Best Electronic Pianos Ranking 《2021》 Which one to buy?
Welcome to the guide that will help you buy the digital or electronic piano that really suits your goals and your budget. I have made this guide thinking about using clear and pleasant language in order to create a resource that is truly useful.
Let’s start by making it clear that a digital piano is the same as an electronic piano. Then inside the electronic pianos you have portable pianos weighing between 11 and 14 kg and electronic pianos that imitate upright pianos more. Which are around 20 – 40 kg.
In this ranking you have the most convenient electronic pianos in terms of quality and price. All of them have the minimum stuff to be considered pianos. These factors are:
- 88 weighted keys (hammer action), touch-sensitive keys to simulate the touch and weight of the keys on a piano.
- Sustain pedal or triple -pedal unit to keep the note sound for a segment of time.
It is also very important that they have a MIDI connector so that they can be connected to the computer.
I’ll tell you how I structured the post. First I leave you some quick tables with all the information so you don’t have to read the whole article. Although if you haven’t done it I encourage you to do it so you don’t miss anything. I have divided them into the following categories because it doesn’t make sense to compare a piano that costs 200 euros more than another one.
- Portable Digital Pianos between 300 and 400 euros
- Portable Digital Pianos between 400 and 600 euros
- Digital pianos between 650 and 950 euros
Then I’ll tell you about the brands and later on I’ll review each one of them with video. Then I link their reviews in depth if you want to know more.
If you want a cheaper electronic music keyboard do not hesitate to visit my guide with the cheapest and most convenient keyboards.
Quick Comparison Table with the 3 Best Digital Pianos between 300€ and 400€ (400 USD to 500 USD at USA)
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Photo |
Roland FP 10 |
Casio CDP S100 |
Yamaha P45 |
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88 Hammer Action Keys and touch response |
 |
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MIDI (to connect to the computer) |
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Bluetooth MIDI |
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 |
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Sounds |
15 |
10 |
10 |
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Polyphony |
96 |
64 |
64 |
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Recording |
|
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|
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Dimensions (W x D x H) |
1284 x 258 x 140 mm |
1322 x 232 x 99 mm |
1326 x 154 x 295 mm |
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Weight (kg) |
12,3 |
10,5 |
10,5 |
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Battery operation possible |
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Sustain pedal (included) |
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Does it support a 3-pedal unit? |
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Sound input |
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Headphones outputs |
1 |
1 |
1 |
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Line output (good for Gigs) |
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Duo mode |
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Split mode |
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Layer function |
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Speakers |
2 x 6W |
2 x 8W |
2 x 6W |
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Brand Reputation and Materials, etc |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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 (Only Europe) |
Quick Comparison Table with the 3 Best Digital Pianos between 400 € and 600 €
(500 USD to 700 USD at USA)
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Photo |
Yamaha P125 |
Roland FP 30 |
Kawai ES110 |
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88 Hammer Action Keys and touch response |
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MIDI (for connection to the computer) |
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Bluetooth MIDI |
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|
|
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Sounds |
24 |
35 |
19 |
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Polyphony |
192 |
128 |
192 |
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Recording |
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|
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USB Drive input |
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|
|
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Dimensions (W x D x H) |
1326 x 166 x 295 mm |
1300 x 284 x 150 mm |
1.312 x 286 x 145mm |
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Weight (kg) |
11,8 |
14,1Kg |
12 |
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Sustain pedal (included) |
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Does it support a 3-pedal unit? |
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Audio input |
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Headphones outputs |
2 |
2 |
2 |
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Line output (good for Gigs) |
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Duo mode |
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Split mode |
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Layer function |
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Speaker Power |
2 x 7W |
2 x 11W |
2 x 7W |
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Popularity Sales |
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Brand Reputation and Materials, etc |
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(Only Europe)
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Quick Comparison Tables with the 2 Best Digital Pianos between 650 and 950
(700 USD to 1100 USD at USA)
|
Photo |
Yamaha YDP 144 |
Casio Celviano AP 470 |
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88 Hammer Action Keys and touch response |
|
|
|
MIDI (for connection to the computer) |
|
|
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Bluetooth MIDI |
|
|
|
Sounds |
10 |
22 |
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Polyphony |
192 |
256 |
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Recording |
|
|
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USB Drive input |
|
|
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Dimensions (W x D x H) |
1357 x 815 x 422 mm |
1417 x 427 x 861 mm |
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Weight (kg) |
38 |
43,3 |
|
3 pedal unit with Sustain Pedal |
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|
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Sound input |
|
|
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Headphones outputs |
2 |
2 |
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Line output (good for Gigs) |
|
|
|
Duo Mode |
|
|
|
Split mode |
|
|
|
Layer function |
|
|
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Power of the speakers |
2 x 8W |
2 x 20W |
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Popularity, Sales |
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 |
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Brand Reputation and Materials, etc |
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(Only Europe)
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Best Piano Brands
There are many brands and various types of piano (ok, good for me) but with this article I hope to take away some of the confusion. When buying a digital piano from one of these legendary companies you will have seen that I recommend several brands in the quick tables before. Well, there is no more secret. Buy one of those. You can trust them,
Yamaha
Japanese brand that you will surely know and makes a lot of different products).
It has models of all kinds. From 150 euro beginner keyboards to ultra-famous digital pianos with synthesizer functions like the ultra-famous Yamaha Genos
Very interesting is their line of PSR electronic keyboards. In which you have cheap keyboards like the E series and other professionals like the S series with DJ functions.
Casio
You may associate this brand with medium-low quality electronic keyboards, but that is far from being the case. Casio manufactures many of the best-selling piano models in history in all kinds of ranges, although it is true that it is not strong in the field of synthesizers.
An example of its quality is the line of Celvianos digital pianos such as the AP 470 named above which is the most popular.
On the other hand you have best-selling basic keyboards like the Casio CTK 3500 that you will find in this selection of Casio keyboards and pianos.
Roland
The Roland brand has very mid and high-end digital pianos and thinks a lot about synthesizer keyboards. While Yamaha covers the whole spectrum, Roland focuses more on those kinds of music keyboards.
Here is a selection of Roland keyboards among which you will find very high models.
Kawai
Kawai focuses more on digital pianos that imitate acoustic pianos. It has a wide variety of digital pianos done with very high quality materials. People really like the feel of their digital pianos.
It does not compete with the others in cheap keyboards but in medium and high price pianos from 500 euros (600 USD) such as the kawai ES 110 is doing really well . Here is a selection of Kawai pianos. A brand that is committed to the quality of its materials.
Thomann
The leader in sales throughout Europe has launched a line of pianos such as the DP 26 and SP 320 that are very interesting for their price.
If you have the money I recommend the above brands but if you have a very limited budget they are a good option.
Brands to avoid
Brands like Alesis, Startone,… bufff… they have a good price but buying them really takes you to a very random quality. Really…please focus on the brands I’ve told you as good enough.
If you buy second-hand digital pianos of the good brands you can find advantageous offers but you have to know about pianos or go with someone who knows. For example, if there is a key that is about to break if you don’t have the knowledge and sensitivity to notice it, it will be a bad investment.
Review of the 4 digital pianos between 300 and 400 Euros (500 to 600 USD)
I’m going with the description of these pianos.
Yamaha P45 Digital Piano
An option to consider if your budget is a little limited. It is probably the most popular electronic piano in Europe and America. The Yamaha P45, for the price it has, can’t give more. The only thing that the Yamaha P45 fails in is no line output to connect to big sound equipment – the Yamaha P125 wins against the Yamaha P45 in this case – which we analyze later. You can use the headphone output to connect the Yamaha P45 to a small amp, but for other equipment you’ll need an extra power box.
Jaime Echagüe
Author
Advice:
From this post you can compare the prices of the most interesting pianos quickly because you have direct links to several stores. If you save this post in bookmarks or favorites of your browser you will have it available easily and accessible.
Even so, the Yamaha P45 is very competitive for its reduced price, its Hammer Action Keys GHS, sustain pedal, and extreme quality piano tones.
Below we show you a video where you can check how good its sounds are.
The Yamaha P45 is very portable, with less than 12 kg of weight; although it does not support triple pedal, it’s used by pianists of all levels due to its unbeatable price.
We advise you to take a look at our in-depth review of the Yamaha P45 .
This type of piano is usually available in black and white. If you ever see the letter B or W in the name, it refers to the color. In Europe check Thomann also apart Amazon. Below direct links:
Roland FP 10 Digital Piano (new)
A very interesting piano to compete in the 400 euro (500 USD) range. It is at the same level as the Yamaha P45 seen before and the Casio CDP S100 you will see later in this post.
It doesn’t replace the Roland Fp 30 completely because its purpose is different and I think they will live together for a long time.
It has the following outstanding features:
- 88 weighted keys and supernatural engine
- 15 sounds
- 96 maximum polyphony
- MIDI
- Sustain pedal
- Layering and split functions
- 6W speakers
You can see more comparisons in the review of this digital piano. The Yamaha P125 and several on the list are superior. You have to compare this one with the Casio CDp S100 and the Yamaha P45.
To buy it I advise your Amazon shop:
Or if you’re in Europe as usual, Thomann:
(NEW) CASIO CDP S100 Portable Digital Piano
Casio is stepping on portability with a piano that competes directly with the Yamaha P45 but gives you more for the same price.
It allows for batteries and weighs 1 kg less than the Yamaha P45.
Don’t miss my review of this keyboard which is the continuation of the Casio CDP 130, but in the background are different. At USA the Amazon link will redirect to its equivalent that is the Casio PX 160
Here your Amazon direct link in your country (in USA link below can redirect you to Casio CDP 240 in case Casio PX 160 is not available. It is another good option):
You can find it at a good price at Thomann:
And below a goo video review
Reviews of the 3 Digital Pianos that cost between 400 and 600 euros (500 to 700 USD)
These pianos are a little superior to the previous four. So let’s go with them:
Yamaha P125 Digital Piano and its predecessor the P115
This electronic piano or portable digital piano is an authentic cannon and one of the most purchased keyboards for people looking for great quality and good price.
The new Yamaha P125 really only enhances the P115 in that it has more piano sounds.
It contains a sustain pedal, headphones to study in silence, and has some quite powerful integrated speakers (7w x 2) so that you can take it to acoustic performances and you will not need an extra amplifier for small premises.
The sustain pedal is what allows you to keep the sound of the note playing even if you don’t press the key; a very important expressive resource of the piano. The Yamaha brand is extremely reliable and your instruments always leave the factory perfectly calibrated.
This piano is suitable for all levels.
The Hammer Action system on the keys is perfect for both student and professional, and serves as a studying classic. This electronic piano also comes with the pedal to hold the note and the charger. It differs from Yamaha P45 in that the sound has been sampled with more expensive technology.
The P45 is the most accepted among piano students; but the P125 is also ultra-popular among professionals for live music, as it has line output to connect to any mixer and PA – and only for a small price difference from the Yamaha P45. It has 192 polyphony voices, Reverb and Chorus effect, and different sounds apart from the normal piano – such as a Hammond type organ. It has a built-in metronome and an endless number of details to improve the technique. You can see this in the video below.
It also has the USB TO HOST, which serves as a MIDI interface to connect it to the music learning software. You can do things like record what you play on a MIDI track and then export that track in a single click to musical scores in the tone you want. It’s a purchase with a tremendous value for money, always keeping in mind that you value the portability of being a keyboard.
It comes with very interesting apps and a free 3 month subscription to the FlowKey interactive learning APP. Don’t hesitate to see our complete review of Yamaha P125. If you see it as Yamaha P125 B, the B only refers to the color black.
Direct links yo your Amazon shop with better price:
Like the Yamaha P45 the best place to buy the Yamaha P125 at Europe is Thomann:
ROLAND FP 30 Digital Piano (With Bluetooth MIDI)
A very valid alternative from a pioneer in the manufacture of digital pianos. It’s got 128-voice polyphony; that’s not bad at all. We remind you that polyphony is how many notes can sound at once. The Roland FP 30 comes with a sustain pedal and supports triple pedal unit as the Yamaha P125.
It stands out a lot in terms of touch, because it uses Roland’s technology of 5 intensities and has a very recommendable Grand Piano sound. It competes with the P125 mainly in touch, which is very pleasant and imitates the sound of an acoustic piano. It also has 11W speakers that are the most powerful on the market in its range. This can save you from carrying an extra amp in your small-format live shows.
It’s a portable digital piano, comes without support – which you have to buy separately – or you can use any table you have with the right height. Its price is quite competitive for the quality of its sound, and its Hammer Action keys. It has built-in USB-MIDI, so it can also be used as a MIDI controller.
Its 5-intensity Hammer Action is very powerful. It’s not easy to choose between a Yamaha P125 and a Roland FP 30 because although the Yamaha P125 wins in polyphony, the Roland is ahead in other things (it also has a built-in microphone). We analysed these differences in our review of the Roland FP 30.
To buy the Roland FP 30 the best links below:
Kawai Digital Piano ES110
It is Kawai’s direct asset to compete with the Roland FP30, Casio PX 160, and Yamaha P125. It has a very powerful Hammer Action system with Responsive Hammer that surpasses the Yamaha P125 and Roland FP 30.
It allows for a triple pedal unit and has a very powerful polyphony of 192 voices. On the other hand, it brings 19 extreme quality piano sounds. It has MIDI connectivity (not USB), but it has Bluetooth.
The Kawai ES 110 beats the Yamaha P125 in touch, but there is a notable price difference that can be around 50 euros (70 USD). Of course that difference can be felt in the touch. So the decision to buy one or the other we would based on your budget,.
To go to the Kawai ES110 you have to do another small jump.We leave you the following video that will serve you to hear the same piece played in a Yamaha P115 (old Yamaha P125), a Roland FP 30 and a Kawai ES110.
To buy it you can go to your nearest store, or if you want to buy it online because it is cheaper, the best for this keyboard is Thomann or your Amazon website:
And here it’s linked in Amazon:
Review with the 2 Best Digital Pianos with prices between 650 and 950 euros (750 USD to 1100 USD)
These digital pianos are more studio-oriented and have furniture although they are much lighter than an acoustic upright that can weigh up to 150 kg.
Yamaha YDP 144 Arius Digital Piano (old Yamaha YDP 143)
The bestseller in this field is the Yamaha YDP 144 of the famous Arius series. One more than enough piano for piano students who do not need to move the piano. Even so, it is much more manageable than an upright piano because it weighs 38 kg compared to 150 kg for an upright. Its benefits include:
- 192 Notes from polyphony
- Triple pedal unit , with this you can play what you need in classic
- 88 weighted keys and hyper-realistic matte black texture, with Hammer Action GHS
- 10 sounds with superior Pure CF Sound Engine technology
- USB MIDI and two headphone outputs for studying with the teacher or playing duets
What really makes this digital piano stand out from others like the Kawai ES110, or the Yamaha P115, and justifies a slightly higher price; is the amount of technology that accompanies it to emulate the piano vibration that is transmitted to the floor. Systems such as Intelligent Acoustic Control (IAC) or Acoustic Optimizer achieve this. All this for a price just under 750 euros (800$ USD).
If portability is not a determining factor and the intention is mainly classical conservatory study this may be the best option available today. Here’s a couple of demo videos of the Yamaha YDP 143 and the new one Yamaha YDP 144. The only difference is the sound quality – a little bit better in the new model.
What is the difference between Yamaha YDP 144 and YDP 143? Basically the sampling technology. The sound has a better quality in the new one, as we told you above.
This piano is easy to find for less than 700 euros (850 USD), mainly online. To ensure a correct transport choose a serious provider such as:
Digital Piano Casio Celviano AP-470 (old AP-460)
This is the new model of the Casio Celviano AP460:
- Two new piano sounds
- Steinway D
- Steinway Boston
- 4 New accompaniments for layer function
- Spatial audio
- Key on and key off simulations
- Best speaker system
- Best HALL simulations
This piano is the latest and most expensive of all the digital pianos we have selected. It is not the most bought, but it is a real hidden jewel at a good price.
The Celvians are much appreciated by many piano teachers for their students. Casio has overcome himself with the sound of this piano.
It’s a tremendous sense of reality because it has one of the most advanced digital Hammer Action systems out there. Don’t be fooled by its modest appearance, it’s one of the best digital pianos ever. It has strings and sticks to simulate a real piano, and the digital sound that comes out of your system doesn’t lose quality in compression. Its price is a little higher than the other models we have presented, but its proximity to the feeling of playing a real piano is tremendous.
It has MIDI support, synthetic ebony and ivory keys, recording and USB port, metronome, three pedals, 20W speakers, and headphone outputs. They’ve worked their way up to the top so it doesn’t get dusty. Apart from all the features that a digital piano of this price usually has, what is tremendous is its “Tri-Sensor II” system of massifs and velocity sensitivity. For now, the most powerful digital acoustic Hammer Action system on the market. We summarize its features here:
- 88 action keys Scaled Hammer Action II (Tri-Sensor) ebony/synthetic ivory
- 22 piano sounds with the new ones we have shown you before
- Multi-Dimensional Morphing AiR
- 256 polyphony voices (very powerful)
- Partition and layer functions
- DSP, chorus, ‘Brilliance’ and ‘Hall’ simulation
- 2 track sequencer
- It has a resonance effect and a hammer effect to better simulate the sensation of a real piano; imitating the vibrations you feel when you touch a real piano
- Cover and key deactivation simulator
- Audio Recording/Playback
- Of course it has metronome, transposer, etc, etc.
- Triple pedal for play in any level
- 2 headphone jacks
- USB to Host (this is the MIDI)
- USB to device
- 2 line outputs (L/Mono, R) with what it is worth to play live if necessary, although it is a little heavy compared to the portable digital pianos of the beginning
- 4 x 2 x 20W 2-way speakers (better than AP 460)
- Dimensions including music holder: 1417 x 427 x 861mm (height x width x depth)
- A weight of 43 kg compared to 150 that normal upright pianos can weigh; includes score book, music stand, headphone hook and AD-E24250LW power supply – although it has to be said that it doesn’t come with a stool.
The best place to buy this piano is Thomann Europe and your Amazon website:
Digital Piano Accessories
These musical instruments already come with everything you need but you can always improve some aspect like the pedal that comes in some of them, and especially when it’s been a while. What you’ll probably want, though, is a proper stand or stool.
The stands are accessories that usually come on sale with the packs or bundles, so if you buy it from the beginning you can save a lot of money. Although here we’re going to link those elements separately.
Pedal for keyboard and electronic piano
All electronic pianos of this selection come with at least one sustain pedal – the basic. And perfectly valid and true, is that in models such as the Yamaha P45, over time you can stay a little short and the truth is that they are very cheap accessories. On models like the Arius or the Celviano, don’t even think about it because they already come with a triple pedal unit that is more than enough.
You have the following good option as sustain pedal on Amazon. Although here we link you more variety of Amazon pedals:
Digital Piano Stands
There are several types of media and the truth is that they are important accessories for your keyboard or digital piano. In this type of product, it’s important to have a good support because if the support is not good, you’ll have a very uncomfortable vibration that isn’t pleasant when playing a piano. There are several very affordable models and undoubtedly the most sold is the next model of the Stagg brand:
If you buy it at Thomann, you have available very attractive packs or bundles that already come with the stand, and the truth is that people usually buy them because it saves a lot of money.
Piano bench and ergonomics tips
If you are going to practice a lot with the keyboard, it is very important to have a suitable stool. The height of your hands should be adequate so that you do not have to be forcing the position or you may develop tendinitis or other injuries while playing music for many hours.
Most people have different heights, but a digital piano stand will always have the same height. So it’s the stool that has to be adjustable. Of course if you have a filly and you find a stool with the right height that you need, that is perfect.
In our next post you are going to see several videos and postural tips to avoid injuries. I strongly encourage you to see it because for sure it gives you a lot and avoids future headaches… and back pain. Visit our ergonomics guide for playing the piano and how to choose the best piano stool.
The predominant color in the accessories is usually black, although you can find variations sometimes at different prices in this type of musical instruments.
If you want to know more about electronic pianos and the differences with keyboards, don’t hesitate to visit our guide to digital pianos.on the other hand we also recommend our guide to learn piano. With a lot of resources and interesting articles.
