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Hi friends, I have enrolled for piano classes and will be starting to learn in August. The tutor suggested me to get myself a piano for practice purpose if I am serious about it. I feel like buying a digital piano as I am moving to another country in next year and it will be easier to move the piano along; however, some of my friends told me that the sound quality of digital pianos is not as good as the that of acoustic pianos. Can anybody please give me some suggestions on this? Thank you.

There is no question that the sound and touch of a digital piano is different from an acoustic. But in your case, the impending move would suggest that it is prudent to start with a digital piano now.

I currently have Yamaha YDP162 and Korg LP380 on the list. Do you have other recommendations?

That depends on how much money you're willing to spend on the piano. The YDP162 is a decent entry-level DP, I don't know about Korg but from what I have "heard" here, their key action is not the best out there.

Btw. you would probably be better served over at the Digital Piano forum.

Hmm, how about YDP142? Well it seems that I have to do more researches on Korg. Thank you

Check the piano shops for rentals. Those yamaha n1 or n3's with real piano actions are pretty awesome as well.

I am not sure if any piano shops in my country do provide rental service. So far I haven't heard about such service...

If you get yourself a cheap digital to start with - a Casio Privia or something, don't spend too much, or even find an older Clavinova on Ebay, and sell it again when it's time to move. Then, if your love for the piano grows and you want to keep playing, buy something better. Either a top end digital or acoustic. When you get to a certain level, you need acoustic if you want to sound good, but for note learning, you'll be OK on digital.

Personally I wish all my students only ever had an acoustic, but that's not always practical.

You'll get a lot of opinions about digitals next door in the digital forum. While a good acoustic is best, the acoustics that would compete with the pricing of that Yamaha & Korg would not be a great instrument for practicing. In that budget range, a digital usually is better. Casio's newest action is more realistic than any in its price class. From Yamaha, you would have to move above the 142 to, as Clayman suggested, either the 161 or 162 to be more comparable.

If you are willing to spend more on an a good acoustic, a used, mid-range brand name upright can be easy enough to sell if you had to in a year.

Casio Privia? Hmm.. WIll check on it later. What do you think about Korg LP-380? My plan is to buy a digital piano and sell it before I am leaving. After moving I will get an acoustic piano.

I have decided to get a digital piano first. An acoustic piano is not really worth the money since I am moving abroad within a year. The more I ask the more choices I have. It is so... confusing

When I restarted piano (after a 15 year break) I went to Guitar Center and bought a $350 Casio digital piano. Pretty much the cheapest one they had with weighted keys, touch sensitivity, full-size keys, etc. It's not great, but it's not too bad either. It was definitely enough to get me playing again. I looked at it as a temporary/re-starter piano and had fun with it for 4 years. And then when I knew I was going to stick with it, had the room, had some certainty where I was going to be living, I got a nice acoustic piano. I might suggest go super cheap on the digital because they can definitely get up there as well, easily $2K even up to $10K!!! Save that money for the acoustic when you're ready.

Sounds reasonable. But I would suggest that you visit a few dealers to try acoustic and digitals yourself. If you find the sound of DPs totally uninspiring like I do, then going the DP route would be a waste of time.

I will definitely get an acoustic piano if I am not leaving after a year. Since I am leaving soon, buying an acoustic piano seems to be a risky move to me...

It's not 100% that I will sell the digital piano when I move. I might ship it internationally to where I will be at. Have Yamaha YDP162, Korg LP380, Casio PX-750 and PX-780, and Roland F-120 on the list now.

I called one of the digital piano retailers in my hometown today and got some suggestions from her. She said that the tutors in her center normally recommend new students to get Roland F-120 as it is made of some materials which allow it to imitate the feel and touch of an acoustic piano. Any reviews on this? Thank you.

xiaofeipo,

I have a Kawai CA65 and find it to be remarkably similar in feel to many of the acoustics I have played. I am now shopping for a grand acoustic but will keep my DP as well. I would reccommend this model without hesitation. Even my teacher was favorably impressed with the CA65.

The problem with digital piano reviews is that they all come to the conclusion that whatever piano is being reviewed is absolutely wonderful. Apparently, there is no bad digital piano. Even the $1000 digitals are wonderful.

Yet, if you follow the people who buy these computers, they are never satisfied with what they have. The "realistic sound" after a few months becomes unbearable. Now they are chasing the ultra-realistic software pianos...lol.

I have a Kawai CA65 and I like it very much. However, it does not feel like my teacher's Yamaha grand piano at all! I'm an absolute beginner and even I can feel the difference. There is a lot more resistance in the keys of the grand. I have to work harder to make it sound good. Also there is a lot more resistance in the left pedal of the grand (haven't used the other pedals yet ) compared to the pedal of my DP. That being said, I absolutely love my CA65 and yes, someday I'll definitely buy an acoustic piano, but for now and probably many years to come the CA65 will be just fine!

I think for your situation the digital is the most reasonable choice. I agree with others who have said go cheap (either used or not) and save the money for your real piano down the road.