrangers
MIDI keyboards
For piano players, the first category (digital pianos) is the one that really interests us, so the types of keyboards that I will review below will all be in that category. I will however also explain the other keyboard-types so that you will have a good understanding of all the available electronic keyboards on the market.
Digital pianos
For a piano player, this is without doubt the most obvious choice.
Digital pianos offer a variety of piano sounds and also other sounds like organs, harpsichords, strings and (vintage) electric pianos (like the Fender Rhodes, for example). Compared to other keyboard-types, the number of different sounds is perhaps limited (synthesizers have many more sounds than the above-mentioned sounds found in digital pianos), but the sounds on a digital piano are usually of better quality in order to mimic a real piano. Also, the feeling of the keys (weighted keys) is more that of a real piano (synthesizers very often don’t have weighted keys).
We distinguish two different types of digital pianos:
Console pianos
Stage pianos
A digital console piano is an upright or vertical piano that is built on a wooden frame so that it looks like a real upright piano. It usually also has pedals integrated.
The sound comes out of built-in speakers. It is also possible to connect head-phones so that you can play without disturbing your neighborhood. Often, a direct output is provided to connect the piano to an external amplifier when playing on stage.
For home use, a console piano is an ideal choice.
A stage piano generally offers the same sounds as a console piano. A stage piano, as its name suggests, is for use on stage. This means that portability is of great importance and that is exactly what makes the difference with console pianos: stage pianos don’t have a wooden frame. A stage piano therefore has to be placed on a keyboard stand (or eventually on a table).
Pedals are not integrated, but it is possible to connect pedals to the stage piano. Often (but not always), a sustain pedal is included with a stage piano.
Stage pianos can have built-in speakers, but especially the more high-end stage pianos don’t have built-in speakers and need to be connected to an amplifier with speakers, or simply to head-phones.
Below, you will find the top-9 digital piano reviews. The 9 pianos are divided in 3 price ranges:
Up to or around 600 $
From 600 $ up to or around 1700 $
From 1700 $ or more
When you are a beginning piano player, you would typically go for the first price range. Advanced and professional players are better of in the last price range. When you already play for a while, but you’re still playing on a beginners keyboard and you’re looking for an upgrade, the middle price range is perhaps where you would search for a new piano.
Since some digital pianos (especially those in the higher price range) don’t have built-in speakers, I will also make some recommendations for powered speakers (studio monitors) that you can use with your digital piano.
Top 9 digital pianos 2017
1st price range: up to or around 600 $
The Yamaha P45
The Yamaha P45 is a very good keyboard for beginning piano players. The piano has 10 preset sounds: 2 grand pianos, 2 electronic pianos, 2 organs, strings, 2 harpsichords and a vibraphone. The MIDIMIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol for the communication of sound information between a sending device (for example a MIDI keyboard) and a device that receives the information and produces sound (for example a sound module). The information doesn’t contain the actual sound, but information of which note is played, how long it is played, which instrument is played, and so on. functionality of the P45 is available through a USB connection, which allows you to connect the P45 to a computer.
The polyphony of the P45 is 64 voices.
The P45 has 88 weighted keys with graded hammer action that has a heavier touch in the low keys and a lighter touch in the high keys which mimics the feel of a real piano.
The dual mode function lets you combine two sounds together; it’s for example possible to combine a piano with strings.
The duo mode function splits the keyboard in two parts which allows two people to play at the same time. This is very useful for piano lessons with a teacher.
The P45 comes with 2 integrated 6W speakers and has a weight of 11.5 kg (25 lbs).
Check the price of the Yamaha P45 (or package with stand, headphones and more) on samash.com via the button below:
The Yamaha P125 is Yamaha’s best digital piano in this price range. And it’s for that reason that the P125 is one of the most popular digital pianos on the market.
It’s a bit more expensive than the P45, but the extra cost is worth it every cent.
The P125 has 24 preset sounds.
The MIDI functionality of the P125 is, like that of the P45, available through a USB connection.
The P125 has the same 88 weighted keys with graded hammer action as the P45. The polyphony is better than that of the P45: 192 voices instead of only 64 in the P45 (which is 3 times as many!).
As the P45, it has the dual mode and duo mode functions (see the Yamaha P45 for explanation).
The P125 has the possibility to connect external (powered) speakers to its AUX outputs.
An extra feature, not available in the P45, is the ‘sound boost’-feature. When playing together with other instruments, you can give the piano an extra ‘boost’ so that it is better audible and the piano doesn’t get lost in the overall band sound, which is a great option for live performances.
Another option that is not available on the P45 is the ability of the P125 to record what you’re playing. This is especially useful when learning to play the piano.
The P125 has 4 integrated 7W speakers and it has a weight of 11.8 kg (26 lbs.).
Check the price of the Yamaha P125 (or package with stand, headphones and more) on samash.com via the button below:
Another great digital piano for beginners is the Casio PX-S1000.
The PX-S1000 has 18 different preset sounds including grand piano, jazz piano, bright piano and orchestra.
It has 88 weighted keys and a polyphony of 192.
The PX-S1000 also has the possibility to produce 2 sounds (like for example piano and strings) simultaneously, like the dual mode in the Yamaha digital pianos.
The duet mode in the PX-S1000 is comparable to the duo mode in Yamaha pianos: you can split the piano in 2 parts which enables you to play with 2 persons at the same time.
The Casio PX-S1000 also offers the possibility to record yourself.
The Casio can be connected with the computer with a USB MIDI connection.
The PX-S1000 has 2 integrated speakers and a weight of 11.2 kg (24.7 lbs).
Check the price of the Casio PX-S1000 (and carrying case) on samash.com via the button below:
The Yamaha P45, Yamaha P115 and Casio PX160 compared:
Yamaha P45
Yamaha P125
Casio PX-S1000
Height
15.4 cm/6.0 inches
16.6 cm/6.3 inches
10.2 cm/3.9 inches
Width
132.6 cm/52.2 inches
132.6 cm/52.2 inches
132.2 cm/52 inches
Depth
29.5 cm/11.6 inches
29.5 cm/11.6 inches
23.3 cm/9.1 inches
Weight
11.5 kg/25.3 lbs
11.8 kg/26 lbs
11.2 kg/24.3 lbs
Equalizer
No
Yes
No
USB port(s)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Headphone jack
Yes
Yes
Yes
Number of keys
88
88
88
Integrated speaker(s)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Metronome
Yes
Yes
Yes
Recording feature
No
Yes
Yes
Number of sounds
10
24
18
Velocity sensitivity
Yes
Yes
Yes
Polyphony
64 voices
192 voices
192 voices
Weighted keys
Yes
Yes
Yes
Number of headphone jacks
1
2
2
2nd price range: from 600 $ up to or around 1700 $
The Casio PX870
The digital pianos in this price range definitively sound much better than those in the previous price range. This becomes clear when comparing the Casio PX870 piano sound to the Casio PX-S1000 piano sound. The PX870 sounds so much more like a real piano than the PX-S1000 does; the sound has more depth and in the same time also more clarity. The PX870 also has a much bigger dynamic range (= the difference between playing loud and playing softly).
For a beginning piano player, this piano might perhaps go over budget, but an intermediate to advanced player will for sure appreciate its sounds and features.
The PX870 has 19 preset sounds: grand pianos, electronic pianos, harpsichord, strings, organs and a bass.
A hall simulation feature simulates the sound as if you were playing in a big concert hall.
The piano has 88 weighted keys and a polyphony of 256 voices!
The built-in recorder lets you record and playback your performances. With the USB connector, you can connect the PX870 to a computer.
Like the PX-S1000, it offers the duet mode that splits the piano in 2 parts, which enables you to play with another person (teacher).
The PX870 has 4 built-in powerful speakers that allow you to play at a high volume without affecting the sound quality. It is also possible to connect external (powered) speakers to the line output.
Check the price of the Casio PX870 on samash.com via the button below:
The Korg SV2 is an absolute fantastic piano when it comes to sound quality, design, and number of preset sounds. The futuristic, cool look of this piano makes that it has a unique design. The SV2 has 72 preset sounds (which is a lot more than its competitors in this price range), distributed over 6 different sound banks with 2 sets with each 6 sounds.
The 6 sound banks are:
Electric piano 1 (Vintage)
Electric piano 2 (Various)
Piano 1 (Acoustic)
Piano 2 (Various)
Clavier (Harpsichords, organs, …)
Other (strings, choir, brass)
Connections with the computer can be made with either a USB connection or with the MIDI IN/OUT connectors.
The 88 weighted keys together with the very good sound quality make the SV2 feel like a real piano. Note that there exists also a 73-key version, which might be an option for those who take the piano often to gigs.
With the Korg SV2, you can fine tune each sound with the built-in equalizer and by selecting the various effects and amp models.
The SV2 comes in 2 different models: the SV2 without built-in speakers (so you will need external (powered) speakers, or use headphones), and the SV2S which has built-in speakers.
So, this actually makes that there are 4 different SV2’s:
The SV2 (without speakers) 88 key version
The SV2 (without speakers) 73 key version (also called SV-273)
The SV2S (with speakers) 88 key version (also called SV-288S)
The SV2S (with speakers) 73 key version (also called SV-273S)
Since this piano is really a high quality piano, it comes not only with the standard jack outputs, but also with balanced XLR outputs for much better signal transmission.
The weight of the Korg SV2 is:
SV2: 20.35 kg / 44.86 lbs
SV-273: 17.2 kg / 37.92 lbs
SV-288S: 21.45 kg / 47.29 lbs
SV-273S: 18.3 kg / 40.34 lbs
Check the price of the Korg SV2 on samash.com via the button below:
The last digital piano in this price range is the Yamaha YDP144 which has 10 preset sounds to offer: grand pianos, electronic pianos, harpsichord, vibraphone, organs and strings.
The YDP144 has 88 weighted keys; its polyphony is 192 voices. The effect section includes reverb, chorus, delay and an equalizer.
It has a built-in recorder to record and playback and a USB connection so you can connect it to a computer with Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software.
Like a real piano, the Yamaha YDP144 has a heavier touch in the lower region and a lighter touch in the higher region.
The duo mode function splits the keyboard into two equal parts so that two people can play at the same time (very good for playing together with a teacher). The dual mode lets you layer 2 voices together (like piano and strings, for example).
The YDP144 has 2 speakers. Its weight is 38 kg /84 lbs.
Check the price of the Yamaha YDP144 on samash.com via the button below:
The Casio PX860, Korg SV1 and Yamaha YDP143 compared:
Casio PX870
Korg SV2*
Yamaha YDP144
Height
83.7 cm/33 inches
15.7 cm/6.2 inches
81.5 cm/32.1 inches
Width
136.7 cm/53.8 inches
135.6 cm/53.4 inches
135.7 cm/53.4 inches
Depth
29.9 cm/11.8 inches
34.7 cm/13.7 inches
42.2 cm/16.6 inches
Weight
35.5 kg/78.3 lbs
20.35 kg/44.9 lbs
38.0 kg/83 lbs
USB port(s)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Headphone jack
Yes
Yes
Yes
Number of keys
88
88
88
Integrated speaker(s)
Yes
only on “S”-models
Yes
Metronome
Yes
No
Yes
Recording feature
Yes
No
Yes
Number of sounds
18
72
10
Velocity sensitivity
Yes
Yes
Yes
Polyphony
256 voices
128 voices
192 voices
Weighted keys
Yes
Yes
Yes
Number of headphone jacks
1
1
2
*: SV2 88 keys
3rd price range: from 1700 $
The Roland RD2000
With the Roland RD2000 we’re getting into the highest price range. The pianos in this price range are really meant for the more advanced and for the professional piano players. The sounds that come with this kind of keyboards are of professional quality, and the number of sounds is by far superior with normally at least a few hundred different sounds.
The RD2000 has more than 1100 preset sounds among which different piano sounds, different electric piano sounds, organ sounds, a wide range of vintage keyboard sounds, many synth sounds and more and you can even download more sounds from Roland’s website.
A big amount of controls lets you shape each individual sound. All custom settings can be stored for instant recall during performances.
Included in the RD2000 is a comprehensive effect section with equalizer, reverb, delay, tremolo and amp simulator, a rotary effect for the organ sounds and more.
The Roland RD2000 has 88 weighted keys and a polyphony of 128 voices.
Computer connections can be made with either the USB port or with MIDI IN/OUT connectors.
The RD2000 doesn’t have built-in speakers, so you will need external (powered) speakers, or use headphones.
Like the Korg SV2, it has standard jack outputs and also XLR balanced outputs for better signal transmission.
The Roland RD2000 has a weight of 21.7 kg (47.7 lb).
Check the price of the Roland RD2000 on samash.com via the button below:
The Nord Electro 6 is a truly amazing instrument with the most beautiful piano and organ sounds. It includes 3 instrument sections (piano, organ and sample synth) and an effect section (tremolo, wah, phaser, flanger, chorus, reverb, delay, equalizer, amp simulations and more).
With the MIDI IN/OUT or the USB connections you can connect the Nord Electro 6 to a computer (for example to use it with Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software).
The Nord Electro 6 comes in 3 model versions:
– the Nord Electro 6 HP (73 keys weighted hammer action, 11.4 kg (25.1 lb))
– the Nord Electro 6 D 73 (73 keys semi-weighted, 9.2 kg (20.3 lb))
– the Nord Electro 6 D 61 (61 keys semi-weighted, 8.1 kg (17.9 lb))
The polyphony of the Electro 6 is 120 (piano section).
The piano section
The piano library has a memory of 1 GB and offers a wide choice of piano and harpsichord sounds. It’s also possible to download more sounds from the manufacturer’s website.
The organ section
The organ section contains simulations of among others the Farfisa, the Vox and principle pipe organs and includes rotary speaker simulation.
The sample synth section
The sample synth section contains a broad selection of free samples, like the Mellotron.
The included Nord Sample Editor makes it possible to add any sound you want.
Via the button below, you can check the prices of the Nord Electro 6 (and carrying bag) on samash.com:
This is definitely one of the best digital stage pianos on the market. It includes 3 instrument sections (piano, organ and synths) and an effect section (reverb, delay, compressor…) with morphable parameters. The effect section enables you to customize the preset sounds.
With the MIDI IN/OUT or the USB connections you can connect the Nord Stage 3 to a computer (for example to use it with Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software).
In comparison with its predecessor (the Nord Stage 2), the Stage 3 comes with:
– 2 GB of memory for the piano library (instead of 1 GB in the Nord Stage 2)
– seamless transitions when changing programs/sounds, convenient for live situations
– 120 voice polyphony (60 for the Nord Stage 2)
There are 3 model versions for the Nord Stage 3:
– the Nord Stage 3 88 (88 keys weighted hammer action, 19 kg (41.8 lb))
– the Nord Stage 3 HP76 (76 keys hammer action, 12,5 kg (27.5 lb))
– the Nord Stage 3 Compact (73 keys semi-weighted, 10 kg (22 lb))
The piano section
The piano library is huge (2 GB) and offers such a wide choice of preset sounds (like Steinway grand pianos, the Wurlitzer, the Fender Rhodes and more), that you would probably not often want to add or replace sounds of the library (it is possible to download more sounds from the manufacturer’s website).
The organ section
The Nord Stage 3 gives you the Hammond B3 tone wheel simulation, rotary speaker simulation and simulations of pipe organs, the Vox Continental and Farfisa Compact.
The Nord Stage 3 HA88 and HP76 have LED drawbars for the organ section, whilst the Nord Stage 3 Compact offers real physical drawbars to adjust your organ sounds.
The synth section
The Nord Stage 3’s new Oscillator section features 5 oscillator categories: Classic, Wave, Formant, Sample and brand new Super Wave (S-wave).
The sampler gives you the possibility to play pre-recorded sounds. You can also download samples from the manufacturer’s website (or other websites), and it is even possible to load your own samples when you install special software on your computer.
Via the button below, you can check the prices of the Nord Stage 3 (and carrying bag and other accesories) on samash.com:
The Roland RD2000, Nord Electro 6 and Nord Stage 3 compared:
Roland RD2000
Nord Electro 6
Nord Stage 3
Height
14 cm/5.5 inches
12.1 cm/4.8 inches*
11.8 cm/4.7 inches**
Width
141.2 cm/55.5 inches
107.4 cm/42.3 inches*
128.7 cm/50.7 inches**
Depth
36.7 cm/14.2 inches
34.4 cm/13.5 inches*
33.4 cm/13 inches**
Weight
21.7 kg/47.7 lbs
11.4 kg/25.1 lbs*
19 kg/41.8 lbs**
USB port(s)
Yes
Yes
Yes
Headphone jack
Yes
Yes
Yes
Number of keys
88
73*
88**
Integrated speaker(s)
No
No
No
Number of sounds
1100+
Hundreds***
Hundreds***
Velocity sensitivity
Yes
Yes
Yes
Polyphony
128 voices
120 voices
120 voices
Weighted keys
Yes
Yes*
Yes**
*: the Nord Electro 6 HP
**: the Nord Stage 3 88
***: more sounds downloadable from manufacturer’s website
Powered speakers (studio monitors)
If you buy a digital piano without built-in speakers, you will need external speakers with amplification (unless you only want to play with headphones on). For home use you could use studio monitors, which are speakers with built-in amplification that are normally used in recording studios.
Note that these monitors will not give you enough volume for playing gigs, they are for home use.
I made a choice of two good and affordable studio monitors that are perfect for a digital piano:
The powered speakers I recommend below are monitors for a (home) recording studio, but can be very well used for your digital piano. Both monitors offer a good sound and don’t cost very much.
PRESONUS ERIS E4.5
Affordable, solidly constructed monitors with good sound.
The left speaker acts as power amp for both speakers.
2 x 25 W class AB amplification
70 Hz – 20 kHz frequency response
100 dB max peak SPL
Inputs:
Unbalanced Stereo mini jack 3.5 mm
Unbalanced RCA
Balanced ¼” TRS
Dimensions: 7.09” (180mm) x 6.42” (163mm) x 9.49” (241mm)
Weight: 13 lbs (5.9 kg)
Check the price of the PreSonus Eris E4.5 (and monitor stands) on samash.com via the button below:
Synthesizers are electronic musical instruments that generate electrical signals which are used to produce their own sounds. Back in the early days, the synthesizers were only analogic. The sounds were produced by combining the outputs of several analogic oscillators into the final sound.
In this way, new sounds were created that were totally different from the sounds produced by original musical instruments like a piano, an organ, or whatever other acoustic instrument.
Today, digital synthesizers emulate the old analog synthesizers with great precision. In addition, they often provide pre-recorded sounds (samples) like pianos, organs, strings and more.
Synthesizers are most often played on the piano keyboard that is integrated with the synthesizer itself, but it is also possible to connect them via MIDI or USB to an external controller like music sequencers, wind controllers, electronic drums, guitar synthesizers and much more.
It is even possible to have a digital synthesizer without a keyboard, in the form of a sound module. In this case you need of course an external controller like a MIDI keyboard or one of the other controllers mentioned above.
Synthesizers are certainly not the first choice when it comes to learning how to play the piano. This is more for people that like to experiment with different sounds, and use their own created sounds in a band or in a home studio for example.
Workstations/Arrangers
A workstation is a synthesizer with a lot of on-board sounds, combined with a sequencer. You could see a workstation as a complete recording studio built in a synthesizer. With a workstation, it is possible with its built-in sequencer to create a whole band: you write the drums-, the bass-, the guitar- and the piano-part; the workstation will play all the instruments together and you hear your own creation played by a whole band.
It is even possible to record audio over it, so you can add voice, acoustic instruments, etcetera.
Workstations normally have an internal hard disk to record your productions and often also a CD burner to burn your work directly to a CD.
A workstation can be used for composing, recording and producing music.
Note that you can do exactly the same thing by connecting a normal synthesizer, digital piano or MIDI keyboard to a computer with a MIDI or USB connection. With this setup, together with sequencing software (the so-called DAW software, or Digital Audio Workstation software) installed on the computer, you have the same functionality as with a workstation.
An arranger is a sort of workstation that creates a whole band for you. You enter your chord progression and a style (rock, jazz …); the arranger then plays a whole band in the selected style with your chord progression and you can play over it. This is ideal for one-man bands that need the sound of an entire band.
MIDI keyboards
MIDI keyboards don’t produce any sound at all. They’re used to trigger sound producing devices such as synthesizers, digital pianos, workstations, computers with software synthesizers and/or sequencing software (DAW software) and sound modules that don’t have a keyboard integrated.
The data transfer from the MIDI keyboard to the sound producing device is established by a MIDI or USB connection.
When you have a good sound module, or if you want to use a software synthesizer, a MIDI keyboard is a very good option.
Better MIDI keyboards also have weighted keys (semi-weighted, hammer action or graded hammer action).
Note that most digital pianos, synthesizers and workstations can also act as a MIDI keyboard. In that case, you wouldn’t use the built-in sounds of your keyboard, but an external source like a sound module, a software synthesizer or another keyboard.
Accessories
bench
Choose a piano bench of good quality and adjustable in height.
sustain pedal (also: damper pedal)
When the sustain pedal is pressed, every note played on the piano will continue to sound till the note naturally fades out (by the way: some sounds, like organ sounds don’t fade out naturally) or till the sustain pedal is released.
metronome
A metronome produces a beat at regular time intervals. The beat is set in beats per minute (bpm).
A metronome is needed to practice: it keeps your rhythm steady; it avoids speeding up or slowing down the music.
Nowadays, metronomes are small digital devices that produce electronic beeps or clicks. They are not very expensive, but to be honest, you can even have them for free: just download a free metronome on your smart phone and you’re ready to go!
Headphones
With headphones, you can even play the piano in the middle of the night without disturbing others.
music stand
You will need a stand to put your music sheets on. Some keyboards have them integrated. When not, don’t worry, they’re really not that expensive.
keyboard stand
You can put your keyboard on a table of course, but it’s not very probable that the table will have exactly the perfect height. It’s better to have a keyboard stand. Keyboard stands come in all colors and sizes and are usually not very expensive.
Glossary
Aftertouch
Most electronic keyboards respond to the pressure applied after hitting the key. This is called aftertouch. Aftertouch is often used to control vibrato, volume or other parameters.
MIDI
MIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol for the communication of sound information between a sending device (for example a MIDI keyboard) and a device that receives the information and produces sound (for example a sound module). The information doesn’t contain the actual sound, but information of which note is played, how long it is played, which instrument is played, and so on.
Multitimbrality
Multitimbrality is the ability of a keyboard or sound module to play different instruments simultaneously, which enables you to play a whole band. When for example a keyboard or sound module is 16 part multitimbral, this means that it can handle 16 different instruments simultaneously (over 16 different MIDI channels).
Polyphony
Polyphony refers to the maximum number of notes that a keyboard or sound module can produce at one time. When using the 10 fingers on your both hands, you would expect that 10-note polyphony would be sufficient. But when you use the sustain pedal, you quickly need more than 10 notes at the same time. When playing several instruments together with a sequencer, notes can also quickly add up. Modern keyboards can have a polyphony of 128, 192 or even 256 notes.
Sequencer
A sequencer is a programmable device that can play sequences of notes, chords and rhythms that can be transmitted via MIDI signals to a keyboard or sound module. A sequencer can be a hardware device, but also a software program.
Velocity sensitivity
A keyboard with velocity sensitive keys responds to the speed of the key-press. A higher speed results in a louder note. This imitates the acoustic piano where the speed of the key-press determines how fast the hammer hits the strings which changes the volume of the sound. Apart from very cheap toy pianos, practically all the modern electronic keyboards are velocity sensitive.
Did you find the information you were looking for? Do you have a better idea of what the best piano for you is? Please let us know and leave a comment below.
In an acoustic piano, a hammer strikes one, two or three strings. The hammer is connected by a lever system to the key. This causes a resistance when playing the key and this is the typical ‘piano feeling’.
The Yamaha P45 is a very good keyboard for beginning piano players. The piano has 10 preset sounds: 2 grand pianos, 2 electronic pianos, 2 organs, strings, 2 harpsichords and a vibraphone. The MIDIMIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) is a protocol for the communication of sound information between a sending device (for example a MIDI keyboard) and a device that receives the information and produces sound (for example a sound module). The information doesn’t contain the actual sound, but information of which note is played, how long it is played, which instrument is played, and so on. functionality of the P45 is available through a USB connection, which allows you to connect the P45 to a computer.
This is definitely one of the best digital stage pianos on the market. It includes 3 instrument sections (piano, organ and synths) and an effect section (reverb, delay, compressor…) with morphable parameters. The effect section enables you to customize the preset sounds.
