The Prima digital keyboard was designed specifically for beginners, and its biggest selling point is the bundled one-year access to Pianote’s online lessons and seven courses—worth over $1,500 if purchased separately. In fact, if you already own a keyboard but are considering Pianote’s lessons, it’s actually cheaper to buy the Prima for $499, claim the lessons, and resell the keyboard. Let me know in the comments if you’d like me to review the Pianote lessons. In the meantime, you can try Pianote free for 30 days.
Reviewing the Prima Keyboard
First, let’s address the elephant in the room. The Prima looks strikingly similar to the Donner DEP-20—though with some improvements. The buttons, chassis, LCD screen, font, and even numerous spelling errors in the user manual suggest a strong resemblance. (Come on, guys, spell check takes two seconds!)
You get 88 full-size, progressively weighted, and graded keys that mimic a traditional acoustic piano. The key action is above average for this price range, though beginners may find it a bit heavy, while advanced players might find it sluggish. For a similar price, I prefer the Kawai ES60 or Roland FP-10 but those don’t include Pianote’s $1,500 worth of lessons. The keys have four levels of touch sensitivity, adjustable via a dedicated panel button. While the specifications don’t mention note polyphony, I haven’t experienced any dropouts.
The Prima includes 238 sounds, but let’s be real—99% of beginners will stick to the default grand piano tone after the initial novelty wears off. And that’s fine, as the piano tone is decent for beginners. The rest of the sounds are average at best, and scrolling through 238 options one at a time is so tedious I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy.
Two buttons allow you to layer or split voices across the keyboard, though you can’t adjust the volume mix or split point. An “Effects” button adds a concert hall reverb to enhance the sound. The built-in speakers are loud and clear, with no noticeable distortion at maximum volume, but you’ll get the best quality using headphones.
Some thoughtful features include dedicated panel buttons for quick key transposition—great for accompanying singers—and one-touch drum kit activation for finger drumming inspiration. The metronome, with commonly used time signatures, helps with timing. However, the real highlight is the 200 accompaniment rhythm styles, covering genres like Pop, Jazz, Blues, Latin, R&B, Country, and even Oriental music. While the styles sound dated, they work for getting into a groove. Each rhythm style includes an intro (strangely labeled “prelude”), a fill-in, and an ending. Two buttons adjust the accompaniment volume.
Beginners will appreciate the single-track song recorder for reviewing performances. The Prima also includes 100 demo songs for those moments when you just want to sit back and listen. There’s a single registration memory for storing user-defined settings—though I wish there were more.
If you’re willing to spend more, better key action, higher-quality sounds, and more polished rhythm accompaniments can be found in other models.
Connectivity & Additional Features
The Prima offers solid connectivity options. Two front-facing ¼” headphone jacks let you practice silently or take lessons without disturbing others. A USB MIDI port and Bluetooth MIDI allow for connection to learning apps and music production software. You also get two pedal inputs—one for a basic sustain pedal and another for an optional triple-pedal system for soft, sostenuto, and sustain functions.
The ¼” audio output lets you connect to external speakers or mixing boards for performances. The onboard speakers can also be used as standard speakers when you’re not playing. Music can be streamed to the speakers in three ways: a traditional ¼” audio input, wireless Bluetooth audio (my preferred method), or via MP3 files on a USB flash drive—though controls are limited with the USB option.
Should You Buy It?
For an 88-key digital piano, the Prima delivers decent sound quality, responsive key action, and well-thought-out features like dedicated panel buttons for key functions. The wireless Bluetooth MIDI and audio streaming are convenient, and the included premium sustain pedal is a nice touch—especially compared to the basic footswitches offered by competitors. Free global shipping (an impressive feat given the size and weight of the instrument) and a two-year warranty add further value.
If you’re planning to sign up for Pianote’s lessons, buying the Prima is a no-brainer—it’s essentially a $1,500 lesson package for just $499. However, if you prefer using other music-learning apps like the ones I recommend, similarly priced keyboards from well-established brands offer better sound quality, build materials, and key action.
Don’t forget to explore the full specifications and the best price for the keyboards mentioned above together with my recommended digital pianos, keyboards, and music-learning app right here.
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