Advice wanted - Roland/yamaha Digital piano..

[FunctionalSkills]

Hello!

Up til now my daughter has been learning on a keyboard (I know I know) at home. She's managed to pass grade 2 and we're looking at digital pianos. We have no space in the house for a real one and the electric one will have to go in her room so space is still a consideration!

Does anyone have any thoughts on Roland fp10 or yamaha p45? Is either better?

The showroom did also suggest fp30/p125 but I think they're beyond budget. Are fp10/yamaha p45 okay for practicing a few more grades on. It's not her main instrument as it's not orchestral buy she does love playing and wants to improve...

Any thoughts very welcome as I am not at all musical.

I changed my Kemble acoustic for a Kawai digital, and really like the touch.
However, they're not cheap.

The Fp10 and the p45 are around £360 mark so I'm hoping for feedback on that. (I know there's digital pianos that cost a lot more but this is quote a lot of money for us. She wants to play a third instrument that's expensive so looking to hire that one/see if an orchestra will lend - so very much not got the money to just go higher end)

we have the yamaha one and it's a good one.
both roland and yamaha are good brands with good resale value.

dc (roughly grade 5) practices on it but can also use a grand or upright piano at school.

The p45? Roughly £360 one? That's great to know she's grade 5 and it's okay! I think my child could practice at school if she wanted...!

Does your DD's piano teacher have a recommendation? A family member who's a professional pianist bought us a Kawai digital as a wedding present after going and testing them in Forsyth's showroom in Manchester. They felt it was the best fit for what we need, as well as having a lovely sound and natural feel.

We have a Yamaha P45 which DD learns piano with. More for fun than grades. I'm not sure if either is better than the other but just wanted to say the folding stand is useless, so you may need to factor in the cost of a proper one.

yes the p45 (I think) bought it about 10 years ago.

we didn't want to spend too much as we didn't know if dc wanted to keep af it but they really like to impress their friends play!

and yes to the piano stand for it. the folding stand is not very friendly for daily use.

Thanks all. Her piano teacher has a Proper Piano so this is just for practice on - it's helpful for me to hear from people with one of these instead of a Proper Piano!

She is also doing gcse music so it will be useful for that ( I think? Not her first instrument)

We have a yahama Arius I think it’s called cost nearly £1000 we all love her dearly!

biggars.co.uk/collections/upright-digital-pianos/products/yamaha-ydps55wh-white-satin-arius-slimline-digital-piano

this is ours and it is one of the best things ever ever brought (except the dog!)

That looks amazing! Quite a bit beyond our budget unfortunately.

It seems the Roland fp10 is newer than the yamaha and can be used with an app to record which the yamaha can't do and she might want (or she might just record on her phone anyway tbf ..)

also look second hand.

I have a Roland digital piano, it's really good and I can play it with headphones so nobody needs to hear all my mistakes :)

Yamaha were more expensive when I was looking for one but that might have changed.

Mine is like this one (in light oak): www.roland.com/uk/products/hp700_series/hp702/

I had a keyboard until I got to grade 2 as well :)

Oooh nice!

There doesn't seem much difference in price at all at the lower end and reviews slightly in favour of Roland as its newer/some reviewers prefer the sound.

I think we'll go back and ask the person some questions too but hopefully the fp10 will take her a few more grades and be "good enough" for what she needs.

Now anyone want to give us an oboe 🤣

I have a Roland (Rp 107) and love it. And my family love it when I have my headphones plugged in
It does feel different to a real accoustic piano, but not in a bad way..just a bit lighter to play. I'd love a real accoustic but don't have the space and the Roland is slim :)

Oooh that looks so nice. It's the next price band up from mine so probably not what we can do - it does look nice and has the proper pedals too. I like that it's slim!

I do think if you can run to it, having 'proper' pedals really make a difference:)
(I say that as an adult learner so frankly I still sound pretty dreadful however!)

www.gear4music.com/Keyboards-and-Pianos/DP-10X-Digital-Piano-by-Gear4music-and-Accessory-Pack-Matte-Black/Z2E?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=order-dispatch&utm_source=txn-email&utm_content=ord-line

We got this one for my 12 year old last year, it has the pedals and the "hammer" effect (sorry, I'm not musical!!)

Oooh was going to say we weren't in the market for the proper pedals as that seems the 600 plus mark in the shop. But that gear4music one does! But isn't a "brand" . It does more...

I was pretty much at the fp10 !

I used to teach piano (briefly)

It's absolutely vital that the keys are weighted and that what you buy has pedals, if you see your child progressingng to at least grade 5. I'd get a second hand Clavinova or Kawai with weighted keys, rather than a new one without. It's vital that whatever digital piano you get has keys that feel like, and have the weight of, 'real' piano keys.

Some prices for second hand ones. You probably don't want to buy from ebay unless there's one for sale very near you. But when I was looking for one for my daughter, I looked at various sites like Gumtree and Facebook msrketplace, and found one a mile away from me.

www.ebay.co.uk/b/Yamaha-Clavinova-Clp/85860/bn_7023486062

I think it's a rare person who has experience of both and can compare them for you. Most plump for one keyboard or another. I have a Yamaha P45 cost about £300 new in a sale 3 years ago. It's been fine for me up to grade 6.

Weighted keys is what I meant, not hammers!!!!

We've bought Gear4 music instruments for both our DC when they first started lessons. They are great for entry level music.

Yup both have weighted keys/piano feel and 88 keys thankfully (what we were looking for in the move "up" from a keyboard.)

I just thought other people who were in my position may have been looking at the same options.

Wow well done getting to grade 6! That means you did okay without 3 pedals? I'm guessing that's about as far as my daughter might get (its not her main instrument) and if we get the roland it's similar to the yamaha p45.

We'll go back tomorrow and have another go on both. They're the same price currently (not quote as good as 300!)

Thanks everyone. I've told her when she has her own house she'll probably have space for a proper digital piano but this would do for now. She's over the moon at getting one ! (She still got a merit at grade 2 despite not having enough keys for one of the pieces...)