Where to Buy Yamaha NP12: Review and Opinion

If you are looking for a digital piano for less than 200€, the Yamaha NP12 might be the best choice for you.

The NP12 is a keyboard focused on those who love the piano, since its functions are directed to imitate a piano, the simplicity in its design and its 4.5 kilograms of weight make it the ideal choice for those who wish to travel with their keyboard.

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Features

The Yamaha NP12 is a simple keyboard with great portability, among the outstanding features of the NP12 are the 61 keys with sensitivity to pressure, the possibility of using the power adapter or 6 AA batteries (duration of 16 hours).Features:

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61 Pressure-sensitive keys (without weighted keys)
64-note polyphony
10 Sounds (4 Piano Voices, 2 Organo Voices, String Voices, percussions and harpsichord)
10 Demonstration melodies
10 Piano Presets
Recorder with a capacity to store 1 song (approximately 7000 notes)
Metronome
Auto power-off function
Headphone output
Input for sustain pedal (FC3A)
USB TO HOST (MIDI)
Integration with iOS Devices via USB Host (iPhone and iPad)
2 Speakers of 2.5W each.
The option of use with 6 AA Batteries or 6 NI-MH Rechargeable Batteries
Dimensions 1,035mm x 105mm x 259mm /Weight 4.5kg

The NP12 is a simple keyboard that has everything to learn piano or use as a travel instrument.

Sound

The Yamaha NP12 has two 2.5w speakers, the power of the speakers can below for those who want to make presentations in public, however, the sound quality of these speakers is quite good.

The sound of the NP12 is of great quality, its voices are clear and perfectly imitate the piano, strings, etc. Below is the official Yamaha video, where you can appreciate the sound:

The following video shows a funky improvisation, using a NP12:

Connectivity

For its price has “enough” connectivity, because it brings MIDI so you can connect it to the computer and record MIDI tracks while playing, which can then be exported directly to the music sheet with a single click. It also comes with sustain pedal input, something basic if you want to learn to play the piano.

The strong feature of the Yamaha NP12 connectivity is the connection with iOS devices, as those who love the iPhone and iPad may have several additional functions through the USB Host connection.

In terms of connectivity, the Yamaha NP12 is well suited for a user who is focused on playing music as a hobby or intends to use the keyboard primarily for practice, however, connectivity is limited for those looking for a keyboard made for music production.

Advantages and disadvantages of Yamaha NP12

The advantages of this model are:

Portable and Lightweight
Possibility of use with 6 AA Batteries (16 hours of use with alkaline batteries)
Pressure Sensitive Keys
Sound Quality
Sustain pedal input
USB HOST with Integration for iOS devices

The disadvantages of this model are:

Non-weighted keys
Only has 10 voices
No music production functions
Internal recorder with capacity for 1 single piece.

The balance of the Yamaha NP12 is quite positive as for less than 200€ it offers you 61 pressure-sensitive keys with a pretty good sound, sustain pedal input of only 4.5 Kg. and the possibility of use with 6 AA batteries for about 16 hours.

Among the main disadvantages is the lack of counterweight on the keys, the small number of voices and functions, however, do not lose sight that the idea of this keyboard is entirely aimed at portability.

Yamaha NP12 vs NP32

The NP12 and NP32 are two Yamaha models that share virtually all functions, the two digital pianos are focused on portability, the main differences are:

The NP12 has 61 pressure-sensitive keys and the NP32 has 76 pressure-sensitive keys.
Graded Soft Touch technology, which provides better sensitivity performance.
The NP32 has 2 6w speakers while the NP12 has 2 2.5w speakers.
Both models support 6 AA batteries, however, the NP 12 has an average life of 16 hours and the NP32 7 hours.
NP12 weighs 4.5kg while NP32 weighs 5.7kg

The two Yamaha models share all functions, the only key differences between these two models are the number of keys and pressure sensitivity technology, sound power, maximum battery life, and weight.

The NP32 is a clear winner as it is a keyboard with more keys and better sensitivity technology, it also has the benefit of sound power, however, if your focus is on portability or time of use with batteries the NP12 might be the best choice for you. Below is a video showing the two Yamaha models:

Yamaha NP12 vs NP11

The NP12 is the new version of the Yamaha NP11, both keyboards have functions in common, however, as expected the NP12 has better features, below are the main differences between the two models:

Both models have 61 pressure-sensitive keys, have 10 voices, 2.5w speakers, input for a sustain pedal and a weighs 4.5 Kg.
NP11 has 32 polyphony notes while NP12 has 64.
Both models have the option of using AA Batteries, however, the NP12 has a maximum duration of 16 hours, while the NP11 has a maximum duration of 6 hours.

As mentioned above, these two Yamaha models are practically the same, however, the NP12 is a clear winner in that it has better sound quality and lower power consumption, allowing prolonged use with AA batteries.

Yamaha NP12 vs Roland Go Piano

Yamaha and Roland have always been great competitors and have very similar keyboard lines, the NP12 and Go Piano are two keyboards focused on portability that have similar features, below are the main differences and similarities:

Both models have 61 touch-sensitive keys and no weighted keys, but the Ivory Feel technology and Box-shape keys included in Roland’s Go Piano produces a more realistic piano feel.
The NP12 has 64 polyphony notes, while the Go Piano has 128.
The Go Piano has 30 voices, while the NP12 has 10.
Both models have an integrated recorder, however, the Go Piano allows 99 songs to be stored, while the NP12 only allows 1.
Both models have an option for a sustain pedal, USB MIDI, and headphone input.
Roland has Bluetooth connectivity and a lesson system through the application in iOS.
The Roland has a black and white LCD screen, while the Yamaha has no screen.
Both models can be used with AA batteries, the Roland Go Piano has an average battery life of 6 hours, while the Yamaha NP12 has a maximum battery life of 16 hours.
The Go Piano weighs 3.9 kg and the NP 12 weighs 4.5 Kg.

At first glance, the clear winner is Roland’s Go Piano as it has better key technology, better sound quality, the recorder has more capacity and is a lighter keyboard, however, the battery life is significantly shorter than a Yamaha does. Below is a video of the sound of the Roland Go Piano:

Conclusion

If you are looking for a digital piano to practice wherever you want the Yamaha NP12 is a very good choice. The NP12 is a portable keyboard that has a focus totally directed to pianists since, in spite of not having weighted keys, it has 10 voices of which 4 are focused on the piano.

For those looking for a keyboard to learn to play the piano or to move and use it with batteries, the NP12 can be an option, especially if they are looking for a keyboard for less than 200€.

If you want a keyboard that has a different approach with a low cost we recommend you take a look at our guide to digital pianos and low-cost keyboards, on the other hand, if you are looking for a keyboard with the better performance you can review our guide to the best digital pianos and keyboards cost/benefit ratio.