I’m a music teacher & professional musician who has made more than 500 keyboard & digital piano reviews & comparisons on my channel and I’m going to help you pick a keyboard, digital piano or MIDI controller that best suits your budget and the type of music you want to create. Before I begin, here’s a quick tip. If you are an absolute beginner, don’t spend too much on your very first keyboard. You don’t need an expensive keyboard to learn the basics. However, if you can stretch your budget to buy a mid-tier piano keyboard, you will find that they sound much better, have better key action, are more solidly built and have a higher resale value. If you are mostly interested in learning and playing piano pieces, get a digital piano on my list that has 88 weighted keys. If you are more into contemporary pop, rock, jazz & world music or playing with a band, a synth action keyboard is lightweight, cheaper and better for playing non-piano sounds. A MIDI controller keyboard does not come with any onboard sounds. Instead, you use a MIDI keyboard to control virtual instruments and music production software that is installed on your computer, iPad or smartphone. This review is not sponsored and I paid for these keyboards. The prices I mention are accurate as at the time of making this post.
$100+
The beginner keyboard with the biggest bang for your buck is the $199 Yamaha’s PSR-E383. It comes with 61 touch sensitive synth action keys, 650 sounds - which can be layered and split, more than 60 DSP effects and 260 rhythm accompaniments using Yamaha’s time tested AWM sampling technology. There are music lessons built into the keyboard and you can use the onboard speakers or plug in a pair of headphones. To record your performances, there’s a 2 track song recorder and it can be powered with an electrical outlet or using 6 “AA” batteries. The USB port supports both MIDI & digital audio for use with music learning apps and music production software. For $100 more, there’s the 76-keys version PSR-EW320 - great for playing piano pieces or the key-lights version EZ310 - which lights up the keys to show you which notes to press.
If producing contemporary digital music using virtual instruments and multi-track recording software is more your cup of tea, you won’t go wrong with the $100+ Impact GX61 MIDI controller keyboard from Nektar. It has 61 touch sensitive synth action keys, DAW transport controls, advanced MIDI integration right out of the box for 10 of the most popular music production software including the bundled 8-track sequencer from Bitwig.
My full review, sound demo and best prices for these $100+ keyboards can be found here.
$200+
At $219, the Casio CT-S1 is a fantastic 61 keys keyboard for those who want one of the best key actions and studio quality sounds at an affordable price in an ultra-portable form factor without all the bells & whistles. You get 61 of the most usable studio quality tones powered by Casio’s latest AiX sound chip. These sounds can be layered and there are more than a few dozen reverb & DSP effects. A power adaptor or 6 “AA” batteries power the onboard speakers and you can plug in a pair of headphones. The micro-USB port supports MIDI for music learning apps and with a Bluetooth adaptor you get wireless MIDI and audio streaming.
For an additional $30 more than the CT-S1, the Casio CT-S400 in a similar ultra-portable design gets you 600 tones which can be layered and split and 200 rhythm accompaniments for you to jam along with. You get a good variety of reverb and DSP effects, a 6 track song recorder and 32 user memory to store your settings. The keyboard can be powered with 6 “AA” batteries or with a power adaptor and you can use the onboard speakers or a pair of headphones. A micro-USB MIDI port lets you connect to music learning apps and a Bluetooth adaptor gets you wireless MIDI and audio streaming.
For $299, there’s the Yamaha EZ310 and PSR-EW320. The EZ310 is the key-lights version of the PSR-E383 I talked about earlier on my list. It is pretty much identical to the PSR-E383 except for the colour - white instead of black and you get an additional 27 preset songs for use with the key light and lesson features. The Yamaha PSR-EW320 is also identical to the PSR-E383 but with 76 instead of 61 keys with everything else remaining the same. The PSR-EW320 is a good choice if you want the extra 15 keys for your piano repertoire.
For digital music producers, the $269 Arturia Keylab Essential 61 MK3 is an excellent choice. The 61 keys MIDI controller comes with a great velocity sensitive hybrid synth-piano key action, a rotary knob, 9 encoders, 9 faders, transport switches, modulation and pitch bend wheels and 8 pressure sensitive pads for finger drumming or triggering scenes. More than 2,000 sounds and virtual instruments from Arturia, Native Instruments & UVI that cost up to $1,000 are bundled with the controller keyboard together with the industry leading music production software Ableton Live Lite.
My in-depth review, sound demo and best prices for these $200+ keyboards can be found here.
$300+
For $349, Roland’s latest GO:Keys 3 keyboard is unbeatable. Packed with more than 1,154 instrument sounds - powered by Roland’s flagship Zen-Core sound engine - which can be layered and split across the keyboard, 203 performance ready rhythm accompaniments, a user definable chord sequencer, more than 100 effects, 256 user programmable settings, onboard speakers and user expandable sound & rhythms packs using Roland SoundCloud, you will not find a more value for money & competent 61-key keyboard at this price. With both USB & Bluetooth, you get both wired & wireless MIDI & audio streaming for use with music learning apps & music production software. The onboard song recorder records both MIDI & digital audio which is great for sharing online and this keyboard can be powered with batteries or a power adaptor. The GO:Keys 3 is available in 3 beautiful colours to fit your style.
Also at $349 is the Korg Liano, the best sounding ultra lightweight 88-key digital piano at this price. With 8 studio quality Italian & German piano & electric piano samples and loads of bundled virtual instruments, this is a keyboard built specifically for piano players. You get reverb & chorus effects, onboard speakers, a headphones jack, a sustain pedal input and a USB port that handles both MIDI & digital audio - great for music learning apps and music production software. The keyboard can be powered with 6 “AA” batteries or a power adaptor and it’s available in 6 striking colours.
If you need an affordable 88-weighted keys digital piano and do not need portability, the Donner DEP-20 at just $350 is a great bargain. With 238 instrument sounds which can be layered and split across the keyboard, 200 rhythm accompaniments, onboard song recorder, powerful speakers, a headphones jack and USB MIDI for connecting to music apps, the Donner DEP-20 gives tremendous value for an absolute beginner.
If you pay $29 more, get the Alesis Recital Pro. At $379, you get 88 touch sensitive weighted piano style keys and 12 piano, electric piano and organ sounds which can be layered or split across the keyboard. A simple song recorder, sustain pedal jack, reverb & chorus effects, headphones jack and USB MIDI for use with music learning apps and music production software is included. The onboard speakers can be powered with a power adaptor or with 6 “D” size batteries. You may find cheaper China brand 88 weighted keys digital pianos but do yourself a favour and don’t be penny wise and pound foolish.
For the digital music producer who is more focused on piano repertoire, the $399 Arturia Keylab Essential 88 MK3 is what you’re looking for. It is identical to the $269 Keylab Essential 61 MK3 I talked about earlier, but with more keys and is an absolute bargain for those who require 88-keys.
Check here for my in-depth review, sound demo and best prices for these $300+ keyboards.
$400+
2 of the best keyboards in the $400+ category are the $499 Roland GO:Keys 5 & $489 Yamaha PSR-EW425. The Yamaha has 76 keys whereas the Roland has 61 keys but the Roland has 1,154 sounds versus the 820 sounds on the Yamaha. The Yamaha has more accompaniment styles - 290 versus the 203 rhythms on the Roland but the GO:Keys 5 gives you 4 variations for each style and it’s really easy to expand the sounds and rhythm accompaniments on the Roland using CloudConnect. The Yamaha PSR-EW425 has more powerful onboard speakers and has 2 live control knobs which the Roland does not have. While both can record songs on MIDI and digital audio, only the Roland has the option for Bluetooth wireless connectivity.
The Alesis Recital Grand, also sold as the Alesis Prestige in some markets, is the only 88 graded hammer action digital pianos in the $400+ price category I can recommend. You get 16 high quality multi-sampled piano and electric piano sounds which can be layered and split across the keyboard, a powerful 50 watt array speaker system, dual headphone jacks, triple pedal support and a USB MIDI port for use with music learning apps.
You can find my demonstration of the sounds and my in-depth review of these $400+ keyboards and digital pianos here.
$500+
$599 seems to be the sweet spot for a solid beginner 88 graded hammer action digital piano. You won’t go wrong with either the Roland FP-10, Yamaha P-145 or Casio PX-S1100. The Roland FP-10 has 36 instrument sounds, the most number in this category and the Yamaha has the least at just 10 sounds, but the Casio has the highest polyphony at 192 notes. The Casio PX-S1100 is also the most compact, lightweight and can be battery operated whereas the other 2 can only be powered off an electrical outlet.
I prefer the key action of the Roland FP-10 but the Casio has a lighter action which beginners may benefit from. They all have headphones jack and onboard speakers but the amplification on the Casio is the most powerful of the 3. Both the Roland FP-10 and Casio PX-S1100 have both USB MIDI and wireless Bluetooth functionality to connect to music learning apps and audio streaming while the Yamaha P-145 has just a USB MIDI port. Nonetheless, you will not go wrong with any of these 3 if you are looking for your 1st beginner digital piano. My in-depth review, sound demo and best prices can be found here.
$600+
At $699, the Roland FP-30X and Yamaha P-255 are great choices for serious piano students who are on a tight budget. You get really good key action at these prices from both manufacturers and there is a perceptible jump in sound quality, build quality and note polyphony which are important. The Yamaha P-255 has 24 high quality tones whereas Roland packed more than 321 tones in the Roland FP-30X. You get dual headphone jacks, triple pedal support, a song recorder, and stereo aux audio outputs for connecting to more powerful speakers or mixing decks for performances. While both keyboards have USB MIDI for use with music learning apps and music production software, the Roland FP-30X supports wireless Bluetooth. Do note that the speakers on the Yamaha P-255 are significantly more powerful than those found on the Roland FP-30X if that’s important to you. These 2 digital pianos are entry-level pro keyboards that are often found in clubs, pubs and restaurants.
$800+
The $800+ mark is where you will find my personal favourites - the hybrid arranger digital pianos. The $849 Yamaha DGX-670 and the $899 Roland FP-E50 hybrid piano arrangers are the best of both worlds. They have 88 graded hammer action keys and have rhythm accompaniments and music production capabilities. The Roland has more than 1,000 sounds whereas the Yamaha has 600 voices but the Yamaha makes up for it by having 263 rhythm accompaniment styles whereas the Roland has just 177 styles. However, you can expand the sounds and rhythm accompaniments on the Roland FP-E50 using expansion packs available on Roland’s CloudConnect whereas the Yamaha DGX-670 has more limited expansion options. The Yamaha has 4 variations for each rhythm accompaniment as well as more granular rhythm track controls. A rhythm style creator is also available on the Yamaha DGX-670 whereas the Roland does not have this feature but has a chord sequencer instead. Both hybrid arranger pianos have a mic input and vocal effects if you want to sing and play. However, I do wish the Roland has a colour high definition LCD screen like the Yamaha but it only has a monochrome screen. The Roland FP-E50 does make up for it by having speakers that are twice as powerful as the Yamaha DGX-670. You get every imaginable connectivity option including wireless Bluetooth but the Yamaha has a powerful 16 track sequencer whereas the song recorder on the Roland is a basic one. The bottom line is this, if you want loads of sounds and expansion, get the Roland FP-E50 . If rhythm accompaniments and music arranging is more important to you, the Yamaha DGX-670 is the better choice.
$1,000
Here are my recommendations in the $1,000 category. For digital pianos, the $949 Kawai ES-120 and $999 Roland RD-08 are my favourites. They feature great sound quality, fantastic graded hammer action keys and solid build quality. If you want a pro-level arranger keyboard with rhythm accompaniments and more than 1,200 sounds, the $1,099 Yamaha PSR-SX600 is the one you want to get. For gigs and performances, the lightweight 61-key Yamaha CK61 stage keyboard and the Roland Juno DS88 hammer action stage synthesiser with thousands of sounds and every imaginable feature a working keyboardist needs gets my recommendation. The CK61 and Juno DS88 can be powered with batteries or a power adapter and these keyboards also work really well as an advanced MIDI keyboard controller.
$1,000 Home Digital Pianos
For the more traditional console home digital pianos that costs about $1,000, the ones that impresses me the most when it comes to sound quality and key action are the made in Japan Korg LP-380U, the Yamaha YDP-S35, the Casio PX-870 and if you can stretch your budget a little more, the Roland F701 when it comes to bang for buck. Home console pianos usually cost more due to the cabinet work, the significantly larger speakers and amplification system, a bench and a triple pedal system.
You can find out the full specifications and the best price for everything I recommended together with my recommended digital pianos, keyboards, and music-learning app right here.
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