Is Buying a Digital Piano Worth It? - Let's Talk

[@WeBuild4Life]

I played on a keyboard for 20 years, and just got my first real acoustic piano. I tried all the flagship digital, and Nothing Compares. There's definitely a time and place for digital, and an acoustic definitely takes a lot more upkeep. But the acoustic is just that much better imo.

[@JitinMisra]

which acoustic make and model do you own? is it an upright or grand? I kind of feel like acoustic is worth it if you can get a grand

[@WeBuild4Life]

@@JitinMisra I got a Yamaha U3, the sound is incredible, better than any grand I've played on. Action is very good but maybe not as good as some grands.

[@JitinMisra]

@@WeBuild4Life What year is the u3?

[@WeBuild4Life]

@@JitinMisra 2021, brand new.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

​@@WeBuild4Life Digital pianos have improved over the last several years to make them feel like their acoustic counterparts. How about a CP-80 Electric Baby Grand Piano?

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Digital Pianos have improved over the years and actually I've converted my Acoustic Piano to play like a Digital Piano by using a Tubular Pneumatic action from an Aeolian Orchestrelle Automatic Reed Organ.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

What if all Acoustic Pianos were converted to where the Vibration wouldn't come back through the Keys anymore by having extra felt attached to them?

[@quiethumour9856]

As a hobbyist wood worker, cabinet builder, furniture refinisher, I love imperfection. Nature comes with scars and blisters. Perfection is God's realm, I live elsewhere at the moment. So no matter, acoustic or digital, it's all far from perfection. Digital is only a copy of imperfection.

[@jtxty9010]

Reminds me when people compairing digital camera vs SLR 20 years ago...

[@thomasbrown7980]

Being a raw beginner only 2 years into learning piano, the Yamaha p515 gives me what I need to learn, of course, playing my teacher’s restored 1920s Steinway Grand is a different experience but, as a retired person I have neither the means nor space for a “real” piano nor do I want to be tuning the instrument. My teacher had a heating malfunction in her home for a single night and at my next lesson even I could tell the difference-including one key that didn’t spring back properly. If I live long enough to move beyond the 515 (an actual concern) I will be looking at a hybrid or top digital. Your talking of a digital as a “piano simulator” is well taken, after all, the introduction of vibrations and increasingly sophisticated hardware and software is to make you “almost feel the (nonexistent) strings” or “cabinet resonance”. In a small way it is why I wear a “real” mechanical watch even though a smart watch, or even a quartz watch, has vastly superior time keeping. Thanks for the interesting perspective . The Phillip K. Dick reference was hilarious.

[@tedbarsalou833]

Give us a call when you're ready to upgrade!! The P515 is a great unit, you're gonna be picky about what you like and may tend to higher desires.

[@princessl.d.g.]

I'm going to be getting the Yamaha p515 soon

[@midnight4109]

I am in the prep phase working towards level 1. It seems that the diversity of experience is an important learning tool, regardless of which piano is the favorite. My teacher who is a professional has a restored earlier Steinway while I practice on my professional upright. So I am looking forward to the digital experience.

[@princessl.d.g.]

@@midnight4109 Good luck. :)

[@tylersimpkins8186]

I have a kawai cp 207 and i love it, it has a functional sound board and a real piano action. Its like playing a real grand piano.

[@jacquelinerubin8274]

This is a very interesting and informative video. I have also followed all the comments so far and I have a few of my own. Of course a good acoustic piano in proper working order is the preferred instrument for most if not all serious pianists. And the privacy and many options that a digital provides is extremely helpful and also enjoyable. I have been a lifelong acoustic pianist who never imagined I would enjoy a digital until my acoustic baby grand’s action and dynamic range became uneven and very limited needing repairs that have not been done as yet. After performing on a Yamaha Clavinova CLP 635 for the past few years I bought a new CLP 745 last June. So far I am generally pleased and the digital does what I expect it to do. Of course if I had an acoustic in good shape I would prefer it but I would also enjoy the digital for the versatility. I believe every serious pianist if possible should have both types of pianos. As you said Ted, we take our skills with us and have to perform on whatever piano is available. Having both types of pianos at home makes us more versatile and better musicians which is the point. I believe these digitals give affordability, versatility and the ability to practice 24X7 to pianists which is so crucial to being able to learn our vast repertoire.

[@bsylvia1]

Your videos are always interesting, with insightful prospectives. Many thanks! In my case, although I enjoyed playing an older acoustic piano, the cost of maintaining it is prohibitive, so a digital piano just makes more sense. Be well and keep up the videos.

[@georgeservian9383]

I've been learning for less than 2 years, and I spend most of my practice time on my Yamaha P-125 digital. But when it's time to just play my favorites I prefer my 1986 Kimball upright acoustic.

[@joemaniscalco780]

I've been playing accordion for 50+ years. I own a digital accordion purchased a couple of product generations ago. The newer digital accordions blow my ten year old digital accordion away. The digital accordion never needs tuning and sounds the same as it did when I bought it. That is it sounds like a digital then and still does. Unlike acoustic accordions, my digital accordion continues to go down in value. The acoustic accordion I bought new five years ago now sells for the same price I paid--but used! All the same plusses and minuses you both discuss. There are definite improvements made in playability and sampling quality in the newer digital accordions., though the newest model is due for a software upgrade. Perhaps my family would sadly favor my digital, since when I use the headphones, they can't hear me. (Sigh) Great video guys!

[@tedbarsalou833]

As a teenager, my Fender Rhodes suitcase and a pair of headphones spelled relief to my family. They were tired of hearing me (sigh).

[@gc13videos67]

I really enjoyed this video. I watch most of them, and this is one of the best by far -- maybe because I agree with so much that was said regarding the difference between acoustic and digital pianos. I own both and play on both, but I much prefer playing on an acoustic because of the "soul" of the instrument. Digital is nice because of the consistency. There's nothing worse than playing a bad acoustic piano. However, there's a "vanilla" experience that comes from playing digital. On a digital, the player does not have the level of variation in expressive control that can be achieved on an acoustic that is in tune, voiced and regulated to it's top performance level. You talked about the fact that many believe that each piano has it's own "soul". I agree. There's the natural capabilities of the materials, then the soul of those who built it and the soul of the technician who has prepared it. No 2 are alike. I've seen a master technician transform a "bad" instrument into a concert-level piano in a matter of hours. The performance given becomes the connection of the soul of the player with the soul of the instrument. Then you mentioned the fact that when the keys are press on a digital, it plays a pre-recorded sound. The specific recording of each note that is played is determined upon the sound selected which is based the velocity that the key is played with - the way the note is played. The velocity and recordings stored for each note are limited on a digital, so you're only going to get a few sound variations for each note. The expressiveness in the sounds that can be released from an acoustic piano is virtually limitless because there are literally limitless ways that a note can be played by any given player. Then multiply that by the variations of expressiveness by the countless number of players who might play any given piano. It's mindboggling. So tying the 2 together, the recorded sound that is triggered by the player on a digital is a recording of an acoustic piano which is the performance captured in those pre-recorded sounds - the connection of the soul of player on the recording connected to the soul of the instrument recorded. I believe this limits the ability of the player to connect with a digital piano. Maybe those who've never spent any time with an great acoustic piano don't notice the difference as much, but when you're accustomed to playing an acoustic, the difference is glaring. Just my thoughts.

[@tedbarsalou833]

The "vanilla" of a digital piano is a fine phrase!! Agree with your thoughts.

[@midnight4109]

Very thoughtful comment and I don't know much about digital pianos. That is going to change as I delve into the digital realm not knowing what to expect.

[@tonmaster189]

But there are digital pianos that have different samples of pressing level or even generate tones (dynamically) according to velocity based off sample. Although it couldn't compares to acoustic it is very sophisticated for beginners.

[@midnight4109]

@@tonmaster189 Each seems to have a somewhat distinct sound, not unlike acoustic pianos. I definitely prefer Yamaha overall in most price ranges.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Digital pianos always stay in tune so it saves money, they've improved them over the years and now they feel like their Acoustic counterparts.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

My Acoustic Piano doesn't have the Vibration come through the keys because they have lots of felt

[@katieharper1206]

I'm shopping for a digital to replace an older acoustic spinet, and I just have to say that not all acoustic pianos are created equal, so it is sometimes annoying to hear "digital versus acoustic" because the comparison is much more complicated. My 1960 spinet is hard to play and hard to keep tuned, so it is not at all comparable to a Yamaha grand, for example. Right now, it seems like even a mid-range digital would be a step up, at least from what I have researched so far and in my budget range (under $1500).

[@Paul-lm5gv]

I just purchased an AODSK B-83S 88-weighted key digital piano with a nice black upright piano looking stand (3 foot pedals & stylish music shelf) for our recent college graduate. We wanted something that looks and sounds great, but not too expensive, in case she loses interest and we have to sell it. I also bought the matching padded bench and the whole thing looks great! Total cost (2024) $400. NO WAY I COULD HAVE AFFORDED A COMPARABLE ACOUSTIC PIANO.

[@adrianzapata743]

That Yamaha NU1 Digital Upright has a Beautiful Lovely tone and crisp treble.

[@jaytc3218]

Wow. What an engaging conversation. Everyone has their opinions about this topic including me. So here are some of my thoughts. First, in my home studio I play guitar (both acoustic and electric) and I have a keyboard rig that includes a Roland stage piano and a workstation. On the acoustic guitar side of the house, I have 2 nylon string guitars. As everyone knows, nylon is a synthetic material. Before nylon, all classical/Flamenco guitar strings were made from animal gut because that's all that was available. And there is this idea that the more organic materials you have in the building of the instrument, the more "soul" it will have. This goes for nuts, saddles, and bridge pins (bone material vs Tusq; I'm not opposed to bone but I prefer Tusq for its consistency). But guess what. Today, practically nobody uses gut strings. The vast majority of players use nylon/synthetic strings. Why? Because gut strings don't deliver the same consistency that synthetic strings can. At the end of the day, most recordings are made with nylon strings. Nobody longs for the "good ol' days" of gut strings. And practically nobody uses pitch pipes to tune up. Digital tuners are the standard. Get my point? Second, I'll give my thoughts on digital vs acoustic pianos. In the home environment, digital pianos are an affordable way for beginning students to get into playing music. It is true that a digital piano at the lower end of the price point spectrum will not come anywhere close to an acoustic piano. But the same goes for any other product. Entry-level guitars with laminate woods and cheap glues and cheap tuners are made to be affordable. I think the same thing about digital pianos. There are lots of other factors to consider about the nature of acoustic instruments like the size of the room and the acoustic treatment (corner bass traps, diffusers, etc). A small room with poor acoustic treatment spells bad news for any acoustic instrument. I could go on and on but I think most of us understand the pros and cons. Affordability, portability, use of headphones to practice quietly, etc. At the end of the day, IMHO, the pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to digital pianos.

[@pianomanic71]

I agree, I think all the pure digital stuff is always on its way to being obsolete in short order where my acoustic grand piano after 10 years is just getting broken in. I do also use a different kind of hybrid not mentioned here, which is an acoustic piano with digital functions. Yamaha makes one called the Silent Piano and Kawai makes the Aures or Anytime piano which is probably the best one out there. I noticed Yamaha Silent piano series tries to keep the feature set skinny so it doesn't interfere with the sales of it's high end digital, whereas the Kawai ones give you the functionality of their high end CA series digitals. I thought it was smart move for me since the acoustic part of the instrument never really becomes obsolete.

[@qwincyq6412]

The weakest link seems to be not the digital sampling but the quality of the speakers reproducing the sounds. The small speakers in a digital piano are so limited in their dynamic range

[@tedbarsalou833]

I always thought great headphones are the true redeemer of quality in a digital piano!!

[@midnight4109]

Thank you. You have answered some of the questions about what the lure is to the digital piano. Every time I play one of them there is always something missing from the sound. Then someone shows me one that is better, except for the price. But still disappointing sound. And yet I am waiting for delivery of a CLP785 which is at the absolute edge of what I will spend. My Tesla is electric but it really is a car. I have yet to convince myself that I am getting a real piano but plan to keep my acoustic anyway. We will see what my skill set says later.

[@SeaDrive300]

"Do digital pianos dream of acoustic strings?" Hahahaha, good question! If I were a digital piano, I would dream of a C. Bechstein D 282, but that's just me! :-)

[@motorbikeray]

I want to own an acoustic piano but I live in a sub-600 sq/ft studio unit on the third floor of an apartment building made in the early 1970s. Playing and practicing on an acoustic piano would generate lots of complaints from my neighbors. Because of my living situation I play and practice piano on a Yamaha Arius YDP-142 digital piano at home. I take piano classes at my local community college twice/week, which lets me practice at least 3 hours each week on a Yamaha G3E grand piano in one of almost two-dozen school piano practice rooms.

[@katiegrundle9900]

i live in a 500 sq foot studio, and a have 4 pianos. one spinet, 2 55 ich uprights and a 4 foot 5 inch little grand. you can do it

[@thefreemarketeer765]

My honest opinion is that a good digital, 775, 785, CA99, now sounds superior to any upright acoustic piano today. Does it sound like a full-size Yamaha grand yes, is it quite as good no but they are getting so close.

[@steamline4597]

Sorry, I completely disagree with you, IMO even the best digitals like CA99 sound worse than cheapest upright, because the sound is just not natural, I had upright piano which i sold for 200$, then I bought CA59, the only thing better in CA59 is the action, the sound is awful, speakers are bad, especially on the high volume, It's a bit better on headphones but the sound is not as rich. To sum up, nothing can compare to real piano, the vibration you get from the entire instrument, the dynamic range.

[@Hk-uw8my]

It might sounds better than a poor upright... yes bad acoustic pianos actually exist. But it doesn't beat any normal pianos. Just take a seat and play on both.On one of them you ll hear something magical.

[@keys6]

@@steamline4597 totally agree,.

[@KlavierKannNichtMehr]

Disagree - your comments are only true if you are comparing a good - good - acoustic with a mid-range digital. Obviously you cannot compare an nv5 with a steinway grand. The same applies to guitars, and then you are talking about really big money, made specially for you. AND - all this is only relevant when you are a top professional performer.

[@phildoethedildoe]

Ya know....as described in the video....you can't beat a true, real acustic piano, be it a spinet, Mid-upright or Concert Grand...However....That Yamaha NU1 sure sounds beautiful in it's own right.

[@tedbarsalou833]

Them are nice, perfect for a permanent gig, real solid!!

[@midnight4109]

I had never heard the NU1 before and am impressed although I believe that it's out of my price range. I wonder how much better the sound quality is compared to a high end Clarinova. I am not good enough to appreciate the difference in the keyboards.

[@GospelMusic4Life]

It’s funny vibration is being mentioned as I was comparing at yamaha psr ew300 today and testing with a casio ct s410. I was thinking something feels different playing the yamaha like there was more umph to it then i realized it was louder. I then played with the volume on both and the umph wasn’t there when i turned the yamaha down. They both sounded similar from there so how and instrument is built makes a difference. I used to say not a real piano but a digital piano is a piano just different. I have not played an acoustic piano in a while but I prefer digital/software pianos now although I still love acoustic. I like having so many pianos at my disposal. Also if you’ve never played an acoustic piano one would probably say there is something about this digital piano/software that is different from the other.

[@katiegrundle9900]

so i have a yamaha p125 with ivory 2 and garratin vsts with nice powered speakers. i also have an old 1950s Mason and risch Cameo piano. My acoustic piano blows it out of the water. I want to sit down and play not turn things on and waste time with a bunch of settings trying to emolate a real piano when i can play i real piano. If i played a digital , id be a poser. Am i right guys

[@christianbond1561]

I’ve been watching Chris and Cooper lol so glad I found this side of Alamo music 😁😁😁

[@ronvaliant9337]

I have both a digital and acoustic piano and I prefer the digital for audio quality.

[@giussepemusicgaudenzi]

Wtf

[@midnight4109]

I would be curious to know what pianos you own in both digital and acoustic.

[@shengliang2105]

Said no one ever..

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

​@@midnight4109Today's digital pianos now feel like their Acoustic counterparts

[@twokuyas3936]

They say that the kawai novus10s simulates vibration. I don't if its true

[@tedbarsalou833]

it is true and when you play one you'll probably want one.

[@warrens.6229]

Well then, is a Fender Stratocaster a real guitar? It has vibrating strings but the sound is produced electrically albeit not digitally. I don't quibble with the idea that a digital piano is not a grand piano, but it is most definitely a musical instrument.

[@airgunsandstuffyorkshire269]

A good idea for a "hybrid" piano would to have it truly hybrid. 1 minute its a real acoustic instrument then flip a switch and play using headphones without waking up the kids. Dose such an instrument exists? It would be so amazing to have the best of both.

[@101Checks]

Yamaha has some. I think the other Japanese guys do as well.

[@kennethteo7974]

If u want to do audio recordings, digital pianos are great. If you want true sounds while playing live, no doubt is a good acoustic piano. I have a Yamaha U3 and digital piano P121. P121 is great and convenient for doing audio recordings in wav format, great sounds. But U3 has a soul in it, beautiful resonance which digital piano cannot give. The sad thing is as material cost rises, acoustic pianos become less affordable and more people go for digital pianos. While digital pianos sound good, cheaper and more convenient, the real sounds and resonance of acoustic pianos are getting less appreciated by people.

[@Piddeaux]

Skill builder PLUS one can practice without bothering the household. . . even though the household is only one other person.

[@sebastianvonderbeeck7707]

Great Video and very refreshing to hear some rather critical thoughts that shape out the difference between accoustic and digital. But if you say "The soul is in the wood" why shouldn't the soul be in the soundchip/modelling algorithm as well? Or in the speaker system, amplifier... ;-) After all, they are all produced and/or designed by humans with a passion. But I love your point about the soul of an accoustic instrument vs. a sound pc with attached keyboard.

[@tedbarsalou833]

Your soundchip/modeling algorithm description of soul sounds sterile, ironically....digital?!

[@peterf90]

Absolutely, though the problem I have with acoustics is they are too loud for my taste. I mean they’re no doubt ok when played by an expert player but most people don’t play very well and practicing with a lot of sound coming at you can be very annoying to yourself let alone other people in the area.

[@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12]

@@peterf90 apparently most modern acoustic uprights I came across were pritty quiet for some reason🎹🎶

[@erniepadilla9596]

What's the name of that song you played? I hear that a lot on piano tests and can't seem to locate it. thanks

[@tedbarsalou833]

FLYING by the Beatles.

[@erniepadilla9596]

@@tedbarsalou833 thanks

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

​@@tedbarsalou833I Played that song on a Harmoniccordion, it's an Accordion with Harmonica Reeds.

[@paulinzwitserland1110]

What about the; Kawai CA 99 ?

[@tenjouin1]

Thank you for an interesting discussion. I wonder if there will come a day when acoustic pianos will be forgotten as relics and they become extremely rare and precious. I practice casually a little as a hobby that I restarted. I have two fairly lousy acoustic pianos back home, the other one, a Finnish one of them I bought as the first one is even more horrible Soviet piano, although with the Soviet one I learned the playing basics some 40 years ago when I was kid. At my wife's place I have a Roland Rp101 digital piano with which I have been playing since the restart. At my work in school I practice a Soviet or Estonian concert grand of mediocre quality and two Finnish upright pianos that are also rather poor sound. However, all these acoustic pianos clearly show that my digital piano is not the best one although it sounds the best compared to the others. But it does not have that real action and feel nor the imperfectness of these acoustic ones. It is sterile. I dream of buying a good acoustic piano one day, a Yamaha for example. Thanks for your good informative and very pedagogical videos. 👍

[@NN-rn1oz]

You referenced Philip K. Dick!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

There's a new one, the Hybrid Piano.

[@marymissmary]

My digital piano is like auto tune😱😂. (I’m only two years into my piano playing journey, living in a tiny space. Maybe when my musicianship develops more I’ll get an acoustic piano😊)

[@prron89]

Try a flight simulator on VR.

[@frankmarsh1159]

When you play a chord on a digital piano you are playing multiple samples of single notes. When you play a chord on a real piano you are playing multiple notes all vibrating in sympatico. If you could somehow play samples of chords then digital pianos would sound much more realistic.

[@dsoule4902]

"It's like a piano, but..."