Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards Digital Piano, ADVICE APPRECIATED! :)

I'm a new face on this forum, so first of all, hello everyone!

I'm a guitarist and a drummer, and I've just recently got properly interested in the world of piano, and am purchasing my first proper Digital Piano.

Things I want:
-Budget preferably 1-3k, can stretch to 4K if the increase in features worth it
-High-quality piano sounds
-Very realistic key action/feel/touch
-Other high quality instrument sounds
-Decent selection of delay and good reverb settings, other effects are a plus

I really like videogame and movie soundtracks, so I really appreciate having other really good quality sounds there too, so I could play violin parts, string sequences and other instruments. I figure that when I pay a decent amount of money, I want the piano also to have other, high-quality orchestral sounds, too.

What would you recommend to best fit these criteria? Any input is valuable, I'm all new to this stuff. I had my eyes on a Yamaha CVP-701, does anyone have experiences from it? Or what about the new Rolands? Other brands I've not considered?

If you have any thoughts or experiences you can share, I really appreciate any and all answers!

Thanks a lot guys!

Are you more interested in a console piano or a stage piano? Console pianos tend to look like uprights (i.e. they're more furniture-like) whereas stage pianos are essentially slabs (which makes them much more portable). If you prefer a stage piano, do you need one with built in speakers? or are you willing to go with external speakers (which will generally give you better sound, but doesn't look as nice).

In your budget there are many options, so if you could narrow your wants down a bit that might help us make a better recommendation.

Yes I was going to say your price range and requirements are extremely broad, so it's hard to say. What will you be using it for and how much? Like a lot of gigging? Any composing/recording? Both? How much of each? With a band? Just playing for your own enjoyment at home? etc

Since you imply you don't know how to even play keys yet, frankly your budget sounds like a major over-spend, but again this can vary depending on what you want to do with it (both short- and long-term).

Thanks for the replies! I'll clarify a bit:

I'm going to be playing at home only, no gigging at all. It's for enjoying great sounds, composing and recording, and learning to play proper piano with really authentic feel. So basically; for my own enjoyment at home + composing and recording at my little home studio!

The price range is not set high like that because I'm looking to waste a lot of money, haha! It's just that I'm not looking to buy any middle models. I've bought about 15 guitars of varying price ranges, and multiple sets of drums. It's been an expensive ride. That's why I'm not afraid to spend a couple of grand for premium piano, but am happy to pay 1K too, if such a low price range has a product that properly fits my needs! But I'm making this purchase with a kind of "no compromise"-mentality. I'd hate to pay 1K for a decent instrument that I'd not wholly like. I'd just rather pay more and be satisfied, with no need to upgrade in years.

And no, I can't play a lot yet... but am on my way, and this is one of the reasons why I'm investing in a quality instrument so I'm learning to play with a proper piano key feel and with sounds as realistic as possible.

Also, I'd prefer internal speakers, but definitely not an impossibility to have external speakers. For example, if the sounds and other features of a speakerless model outweigh the inconvenience of not having internal speakers, I could go for it. Mainly I'm looking for a piece of furniture, not for the sake of furniture, haha, but that's the form factor I've been considering since they usually have preinstalled pedals (instead of accessories that would move around on the floor) and better speakers (I think... right?).

Thanks for the replies so far, so nice of you to help me out! I really appreciate your messages, since I'm very new to all this piano stuff. Advice here is really worth a lot to me!

If you can afford to, wait until more reviews come out on the casio celviano grand hybrid. That will be a great value. How it compares to the top end kawai and roland actions remains to be seen. But its worth waiting a bit more and the cp300 easily falls into your price range.

Otherwise the kawai ca67 should be on the short list, in addition to the in budget roland and yamaha.

Casio's Grand Hybrid GP-300 is very strong in 4 of your 5 criteria. It is very "piano focused" in that it has only a few non-piano sounds. They are good and among people's favorites, but it won't cover the gamut of video game and movie soundtracks.

Casio's Celviano AP-650 is a nice ensemble piano at a fraction of the cost of the CVP's. The CVP's are nicer, but you'd have to weigh in on the difference in value.

At the low end of your budget range, I'm really enjoying Casio's Privia PX-360. If you add stand and 3 pedals, you are still very close to $1k. It does many things well, limited only by its smaller, portable speakers, but there are workarounds for that. The touch screen is really cool once you get your bearings.

Roland's DP-90e compares with some of the HP products but at a lower price and slimline cabinet. It also fits your criteria with many excellent non-piano sounds. We made a demo of the predecessor model DP-90 on YouTube where my associate cycles through 13 sounds in under 4 minutes.
Roland DP-90 Demon - YouTube

Others can better comment about Yamaha CLP & CVP models as well as the Kawai's in your range.

Have fun shopping!

Hi Velokki,

First off,the quality of instruments & how it relates to your personal criteria is a bit subjective & biased...so for all I know...possibly the Casio PX-560 might be all that you'd want(assuming that you may at some point,want to lean towards the $1K mark.)
However...taking everything you said into consideration and to ensure that your purchase will never become obsolete,the Korg Kronos 88-key,leaps to mind.
This is the most uncompromising keyboard you can get your hands on,for under $4K....in my opinion.
Excellent quality in every category of instruments,vast expansion possibilities,superb key-bed,8" touch display,16 tracks of midi sequencing,an additional 16 tracks of audio and the list goes on & on.

IF you have no reservations of spending $3,700...then I can't think of a better keyboard than the Kronos,as it's the most comprehensive all-in-one studio.

By the way,it doesn't have internal speakers...but then...as someone who has done a staggering amount of critical listening for the last 10 years(recording,mixing and mastering)...the idea of creating your own cinematic and video game soundtracks and trying to mix accurately on on-board speakers,is absurd.
Since quality instruments are of paramount importance to you,then so should your ability to mix those instruments effectively & relatively easily(via a pair of high quality studio monitors.)

-Elwood

Hi, for gigs best in action and sounds for me Kawai MP7, then you can try other options as Yamaha CP4 an Roland RD800 similar in features and quality but a higher price...

I don't think your price range is overkill. I think it's realistic to get what you want on the outset rather than spend more money overall with buying low end and working your way up. But everyone has a different opinion on this.

Anyways, here as some suggestions that come to mind:

-Kawai MP11: great piano feel and piano sounds, has some strings, but not a whole lot of different sounds. Great MIDI controller, so you could use this with a VST (virtual software sounds) and your DAW (software for recording/producing).

-Kawai MP7: decent piano feel (from what I've heard, never played it personally), but a lot more sounds and capabilities as far as recording right on it. However, I think if you want to compose, you will want to use a computer + DAW. It's much easier in general to work on a large screen.

-Kawai VPC1: also great piano feel, but has no sounds. You would use this with your VST. A good price (around $1800 USD) which then makes the software more affordable.

-Roland RD-800: good piano feel, great sounds.

None of the above come with speakers.

Hi there,

I think you need to prioritise what is most important to you. Is it sound, action, looks or price?

For example, a Kawai CS10 looks like a 'proper' piano, has a great action, a selection of reasonable sounds (although not as good as dedicated VSTs) but is expensive.

On the other hand, a Roland RD800 doesn't look anything like a piano, has an OK (ish) action, has a wide selection of great sounds but is not as expensive.

My own view (I bought a CS10) is that I want something that looks like a proper piano (so it feels like an experience when I sit down to play) and with a great action as you can't change the looks or action but can always buy a better VST.

One more think I should add: above all, get yourself to a music store (Guitar Center or Sam Ash or whatever's nearby) and try some keyboards out. Start with the lower end of your price range and see if they feel "real enough" to you...you may be surprised at how far they have come in recent years and even the low end of your price range may be plenty in terms of feel, sound, and features.

I've been shopping around but I hesitate to mention specific ones as it's all so subjective; what I think sounds great you might not and so on.

Until you have some experience with piano and DP's, and already know precisely where you will go with this musical journey, I don't think you can buy 'the one' now, so you are likely starting on the same journey as with your guitars and drums. Just go with it, get to a store and start.

Do consider the Kawai VPC1 + a good VST like VI labs Ravenscroft 275 or Galaxy Vintage D. Overall, with high quality monitors, you're looking at a <3000USD investment.

Ok i agree with you, are you tried Kawai MP7?, in piano action and global feeling could be much better than Roland RD800...

No, I haven't tried MP7 I'm afraid.

Hi guys! A little update.

First of all, thanks a lot for you responses. They really mean a lot, and guide me in this ocean of chaos.

I have visited several music shops, and tried out various models from various makes. Here are some feelings about some them:
-Yamaha CVP-605 - I would rate it "OK". Sounds good, it has good key action, but the touch screen UI is quite poorly executed and the display's contrast is bad. Now don't laugh here - I know it's not about the display, but damn if I'm going to use that daily, and think like "this feels clunky and cheap" every time. Not a keeper - I'd be interested to test out the CVP-701, though.
-Kawai CLP36 - good core piano sounds and realistic key action, but very simplistic and feature-poor. I can imagine it being good for someone who wants really good piano key feel for a budget price, and doesn't need any bells or whistles. For ex. the lack of ambience and reverb was a total turn-off for me. A display would've also been nice.
-Roland FP80 - Jesus. I really liked this. I mean, I really, really of fell in love with it. The key feel is amazing, the moment I laid my fingers on it, I knew that this is what I've been looking for key-action-wise. It sounds great, too. I really don't have a bad word about it. If I could wish for anything, I would update it with a large screen and more soundbanks. I guess it's just Roland's thing to have a lot of unnamed buttons with hidden functionalities that you learn as time passes by with the 300-page manual, haha. (I've owned a Roland TD-4, E-09 and several guitar products)

I've also been hugely interested in the KORG Kronos thanks to Elwood - it really does have ALL the sounds, and they are quality sounds, too! Feature-wise this would be my dream rig. I haven't had the possibility to try one out, since no shop in my town has one. To be honest, this would be a no-brainer for me to buy, but there are a couple of things seriously holding it back:
-Key feel - I haven't had the chance to try out the Kronos, but I tried the KORG Havian 30 that should have the same key feel (RH3 keys) and they're sluggish to my preference, especially compared side-to-side to the Roland FP80 which key feel is just PERFECT. The way the Roland's key feel is very, very satisfying. To the point that it inspires me to play, and my fingers can't wait to feel the feel of the keys, and I've played it three times in the shop this week, and it's so damn good every time. The KORG just doesn't do this for me, and I think that it is really important part of the instrument - it should have a really good feel that would inspire me to play, and at least the Havian's keybed doesn't do that. I talked to a local keyboard sales guy, and he said that the KRONOS has better key feel, it's got an updated, a bit different set of RH3 keys compared to Havian, but according to him, they're just not like the FP80. So I feel I'd be cheating myself if I got a keyboard that's got a key feel I don't really like that much.
-Warranty - they're offering one year of warranty. ONE YEAR. 3 years if you get it from Thomann, as they always offer 3 years. But anyway, to me this is absurd - I'd want something like minimum 5 years for a product that's this expensive and of such high technology (prone to tech failure). I just kinda don't feel safe buying it! I've had some really bad luck with high-tech products in the last couple of years - videogame consoles, a PC, two tablets and a phone have given up on me in 1-2 years from their purchase date. I just fear having a brick worth of 4000 dollars/euros in my living room a bit too much to be able to pull the trigger. The 10-year warranty that Roland offers is more like it!
-Lack of speakers is a minus
-I fear that the piano sounds aren't as good as the Roland ones. Do correct me if I'm wrong about this!

Now that I've field-tested some units, my mind is very geared towards the Roland camp - not just because of the FP-80, but I really can't wait for the HP-605 that's supposed to arrive and be demoable in the shop next week. If it has similar key feel, we just might have a winner. The new completely modeled piano sounds should be over-the-top, too. And there should be a decent bank of other instruments with high-quality sounds (384 note polyphony).

But I'm still wide open to any and all advice - I might have a completely different opinion of the situation in a week from now if any good tips, recommendations or advice comes up. So keep the posts coming!

I'd really appreciate any opinions on:
-The Roland HP-605
-KORG Kronos, especially the key feel of it, and its suitability to playing piano
-Yamaha CVP-701
-Any other product recommendation

Thanks once again, guys! And keep the messages coming!

FWIW --

You have a real love for the FP-80 action, and the FP-80 sounds. Why not just buy it, and possibly some outboard loudspeakers?

I've been reading this forum for well over a year. I haven't read that the FP-80 is any more likely to fail than any other DP -- and that likelihood is really small, once you're over the "infant mortality" problems in the first months of ownership.

If you want a modelled piano, use the FP-80 to drive Pianoteq ("standard", not "stage"), and tweak the sounds yourself. I suspect you'll spend less on an FP-80, speakers, stand, Pianoteq, and computer to run Pianoteq, than you'd spend on an HP605.

I'm with Charles. You tested out some, and found something you love. Go with that.

I still own my Roland FP7, and while the action is terrible, IMO, it still works and I often find uses for it here and there. Many DPs will actually last much longer than the warranty gives, so I wouldn't be concerned about that. Personally, I think the warranty is just to give you time to find faulty stuff, and a year is plenty for that.

It seems that some of you aren't reading carefully,as to what Vilokki really needs on the whole.
Remember the part about how he wants to compose record and make cinematic/video game soundtracks??
Well...you can't do this on a Roland FP-80(as it only has 2 midi-sequencer tracks.)
Keep in mind also,that he has not had the chance to actually demo the key-bed on the Korg Kronos.
I am not familiar with the key-bed of the Roland(& their Ivory Feel-S key-bed)...but I do know the Kronos's key-bed is very good and that's it's worthy of at least a hands-on demo,prior to making any purchase.)

This guy is going for the studio route,so being more attentive in your reading,is what he needs,if you sincerely want to help him out.

In my experience with using my Kronos, I chose to go with the 61key and midi it to a Roland Fp4 88
key for playing pianos. The nature of Kronos is a synth with organs and great pianos. There are many sounds that I need to play on an unweighted keyboard. The keys on the 61 are fantastic.
Of course Velokki, you could always add a unweighted controller to an 88 key Kronos if you decide you need it.
I do think the Kronos would suit your needs best for what you want to do.