Digital piano recommendations

[Thistledew]

I’m contemplating buying a digital piano for DS. He will be starting doing his grades this year and will be performing in a small music festival so will need to get used to a proper piano keyboard rather than the electronic keyboard he has been learning on for the last 9 months.

Could anyone recommend a brand to me? I would ideally like to spend less than £500.

What is the difference between a weighted and semi-weighted keyboard? I am assuming that if he needs to get used to playing on a proper piano I should look for a fully weighted model?

Facebook market place has several real pianos advertised for free or for very little- but I’m worried about buying something that can’t hold a tuning. If I did decide to get a real piano, what steps should I take to make sure I don’t end up with a dud?

Real pianos need tuning at least one a year -£80 a year
and you need to keep them carefully - out of direct sun, away from any heat extremes or rapid changes. Or the tuning goes. And then you can be hitting the right notes and it sounds awful.

And you may spend more getting a specialist mover than you do on the piano if you get from Facebook They are seriously heavy.

electric means headphones are an option which avoid disturbing the whole household

your piano teacher should be able to advise

Kawai and Rowland have god reps at the 500 mark

ideally get into a store and play some - Yamaha also has a good rep but the sound is quite a bit brighter which may or may not appeal. Don’t play the more expensive ones - just the cheaper end of each brand

If he is going to use it as a piano you need the touch to be as it is with a regular piano. Yamaha have some very good digital pianos - the weighting and touch feels just as a normal percussive piano.

Regular pianos are being given away because so many people have moved to the lighter weight/form digital pianos - they can still be very good instruments. You will need to get it tuned annually - its worth finding a tuner first and asking them to look at any piano you are considering, just as you might pay the AA to do a car check for you. You could also consider looking for second hand digitals.

I would start by talking to your son’s piano teacher. Local music teachers generally know where instruments are being sold/upgraded and may even know the instrument in question.

If you have somewhere you can try them out, take a pair of headphones and play and listen to the options.

My personal recommendation would be Roland.

I have a new digital piano. Have been using Simply Piano but am thinking of a subscription to Flowkey