AZ Piano News

REVIEW - Yamaha YDP-C71PE Digital Piano - Very Attractive Cabinet but otherwise same model as older YDP161

2012-01-30T21:27:00.007-07:00

The 2012 polished ebony Yamaha YDPC71PE is very attractive but somewhat overpriced in my opinion, considering it is otherwise the same piano as the older YDP161. I really like the Yamaha brand and own a couple of their pianos myself. I have also played many of their digital pianos and keyboards for years and I always look forward to seeing new Yamaha digital pianos. Yamaha has been producing their current line of Arius pianos for about 2 years now (with the exception of their new low priced YDP135R) and I was hoping to see new electronic and/or feature improvements in their 2012 models, but unfortunately there were none, and that was a bit disappointing to me considering all the new technology out there.

The only thing that Yamaha came up with this year was a new and attractive polished ebony cabinet finish for their YDP161, which they call the YDP-C71PE at $1899 internet price (upper left pic). The C71PE is otherwise the identical digital piano to the Arius YDP161 ($1499 internet price) which has a very nice piano tone and fairly nice and solid upright piano key action (GH). However, this model is somewhat basic in most every other way when it comes to its control panel, access to features, limited instrument tones & educational technology, and no USB output or USB flashdrive input unlike other pianos in this price range which have upgraded features and functions . In other words, for $1899, other than getting it in the polished ebony finish which I admit costs more money to produce and is very nice to look upon, there are much better new digital piano choices out there that are far more advanced including piano sound & key action realism. In fact going up just a bit to the Yamaha Clavinova CLP430 would be a better choice in my opinion, for not much more money.

OK, I know I am being a bit harsh in my evaluation of the C71PE, but for $1899, you should be getting a lot more piano for that price in my opinion. As I mentioned above, the C71PE has the specs as the YDP161 including 10 total instrument tones (the piano tones sounds real nice but the others are just OK), 128-notes of polyphony (which is good), a 2-track 1 song MIDI recorder, 40 watts of stereo audio power (good), and all of it in a very basic cabinet aside from the attractive polished ebony finish.

I would recommend you also consider the new 2012 model Roland RP301 ($1699 internet price in satin black (left pic) or rosewood) which is quite competitive with the Yamaha C71 specs and has (in my opinion) a slightly better key action and piano reproduction, although the Roland speaker audio power is only 24 watts total (a bit weak) as compared to Yamaha at 40 watts (good). The Roland RP301 does have better access to the control panel with dedicated front panel buttons, a duet 4-hands play mode, a better looking cabinet design in my opinion, and a mini-jack input for running an external audio device such as an iPod through the Roland speaker system. The Roland RP301 also has 30 instrument tones as opposed to 10 on the Yamaha.

However, a new 2012 digital piano that has really received my attention lately (and is just coming out very early in Feb) is the Kawai CE220 ($1899 internet price in satin black, left pic). What makes this piano a great choice is a few notable things such as a real full length wooden key action that, in my opinion, comes much closer to duplicating an acoustic piano upright key action (the other pianos mentioned use all plastic). The CE220 also has 192-notes of polyphony (it's the sound chip from their $3000 digital piano) with high definition sound sampling that gives this piano more fire-power in reproducing an even better acoustic piano sound which makes you believe that you're really hearing a grand piano (I played this model recently and have experienced this for myself). The wood key action and grand piano sound reproduction alone I think is worth the "price of admission:)." On top of that, the Kawai has 100 realistic drum player patterns to help with rhythm & timing which is great for music education, 4-hand duet play, it can layer and split any two of its 22 impressive instrument sounds with relative volume balance, it has USB output to computer and USB flashdrive input for downloading music into the CE220 as well as saving your recordings off the piano into the flashdrive. Beyond that, it has stereo audio 1/4" outputs & inputs for great audio connectivity and an upgraded front control panel with direct access buttons and intuitive features. I also like its cabinet design, color, panel layout, and sturdiness. I have done a review of this model so take a look at it and see what you think? Kawai CE220 Review

It really doesn't matter which piano you get because you'll be able to make great music and have a nice piano that should last you many years. But for my money and considering I would want the biggest bang for the buck in this higher price range (nearer $2000), I would choose the Kawai CE220 over the other two models here.

For a bit less money, Casio makes a very popular furniture cabinet digital piano called the AP620 ($1399 internet price in satin black, left pic). If you want a piano that has been extremely popular throughout the US and continues to remain that way, you should also consider this model as it has a very realistic piano key action & upright piano sound with ivory feel keys, dedicated front control buttons with upgraded LCD user interface display, lots of very cool features (many more than the other pianos) in an attractive satin black cabinet with a built-in 60 watt stereo speaker system. I have done a review on this model here: Casio AP620 Review

With regard to the Yamaha Arius model C71PE, the up side to this instrument at this price point is that if you are a "minimalist" kind of person who wants to keep it very simple with minimal functions, and you really want that polished ebony high gloss look in a digital piano (and you don't mind spending the $1899 to get it), then this piano may be just perfect for you.

If you want more piano info and LOWER PRICES than internet or store discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Yamaha CLP465GP Digital Baby Grand Piano - Very Nice Instrument for looks and sound

2012-01-29T13:01:00.006-07:00

CLP465GP

Yamaha Piano Company has a new line of Clavinova CLP digital pianos this year called the 400 series, which also includes this new CLP465 digital baby grand (approx $5000 store discount price, left pic). I have previously reviewed the newer CLP430, 440, 470, and 480 upright series on my blog. The 400 series has a new sound chip which produces a very convincing acoustic piano sound and I do like them very much. The key action on the new 400 series is the same key action as was on the previous 300 series called the GH3 key action. Although it is a good solid performer and has solid key movement & dynamic response, in my opinion the key movement itself is a bit stiff on the upper octaves, especially when playing more delicately or softly. To me that is the one drawback of the GH3 key action, however it is certainly still good overall and produces little physical key noise compared to some other digital piano brands.

CLP465GP with bench

The first piano in the lineup of the new 400 upright style pianos is the CLP430. The 430 piano sells at discount for approx $2800 in polished ebony finish (give or take depending on the dealer) in US Yamaha piano stores. Although the digital features on this piano are really very basic, it is a nice improvement over the former CLP330. The new Yamaha 3'8" deep CLP465GP digital baby grand is the identical piano to the CLP430 in every way except for the upgraded CLP465 speaker system & audio power (80 watts stereo into 4 speakers) and the obvious differences in cabinet style. The CLP465GP has 128-notes of polyphony memory which is very good, 14 nice instrument tones (which is not much in this price range), it has the ability to layer two sounds together and also offers key transpose which is good but basic (even $200 keyboard do that), it has a two track MIDI recorder/player and has a 1 track WAV file audio recorder which is very cool and allows you to take your recording and save it on a USB flash drive (in the piano USB flash drive port). You can then insert the flash drive into a home computer to save the audio song file you created for storage or burning to CD. The piano also has a USB output for computer connection so you can have access to great music education and creation programs.

So basically, this newer 465GP small digital baby grand is about $2000 more than the CLP430 for the small grand cabinet shape and construction with a better built-in speaker system and a nicer upgraded matching baby grand style bench. That's quite a premium for that cabinet including the fact that the legs do not have casters on the bottom of them and the top lid is a small one piece style instead of the traditional 2-piece lid you find on real baby grands. The bench and extra sound quality are upgraded as well over the CLP430, so overall the CLP465GP is a solid piano and a very attractive piece of furniture in a good smaller size (without being too small). And, it's a Yamaha instrument which is typically great quality in digital pianos.

Samick SG310

Another digital baby grand piano you should consider that competes favorably with the Yamaha, but for less money, is a newer model by the well known Samick Piano Company called the SG310. In many ways (but certainly not all) this SG310 is a superior instrument to the Yamaha in it's cabinet size (4'1" deep) and design, it's speaker and audio system (120 watts stereo into 6 speakers), and its built-in digital piano educational features and instrument sounds. As far as piano tone and touch, in my opinion the Samick SG310 is quite smooth and realistic and compares favorably to the Yamaha, which is saying a lot. And the price is over $1000 less (normal store discount prices) than the Yamaha. For more info on the Samick SG310 as well as other Samick digital baby grand models, go to this link to see my complete review: Review - Samick Digital Baby Grands

I do recommend this Yamaha CLP465GP piano for someone who wants very good quality instrument and convincing piano sound along with nice but minimal features and functions, and doesn't mind being in the approx $5000 price range. And if you are at an intermediate to advanced player skill level or your goal is to practice hard to get there, then I would recommend the Yamaha CLP465GP over the Samick SG310 if you want to stay in the $5000 or less price range. In case you were wondering, there are even better digital baby grands (in other brands) than either the Yamaha or Samick, but they will also cost you a lot more money too!

If you want more piano info and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts or sale prices, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Samick SG110, SG310, & SG450 Digital Grand Pianos - Surprisingly Good for the Lower Prices & Very Attractive!

2012-01-28T23:42:00.012-07:00

Samick pro acoustic grand

The Samick Piano Company is a very well known & respected South Korean piano & musical instrument manufacturer which has been making acoustic grand and upright pianos for over 50 years. Their line of acoustic piano products include the Samick brand as well as Kohler & Campbell, Seiler, Pramberger, Knabe, and others. Samick is also one of the largest guitar building companies in the world and has made thousands of guitars for famous companies including Fender, Gibson, Yamaha, and others and also builds the Greg Bennett and Silvertone line of acoustic & electric guitars. I have personally played on and owned Samick acoustic pianos in the past as well as currently owning a couple of Greg Bennett acoustic guitars, so I am very familiar with their instruments.

The Samick company has also built many digital pianos over the years, however these instruments were just average or below average (I have played many of them over the years) and not at all competitive with top companies like Yamaha, Kawai, Roland, or Casio. So it comes as a big surprise to me that the Samick company has recently come out with some very attractive,well built, and very nice playing polished ebony (and polished white) small digital baby grand pianos for 2012 in a lower price range under $4000. I recently had an opportunity to play these new Samick digital Baby Grands and was very impressed by what I felt and heard. I was impressed by their realistic hammer weighted key action which moved and responded to velocity and dynamics much better than all the other digital baby grands I have played under $4000. In fact, the ability to express yourself in an acoustic way was quite surprising to me considering my disappointing experiences with other small inexpensive digital baby grands from Suzuki, Williams, and others. Beyond that, the piano tone was surprisingly good and resonate, although it wasn't quite to the level of a Roland, Yamaha, or Kawai digital baby grand, but those brands are quite pricey in comparison (sometimes thousands more) for similar features and cabinet design. So for the money, the new Samick digital grand pianos are more than sufficient in producing a very satisfying piano playing experience for most people.

Two main reasons for these pianos being so good is because Samick (no offence intended) is not producing the piano actions or sound sampling themselves. That's not to say Samick could not produce it themselves these days if they really wanted to, but they chose to give those tasks to two very famous Italian piano companies (Fatar & Orla) who are well known for creating and building high quality piano key actions and designing piano sampled sounds for other famous piano companies over the years. Samick entered into a partnership with those companies on these new models by using their new graduated hammer style piano key actions and stereo digital piano sounds and had them built into these new models. The resulting outcome has been that for the first time ever, I believe Samick now has the best digital pianos they have ever offered, and these instruments are at reasonable and affordable prices for many people looking for a beautiful and well built furniture piece along with a very satisfying piano performance, sound, and digital features.

The lowest priced and smallest of these three pianos is called the SG110 (left pic) which is discount priced at $3495. This very attractive polished ebony SG110 measures about 3 feet in depth from front to back so it can fit in many small spaces. The built-in stereo speaker system has 4 speakers going through 60 watts of audio power. This piano feels and sounds great for its size and really looks good. The legs sit directly on the ground and have no casters and the inside of the piano is all black.

The next model is called the SG310 (left pic) and is discount priced at $3995. It also comes in an attractive polished ebony cabinet with upgraded hardware & appointments including a 2-piece hinged lid (like a real acoustic grand), tapered legs, and measures 4'1" in depth, so it's a bit larger which is great for a slightly bigger space. The built-in stereo speaker system has 6 speakers going through 120 watts of audio power. This model is my favorite because of it's size, its looks, and its fuller and more resonate sound, so as far as I'm concerned, it is easily worth the difference in price. The key cover and legs have extra hardware on them and the music rack shape has a slightly different design than the SG110.

Both models have a very realistic graded piano weighted hammer action, 64 notes of polyphony which is fine for the price (128 notes would have been better), 385 very nice sounds (WOW), 20 panel memories for saving your favorite setups, a 16-track general MIDI multi-track player/recorder using a USB flash drive to save and load songs which is very cool, and it plays educational General MIDI files too. Each of the 16 instrument tracks, including the melody line, can be individually muted (switched off) so that you can isolate certain parts for better understanding of how that part plays and sounds, which is great for learning. That is a very useful feature not found in many digital pianos. Go here for more info on how General MIDI lesson & song accompaniments can help you play better and have more fun: General MIDI songs & lessons

SG310 full size pic

Both pianos also have 3 standard piano pedals, keytouch sensitivity control to change the touch response, headphone jacks for private practice, a user friendly backlit LCD display screen, dedicated front control panel buttons, and stereo audio outputs and computer connections. There are also a number of other features on these two models (including an optional drum machine pattern player with all kinds of cool rhythms) that in my opinion, make these new Samick pianos worth owning. With good looks including sliding key covers, the ability to have the piano lid open up with your choice of two levels of height (full or 1/2 open), a matching bench, and very nice sound and graduated hammer piano key action with some cool digital features, I believe these new small digital baby grand pianos will be hard to beat for the money. Samick's US headquarters is in the Greater Nashville, TN area so they are local and offer a 3 yr parts & 1 year labor warranty good anywhere in the US. Based on everything I have seen and heard from these new pianos, I would recommend them.

SG450

Also, Samick makes a third model digital baby grand which has been out for about 6 months now called a SG450 (left pic) which is the identical piano to the SG310 in most every way (incl size, speaker & audio system, etc) with the exception that it has a bigger user LCD display screen for even more instrument sounds (some of which are specialized dynamic sounds) as well as having a built-in Rhythm Orchestra with 520 automatic left hand chord accompaniment styles and right hand harmony notes when played one-finger style. You name the type of music style and the SG450 seems to be able to do it incl Jazz, Latin, Rock, Country, Big band, Swing, Broadway, Ragtime, New Age, Christmas, Disney, and everything in-between. This kind of system is great for people who just want to have fun and not go through traditional piano lessons or they just want to explore new ways of playing music (which I personally enjoy). The store discount selling price for this piano is usually about $4500. Both the SG310 & SG450 also come in a very attractive polished white finish too.

And one more thing, considering how heavy a regular small acoustic baby grand weighs, which is approx 600-700lbs, the lighter weight of these small digital baby grands makes them much easier to move and assemble. The SG110 3' deep baby grand weighs in at 165lbs and the 4'1" deep SG310 & SG450 weigh in at 260lbs each. Not bad considering their size. But whichever Samick digital baby grand piano you might choose, I believe you'll have a great time playing it and be especially pleased with how they look.

If you want more piano info and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts or sale prices, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

* Also, below is a short video demo of the SG450 (in white) done by the US Samick headquarters main product director. Although this is a very basic demo, it'll give you a good idea as to some of the things the SG450 can do. The stereo acoustic piano sound and advanced graduated hammer key action however, is the same sound and key action found in the SG310 & SG110 (which is a good thing).

REVIEW - Kawai CE220 Digital Piano - Outstanding for its Lower Price!

2012-01-25T16:16:00.006-07:00

The new Kawai CE220 digital piano is a WINNER! - The Kawai Piano company of Japan has been producing fine acoustic & digital pianos for many years and they seem to build better and more competitive pianos every year. They are recognized as a leader in building exceptional instruments for recreational players, students, and professionals throughout the world. Kawai has been offering a particular furniture cabinet digital piano called the CE200 ($1699 internet price) which has been out for about 5 or 6 years now and this model has been a very successful instrument for them. The CE200 is now discontinued and no longer available. So it comes as no surprise to me that Kawai has done a major update on that model after all this time, and this new model is called the Kawai CE220 ($1899 internet price, above left pic)....and they have really outdone themselves for this price range.

This new CE220 furniture cabinet piano was just introduced on January 19, 2012 in a private music dealer/educator/musician convention trade show (NAMM) which I was able to attend. Most people do not know about this new instrument yet as of this writing, but they will soon. I spent a great deal of time playing this piano and was extremely impressed with what I experienced. The first major upgrade that I noticed right away when playing it was the piano sound itself. The CE220 is utilizing the same piano technology found in their higher priced CN43 ($2950 internet price in black finish). This highly upgraded technology includes 192-notes of polyphony (WOW!) as well as the grand piano sound source called Progressive Harmonic Imaging with 88-key individual piano sampling going through a stereo 40-watt built-in speaker system (which is sufficient power for most homes). To put this upgrade in simple terms, the piano sound and realism of dynamics, expression, and detail is spectacular, especially for the low price, and you really think you are hearing the sound of a grand piano. The next improvement to this piano over the previous CE200 is a USB flashdrive input. This feature allows you to load in piano songs for playback at any tempo along with a great way to store your own user recordings from the on-board 2-track recorder.

There are a total of 22 very high quality instrument sounds on this piano (including very realistic string symphonies, Church & Jazz B3 organs, choirs, guitar, etc), along with 100 very realistic drum patterns with tempo control (such as jazz, rock, waltz, big band, Latin, country, boogie, etc) which are not only a lot of fun to play along with, but help tremendously with piano students in better understanding rhythm and timing which are the most difficult things in music to learn in my opinion. The CE220 also allows you to layer any two sounds together or split the keyboard with any two sounds. And beyond that, the piano can be electronically divided into two identical 44-key pianos for 4-hand duet play utilizing two pedals for individual sustain for both keyboards. This is great for student/teacher, parent/child, or for any two people who want to play the piano at the same time.

Although the CE220 is very intuitive and easy to use with its nice LED interface display screen, it also has many effects & editing features to adjust sound, tone, and key response to individual tastes. There are 5 touch velocity-sensitivity levels for changing key response, different voicing features for customizing piano sound to become brighter or more mellow, reverb/echo function to add more realism to the piano tone such as being played in a large room versus a smaller room. There are also deeper editing features with micro-editing to bring out the nuances of the grand piano sounds in ways no other piano in this price range can do.

The previous CE200 was famous for having the Kawai AWA Grand Pro II keyboard action, which had longer, real wooden keys for an very realistic acoustic piano feel. This action had authentic key balance points, action movement, and contact placements that combined with proper hammer grading and bass key counter-weights. No other digital piano under $3000 currently has this special wood key action and I am happy to say that Kawai was able to keep it in the new CE220 and still offer the piano for less than $2000, which in my opinion, is amazing. The feel of the key action is really outstanding and the movement of the keys is quiet, sturdy, and durable, just like a real acoustic upright piano.The wooden keys seems to give the player more of an organic experience in tone and finger movement. The 3 built-in pedals also duplicate the feel and function of the 3 standard pedals on a real acoustic piano including progressive half-pedaling for detailed damper expression.

The CE220 also has a built-in USB output to computer or iPad for connectivity to powerful programs and apps for music education, notation, composing, and more. I am also impressed with the fact that this model has 1/4" stereo audio outputs & inputs to add an external speaker system if desired or to input other devices audio output such as a computer or iPad to go directly into the Kawai audio system. In that way you can plug in headphones and hear not only the Kawai piano in privacy, but also hear the computer or iPad sound coming through the headphones...a very cool & useful feature.

The new Kawai CE220 comes in a "premium satin black" finish only and includes a built-in sliding key cover and matching padded bench. This model is also a limited production model available only in the US and Canada. In my opinion, the CE220 easily outperforms all other digital cabinet pianos in its price range for what it delivers, as well as pianos that are higher priced such as the newer Yamaha Clavinova CLP430 and Roland HP302, both of which are closer to $2500. It easily outperforms the popular Yamaha Arius YDP181 ($1799 internet price) as well as the newer Roland RP301 ($1699 internet price). Even the popular Kawai CN23 digital piano ($1799 internet price) will get stiff competition from this new CE220 for only $100 more. This new model does NOT have the ivory touch keytops or the "grand piano" action movement with let-off/escapement that other digital pianos have. But in the final analysis, keytops on real grand pianos including Yamaha, Kawai, and many others do not have ivory feel keytops either, they have hard white plastic tops just like the CE220.

As for a grand piano key movement with let-off/escapement mechanism versus an upright piano key movement without that, they are both great to have (as long as the specific key actions are good ones) and there are some very expensive acoustic upright pianos (Yamaha, Kawai, etc) which are excellent instruments but don't have a grand piano key movement with letoff/escapement mechanism. The Kawai CE220 has, in my opinion, a very realistic professional upright piano key movement, which for many people, is more than sufficient.

The bottom line on this model is...Kawai has really outdone themselves in the $1500-$2500 price range this year in 2012, and I believe the other brands will simply have to play "catch up" now. And playing catch up may take quite a while to do based on what I have seen. I would highly recommend this new Kawai CE220 for anyone wanting a solid, reliable piano with excellent piano touch, response, and dynamics along with very convincing grand piano tone. I also like the very enjoyable and advanced digital technology features of this model in its solid, attractive black cabinet... and that's saying a lot. I think the tough part will be trying to get one of these pianos soon because once the word gets out, this model will likely be in short supply. Please contact me directly for current CE220 availability from Kawai.

If you want more piano info and LOWER PRICES than internet or store discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Yamaha YDP135R Digital Piano - Very Nice with good piano tone & touch

2011-12-20T19:07:00.006-07:00

Yamaha has series of furniture style cabinet digital pianos priced under $2000 called Arius and they have been on the market for awhile. There is the Arius YDP141, 161, 181, and V240. However, Yamaha has not had an Arius furniture style piano selling for under $1000 in its current lineup of home digital pianos until now and that model is called the YDP135R (left pic - internet priced at $999). This piano is essentially the same instrument as the higher priced YDP141 ($1149 internet price) except the recording and data storage capacity on the 135R is smaller, and according to Yamaha, the 135R isn't supposed to sound as good as the 141 or have half-damper pedaling either. Half damper simply means that when you press the sustain pedal down, you get partial graduated sustain instead of just an on & off sustain like the off brands such as Williams, Suzuki, Adagio, etc. On & off sustain is not recommended because regular acoustic pianos have half-damper ability and it's important to try to duplicate an acoustic piano touch & tone as closely as possible.

Based on my playing experience with the new YDP135R, it does have half-damper sustain and as far as I'm concerned, it sounds and plays just as good as the YDP141 (left pic). In fact the new YDP135R has the same audio power and speaker system as the YDP141 (2 speakers & 12 watts total power), the same sounds (six), same key polyphony memory (64-note), the same key action (GHS) which is nice, the same cabinet, the same control panel and basically the same features.

The biggest advantage that I see in the higher priced YDP141 is that is has two tracks for recording instead of one which is pretty cool to have. That means you can record a left hand part and then play it back while playing the right hand part live along with it or record right hand part and play it back while playing left hand along with it. Or you can record and playback both parts. That can be useful when practicing with two hands and wanting separate parts. The YDP135R (upper left pic with cover closed and with bench) just records on one track for both hands at once or you can record one hand part and play it back while playing the other hand live. But you cannot record both hands independently and play them back together or store that song either. So as far as recording goes, the YDP141 is better. But if you don't think that will be a big issue for you, then essentially the new lower priced YDP135R is basically the same as the YDP141. So for most people, I would recommend saving the money and getting the lower priced Yamaha YDP135R. It sounds good as a piano but only has a total of 6 instrument sounds which is not many, plays good (although the audio power at just 12 watts total could be a lot more), and it comes with a nice matching padded bench.

Another very good digital piano option in this price range that I recommend is the popular Casio Celviano AP420 piano (left pic). This piano has 16 instrument sounds, 40 watts of total power, a sturdier cabinet and bench than the Yamaha with front support legs on the furniture cabinet and a heavy duty height adjustable bench (Yamaha is a lighter weight standard height only), ivory feel keytops that simulates real ivory piano keys for a better finger touch, a SD memory card feature that allows any recordings to be saved directly onto an SD memory card (SD card slot in the piano) to create your own library of songs, a two track 1 song recording like the Yamaha YDP141, the ability to "split the keyboard" into two parts and assign one instrument sound on the left hand and a different sound on the right hand and play them at the same time (very cool). The Casio AP420 is also 128-note polyphonic which means twice the key polyphony memory of the Yamaha 135R & 141 (they are 64-note polyphony).

Also, overall I believe the stereo acoustic piano sound is better on the Casio because it utilizes a 4-level stereo sample as opposed to a 3-level on the Yamaha YDP141 and even less on the YDP135R. If you compare all of the specifications of both the Casio AP420 and the Yamaha YDP135R, it would appear that the Casio wins out in a big way...and it's only $100 more than the Yamaha YDP135R ($1099 internet discount price for the Casio). I think for just $100 more the Casio should be a definite consideration and it comes with a 3 year parts & labor factory warranty. Not only does the Casio AP420 beat out the YDP135R, in my opinion it also beats out the YDP141 and the higher priced YDP161 ($1499 internet price) with the Casio having a more realistic upright piano key action movement.

I have heard that the Casio Celviano AP420 is very difficult to find in stores these days as Casio apparently sells them out pretty fast and I can see why when you compare it against what Yamaha is currently offering under $1500. And after playing all of these instruments, as much as I like these Yamaha digital pianos, the Casio Celviano pianos are very impressive. And for $1399 internet discount price, the top of the line model Casio Celviano AP620 (upper left pic) is really amazing for the money, especially as compared the the top of the line Yamaha Arius YDPV240 at $1899 internet price which has a hard time competing with the Casio AP620 at $1399. I have written reviews on all these models so when you get time, check them out by entering the brand and model numbers in the search bar to the right of this page and then you can read all about them:)

In the final analysis, the new YDP135R is a solid contender and a much better digital piano in its price range that most other brands. But $1000 is still a lot of money so before you plunk down all that hard earned cash, do your research and be sure you are getting a quality instrument that will give you the most for your money.

If you want more piano info and LOWER PRICES than internet or store discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Yamaha YPG535 Digital Piano - NOT Recommended for Piano Students, but Fun to Play!

2011-12-16T20:53:00.020-07:00

If you are a piano student or recreational player wanting a good accurate and weighted piano key action in a digital piano, I do not recommend the Yamaha YPG535 ($499 internet discount price - left pic) because it does not have the weighted key movement. Yamaha is a great piano company and makes many different models of acoustic & digital pianos, but the YPG535 is really a glorified keyboard with 88-keys. Although the keys themselves look similar to a piano key shape, they actually have the same key movement and feel as a Yamaha 61 or 76-key keyboard which have the lightweight spring-type key actions. The YPG535 is, however, an enjoyable instrument to play just for fun because it has lots of very nice sounds, drum rhythms, chord arrangements, recording features and other fun things that make it a cool instrument to own for both young people and adults. It even sounds somewhat (but not actually) like a piano so it would appear to be a good low priced digital piano. But as far as a realistic weighted piano key touch and acoustic piano resonating tone and dynamics...it's not even close to the real thing and it was not designed to be that way.

Yamaha calls their YPG535 key action a graded soft touch keyboard and that would be true. It's very easy to press the white keys (except for the black keys which are much harder to press because of the stiffer spring mechanism), and that is not what you want if you are interested in developing good piano playing habits and skills. Not only is the key action not a good one for duplicating an acoustic piano touch, but the key polyphony memory (especially useful when playing larger passages of music or layering instrument sounds together) is a low 32-notes which is very outdated technology, but is cheaper price to produce. Normal polyphony memory these days is somewhere between 64 to128 notes in lower priced digital pianos. Also, if you are using the regular acoustic piano tone, it starts sounding like an electric piano as you get nearer to the top octaves. In other words, the piano doesn't reproduce a realistic piano tone in the upper octaves (it's better in the lower octaves) and that's due to the less expensive sound sampling technology in this model.

Also, the piano sound itself has minimal dynamic range (changes in the tone like on acoustic pianos) when trying to get softer mellower tone on up to bright resonate tone when playing at different finger pressure on the keys. When you're progressing as a piano student (or if you already play) more polyphony memory and better dynamic range is needed for playing at a higher skill level of music including using the piano sustain pedal. The minimum polyphony in any digital piano should be at least 64-notes and the preferable polyphony should be closer to 100 notes or more as it is in many other Yamaha digital pianos. If you are and will remain at a beginner skill level, this may not be an issue for you, but hopefully you won't be a beginner forever:)

With regard to the piano pedal, the YPG535 piano only allows the single pedal that comes with it to produce an on & off sustain instead of a graduated (half-pedal) sustaining of notes. This is not the way regular acoustic pianos work and so you should be sure if at all possible that the digital piano you purchase has a "half-pedaling" feature, especially if you hope to go beyond a beginning skill level. Most of the better Yamaha digital pianos do have this feature as well as other good brands including Casio, Kawai, and Roland.

As I mentioned earlier, the Yamaha YPG535 is a fun piano to play, has a cool user interface display (left pic), has good speaker volume, and if you don't care at all about the key action weight and movement being like an acoustic piano or the piano sound being closer to a real piano over the the entire keyboard, then this piano could be a very good option for people who just want lots of cool electronic features, good quality instrument sounds, fun rhythms, interactive user interface, and USB flash drive input and USB output for direct connect to computers.

The better option in a Yamaha digital piano with an upgraded acoustic piano style key action is the DGX640 ($799 discount internet price - includes stand). It has all the cool features (and more) of the YPG535 along with a noticeably more realistic weighted piano key action and much better piano sound. Although it's about $300 more, in my opinion its worth the difference and includes double the key polyphony memory (64-notes, very important). You might also want to check out the Casio Privia PX330 at $699 (discount internet price - stand optional). In my opinion this piano feels even better than the Yamaha DGX640, has a wider dynamic range for piano tonality, and has 128 notes of polyphony which is double the polyphony memory of the Yamaha DGX640 (that's a very good amount of polyphony memory)! However, ultimately either piano would be good to own and lots of fun with many great features.

My goal here is not to list the amount of instrument sounds, rhythms, accompaniments, recording tracks, or other extra features these pianos have because they all do a good job of that. But I want to focus on proper key action movement and piano tone quality & dynamics, which are of primary importance to me and if that's what you are looking for, I would stay away from the YPG535. Be aware that there are always people who will buy these types of pianos and give them good reviews for their touch and tone. However, these people almost always have little to no experience with real acoustic pianos and the way they actually behave when playing them, regardless of what they may say in their consumer reviews.

If you have little or no experience with a digital piano then the YDP535 may seem perfect for you, but in reality could create bad playing habits or hinder your piano playing growth if you use it for very long. It is fine for playing fun or for practicing lessons for a short time, but I would never recommend it to any of my piano students or anyone else wanting a "real piano playing experience." If you want or need an instrument that will allow the student or player to progress in their playing so they can play a piano correctly and adapt easily to a real acoustic piano later down the road (which is a great goal), then I would not recommend the Yamaha YDP535 for that purpose. However, if you want a fun 88-key digital piano instrument and don't really care how the keys respond or move to your finger touch, aren't bothered by the low 32-note polyphony, and are easily satisfied with a basic piano sound like on a 61-key Yamaha keyboard (along with the the fun features), then this will likely be a great instrument for you.

If you want more piano info and LOWER PRICES than internet or store discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

BEWARE! DIGITAL PIANOS in Attractive Furniture Cabinets at LOW PRICES doesn't necessarily mean Good Pianos!

2011-11-23T21:55:00.000-07:00

There are some digital piano manufacturers who know that they can put cheap electronics and key action movements inside very attractive piano cabinets and sell them for a low price that way. And the sad thing is, many people will buy them that way too. Mini or Micro Digital Baby Grands & polished hi gloss wood or black finish vertical cabinets for a low price get a buyers attention. Then you expect that the piano will sound and play as good as it looks. In many cases nothing could be further from the truth. So do yourself a favor and find out from an experienced digital piano pro like me what really makes a piano sound and play good and what can make them bad. You are spending good money and want a good product so don't jump into something just because you see a pretty picture and find a few good customer/owner reviews on them. Believe it or not, many people who own these "nice looking piano shaped objects (as I call them) don't necessarily know what they are talking about. So don't make a mistake you may later regret. Get a piano that really functions like a piano. You'll be glad you did.

If you want more piano info and LOWER PRICES than internet or store discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Adagio KDP8826, XDP400, & KDP88 Digital Pianos - Looks beautiful but NOT Recommended

2011-11-21T19:54:00.022-07:00

UPDATED REVIEW - January 27, 2012 - I would not buy these pianos nor recommend them for a few different reasons. The Adagio (KDP8826 - left pic) digital cabinet piano is a piano brand which is distributed by the Kaysound company of Canada. Although Kaysound is headquartered in Canada, they have a US distribution office/warehouse in New York which distributes into the US. As a distribution company, Kaysound does not actually make pianos. They buy them pre-made from a digital piano company in China and put the name "Adagio" on the piano, so the piano is purely a Chinese manufactured and designed piano (being made in China is fine as long as the instrument sounds and key actions are good, which they are not in these models) and the actual name of that Chinese company is called Ringway Tech Company. Ringway produces many different musical instruments and products for other distributors worldwide and the same Adagio named pianos are also sold under other names in different countries (same pianos, different names). All suggested list prices (not actual discount selling prices) for these pianos are set up by the Kaysound/Adagio company and in my opinion should not be seen as an indicator of the true value of these models, as that is purely subjective.

The Adagio KDP8826 polished ebony version and XDP400 (left pic) imitation satin rosewood version (same pianos, different color and finish), are sold almost exclusively through Costco at $999 & $799 respectively in the US, and none of the Adagio digital pianos offered by Costco in the US can actually be seen or played in a store, therefore the consumer has to buy one sight unseen. Sams Club also offers the KDP8826 piano for sale, only in the polished mahogany finish at $998, but that model also has to be ordered sight unseen. In many cases it's OK to order sight unseen and/or untested if the item comes from a well known piano company with a history of creating or supplying good products. But Costco and other retail companies may not necessarily understand what makes a good piano and offers them because they look good and are a low price (this would include the Suzuki brand too, which I do not recommend at this point).

I have seen and played the KDP8826/XDP400 model and know exactly how it stands up to other brands and what is good and bad about it. Firstly, it comes in a very nice attractive polished ebony cabinet with built-in sliding key cover and matching bench. The styling is very nice, construction seems to be good, and it's fairly easy to assemble out of the box. The piano is user friendly and has a nice, easy to read LCD display screen (upper left pic). There are 128 individual instruments and sounds as well as percussion. Also included are 114 arranger chord styles with drums which can be fun to play (assuming you know how to use that feature). The internal audio system is 80 watts with 4 speakers (according to Adagio) which makes this piano plenty loud. So the good parts of this piano is that it looks great, can play loud if necessary, and there are more sounds and features then the average digital piano in this price range. So far based on all that, this piano looks like it could be an excellent buy.

However, THE primary reasons someone should buy a digital piano is for the ability of the piano to accurately (as much as possible) reproduce a natural, realistic acoustic piano key touch, smooth sound response, proper dynamics & expression, and good acoustic quality piano tone along with a reasonably quiet movement of the keys. The Adagio KDP8826/XDP400 does almost none of these things well or even good in my opinion. Although it's nice having some of the other fun features, they are and should be very secondary to what the instrument can do as a piano. Here are the reasons I say this.

Firstly, there are 2 acoustic piano sounds on this model which are called Grand piano & Bright piano. When playing on a regular piano as well as any name brand digital piano in this price range, the piano sound is supposed to change not only in volume (louder/softer) as you press the key harder or easier, but the tone itself is supposed to change in character with changes in brightness and mellowness as well as various overtones and nuances in the sound. Those are just a few details that make a piano sound good and is referred to as "dynamic range."The Adagio has just one piano sound no matter how hard or soft you press the key. It does change volume from soft to loud, but no changes in tonality or dynamic range. In other words, the piano sound (either Grand or Bright piano) is the same all the time on any style of music using any dynamics. This is not a good thing and not the way acoustic pianos behave.

There are five levels of touch sensitivity that you can change and set, but this feature has to do with different levels of volume response as you play the keys, and not with dynamic range or changes in tone. Touch sensitivity levels are there in case you normally play the keys too hard or too soft and you want to have a different level of volume for your particular touch. This feature is very common in digital pianos. Also, the piano sound itself on this piano is quite choppy as you play a song using single notes and chords (multiple notes) and has more of a staccato (shorter) sound as opposed to smooth and legato (longer), even when using the sustain damper pedal. The pedal sustain does allow for half-pedaling "gradual sustain," but this does little to alleviate the somewhat choppy sound that normally occurs when playing a song, especially when trying to play lightly or softly. The mark of a good piano is how the dynamics and sound responds when playing delicately and/or quietly, not just loud or harder. The Adagio does not pass the test at all in that way, and my test is fairly easy to pass.

The piano key movement on the Adagio pianos are definitely weighted more like a regular acoustic piano, so that is good and most people think this alone is what makes for a good playing experience. However, the key action movement is quite noisy and clunky, especially in the upper part of the keyboard. This is particularly distracting when playing the piano at low volumes or using headphones. The key movement noise when the keys hit bottom or come back up can easily be heard throughout the room or house and is very annoying. It's like there isn't enough felt cushion under the keys to dampen the sound of the keys going up and down. When you play the piano at louder volumes this situation isn't as noticeable, but you shouldn't have to do that just to cover up that annoying key noise which most other good digital pianos don't have. Perhaps my ears are more sensitive than others, but I doubt it. If you have little experience with good digital or acoustic pianos, you may not notice this at first on the Adagio, but after awhile, you probably will.

This Adagio piano can be fun to play using the drum patterns and chord backgrounds but most people buying these pianos do not use those features or don't know how. The piano is able to layer and split instrument sounds together which is good, and this is more more than some other pianos can do in this price range. However, with only 64 notes of polyphony (sound memory), when you layer two instrument sounds together, the lack of memory causes the two sounds to lose notes and drop out while playing songs, depending on how you're playing. A larger 96-128 note polyphony memory that is on many other digital pianos would be better overall, but in this price range it's acceptable.

There is no USB computer plug & play output on the Adagios nor can you play General MIDI song files, which is very useful and available only on the Casio AP620 furniture cabinet piano in this price range. I use them in my piano studio for lessons and General MIDI song accompaniments are very useful for practicing lessons. There are separate reverb and other controls as well as 1-track recording (which is basic) and a key transpose feature, but ultimately what the piano is and has is an inexpensive sound & rhythm control panel built into a very nice looking cabinet with a functional but clunky, noisy piano weighted keyboard having very nominal piano sounds that aren't any better than popular $200 keyboards I have played recently. As a pure piano replacement...it is not. There are much better digital piano alternatives in that price range when it comes to a good piano tone, action movement, tonality, etc from brands like Yamaha, Roland, Kawai, & Casio although may not be as "pretty or impressive looking."

The warranty on the Adagio pianos is 2 years parts & labor which is good, however it is not for in-home service, which can be very inconvenient. The owner is responsible for any shipping or delivery charges of the piano to and from a service center assuming one is nearby. The KD8826 piano is large, heavy and delicate because of the high gloss finish. I would not want to move this piano if I could help it because of potential damage. So when it comes to the repair warranty, I would just ask Costco or Sams Club to replace it (assuming they can and will) if you bought it there. But doing that would require a lot of effort on your part and you'd be without a piano for awhile until that could be done.

I would also caution people in buying the Adagio KDP88 piano now on sale at Costco for $499 (left pic) during the holidays. Although this piano looks better and is slightly less money than the competition (Yamaha & Casio), it is likely very deficient in the same areas as the KDP8826, and that would not be good. When I get a chance to evaluate it further, I will give more details but for now based on everything else I see from this brand, any good Casio or Yamaha 88-key piano weighted digital piano would be a much better choice than the Adagio KDP88. However, you don't have to take my word for it because this is just my opinion based on the fact I am an experienced piano teacher and musician with a good knowledge of digital pianos and how they should play. If you just want this piano because it's a cheap price and looks good, then go for it.

However instead of the Adagio, I would recommend buying a Yamaha DGX640, YDP141, YDP161, Casio PX830 gloss black, Casio PX330, Casio Casio AP620, Roland RP201 or Roland F110, Kawai EP3, CE200 or Kawai CN23. All of these Japanese companies produce better digital pianos for key action and realistic tone as well as having a better name and numerous service agents in the United States. Casio & Kawai also offer 3 year in-home service which is really great.

There is an old saying that you cannot judge a book by its cover, and although the covering is very nice on the Adagio pianos, those pianos are sorely lacking in the areas that really count. I am sorry to disappoint some people by this negative review, but this is a free country and you are certainly welcome to purchase this brand of digital pianos, but I would personally not do that. If you have low musical expectations, can live with the deficiencies of these pianos, or just like the way it looks so much that you don't care about the rest of it, then buy it if that can make you happy. But for a piano student, a player, or someone who wants to grow into this instrument as a piano, along with some fun stuff, I suggest you look elsewhere.

As for the nice shiny gloss furniture style cabinet on the KDP8826 or attractive satin rosewood or brown cabinets on the XDP400 & KDP88, that's really what these Adagio pianos are all about and that's why Costco and Sams Club offer them. They know people will order things that look attractive even if they have never tried them out. Yes, you can return these instruments to the stores if you don't want them, but everyone knows that is a very big hassle to take the pianos apart and rebox them and actually return them. These stores are counting on you to keep them and that's normally what people wind up doing with large purchases like this. If you really want a piano that plays and sounds like a piano, then just be careful what you choose.

By the way, if you see positive reviews out there (and there are some) by people who say they love these pianos and that the piano tone and touch is very realistic to them, then it would be my opinion those people have never or seldom played a real acoustic piano because if they had, they would not be so positive about the piano. But I guess the old sayings are true ..."what you don't know won't hurt you," and "ignorance is bliss." You can take your chances with the Adagio pianos and perhaps you'll enjoy your experience, but I would not recommend them to any of my students or friends because I would want them to be able to grow into the instrument and be able to play correctly instead of develop bad habits and grow out of the instrument. Perhaps in future models, this brand will be worth owning, but not now.

If you want more info on these and other pianos and lower prices than internet or store discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call me direct at 602-571-1864

REVIEWS - The BEST DIGITAL PIANOS & BEST PRICES - Kawai, Yamaha, Casio, Roland, Korg, Kurzweil, Suzuki. etc - What's best for YOU? It just depends on price range and musical goals

2011-11-12T12:43:00.006-07:00

For many, many years I have been a digital piano adviser to thousands of teachers, musicians, churches, schools, and families throughout the US & the world, as well as helping people everywhere find the right digital piano for their needs. I can tell you what the BEST DIGITAL PIANOS & BEST PRICES are for any given price range as long as you have determined approximately what you want to spend and what your musical goals are for you and/or your family. Perhaps the piano is for a very young child, teen, working adult, retired person, etc, and/or the beginning student wants to become an advanced player or just have recreational fun? Perhaps the piano is for a pro musician who wants to play it at gigs or special events and has specific requirements. Also, there are many churches these days looking for a digital piano that will fit their music needs and budget and I can help with that as well.

There are lots of reasons for wanting to play piano and I have more experience in this matter with digital pianos than nearly anyone in the US and many other parts of the world. I am a digital piano/keyboard expert, pro musician, song writer, composer, arranger, as well as having taught thousands of piano students through the years on digital & acoustic pianos. I know the digital piano manufacturers very well and have an experienced understanding of proper & necessary piano touch, tone, educational features, extra fun features, and overall brand quality and reliability in digital pianos. I am not a sales person, but an adviser and consultant to people throughout this country and the world when it comes to the BEST DIGITAL PIANOS & BEST PRICES in various price ranges. I know what discount prices these pianos should sell for in the US market and also how to get LOWER PRICES than regular internet discounts and special store sales in the US.

I can also tell you which brands to stay away from based on my experience with them as well as their reliability and construction. Many of these pianos can and do start looking the same after a while even though they may be very different on the inside. If you want a digital piano that not only looks good, but actually behaves like an acoustic piano in accurate tone and key action touch (which is important), then you need to do your homework and contact me as I will be happy to help you and answer your questions.

I do not have a piano store, a warehouse, or any other local retail establishment. But I know how to get you brand new factory fresh digital pianos for less money, no shipping charges, no sales tax, along with free educational & fun materials valued in excess of $300-$400. I do this because I care and want to see people experience the benefits of music like I have as well as my family and friends have. Playing music (especially piano) is one of the most rewarding things a person can do for better mental, physical, and spiritual health as part of a more active lifestyle. I have seen these rewards take place in kids from 3 years old up to older "kids" over 90 years old! I have even seen it in my kids with two of them becoming very advanced piano players and teachers themselves.

I have worked with "at risk kids" who need a quality personal outlet for expression and personal growth and there is almost nothing better than music participation when it comes to instilling a positive attitude and direction in the lives of kids. The same is certainly true for people of any age. I have worked with seniors and helped them achieve their personal music goals and am very rewarded when they can look at playing music as a great way to unwind and relax...and that's something all of us can use!

Don't be confused by the one sided or very biased talk (left pic example) you sometimes get from local piano & music stores or on-line web site stores. I am available to help if you just email me your questions or call me direct (continental US residents only). Roland, Kawai, Korg, Casio, Yamaha, Kurzweil, and a couple of other brands make some very nice digital pianos, but you want to be sure you get the right one for you along with a low price. I will do my best to get back to you in a reasonable short amount of time with the help you need to make an informed decision on your piano buying options out there in the marketplace including eBay & Amazon. Also you may not know this, but there are fraudulent deceptive web sites popping up here and there that look like the real thing but they are actually from other countries put together by syndicates and/or unscrupulous people who don't have what they are advertising or at the very least, will send you a used one without a warranty from some unknown source. On the other hand, there are some very good companies out there who are honest and appear to have good prices, but even their prices are not necessarily the BEST PIANO PRICES. So be sure you contact me before you make a purchase anywhere!

If you want more piano info and LOWER PRICES than internet or store discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Korg SP250 Digital Piano - Good but has older technology

2011-11-09T23:34:00.000-07:00

Korg is a leader in pro keyboards they have produced some great ones over the years, and I know them well. Korg used to produce many home digital pianos, but in recent years has all but gotten out of that market (except for the recent addition of the lower priced SP170S at $499 internet price).

The Korg SP250 piano (pic left) was first introduced 7 years years ago in 2005. The SP250 has a very nice stereo sound system with 22 watts total power using two 4" speakers the top side of the piano. The 22 watt internal audio power on the SP250 is still more powerful than the competing new Casio or Yamaha portable models in its price range, so that's a nice plus. The sound buttons feel good and work well, the control panel is user friendly, the key action is solid, and the piano has 1/4" outputs which can be useful if wanting to plug into an external sound system. And although the stand on the SP250 is fairly sturdy, in my opinion it's not that attractive for a home, so this could be a disadvantage as compared to what Yamaha & Casio has to offer (furniture style stands with 3-pedals) in the same price range.

When the Korg SP250 first came out back in 2004/2005, it was selling for about $900 and was my favorite digital piano under $1000 at the time. Yamaha, Roland, and Casio did not have anything to really compete with it. I do like the stereo piano tone especially in the bass portion of these pianos although the treble piano sounds on the upper 3 octaves are a bit plunky (short and muted sounding on some notes, a little bit odd) when playing staccato style or using the included pedal. It has fairly realistic piano key action although the new Yamaha P95 & Casio PX130/330 are better in my opinion. The polyphony is OK at 60 notes for one sound although polyphony is especially important and when you layer two sounds together at the same time which this Korg can do. There isn't near enough polyphony with layering two sounds and the notes start dropping out quickly, especially because the piano does not use digital technology to adjust for this issue while other pianos do because they are newer.

These days, the SP250 is still available from Korg and has not changed and is the only piano that I know of that is still offered by a major keyboard company that is technologically somewhat old. I suppose that's OK because the piano still compares favorably in some ways with a few of the newer piano brands and models, and the internet price on the SP250 has come down in the past few years to $695 including the metal stand.

However, as with all technology, things change and mostly improve. Seven year old digital technology is considered by most to be outdated, and in certain ways this Korg piano is no exception. I would not be surprised if Korg either updates this model soon or discontinues it altogether if they cannot keep up with the competition and lose sales. Polyphony, which generally allows the notes to play more smoothly especially when playing more complex music or using layered sounds, has increased since seven years ago when this instrument came out. Increased polyphony which comes with increased and better computer memory and polyphony is now available on other brands such as the new Casio Privia PX130 at $499 with 128-note polyphony. A USB output is also very good to have on a digital pianos so you can more easily connect to a computer and that feature is not on the Korg's. Even the new Korg SP170S at $499 has 120 notes of polyphony, twice that of the SP250.

However, the biggest, most noticeable thing (to me) lacking on the SP250 is its inability to make real time smooth and graduated tonal changes when playing the piano sound. When a person is playing any acoustic piano, as you press the key softly on up to harder and faster finger pressure on the keys, the hammers inside a regular acoustic piano strike the strings at different velocity levels making the strings vibrate at different rates. Smooth, noticeable tonal changes are produced when this happens and can be heard not just as volume changes, but also as different tonal characteristics such as a mellow tone with less string vibration graduating up to a brighter and more active tone with greater string vibration producing overtones and brighter sounds. This is normal & natural in an acoustic piano and something that takes a lot of computer memory to reproduce in a digital piano in a graduated basis. The Korg SP250 cannot do this well. The Korg has just 2 distinct tonal changes in the piano sound that occur when playing the keys. It's mellow when playing softly and then jumps to brighter when pressing the keys harder, and the jump is somewhat noticeable as opposed to gradual. There are 3 different acoustic piano sounds on the SP250 which are grand piano, bright piano, and mellow piano and they are different from each other. However, no matter which one of those sounds you're playing, the tonal characteristics are not graduated with many subtle levels as they are on an acoustic piano.

The SP250 does have velocity key sensitivity controls for light, medium, and hard key touch, but this has nothing to do with acoustic piano tonal characteristics and changes. Sensitivity refers to how much finger strength you apply to the keys to get immediate "volume changes" depending on how hard you press on the keys. The sensitivity simply allows the piano to play louder if you have a very light finger touch (lack of finger strength due to loss of muscle, arthritis, or a young child with little finger strength yet), or if you have a very hard, aggressive touch and don't want the sound to come in too strong too quickly. Key sensitivity can help control and adjust for those things and just about all good digital pianos available today have that feature.

Kawai EP3

Natural acoustic piano tonal changes may or may not be an issue for you (even though real pianos function that way), especially given the lower price of the SP250 and that it does sound good as far as the actual piano & instrument sounds go, but it is an issue for me as I want something that is more realistic (particularly for my piano students at any level), especially given that we can get it these days in lower price ranges from the other brands including Yamaha, Casio, Kawai, and Roland. Although the SP250 does have a good amount of nice instrument sounds on it (30), and the piano can layer any two sounds together (no split function) along with having reverb, & chorus effects and also is able to change keys with a transpose feature, the fact that the piano sound does not change much over time or velocity is behind the other brands at this point, especially the new Casio PX130 ($499 internet price without stand) & PX330 which have a much more noticeable realistic piano tone as far as gradual and greater tonal changes go.

Casio PX830

You can enjoy playing the SP250 as it is fun to play (even with older digital technology), but there are certainly other options with better polyphony, better key actions, full tonality changes when playing from soft to hard, USB outputs, higher wattage speaker systems, etc in similar price ranges. If you are a piano student or just want a more authentic piano playing experience, the SP250 may not be the piano for you. If you cannot tell the difference between what a piano is supposed to sound & feel like as you play it, then the Korg would be fine and certainly is affordable for most families. Check out my reviews on other models including the Kawai EP3 (pic above left), Yamaha P155, Casio PX830 (above left), and Casio PX130 & PX330 as examples of what else is available that has some of these newer digital piano features.

Casio PX330

As I mentioned earlier, the new Casio Privia PX130 for about $600-$700 (depending on color) including stand and 3-pedal system, has 128 note polyphony, distinct tonal changes over key velocity & time, a graduated upright piano weighted key action, a USB plug & play computer output, and weighs just 24 pounds by itself without stand & pedals. That model should also be a consideration as well as the more advanced PX330 ($699 internet price - pic left) with in addition to what the PX130 has, also offers an intuitive LDC display screen, 250 instruments, drums, plays & records General MIDI song files over 16 individual tracks, and has stereo audio inputs & outputs along with being able to split, layer and edit various tones including saving them into 64 memories. The keyboard can even be dived into two identical 44-note keyboards for dual simultaneous piano play such as teacher/student, eyt. Not bad for $699.

Playing piano is supposed to make you (and/or your audience) feel good and as far as I'm concerned that's what it's all about. However, I believe if and when Korg updates this model to reflect new improved digital piano technology which they (Korg) are using in some of their higher priced instruments (and even lower priced), then these pianos will be great. But by that time, who knows what the competition will have too? Only time will tell. Check out the following reviews:

Kawai EP3 & Yamaha P155 piano review

Casio PX830 piano review

Casio PX130 & PX330 Piano review

If you want more info on these and other pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Korg LP350 & SP250 digital pianos - Oldie but a Goodie, with some important exceptions

2011-11-06T15:43:00.021-07:00

The Korg musical instrument & pro music products company is famous worldwide for continuing to make outstanding workstation keyboards (ie: Korg Kronos), pro synths, arranger keyboards, and various musical devices that help musicians produce better, more exciting music. I have played many, if not most of the keyboards and digital pianos they have produced over the years and know them well. Korg used to produce a vast array of home digital pianos but in recent years, has all but gotten out of that market (except for the recent addition of the lower priced SP170S at $499 internet price).

The Korg SP250 (pic left) & LP350 (pic below left) that I am reviewing here were first introduced 7 years and 4 years ago respectively. Both models are identical in every way except that Korg came out with the LP350 cabinet version of the SP250 portable stage version about 3 years after the SP250 so they could have the piano in a furniture style cabinet with 3 traditional foot pedals as well. However as I just mentioned, both pianos are otherwise identical in every way including the stereo sound system (22 watts total with two 4" speakers), although the speakers are positioned below the keyboard on the LP350 instead of on top of the keyboard as in the SP250. The 22 watt internal audio power on the SP250 is still more powerful than the competing new Casio or Yamaha portable models in its price range, so that's a nice plus. The sound buttons feel good and work well, the control panel is user friendly, and the pianos have 1/4" outputs which can be useful if wanting to plug into an external sound system. And although the stand on the SP250 is fairly sturdy, in my opinion it's not that attractive for a home, so this could be a disadvantage as compared to what Yamaha & Casio has to offer (furniture style stands with 3-pedals) in the same price range.

When the Korg SP250 first came out back in 2004/2005, it was selling for about $900 and was my favorite digital piano under $1000 at the time. Yamaha, Roland, and Casio did not have anything to really compete with it. I like the stereo piano tone especially in the bass portion of these pianos although the treble piano sounds on the upper 3 octaves are a bit plunky (short and muted sounding on some notes, a little bit odd) when playing staccato style or using pedal, fairly realistic piano key action although the new Yamaha P95 & Casio PX130/330 are better in my opinion, and other features of that piano and played it often. The polyphony is OK at 60 notes for one sound although polyphony is especially important when you layer two sounds together at the same time, which the Korgs can do. On these pianos, there isn't near enough polyphony with layering two sounds and the notes start dropping out quickly, especially because the piano does not use digital technology to adjust for this issue while other pianos do because they are newer. Even the newer lower priced Korg SP170S ($499 internet price) has 120 notes of polyphony, double that of the SP250.

These days, the SP250/LP350 are still available from Korg and they have not changed and are the only pianos that I know of that are still offered by a major keyboard company that is technologically somewhat old. I suppose that's OK because the pianos still compare favorably in some ways with a few of the newer piano brands and models, and the internet price on the SP250 has come down in the past few years to $695 including the metal stand. The LP350 (furniture style cabinet) price is $999 and I have played that piano as well. Korg offers it in a black cabinet and also in a nice looking white cabinet.

However, as with all technology, things change and mostly improve. Seven year old digital technology is considered by most to be outdated, and in certain ways these Korg pianos are no exceptions. I would not be surprised if Korg either updates these models soon or perhaps discontinues them altogether if they cannot keep up with the competition and lose sales. Polyphony, which generally allows the notes to play more smoothly especially when playing more complex music or using layered sounds, has increased since seven years ago when this instrument came out. Increased polyphony which comes with increased and better computer memory and polyphony is now available on other brands such as the new Casio Privia PX130 at $499 with 128-note polyphony. A USB plug & play output is also very good to have on a digital pianos so you can more easily connect to a computer or iPad, and that feature is not on the Korg's.

However, the biggest, most noticeable thing (to me) lacking on these Korg pianos is their inability to make real time smooth and graduated tonal changes when playing the piano sound. When a person is playing any acoustic piano, as you press the key softly on up to harder and faster finger pressure on the keys, the hammers inside a regular acoustic piano strike the strings at different velocity levels making the strings vibrate at different rates. Smooth, gradual tonal changes are produced when this happens and can be heard not just as volume changes, but also as different tonal characteristics such as a mellow tone with less string vibration graduating up to a brighter and more active tone with greater string vibration producing overtones and brighter sounds. This is normal & natural in an acoustic piano and something that takes a lot of computer memory to properly & realistically reproduce in a digital piano. The Korg SP250 & LP250 cannot do this well. These pianos have just 2 distinct tonal changes in the piano sound that occur when playing the keys. It's mellow when playing softly and then jumps more noticeably to a brighter tone when pressing the keys harder instead of a more subtle gradual change. There are 3 different acoustic piano sounds on the SP250/LP350 which are grand piano, bright piano, and mellow piano and they are different from each other. However, no matter which one of those sounds you're playing, the tonal characteristics are not graduated with many subtle levels as they are on a regular acoustic piano.

The SP250 & LP350 do have velocity key sensitivity controls for light, medium, and hard key touch, but this has nothing to do with acoustic piano tonal characteristics and changes. Sensitivity refers to how much finger strength you apply to the keys to get immediate "volume changes" depending on how hard you press on the keys. The sensitivity simply allows the piano to play louder if you have a very light finger touch (lack of finger strength due to loss of muscle, arthritis, or a young child with little finger strength yet), or if you have a very hard, aggressive touch and don't want the sound to come in too strong too quickly. Key sensitivity can help control and adjust for those things and just about all good digital pianos available today have that feature.

Kawai EP3

Natural acoustic piano tonal changes may or may not be an issue for you (even though real pianos function that way), especially given the lower prices of these pianos and that they do sound good as far as the actual piano & instrument sounds go, but it is an issue for me as I want something that is more realistic for myself (and particularly for my piano students at any level), especially given that we can get it these days in lower price ranges from the other brands including Yamaha, Casio, Kawai, and Roland. Although these Korg pianos have a good amount of nice instrument sounds on them (30), and the piano can layer any two sounds together (no split function) along with having good reverb, & chorus effects and also is able to easily change keys with a transpose feature, the fact that the piano sound does not change much over time or velocity is behind the other brands at this point, especially the new Casio PX130 & PX330 which have a much more noticeable realistic piano tone with the characteristics I'm talking about.

Casio PX830

You can enjoy playing these Korg pianos as they are fun to play (even with older digital technology), but there are certainly other options with better polyphony, better key actions, full tonality changes when playing from soft to hard, USB outputs, etc in similar price ranges. If you are a piano student or just want a more authentic piano playing experience, the SP250 & LP350 may not be the piano for you. If you cannot tell the difference between what a piano is supposed to sound & feel like as you play it, then the Korg's would be fine and certainly are affordable for most families and better than some other brands I have played. So I do recommend these models overall. Check out my reviews on other recommended models including the Kawai EP3 (pic above left), Yamaha P155, Casio PX830 (above left), and Casio PX130 & PX330 as examples of what else is available that has some of these newer digital piano features.

Casio PX330

As I mentioned earlier, the new Casio Privia PX130 for about $600-$700 (depending on color) including stand and 3-pedal system, has 128 note polyphony, distinct tonal changes over key velocity & time, a graduated upright piano weighted key action, a USB plug & play computer output, and weighs just 24 pounds by itself without stand & pedals. That model should also be a consideration as well as the more advanced PX330 ($699 internet price - pic left) with in addition to what the PX130 has, also offers an intuitive LDC display screen, 250 instruments, drums, plays & records General MIDI song files over 16 individual tracks, and has stereo audio inputs & outputs along with being able to split, layer and edit various tones including saving them into 64 memories. The keyboard can even be dived into two identical 44-note keyboards for dual simultaneous piano play such as teacher/student, eyt. Not bad for $699.

Playing piano is supposed to make you (and/or your audience) feel good and as far as I'm concerned that's what it's all about. However, I believe if and when Korg updates these two models to reflect new improved digital piano technology which they are using in some of their higher priced instruments (and lower price SP170S with more polyphony), then these pianos will be great. But by that time, who knows what the competition will have too? Only time will tell.Check out the following reviews:

Kawai EP3 & Yamaha P155 piano review

Casio PX830 piano review

Casio PX130 & PX330 Piano review

If you want more info on these and other pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Churches, Institutions, and Digital Pianos - Free Advice for the Best Piano Options

2011-10-26T19:58:00.002-07:00

There are many churches & institutions all over the US (and the world) that have always felt it was necessary to have a regular acoustic upright or grand piano to get the most realistic piano tone and touch as well as satisfy the piano player and the listeners (audience). But more & more churches and institutions have found that this is just not true anymore. Technology for both piano sound & key action touch have become so advanced that many of the newest digital pianos can satisfy a lot of musical tastes, expectations, and experiences. Also acoustic pianos require quite a bit of regular maintenance in public settings like having proper air conditioning & humidity levels so the keys play properly and evenly, and the piano stays in tune longer. Acoustic pianos are and have always been costly to maintain in commercial or any type of public venue like a church building which can be a strain on time and budget.

I receive many calls from people throughout the country asking me for advice on what would be an appropriate digital piano for a church or institution. The answer to this is that there are many possibilities but it just depends on the building size, sound requirements, normal audience/congregation attendance, piano cabinet space available, and budget. But there is usually something good available in every case, even in lower price ranges. Digital pianos have no upkeep, require no tuning, no regular maintenance, have no special A/C or humidity needs, can be plugged into a sound system to enable the sound to get into all parts of the building, and allow for the use of headphones for private practice. Also, digital pianos can be easily transposed to any key for singing in a range that is more comfortable great for solos and audience singing, and a digital piano offers other high quality instruments that can be used in combination with the piano sound or alone.

I am a big fan of replacing many traditional acoustic upright & grand pianos in churches, schools, and other institutions with high quality digital pianos because not only are there all the advantages I mentioned above, but the key action movement and piano tone in some of the better digital piano models are so good, even a very accomplished pianist will be happy with the results. And if you need to practice a song in privacy before actual church or performance time, you just plug in a good set of headphones and no one hears what's being played. You can't do that on a regular acoustic piano.

When it comes to the physical size of a digital pianos, there are portable , semi-portable, and full size furniture cabinet digital pianos available from various manufacturers that all have there place in various settings. It just depends what works best for you. Some of the new portable pianos such as the new Kawai MP10 (above left pic) are so outstanding, you would be amazed and would having a difficult time believing you were NOT playing a big professional grand piano like a Kawai, Yamaha, or Steinway. How long will a digital piano last in a church which uses it frequently? Like any piano, it depends on the quality of the piano. There are some digital pianos I recommend that should last many, many years and some I do not recommend that may not last very long, just like acoustic pianos.

An example of a lower cost, professional quality portable digital grand piano is the new Kawai MP10 that I just mentioned above. This digital piano comes directly from the highly respected Kawai piano company which is famous for making premium quality concert grand pianos and even produces beautiful grand pianos for the Steinway piano company under the Boston name. If you would like more info on this MP10 model, just click on the link below to read my review.

Kawai MP10 Piano Review

If you are in the continental US and would like more information on digital pianos including specific advice for your church or institution, please contact me directly as I would happy to provide you with free info and help you understand what's available and the discount price you should be paying.

If you want more info on these and other pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Yamaha AvantGrand N1, N2, N3 Digital Pianos - Awesome but Pricey

2011-10-25T22:20:00.023-07:00

I've have played various professional brands of acoustic grand & upright pianos for a very long time including Steinway, Yamaha, Kawai, Baldwin, Mason-Hamlin, Bosendorfer, and many others. And like other musicians I know, the drawbacks to playing large acoustic pianos in your home is that they are always loud and need regular tuning and maintenance. And with all of the handy computer music technology out there, it was always difficult (if not impossible) and expensive to connect to that technology and take advantage of what it can do.

Well now all of that has changed with the latest top of the line digital pianos from Yamaha called the AvantGrand series including the N3 4' deep baby grand (left pic - approx $14000-$15000 store discount price), N2 upright baby grand (lower left pic - approx $9500-$10,000 store discount price, and N1 upright baby grand (under N2 pic below left - approx $6500-$7000 discount selling price) all depending on the actual store in the US. These pianos all have the same excellent grand piano key action which is a full size wooden grand movement that exactly duplicates the movement and feel of a fine grand piano including the let-off/escapement feature, which not found in any other regular Yamaha digital piano. The action really is a joy to play giving you a great range of sensitivity throughout the dynamic range of tonal expression. All three pianos have smooth, lifelike pedaling and allowing the nuances needed for all kinds of music (although the piano keyboard does not physically move over like it would when using the una corda/soft pedal on a real acoustic grand, but it doesn't have to..it's a digital piano afterall). They all have the same sampled sound source (Spatial Acoustic Sampling), a large 256 note polyphony as well as 5 instrument sounds each incl the piano. Five sounds is obviously not a lot but then again, an acoustic piano only has 1 instrument sound, right?

The AvantGrand series is not intended to be a digital piano with a vast array of built-in technology & features (it doesn't even have a USB computer output - just MIDI) let alone many extra instrument sounds, layering, splitting, drum patterns, etc. These digital instruments are made to be acoustic piano replications with cutting edge digital technology in beautiful (and very contemporary looking) polished ebony cabinets designed to replace the acoustic grand piano experience whether in an upright configuration or baby grand style configuration. Do they actually completely replace that acoustic grand experience for everyone?...no, because different people have different musical standards, tastes, and musical experiences. So for some, this piano will not do it and for others, it's more than they dreamed of having. It just depends. I will say that Yamaha's 256 note polyphony (polyphony is important when more notes and damper pedaling are used at the same time in a piece of music) is very high in today's digital piano standards, but ultimately not high enough if your playing complex advanced music using lots of pedaling and fast moving music. That is a definite limitation and not one which can be modified or adjusted. In reality, these pianos should have a minimum of 512 note polyphony or higher in my opinion. After all, even the new Yamaha Clavinova CLP440 which sells for about $3000 discount price has 256-note polyphony. You would think for the the much higher prices, the AvantGrands would have at least double that, but they don't.

All three pianos have a digital transpose/modulation feature, 1-track recorder, and the upright style N2 has a concealed sliding drawer (left pic) that pulls out from under the piano keyboard to expose the instrument control buttons needed to change sounds and functions. This is a very nice way to hide the controls to make the piano look more natural. However the buttons are very small on the control drawer. The buttons on the N1 are exposed on the front side panel of the piano and the buttons unusually hard to push down although the N2 buttons are different and much easier to use. Why Yamaha chose to have two different sets of control buttons on the N1 & N2 doesn't make sense to me, especially with one set of buttons being so difficult to physically push down. But you'd only want to push the buttons when changing sounds, and in reality, the grand piano sound is the main reason why someone would buy one of the AvantGrand digital piano models...but still the N1 buttons are not up to my standard of ease to press.

As with many of the Clavinova CLP models, Yamaha only offers a basic red letter LED display on all three piano control panels which doesn't give much info. But hey, this piano doesn't do much either, except replace an acoustic grand and that's what these instruments are all about. The biggest major difference (although there are some others) among these pianos besides cabinet structure, is the on-board sound system. Each piano is different and the sound system was designed to give the player the spacial feeling of playing a real acoustic piano. We're talking about a lot of speakers, a lot of dedicated power amps, and about strategic placement of these speakers and power amps to give the player the sense of playing the real thing. And that has always been one of the main problems with digital pianos; spatially and environmentally that just don't emulate the organic nature of sound coming out of a good acoustic piano. However, Yamaha has done an excellent job with trying to solve this dilemma and it shows.

Overall the key action feels great to play (yes it is like playing a real grand piano) and the grand piano sound is great, but let's not lose sight of the fact that there is no standard for "greatness" when it comes to grand piano touch an tone in any good grand piano. Everyone has different expectations and experiences and so these pianos will either blow you away, or you will be slightly disappointed when comparing them to what you "think" a grand piano should feel and sound like. It's very subjective, but I happen to like these instruments a lot and they are a joy to play.

But here's the one major drawback to all of them in my opinion; this is the very 1st series of these "hybrid digital pianos" that Yamaha has created, and given what digital technology is these days and how fast it's moving, the N1, N2, & N3 selling prices are really quite high as is typical with new digital/hybrid piano technology in attractive furniture style cabinets. It's my educated guess that in just a few short years from now these pianos will likely be worth much less because of the advancement not so much in the grand action, but in the overall quality of sound, increased polyphony, and added exciting features. No one enjoys depreciation and loss of investment, but in this fast moving high tech world, you can count on big depreciation and loss in higher priced electronics. However, you cannot really say that about a great new organic acoustic baby or full grand piano like a Kawai, Yamaha, Steinway, Mason-Hamlin, or Boston, etc. Even used versions of those pianos which can be less money than these new AvantGrands, are safer bets and will always be wonderful instruments if well taken care of. There are no speakers, amplifiers, or control panels to go bad in acoustic pianos so when you're considering spending this much money, don't say I didn't tell you so in about 5-7 years from now when advancements in technology keep coming that will leave these particular AvantGrands in the digital dust!

If you're using a good set of headphones in the AvantGrand pianos, which is great to do, then all of the spacial speaker placement and cabinet resonation are not relevant at that point and what you have remaining is the 256-note polyphony sampled sound which is very good based on what's out there right now, but will be much better in the future...guaranteed (as I mentioned above). Therefore, if you'll be using headphones a lot, then you're not taking big advantage of the very upgraded built-in speaker system Yamaha has developed for these models such as the one in the N2 (above left pic). So my advice is to think real long and hard before you spend the big bucks that these models are demanding right now (even at discount prices). If you have the extra disposable income and the price doesn't bother you and you love the piano and have played it enough to be sure, then buy one because you'll enjoy the grand piano experience in a beautiful cabinet without the hassle of having to tune it and worrying about keeping the volume down when there are others in the home doing things (sleeping, watching TV, etc).

Personally, knowing what I know about technology, I personally would not buy one of these models right now. Hopefully Yamaha will improve the user controls and interface display instead of the panel being much to basic while having a limited unfriendly information LED number display. It also should have more quality instruments with layering and splitting instead of the too few instrument sounds with limited or no ability to interact with the piano sound, and also adding a USB plug & play computer output which is essential in my opinion to interact with the latest notation and composition computer software. And that's just at minimum standards as far as I'm concerned. For me, I always look ahead when it comes to spending the big bucks and these pianos are by far the most expensive (even at discount prices) of the top digital brands when it comes to furniture cabinet digital grand pianos that play just 5 sounds and have few other functions. The grand piano key action is great on the AvantGrands no doubt, but so are key actions on good acoustic grand pianos too although you still gotta tune and maintain those things and you can't use headphones. Oh well, you can't have everything can you?:)

I would recommend you also consider the new Kawai MP10 portable grand piano (pic left - stand optional) with wooden grand key action motion (pic below left) including let-off/escapement and delicate to aggressive touch control very near that of the AvantGrand in my opinion. The grand piano tone is superb with 192-note polyphony (not much less than the Yamaha) and stereo imaging with ivory feel keys and balanced, graduated key action that comes from Kawai's acoustic concert grand pianos and allows for the nuances and beauty that players look for. The Kawai MP10 has 27 of the most asked for beautiful instrument tones and it can layer and play up to three instruments at one time including acoustic grand, string symphony, and concert choir as an example with individual editing controls. It can also record any performance as an MP3 or WAV file and instantly save it direct to a USB flash drive. In my opinion, this Kawai MP10 portable digital grand piano combined with a superb sound system allowing the full range of tone that comes close in many ways to the AvantGrand, would be priced at about $3000-$3500. This is obviously far less than an AvantGrand and may give you what you need without breaking the bank. The MP10 does not come in a luxurious polished ebony furniture cabinet, but the music that pours out of it at this price, is pretty awesome. Take my word for it because I get many inquiries from people around the world on this Kawai digital piano and everyone who has purchased one, loves it. If you want to know more about the Kawai MP10, go to my detailed blog review link here: Kawai MP10 Digital Piano Review

If you want more info on these and other pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Korg Kronos Digital Piano Workstation - Sounds Great & Lots of Fun to Use

2011-10-22T14:51:00.007-07:00

Korg has been making some very impressive pro keyboards and digital piano workstations for many years. These instruments are played by pro musicians worldwide on stage, in studio, at home, and many other places. Korg has been a leader in producing some pretty awesome keyboard technology over the years (all of which I have played) including their famous M1, Trinity, Triton, OASYS, and other models, and now they have come out with the new Kronos. This instrument comes in a 61-key ($2999) lightweight synth type action, and 73 key ($3499 internet price) & 88 key ($3799 internet price) piano type weighted key action. There are no built-in speakers as this is a stage piano and the speakers, stand, and other accessories are optional and an extra cost.

I have played the 88-key version of the Kronos as that is what interests me the most when it comes to pianos. The first thing that I noticed about this piano when playing it, was that Korg is using the same key action (RH3) as found in their lower priced 88-key stage pianos including the SV1 ($2199 internet price) and the SP250 ($699 internet price). Unless Korg has made some changes to their key action since coming out with the their low priced SP250 piano at $699 many years ago, it's curious why they have not made advancements in their piano key action for the new Kronos? Although the Korg RH3 key action is very good, it is not what an acoustic grand piano feels like, although it does a pretty good job simulating an nice upright piano key action. It plays nicely, evenly, and quickly and this is particularly good if the player is going to be regularly using the extensive library of sounds on this model including electric pianos, synths, jazz organs, strings, guitars, horns, percussion, and other instruments that need a quick, fast key reaction time.

When it comes to a digital piano (and the Kronos is much more than that), my first thought is that the piano key action needs to be great, especially in an instrument that sells near $4000 that has very convincing grand piano sounds, which the Kronos 88 does including very realistic reproductions of German and Japanese acoustic grand pianos. So if you're wanting a grand piano playing experience when it comes to accurate organic acoustic piano key action, this piano would not be it. However with that said, the rest of the piano is very exciting. The 8" color touch screen is super cool and fun to use and allows multitasking of sounds and events in various ways. However, the control panel and interface display is flat and and the display screen is flush in the top and not slightly slanted which would have been a better way to see and use the controls when sitting at the keyboard. Perhaps Korg thought a flush flat panel would be better and safer for for transport? But a flat panel is not near as good for performance when sitting down (in my opinion). Maybe Korg thinks most people will be standing up when playing!? The touch screen does not work like an iPad where you can take your fingers and stretch or move the info on the display, but it wasn't designed for that. The Kronos has a solid state hard drive where many of the piano sounds reside (in unlooped form - very cool) and the tone generation is from multiple sources including sampling as well as PCM generated tones and Physical & Analog modeling, which is simply a different and effective way of coming up with very realistic instrument tones. The best way to judge sound quality is to listen to a Korg Kronos for yourself, and at the end of the day, that's all that really counts. As I have talked about in other blog reviews, it's not the descriptive terminology that a company uses to describe their product (and Korg uses plenty), but it's what actually comes out of the instrument for tone, touch, and features.

The Kronos has the ability to record and play instruments over 16 MIDI tracks & 16 separate audio tracks which is a great features when it comes to creating, recording, and playing back your music or music that you have imported from other sources. The Kronos has very convincing backing tracks for live performance, phrase creation, arpeggiator, CD burner & playback features (needs to be used in conjunction with external USB CD drive), and 1000's of exciting sounds in every way you can imagine and is also highly upgradable with additional factory sounds and features that can be installed later. You can write and compose film scores, entire musical productions, or just play the Kronos as a live acoustic piano, electric piano, jazz organ, or anything else you like. Ultimately, this instrument is (what I call) a CREATION STATION with everything you would need make incredible music for studio or performance...and that's what it's all about. If you want to create and play music with the 1000's of available quality instruments (all of which can be edited in a number of ways on the touch screen) and features with smooth transition movements from one tone to the next without delay or dropout, then this new Kronos piano workstation (a workstation is an all-in-one way to create music) with it's beautiful large color interactive touch display screen is a winner and I would recommend it over anything that Roland & Yamaha has in their line of piano workstation keyboards. Speaking of other brands, although the Roland workstation piano (Fantom G8) has a beautiful 8.5" color display screen (not a touch screen but it is tilted - good idea) and a more realistic key action movement than the Korg, the piano action is noisy and thumpy (in my opinion) when playing the keys, especially when playing hard. Basically the Roland key action bottoms out and hits the bottom hard making a lot of thumping noise compared to the Korg and the Yamaha which are noticeably quieter. Roland has an issue with this action noise (thumping) in other models as well.

As far as aesthetics (looks ) go, the Korg Kronos 88 key version is very sleek and attractive except for the fact that the side panels on the ends of the keyboards are a shiny black plastic which in my opinion, looks very cheap and picks up fingerprints and smudges like crazy (and probably dust as well) and can easily be seen. Not a good decision to do that as far as I'm concerned given the rest of the piano is so attractive. They should have used another material. But hey, it's only money and for $3799, this Kronos has great unlooped grand piano sounds (resident on the internal SSD hard drive for more realistic sound) and all the other features you could want including a more than sufficient amount of polyphony. This new production digital piano workstation will keep you busy for a lifetime (depending on how old you are:).

However, if you are really wanting to get the BEST grand piano reproduction as far as a lower priced digital piano that combines excellent grand piano key touch with beautiful grand piano tone, then I would recommend you also consider the Kawai MP10 digital concert grand piano. This is an instrument that hits a big home run with it's amazing full wooden key action and center pivot grand piano key action with let-off control, new synthetic ivory keytops, and and beautiful piano sound that is unmatched for it's lower price of $2499. It's affordable and is also a great piano midi controller as well so that you can use it to control external computer instruments & workstation controls and midi sound modules as well being able to create separate independent zones on the keyboard itself. Please go to the link below to read my blog review on the MP10.

Kawai MP10 Piano Review

If you want more info on these and other pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Korg SP170S Digital Piano - Improved model is very nice but still needs better Key Action Sensitivity

2011-10-13T21:35:00.012-07:00

I have reviewed the previous Korg SP170 (not the S version) in the past and wasn't very happy with it. However, the Korg company does make some great pro keyboards and other pro music gear and has for years, so I do like many music products from this company and have personally played and used them.

Korg has made some nice improvements in this new updated version of the SP170 which is called the SP170S ($499 internet discount price - optional stand additional cost). First of all, Korg finally realized their mistake (which I had pointed out earlier in a previous blog) in the original SP170 with regard to Korg not having a control panel with knobs and/or buttons for that model. What were they thinking!!?? Anyway, they put a power on/off button on the front top of the piano along with a basic control panel which includes a button to quickly access all 10 instrument sounds (which are very nice by the way) as well as a default button to automatically reset the instrument to the best piano sound on the instrument (there are 2 acoustic piano sounds with only the main one being acceptable to me). They also put the volume control knob on the front control panel instead of on back of the piano as they did on the previous model. I give credit to Korg for learning from their obvious mistakes in the recent past.

The keyboard action on this model is surprisingly quiet and sturdy and moves well except for one thing; the response of the piano notes/keys while playing normally is not so good when wanting to play lighter or softer passages. When you are trying to play a piece that requires a good response from the notes while playing easily and/or quickly, the notes do not react as they would on an acoustic upright or grand piano. This may not be something the average person would notice right away until you play a song where you would need to play more quickly or quietly with less finger pressure while playing normally as you would on an acoustic piano. In that way the key action feels somewhat mushy with strange note reaction time. There is an editing control for key touch sensitivity but this does not help when wanting to get better control over the sound (any instrument sound) during normal play. When you play normally, the physical action and response time and sensitivity should work well no matter what. In this instrument is does not and that's too bad.

The stereo piano tone is very good and convincing as an acoustic piano, but the difference in the tonality from soft touch to hard touch when playing the piano could be better. This is because the variance in piano tone characteristics (how hard or quickly the hammer strikes the string) on a regular acoustic piano is more subtle and progressive when playing soft to loud in the amount of key pressure applied to the keys on those types of pianos. The Korg SP170S is more noticeable when it changes tone as it is not as subtle or progressive, but for $499 it's certainly acceptable.

The physical buttons and knob on the instrument feel sturdy and well built and the on-board speaker system sounds really good in this price range and is an improvement over the older SP170 model. Also, I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that this piano supports half damper play using the included single sustain pedal. So sustain is not just on/off as it is in other low priced models, but it is progressive which duplicates what acoustic pianos really do when it comes to proper pedaling with the damper pedal. There is plenty of polyphony with 120 maximum notes (60 in stereo) and the looks of this instrument are very nice as well. It has a few other editing features as well as key transpose which is a good thing, but it does not have a USB computer connection output, only MIDI output (too bad, it should). With its weight coming in at just about 27lbs, it's also easy to carry for most people.

Overall, it's a very good instrument but it's still not quite there because of the key action and piano response sensitivity, especially when playing with a lighter and/or quicker finger touch as many people do. I played on this model many times and still couldn't get over the deficiency in the key touch when playing normally, so personally even though all the other features on this piano are very nice and the price is low, I would instead recommend you look at the Casio PX130 ($499 internet price) or the Yamaha P95 ($549 internet price).

Korg is gradually coming close to 'getting it right' when it comes to a low price digital piano, but they're still not there with this one in my opinion. This is Korg's only newer 88-key digital piano under $1000 and I don't know of any other alternatives in the Korg brand. The SP170S also has an option furniture style stand at an extra cost as well as a white version of the piano for the same price as the black version. Not many piano companies offer a white version of their low priced digital piano except for this one and Casio on their PX130. Korg does not offer an option 3-pedal setup for the piano (which may be important to you) but Casio does. Actually for a little bit more at $699, you could look at the Casio PX330 which is a very popular instrument and significantly upgraded in many ways from the Korg SP170S. Take a look at that review on my blog if you wish to learn more about it.

If you want more info on these and other pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Yamaha YDP161 & YDP181 Digital Pianos - Nice, except for the Key Action

2011-10-04T02:39:00.008-07:00

Updated Review - January 25, 2012 - The Yamaha piano company makes great pianos, no doubt about that, and they've been doing tit for many years. I personally own a Yamaha acoustic piano and have played professionally on many Yamaha acoustic & digital pianos as well as their pro keyboards, synths, and organs. My kids even play a Yamaha flute & clarinet. So it will come as no surprise that I like Yamaha musical instruments. I have followed their digital pianos for years and they have always had a very respected reputation for good quality instruments.

Yamaha builds a line of furniture style cabinet digital pianos called the Arius, and they sell for under $2000. They have four Arius models in the US but this review is on the YDP161 ($1499 internet price, left pic) & YDP181 ($1799 internet price, below left pic). Essentially these pianos are about the same in most ways with a few notable upgraded exceptions in the YDP181: slightly bigger speakers, 4 more instrument tones, a USB flash drive input for storage of recorded songs on the piano as well as playback of recorded piano songs from the flashdrive. Also, the YDP181 has a control panel across the front with a LED display which makes it much easier to navigate the various features on the piano. The YDP161 is much more difficult to navigate the various features including the instrument sounds so I much prefer the YDP181 for that reason as well as the other differences.

Both pianos have the same piano sound sampling with 3 dynamic levels, both have midi connectors but no USB (they should have USB output connectors at those selling prices), same amount of polyphony (128 notes which is excellent), same upgraded quieter & heavier GH key action, same audio power rating of 40 watts total with two speakers, same layer functions along with reverb and basic 2-track standard MIDI recording, and same cabinet and pedals with (half-pedal) progressive sustain. Tone quality is better on the 181 because of the larger speakers (although the power is the same on both) and the overall touch movement is good with one exception on both instruments: the key touch when pressing any keys down on the upper octaves is somewhat stiff, in my opinion.

Here's what I mean; when you first apply pressure to the key and try to press very easily and softly as is required in many piano pieces as well as being important for younger beginner students, the GH action in both pianos reacts very unnaturally on the upper key octaves above middle C, as compared with a good acoustic piano. There is an upward resistance to each key that requires a (unnaturally) large amount of finger pressure to get the key to move downward. In other words, the key does not move easily when playing lightly or softly. It's a bit stiff and unnatural going down and that can be a problem when playing light legato or staccato style music and also when younger students with minimal finger strength try to press on the keys.

To see this for yourself, when trying out one of these pianos in a store, turn the volume of the piano all the way down on the piano and then lightly press each key and you should feel the key not going down easily under a lighter touch. Now try that same thing on any good acoustic or grand piano and you'll notice a difference in that the keys on those acoustic pianos should go down easily with a gentile touch. In my opinion with the key action on both the YDP161 & 181 being this way, I would hesitate to recommend these pianos as great substitutes for acoustic pianos and that's really too bad because otherwise I like them and they do have a good piano tone with some other nice features. The lower octaves below Middle C are OK on the intial soft or light touch because regular pianos do offer more key pressure resistance down there. But as far a piano teacher and a piano player is concerned, dynamic physical key touch should be the most important thing in selecting a digital piano, followed by the actual audible response of the piano sound to the key touch with a smooth dynamic range when playing the keys (which both Yamaha's do have), then realistic piano sound with a good speaker system, and then finally smooth pedal action with half-damper control, in that order.

If the keys are unnaturally stiff on the initial touch and not like a typical acoustic piano in that way (try it for yourself), then the player will have to compensate with unnatural finger pressure to compensate. What's also interesting about this is that the lower priced YDP141 ($1149 internet discount price, above left pic) has the basic GHS key action which in my opinion, plays more naturally on the initial touch of the key in the upper octaves, but unfortunately, is a more springy and noisier key movement than the 161 &181, so it has its drawbacks as well.

What I am talking about on the key actions here would, for most people, not be an issue at first because it's not something you'll immediately recognize in a store or if you buy it sight unseen on-line somewhere. But once you or your child start playing a song in the privacy of your home and notice how the keytouch movement really feels, then you may understand why it's important to get a key touch that really moves like an acoustic piano in every way possible. It's important, especially when investing this kind of money. If your younger child is practicing his or her lesson and has a difficult time pressing the keys down, you might otherwise think it's the child's problem with his or her fingers when it really isn't the child's problem at all but instead an issue with the mechanism of the key action not being what it should, in my opinion.

If it were me and I was a getting this piano for a beginning player, I'd probably opt for the lower priced YDP141 or higher priced Yamaha YDPV240 because the key action will be somewhat easier to play. If I was a bit more advanced than a beginner but couldn't move up into a much higher price range, I would be looking at the Kawai digital pianos such as the new CE220 or Casio Celviano pianos which are under $2000 and have an easier, more natural key movement based on my experience.

So that's my opinion for what it's worth, and although I am a big fan of Yamaha musical equipment, I would look at other options besides the YDP161 & 181 at least until they redesign the GH actions in those pianos so they would perform with more ease and natural initial touch on the upper octaves. One other thing, a good piano player can play almost any piano with almost any key action because excellent piano players know how to compensate for various types of key actions so it may not be as much of an issue for that kind of a player. Overall, the Yamaha YDP161 & YDP181 digital pianos are solidly built instruments, reliable, and sound good, although I would submit they are somewhat overpriced for the features you are getting as compared to the other good brands in their price range.You can also look at my reviews for the Kawai CE220 Kawai CE220 Review, Casio AP620 and Roland RP301 and compare what they offer for the money against these Yamaha pianos.

If you want more info on these and other pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Casio PX830 BP Digital Piano - Polished Ebony Contemporary Design - Very Classy and well built

2011-09-20T12:00:00.008-07:00

Casio America has a very popular lineup of digital pianos this year called the Privia & Celviano models. For the money in the lower price range, I believe they offer the biggest bang for the buck in terms of realistic piano touch, piano tone, and useful fun and educational features in sturdy, well designed cabinets in black and brown colors. However, there are some families who prefer the polished ebony cabinets that normally come in the higher priced models and brands, and are not typically found in the lower price ranges. Neither Roland, Yamaha, or Kawai (all great digital piano manufacturers) offer a high gloss polished ebony cabinet in their digital pianos under $2000.

However, Casio is now offering a very attractive, classy looking polished black (BP) version of their popular PX830 ($999), and the PX830BP is just $1299 internet discount price. Both versions are otherwise identical and their specs are at the bottom of this blog review. If you don't think you need a lot of "bells and whistles" but just want a great big sounding piano with a realistic smooth playing upright piano key touch in a very attractive contemporary cabinet, then I believe this would be the perfect piano, especially at this price. Casio also has some distinct advantages as far as the additional features on the PX830 piano over other brands in this price range including the new synthetic ivory feel keytops which give a smoother, more natural feel when playing the keys along with being moisture absorbing for sweaty fingers (I especially like that). This kind of new key material is available on other brands and models, but not until you are in the $2000+ price range for furniture cabinet models.

The PX830 polished ebony piano also has an SD memory card input slot so you can play and record your music directly into the card for storage of your performances which is a very nice feature. Another great aspect of this piano (which I use quite often for my students and personal use) is that you can connect to a computer from the built-in fully compliant CoreMIDI USB 2.0 connection port for instant plug & play with interactive computer software as well as connecting to the latest Apple iPad, which is very cool thing to do. The computer music educational, notation, and composition software that is available these days for students and professionals is incredible and allows you to have fun, interactive participation from your PX830 to your iPad or laptop for some real music excitement and learning. Great for the whole family. Also be aware that the Celviano AP420 by Casio (above left pic) is virtually the same piano as the PX830 except that it comes in the traditional brown color furniture style cabinet with front support legs.

Casio has really outdone themselves with this model and I do recommend it. The only other cabinet piano I'd recommend in the lower price range that really isn't much more money is the Casio Celviano AP620 for $1399 internet discount price (left pic). For the small increase difference in price, it's definitely worth considering, although it is only available in a satin black tradition cabinet. Take a look at my blog review of the Casio AP620 at the following link:

http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2010/01/all-new-casio-celviano-ap620-piano-is.html

Here are some (but not all) features of the regular Casio PX830 and the PX830BP Polished:

- special high polished ebony finish
- upright piano style hammer weighted graduated key action
- moisture absorbent "ivory feel" keytops for a better playing experience
- 40 watts of stereo audio power with four speakers built in
- USB to computer/iPad connection with auto recognition (plug & play)
- SD card storage card slot to save recordings
- 16 very nice instrument tones incl acoustic pianos
- headphone jacks
- 1/4" audio input & output jacks
- layer & split sound capability
- built in 3 foot pedal control with graduated half damper recognition
- folding key cover with music rest - closes into flat top
- built-in educational features

As with any popular piano model, this polished ebony version will likely get sold out fast during the next couple of months due to demand for holiday gifts, birthdays, etc. If you are really into this type of high gloss finish, there really isn't any other manufacturer offering it right now in the lower price range that actually feels & plays like a real piano.

If you want more info on these and other pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Suzuki HDP Home Digital Piano - NOT RECOMMENDED - Also known as Suzuki M22, SW27, C11, R21

2011-09-18T12:39:00.004-07:00

Suzuki digital pianos have been around for quite a few years now. They are a well known name in that they are famous for the Suzuki violin and piano teaching methods as well as producing motorcycles, cars, and other consumer products (completely different companies). They also offer acoustic upright and grand pianos too. Hyundai (another vehicle manufacturer), which is known for it's automobiles and gigantic ocean shipping tankers, also produces acoustic pianos and owns the Kurzweil digital piano company. So many of these big name Asian companies are very diversified and some know what they're doing in many areas of their product lines and services and some do not.

In my opinion it does not matter where a piano is made and who makes it, as long as it is a good quality instrument which closely (as much as possible) performs like a real acoustic upright or grand piano, has good construction, useful features, and is reliable. I have played the new lineup of Suzuki digital pianos and put them through their paces. The most important things necessary in digital pianos is key action feel, tone quality & velocity response, proper damper pedal movement with sustain & half damper response, and finally the piano construction. The Suzuki's do look like quality digital pianos on the outside including a fairly attractive cabinet, and the physical key movement goes up and down just fine, so the first impression is you would not expect any big deficiencies in the piano. However, you may be surprised to learn that in my opinion, when it comes to piano tone resonance, velocity key response, and damper pedal realism, the Suzuki HDP digital piano falls very flat.

Just so you know, the Suzuki company produces the HDP piano - $899.99 internet discount (above left pic) under four other model names including the M22, SW27, C11, and R21. The HDP model designation is marketed and sold by Costco on-line, Sams Club, and a few other on-line sites, and the other identical models are available at different retailers depending on who they are. However, all models are identical in their specifications and appearance. Suzuki does this to give an advantage to certain on-line & consumer and piano stores so they can have an "exclusive model number" for themselves. But all model numbers play and sound the same.

As a piano teacher, musician, and digital piano adviser for many years, I know what is needed in a piano so that it performs properly. It is true that in lower price ranges such as this HDP, you can only expect so much. But there needs to be at a minimum, a certain level of good piano tone, piano response, and piano touch reproduction so the player can reproduce the piano music without forming bad habits or trying to compensate for noticeable deficiencies in the instrument. Getting into bad playing habits (technique, velocity & touch response, and pedaling) is something that one must avoid if at all possible.

Good velocity (volume) key response means that the volume of the piano sound plays evenly and gets progressively louder or softer depending on how hard you push on the keys. After playing these pianos I noticed the Suzuki HDP has a problem in this area. The response is very uneven and jumps up and down in volume when playing the keys instead of smoothly changing volume in smaller degrees as good acoustic pianos do. Simply put, this would likely be due to lack of good electronics/key sensors in the piano. Suzuki uses the same key action and basic electronics in all their pianos up and down the line including their digital baby grands so the results are unfortunately the same in all models.

The resonance of the piano tone is very shallow and short when holding down the damper pedal especially with the sustain on the upper half of the piano keys. And to add to that problem, the damper pedal (right pedal) which is used very often for sustaining (holding) the note for a while after you release the key, does not function as it should. On an acoustic piano, when you press the damper sustain pedal (right pedal) down to get full sustain, the sustain is supposed to gradually and progressively let off as the pedal comes back up, and not just immediately stop as the pedal starts going back up. In the digital piano world, the proper pedal function is called "half-damper." Yamaha, Casio, Roland, Kawai, and a couple other brand names have this feature but Suzuki does not. Suzuki only has sustain "on or off" and that is definitely a problem in my opinion, especially for the piano student or player. You'll notice that Suzuki does not mention the word "half-damper" on any of their on-line literature or product specifications and the reason for that is they don't have it. If they did, they would mention it because it's a really big deal. The reason they don't have it in my opinion is that it saves them money to leave it out.

My favorite saying is that "you cannot judge a book by its cover" and that's true for pianos. The Suzuki digital pianos overall look attractive (most of the cabinets that are in the basic dark rosewood color also come in polished ebony for more money) and sound OK (nothing great compared to the other brands) and can even be price competitive for what they "seem to offer," but the reality is they do not come close to playing at all like real acoustic pianos of any type. And Suzuki's selling prices are really not that low and actually higher priced in some cases than the better brands.

As far as reliability, additional features, warranty, and other assorted items Suzuki may have, that is unimportant if the basics aren't right. For all the digital upright style models Suzuki offers, incl their small (cute looking) digital baby grands, I would "stay away and move on" to other brands including Roland, Yamaha, Casio, and Kawai. Those pianos work well, sound great, have useful features and most importantly, do what pianos are supposed to do.

By the way, I really did want to like these Suzuki pianos, but unfortunately could not. I have also reviewed in detail a couple of their other Suzuki models in the past which can be found on the following links:

TSI-1ei... http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2010/04/digital-piano-review-suzuki-tsl1ei.html

MDG100 Micro Grand... http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2010/10/suzuki-mdg100-micro-grand-at-costco.html

Be sure to check out some of my other blog articles on digital pianos from the "big 4" piano makers especially the lower priced Casio AP620 & AP420 (pic above left), AP220, as well as the Kawai CE200, Kawai EP3, Kawai CL26, Roland FP7F, FP4F, Yamaha P95, and Yamaha YDP141. They are the better ones in their class for the under $2000 price range right now in my opinion and are recommended by teachers, players, and myself included.

If you want more info on these pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864

REVIEW - Benjamin Adams DPR1500 Digital Piano - Good & Bad

2011-09-08T23:36:00.004-07:00

The Benjamin Adams brand is carried exclusively by Sam Ash Music, a large retail chain of music instrument stores in the US. The brand is manufactured for Sam Ash by an undisclosed Chinese manufacturer and the Adams brand name is a 'made up name' to sound American, although the pianos are not built here. Building products in China is not a bad thing and in fact, many good products come from and are made in China. Even Yamaha and Kawai have have piano factories in China, but unlike the Adams brand, Kawai & Yamaha make the pianos themselves where Adams/Sam Ash does not. They simply buy an inexpensive model to market and promote in the U.S, and for the the Sam Ash company, its a smart thing to do because it gives them full control and exclusivity over that name.

With that being said, I have not liked the quality, sound, or performance of this digital piano brand in any of the models they have previously put out and I always recommend purchasing the better and more popular brands including Yamaha, Kawai, Casio, Roland, and a couple of others. I have written reviews of some previous Adams models and I did not like these pianos at all, even for their low price. You generally get what you pay for, however I found the DPR1500 ($699 internet price) is much improved over the older models in features and piano tone, so I was pleasantly surprised by that. After having spent a lot of time playing this instrument I was hoping that I could recommend it because it's very affordable, has some good features, and many people are looking for that kind of thing these days. But unfortunately it has a major flaw that prevents me from recommending this piano and I don't believe this flaw is something which can be repaired, easily changed, or overlooked.

Example of quality digital piano key action

Here's the explanation of what I mean by that. All pianos have a key action that goes up and down when you play it and press down on the keys...that's normal. But when you press down on the keys and then release them to go back up, the only thing you want to hear is the sound of the music and the notes that are being played. You do not want to hear the keys physically making a lot of noise when hitting the bottom keybed (underneath the keys) when you push the keys down, and you don't want to hear the keys making noise when they go back up. A little ambient noise is normal, but if the noise is too great, it interferes with the music and what is being heard.

On the Adams DPR1500, when the keys are played and pushed down with any real force at all which is normal playing, the amount of physical thumping noise being produced when the keys hit bottom is so loud that is is almost unbearable in my opinion. The only time the noise is at a minimum is when you turn up the piano volume very loud so that you can't hear the thudding and thunking sound the keys make when being played. But of course you don't want to play the piano at a very loud volume just to mask the key noise. When you play the piano at a normal or softer volume, which is how it's mostly used in a home, the thumping noise is much more noticeable and distracting and noise also occurs when the keys come back up to resting position. And when you plug in headphones for private practice, you won't hear the outside noise as much but everyone else in the house will hear it constantly and it may drive them 'crazy.'

The MOST important feature and function in any piano is the key action because if it does not work correctly, nothing else really matters including the quality of the piano tone, the amount of sounds there are, the other features that are offered, or the design and attractiveness of the cabinet. Good key actions is one of the main things that separates one piano from another and this is where the Benjamin Adams DPR1500 falls apart (so to speak). You might as well use real hammers to strike the keys because that's what it sounds like to me when playing this piano. Just because a piano has keys does not mean they work properly or even at a minimum level. If the factory that builds this model fixes the problem or builds a higher quality model, then they may have something good. But until they change what they call their NHA or "New Hammer Action," I do not recommend this piano even for the lower price of $699. If you happen to see this piano in a Sam Ash store and are able to try one, just turn the piano volume down to a lower level and push on the keys with a medium amount of normal force while increasing that force and then you'll hear what I'm talking about.

If you want a piano key action that will work properly and much more quietly, then try any of the other popular brands and models including Casio (starting at $799 for the AP220), Yamaha, Kawai, Roland, and Kurzweil. It will be worth spending a little more money on something you can enjoy for many years because then you'll know that all 88 keys should function properly.

By the way, if at all possible, be sure you try to get a digital piano with a USB computer output on it. The Benjamin Adams does not have this feature but many other pianos do and it can be important because of all the music educational software available for computers and iPads. A 'Core Compliant' USB output is best because that automatically can connect with iPad which is what kids are using more and more in schools, at home, and for music practice. Don't underestimate the fun and the power of what an iPad or laptop computer can do (with the proper software) for a piano student of any age. The availability of exciting interactive piano and music software is amazing and it is something that can help motivate any piano student or recreational player whether they are at a beginner or advanced level. On the left above are examples of educational software available from the eMedia company.

By the way, check out the following review I did on a couple of Casio pianos and related iPad connectivity and music software as an example of what else is available.

Casio Piano Reviews

Apple iPad & Digital Pianos

For more info on digital pianos and how to get one of these models for LESS, please contact me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864

REVIEW - Kawai CN43, Roland HP305, Yamaha CLP440 Digital Piano Comparison

2011-09-03T21:37:00.009-07:00

New digital pianos in furniture style cabinets are available in many different price ranges these days. Generally speaking, there are pianos for under $2000 and then there are the pianos for over $2000 on up to $10,000 and more. In this review, I am comparing new digital pianos in the $3000 price range (normal store discounts in standard cabinet finish) from Yamaha, Kawai, and Roland. These 3 companies are the primary manufacturers for digital pianos over $2000 in nice looking furniture style cabinets. Roland, Yamaha, and Kawai make fine musical instruments and all have their own strengths and weaknesses. But ultimately when it comes down to it, piano tone and key action touch is an individual thing, and therefore a subjective choice.

All three of these piano brands offer a variety of models that come in different cabinet styles, colors, and configurations. If you're looking for something that is beyond the basic digital piano and don't mind spending around $3000 (more or less), then the 3 models you need to look at and compare are the Kawai CN43 (above), Roland HP305 (left), and Yamaha CLP440 (below). All of these pianos are the latest, current model acoustic piano replacements and I have played all of them. In my opinion, any of these pianos would be great to own and would offer a generally very satisfying piano playing experience. However, as with all products, sometimes there is a brand or model that jumps ahead of the rest in a specific price range, and in my opinion that piano is the Kawai CN43.

Not only does the Kawai CN43 seem to offer a lot more features, and for less money than the other two comparable brands and models, but the piano tone and touch on the Kawai are really impressive with a very smooth keyboard action with a quiet and refined mechanism and keybed. The cabinet is very attractive and comes in two colors, with my favorite being the premium satin black. With all that Kawai offers on this piano, it is amazing to me that it sells for about the same price or less than the Roland and Yamaha. But as I said earlier, tone, touch, and furniture cabinet style & color is personal and subjective, and the Roland HP305 and Yamaha CLP 440 are also very nice. But if it were up to me, I would choose the Kawai CN43 piano because not only does it have very useful built-in piano educational and fun features that the other two do not have, the CN43 also has a very impressive piano touch and tone that's hard to beat. It also comes in a very attractive cabinet built by the Kawai piano company who has years of wooden cabinet building experience (as does Yamaha) with acoustic upright and grand pianos.

Below is a comparison chart of many of the important features of these three pianos. It is important to note that each piano model has their own unique way of generating their piano sound and piano touch and that each one is noticeably different. They use various words in their factory specs to describe the way they produce their tone and touch, but at the end of the day, it boils down to how it feels and sounds to you. Few people really care what it's called, as long as it's good and it allows the player (and the audience) to have a satisfying playing and listening experience. But as a complete package, as I said earlier, the CN43 would be my pick and it's less money. I also really like the fact that Kawai and Roland have developed a close replication of a grand piano key mechanism creating a let-off/escapement movement inside the key action which none of the Yamaha models have. It's really the difference between what a grand piano feels like compared to an upright piano.

Take a look at my comparison chart (at left) of these three models so you can see for yourself some of the important piano features and how these pianos compare to each other. The chart does not cover all the features on each piano, as the list would be much too long otherwise. But this will give you a very good idea of how they do compare in areas that I believe need to be considered in your piano decision. These are not the only pianos to consider when looking to purchase a new instrument, but they are very good ones. I also recommend you consider pianos under $2000 as well and I have done a comparison review of some of those models which include pianos by Kawai, Kurzweil, Casio, Roland, and Yamaha. Take a look at the link below to get more information on those pianos as they may satisfy you just as well, and you will spend less money too which is always a good thing. Also, many people these days are purchasing portable versions of furniture cabinet pianos because it can reduce costs significantly. Roland has a portable version of their top of the line HP307 called the FP7F ($1899) which is considerably less money than the HP305, and it has many more features. Kawai also has a very popular portable digital piano called the MP6 ($1499) and it even outperforms the Kawai CN43 in significant ways. So there are a number of choices you can make when it comes to buying the right digital piano for your needs and one that can last you a long time.

Under $2000 Piano Comparison Chart

If you want more info on these and other pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Williams WGB Digital Grand Piano - NOT recommended!

2011-08-27T17:13:00.003-07:00

UPDATED REVIEW - Oct 1, 2011 - Many people love the look of small acoustic baby grands and the same is true for digital pianos. But when it comes to getting a good digital "baby grand style" piano at a low price, the Williams WGB Grand Piano is not one of those instruments. Williams has a web site and on it they say the following words: "Williams digital pianos have been crafted for musicians and music enthusiasts who want the look, feel and sound of a fine acoustic piano, combined with the amazing range of effects and other features that only a digital piano can offer." I caution you not to believe everything a web site would say, especially if the web site belongs to that brand. When I read that statement on the Williams web site, I just couldn't help but laugh at it and wonder how the Williams "people" could write something like that to describe their pianos. Oh well, what can you do?

I am a musician and piano teacher having taught thousands of students through the years and would not recommend this Williams WGB piano. This small 3'3" long mini digital baby grand sells for about $1299 internet and store discount price and is sold by the Guitar Center Company including it subsidiaries Musicians Friend, Woodwind & Brasswind Music Company, and Music & Arts, and others, all of which Guitar Center owns (small world).

When I had a chance to play one of these pianos not too long ago, I could instantly tell that I did not like it (although I really was trying to). It had a decent mini-baby grand piano "appearance" in a polished black cabinet, but that was about as close as it got to a piano. The 3 pedals each squeaked terribly loud and were very hard to press, and the sustain pedal (the one on the far right) only had off & on switching on them (like a cheap keyboard) instead of the normal acoustic piano gradual half-pedaling which is a must on any good piano and what all acoustic pianos have. The instrument sounds were below average (there were just 14 of them), and the key touch and response was very poor. In fact there was very little velocity response changes from soft to loud in the key action even though the piano had three velocity settings. It was almost like playing a piano without any volume changes at all while playing the keys hard or soft, very strange. So trying to play the piano "smoothly" and to have expression was next to impossible.

So why is this piano being offered for sale? It's because consumers want a mini baby grand look in their home despite how poor the rest of the piano may be and they just don't understand what they are really getting. And when it comes to to any positive reviews that may be circulating out there on-line, in my opinion you just can't believe everything you read in those consumer reviews because you don't really know who they are, and even if they are connected to the dealer or not? If you have very low expectations of what a digital piano or any piano should play and sound like, then this may be the perfect piano for you, but you usually get what you pay for. By the way, the Williams "company" is not a "real" piano manufacturer like Yamaha, Casio, Roland, Kawai, and a few others. It is a name that is owned and created by the Guitar Center company and made by "unknown manufacturers" in China.

As far as I'm concerned, this Williams WGB digital grand piano is simply a "PSO," which stands for Piano Shaped Object because that's as close to a piano as it gets in my opinion. And who knows if the pianos will hold up and be reliable? (my experience so far is not good). I have even played new $150-$300 keyboards by Yamaha & Casio that outperform this Williams piano in touch, tone quality, and features which just shows how deficient the Williams WGB really is. So do yourself a favor...save your money or buy a lower priced Yamaha, Casio, Kawai, or Roland digital vertical or portable piano which would be far superior to these Williams pianos. If you really want that mini baby grand appearance, it will cost you a lot more money for something that actually behaves like a real piano but is in a nice mini baby grand case.

By the way, when it comes to getting the most digital piano quality for under $1500, I recommend you consider (among other things) the Casio AP620 (pic on left). This piano is getting great reviews and and best of all, it really does feel like, sound like, and play like an upright piano in an attractive cabinet. It also has a fully CoreMIDI compliant USB connection to computer and SD memory card function for saving and storing setups and playing General MIDI education songs & lessons. as well as connecting. I have reviewed the Casio piano on this blog, so take a look at the AP620 review at the link below.

Casio AP620 Digital Piano Review

Remember, "cute" does not necessarily mean good, especially when it comes to pianos. Just be sure to do your homework and research before getting a piano like a Williams. If the price is just too good to be true, then it most likely is.

If you want more info on these and other pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - Stage Pianos - Digital Piano Controllers - For Stage, Church, Home, Studio - Why they are a BETTER ALTERNATIVE to REGULAR DIGITAL PIANO

2011-08-15T10:10:00.017-07:00

There are many types of digital pianos including home furniture cabinet models, portable beginner digital pianos, professional digital pianos, stage digital pianos, controller digital pianos, and others. Stage digital pianos (aka Piano Controllers) can be good alternatives to regular portable and furniture cabinet digital pianos.

Roland RD700NX

Professionals typically use 'controller' digital pianos on stage because...well...they are better at controlling the sounds and functions that are on that digital piano as well as being able to control external digital sound devices such as MIDI sound modules, drum machines, external computers, and so on. Some controller digital pianos have no sounds built into them at all because they are used solely to control those external devices. Although some professionals and/or studio musicians still use those types of digital pianos, that is not what I am focusing on here in this review. Controller digital pianos (with built-in sounds) in years gone by were typically very difficult to use, very complex, and for those reasons were not the best choice for churches, schools, and everyday musicians looking to have more control but without the hassle and the huge learning curve needed to use those controller pianos. Only the most knowledgeable keyboard musicians could use them.

Yamaha CP5

But now, everything has changed. A few of the new controller 'digital stage pianos' with built-in piano tones and other very nice instrumental & percussive sounds sounds that have recently come out from Roland, Kawai, and Yamaha, can now also be enjoyed by the average beginning to intermediate piano player, church musician, studio musician, recreational piano player, as well as pro musicians. These new pianos allow the player to get past the normal 'preset sounds,' basic layers, basic splits, simple effects, and simple setups that most regular digital pianos are limited to. They greatly expand the enjoyment of playing a digital piano so you can get more out of it than you ever thought possible by owning a stage piano/piano controller.

Kawai MP6

One such digital controller piano or 'stage piano' that I am impressed with for its ease of use, great quality piano tone and touch, vast array of functions and features, and low internet price of $1499, is from the Kawai piano company called the MP6 (left pic). This is a perfect piano for the serious solo pianist, piano student, church pianist, as well as recreational piano players. This new piano allows the user to individually control and combine up to 4 individual instruments at a time (there are 256 instruments in the piano including 20 very nice pianos) with the ability of pre-setting these instruments and turning them on or off in any combination with the push of a button. It will also allow the user to split up the keys into 4 different and independent 'zones' so that each of the 4 instruments you select can be played live (with independent volumes) one at a time on different sections of the keyboard, with the ability to have each section transposed to a different octave for proper instrument range on those keys. You can also assign 2 independent instrument sounds to the right hand and two to the left hand for a total of four, and each of those instruments can have their transpose, octave, and effects individually changed and edited.

MP6 'Real time' instrument controls

A great thing about the Kawai MP6 is when you have created a unique instrument combination and orchestrated the sounds to be a perfect mix for your song, you can easily save that as a memory setting to recall it later without having to set it all up again. There are 256 memory settings, so more than enough to save all your creativity. And to top off this kind of digital piano flexibility, the Kawai MP6 also offers 192 notes of polyphony to handle all 4 instruments at once, progressive half-pedaling, key let-off for actual grand piano feel along with synthetic ivory keytops and progressive fully weighted hammer action.

In addition to that, you can also create country slide steel & Hawaiian guitars by using the pitch bend wheel along with vibrato modulation wheel (left pic) which is on the MP6 as well as other controller pianos. This allows you to bend up or down any instrument you choose including guitars, saxophones, clarinets, etc, to get that authentic slide sound. That is something not normally found on regular digital pianos.

Once you have this piano connected to a good pair of stereo powered studio monitors for proper amplification and sound disbursement (generally 150-300 watts of power with 4 built-in amplifiers) and have it sitting on a sturdy stand, you will have a piano package for under $2000 that will outperform nearly any furniture cabinet piano for two to three times the price. And when it comes to your music and what you'll be able to do, there are virtually no limitations when it comes to the Kawai MP6 and playing beautiful music.

MP6 Independent EFX controls

Before you spend a lot of money on a basic portable or cabinet piano without the key action, tone, and functions that you wish you would have had in the beginning, take a look at some 'controller pianos' including the new Kawai MP6. It's pretty incredible and I am very impressed with it after putting it through its paces. The only 'downside' is that fact it's not in a furniture cabinet with built-in speakers, so it's certainly not for everyone. However, if that is not a big concern for you, then in my opinion you will have a musical instrument which doesn't get much better unless you look at more expensive controllers such as the Kawai MP10 and a few others.

Please go to the link below to get a full review of the Kawai MP6 controller piano.
Kawai MP6 Piano

If you want more info on these and other pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864

ATTENTION DIGITAL PIANO SHOPPERS! - READ THIS BEFORE YOU BUY ANY DIGITAL PIANO Including Yamaha CLP430, CLP440, CLP470, CLP480, Roland FP7F, HP302, HP305, HP307, Kawai CN23, CN33, CN43, CA63, CA93, KURZWEIL MP10, Yamaha YDP141, YDP161, YDP181

2011-08-14T19:49:00.007-07:00

Shopping for a digital piano can be confusing for people. I know this because for many years I have helped literally thousands of people all over this country and the world make the right buying decisions for "their needs and budget" on digital pianos. There are a lot of things to consider before making your purchase that could be important in the short term & long term including the actual piano key touch action & tone response of the piano, the built-in audio-speaker system, educational features, cabinet construction, design, overall looks, reliability, ease of use, additional piano functions, instrument tones, controls, connectivity, longevity, and much more.

With all this in mind, spending your money wisely is important as there are some functions and features on digital pianos that may not seem necessary to you in the beginning, but they can become more important later on as you progress in your playing and ability to use the digital piano. It is always good to examine digital pianos closely to see what features they may lack and what extra features they may have that will help the music you are playing to be even more beautiful and exciting and give you more reasons to enjoy the investment you have made.

With that being said, there is something I have noticed over the years that most digital pianos simply cannot do that they should be able to do in my opinion. And that is to combine more than 2 instrument sounds at one time and have control over the individual volumes and effects on each of the instruments. As an example, lets say you are conducting a small classical orchestra & choir and you would like the pianist to play, the choir to sing, the symphony string section to play, and the brass section to play. You also want to be sure that all 4 instrument groups (piano, strings, choir, & brass) are playing at the correct volume so that the piano is loud enough to be heard over the brass, the strings are not overpowering the choir, and the choir to be more in the background as far as how loud it is.

Although there are many digital pianos with a good amount of nice instrument sounds in addition to the piano tones, most digital pianos cannot combine more than 2 independent instrument sounds together at the same time and they also do not normally have independent volume controls for those two instruments when being layered or mixed together in any way. There may be a single relative volume control between two instruments in dual-layered tones, but that does not give you individual volume control, especially over the first instrument. In other words, there is very little control over volume when mixing instruments together, and combining more than 2 instruments is not possible in most digital pianos even on the more expensive piano models. This is an important feature which has been missing in most digital pianos whether they be furniture cabinet type of portable.

In addition to all of that, when you are able to combine a couple of instruments together, you also cannot control the individual aspects of each instrument such as how much echo or reverb each one gets, how much EQ (treble, mid range, bass) each one gets, how much panning (which speaker it comes out of) each one gets such as when an instrumentalist in an orchestra is sitting on the right or left side of the stage, the amount of attack, decay, and release of the instruments which allows you to customize and tailor the subtitles of each sound, and other aspects of those instruments. Even when there is a reverb-echo or brightness setting on a regular digital piano, it affects all instruments and sounds all together at the same time instead of allowing you to set them independently which is not a good way of controlling these things.

For some people who are satisfied playing only the piano sounds and maybe adding one additional instrument every now and then, the individual controls are not a real issue and may never become needed. But for someone like myself who enjoys orchestrating, arranging, and playing various instruments together while having quick and easy panel control functions to manipulate these instruments sounds, I have a tendency to get a bit bored when I cannot expand beyond the basics and express other musical things that are in my head. And when you are paying upwards of $2000, $3000, or more for a digital piano, it's important to also consider what the digital piano cannot do, such as what I described here.

These extra sound and function controls that do the things I've mentioned here ARE normally available on certain digital pianos called "Controller Pianos." These instruments are normally portable, have no speakers in them, and are not in furniture cabinets. However, many of them play and perform just like any of the top furniture cabinet models that you'll find from Yamaha, Roland, Kawai, Casio, Kurzweil, and others.

As an example, the Kawai piano company produces a new low priced controller piano called the MP6 (left pic). This piano allows the user to individually control and combine up to 4 individual instruments at a time (there are 256 instruments in the piano including 20 pianos) with the ability of pre-setting these instruments and turning them on or off in any combination with the push of a button. This MP6 will do all of the things that I mentioned above as well as allow the user to split up the keys into 4 different and independent 'zones' so that each of the 4 instruments you select can be played live (with independent volumes) one at a time on different sections of the keyboard, with the ability to have each section transposed to a different octave for proper instrument range on those keys. You can also assign 2 independent instrument sounds to the right hand and two to the left hand for a total of four, and each of those instruments can have their transpose, octave, and effects individually changed and edited.

A great thing about the Kawai MP6 is when you have created a unique instrument combination and orchestrated the sounds to be a perfect mix for your song, you can save that as a memory setting to recall it later without having to set it all up again. There are 256 memory settings, so more than enough to save all your creativity. And to top off this kind of digital piano flexibility, the Kawai MP6 also offers 192 notes of polyphony to handle all 4 instruments at once, progressive half-pedaling, key let off for actual grand piano feel along with synthetic ivory keytops and progressive fully weighted hammer action. So once you have this piano connected to a good pair of stereo powered studio monitors for proper amplification and sound disbursement (150-300 watts of power with 4 built-in amplifiers) and have it sitting on a sturdy stand, you will have a piano package for under $2000 that will outperform nearly any furniture cabinet piano for two to three times the price. And when it comes to your music and what you'll be able to do, there are virtually no limitations when it comes to the Kawai MP6 and playing beautiful music.

Before you spend a lot of money on a cabinet piano without the key action, tone, and functions that you wish you would have had in the beginning, take a look at some 'controller pianos' including Yamaha, Roland, Kurzweil, and the new Kawai MP6. I am very impressed with the Kawai MP6 after putting it through its paces and the only 'downside' is that fact it's not in a traditional furniture cabinet with built-in speakers, so it's certainly not for everyone. However, if that is not a big concern for you, then in my opinion you will have a musical instrument which doesn't get much better unless you look at more expensive controllers such as the Kawai MP10 and a few others.

Please go to the link below to get a full review of the Kawai MP6 controller piano.
Kawai MP6 Piano

If you want more info on these and other pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864

STOP! DIGITAL PIANO BUYING TIPS HERE! Buy the Right Digital Piano - Free Info from an EXPERT!

2011-08-06T00:30:00.004-07:00

STOP! Are you looking for a new Yamaha, Roland, Casio, Kawai, Korg, Kurzweil, or other good brands of digital pianos for a low price? Then PLEASE READ THIS! This information is CRITICAL for your search!

After teaching on and playing professionally nearly every type & model of digital piano for over 35 years, I came to the conclusion a long time ago that most families, individuals, piano students, and even piano teachers know very little about digital pianos and thousands of people across the US every year wind up purchasing the wrong digital piano and for more money than they have to. I have seen this with students and their families time and time again over the years making piano buying decisions based upon the way the piano looks, or its (low) price, or based on what a very uneducated music store salesperson told them, or on what a very inexperienced music teacher told them just because the teacher could play an instrument well and the student was impressed with that.

Just because a person can play the piano well or talks a lot about pianos does not make them an expert, and I have even seen some teachers who cannot even pronounce the model names of the digital pianos much less understand how they operate. Just because a person gives advice does not mean they are giving you the best advice or even correct advice. Beyond that, most digital piano and keyboard salespeople I have personally seen in music stores across the country have little or no idea of their talking about when it comes to digital pianos and how they work or what they do, or how they compare to others. And to make matters worse, these 'salespeople' just make things up so they can sound smart, which ultimately makes them sound ridiculous once you figure out how bad the information is.

Also, many people just take the word of their piano teacher as to what would be the best digital piano for them thinking that 'piano teachers' must know about this stuff because after all...they play the piano. That's like saying someone who can drive well and drive fast is an expert in understanding car mechanics, engines, tires, and other aspects of vehicles as well as various makes and models. Normally that is not the case. So the same is true about almost all piano teachers that I have ever met. Piano teachers teach piano and that's what they do. However, for the most part, piano teachers have had VERY little experience with digital pianos expect for one they may own, which certainly does not make them an expert or anywhere close to that. And if you are personally wanting to play classical, popular, jazz, blues, religious, or other types of music and want to play it in certain ways based on musical goals and/or playing skill level, there are various digital pianos that may or may not be good for those things.

One person may simply want to play piano at a basic recreational level, another may want to become an advanced classical player, another may want to play gospel music in a church, and another may want to compose, arrange, and record jazz music. And yet another may want to play by the easier and enjoyable 'chord method' which is endorsed by many
famous musicians including Scott Houston "The Piano Guy' as seen on PBS TV. There are many ways to play and enjoy the piano and so there are many brands and models of digital pianos produced to accommodate those needs and desires. And there are also new digital piano brands that are (in my opinion) simply bad digital pianos for number of reasons.

The bottom line is...if you want to know you're making the right decision on a new digital piano and that you are buying it for the lowest possible price, then contact me personally. No matter what the brand and model is, I will tell you what will work best and how much you should be paying for it. My personal goal is to see as many people as possible of all ages throughout America, have the same joy that I receive from playing a good digital piano. No price is too small and no price is to large to pay for a piano that brings you the kind of musical satisfaction that will meet your desires and expectations.

I really don't need to give out this information at all, let alone for free. I do it because music is my passion and I like to see the smiling faces of people when they discover music like I have and that the instrument they own will do what it needs to do to bring their musical world closer to them than ever before. So no matter how big or small your piano question may be or whether it's about buying a piano from someone or some place, or about lessons, teachers, or composing, arranging, or music notation, please contact me and I will be happy to answer your questions...no charge:) After having taught thousands of piano, keyboard, guitar, and organ students in private & group lessons over the years and performing in front of big crowds with all kinds of music styles, it's the least I can do in trying to help people get into music the right way and giving back to the community at large.

If you want to see what I believe is the best new digital piano under $2000 for a grand piano key action and tone reproduction as close to the real thing as possible, then click on this link below:

Kawai MP6 Digital Piano

If you want more info on pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call me direct at 602-571-1864

LOWEST PRICES on NEW DIGITAL PIANOS - Yamaha CVP509, CVP505, CVP503, CVP501, CLP430, CLP440, CLP470, CLP480, YDPV240, YDP181 - Roland HP307, HP305, HP302 , LX10, RM700 - Casio AP620, AP420, AP220 - Kawai CA63, Kawai CA93, Kawai CN43, CN33, MP6, MP10 - Kurzweil MP10, CUP2 and more. I will show you how to BUY FOR LESS

2011-08-02T12:13:00.002-07:00

UPDATE - Nov 10, 2011 - If you are shopping for free advice & the lowest prices on new digital pianos, then read this. I highly recommend many of the new digital pianos on the market today because many of them are very good and fun to play. In fact, some of the models are so good you would have a difficult time telling them apart from good acoustic grand and upright pianos. The advantages of digital pianos over acoustic pianos are significant including being able to play & practice in privacy using stereo headphones, never having to tune a digital piano as they have permanent tuning (saves hundreds and thousands of dollars over the life a piano), the piano is easier to move because of its lighter weight, you can connect most digital pianos to a computer or iPad for interaction with music education and performance software which allows for better in-home practice, taking lessons on-line, and music creation & notation with sheet music programs. And beyond all of this, many digital pianos will allow for precise reproduction of grand and upright piano technique for those that take their piano playing seriously.

As with all retail products, people want to get the 'best possible price' or 'best value' when deciding on which piano is best for them. I can show you how to get even LOWER PRICES than what is on the internet or at local stores on many new digital piano models. Whether it's the popular Yamaha Clavinova models, the popular Casio Celviano models, the famous Roland HP, RM, or LX models, the beautiful Kawai CA, CN, or CP series, or even the new Kurzweil MP or CUP models, I can point you in the right direction for the lowest prices available. Just be sure to contact me before you make a purchase to be sure you are getting the lowest possible price.

My primary business is my studio lessons, piano consultations, and just helping people find good, solid info on pianos and prices. Music is my passion and I have been involved as a professional musician, teacher, composer, arranger, and consultant for over 35 years and work with people all over the United States and the world. My goal is to see people of all ages get into music and playing an instrument because I feel it's so important in adding to a person's well being and growth. And doing that on any of the brands and models I have listed here would be a good thing. So do yourself a favor and contact me directly for free advice and LOWER prices than internet discounts or store sales.

My email is tim@azpianowholesale.com or call 602-571-1864

BUY NEW DIGITAL PIANOS FOR LESS MONEY! Roland, Yamaha, Casio, Kawai, Kurzweil, & more

2011-07-28T23:46:00.010-07:00

Everybody wants the best "deal" they can get when shopping for a product or service. I feel the same way when I go to purchase something. I shop around, do research, compare, and then make a decision. That does take a lot of time and effort and if you're not real familiar with the product or how it's sold, or even what it really does, then that makes it more difficult. That's especially true when one store tells you THEY have the best deal and best product and the next store says the same thing, and so on. Some stores even "guarantee" their low price but unfortunately may have sold you the wrong piano in the first place because they didn't really know what they were talking about. After awhile sometimes you just don't know what to do.

I am an independent digital piano consultant and adviser. I can show you how to get new name brand digital pianos for even less money and help you unravel some confusion you may have from the shopping you have already done. I am an expert when it comes to all of the new digital pianos out there including digital piano brands you probably haven't heard of. I know how they work, why they work, which one is better for you, and which ones to avoid.

I have been working with and playing digital pianos and keyboards for over 35 years, (since I was very young) and have help thousands of people across the country with their piano questions as well as teaching people of all ages how to play piano and have fun. I give free piano advice to people all across the country and I do it because I am a longtime piano, keyboard, organ, and guitar teacher and musician and I want people to enjoy playing music like I do. There are few things as rewarding and enjoyable as playing a musical instrument, especially a good digital or acoustic piano. Don't wait for the perfect time to play because anytime is the perfect time to enjoy what playing piano can do for you or your family!

Also, I can recommend piano lesson courses to you based on your skill level and musical goals as well as new things you can get to learn to play piano even faster with better results. You will be surprised at just how easy it is to play the piano if you just take time out of your busy lives to do it. That all it takes as long as you love music and want to be a part of it:)

All YOU have to do is contact me and I'll be glad to help. Email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call me at 602-571-1864

DIGITAL PIANO CONSUMER REPORTS - New Price Increases on Roland, Yamaha, & more!

2011-07-28T00:38:00.007-07:00

UPDATED Review - Jan 14, 2012 - Many of the popular digital piano manufacturers including Yamaha, Roland, and others have raised the prices of their digital pianos in the recent past. And many digital piano accessories such as stands, benches, speakers, headphones, etc have also gone up in price too, by as much as 15%. If you thought by waiting around, the slower economy would have a downward effect on prices, then you bet on the "wrong horse" in my opinion. Many consumer retail items have gone up recently including gas, food, transportation, and utilities, and pianos are no exception.

Although prices of the good digital piano brands have gone up, they are still a good value when you consider the much higher prices of new acoustic pianos. It costs money to produce digital & acoustic pianos, do research & development, pay for the labor and materials, advertise your product, pay your employees and pay for their insurance (that's a big expense), and pay corporate taxes, etc, etc.

A piano is not a commodity or a necessity like a phone, computer, food, gas, vehicle, apartment or house. A piano purchase is using your discretionary income so you could make a choice to live without it. However, if you or someone in your family is anything like me when it comes to music, playing music (incl piano, keyboard, guitar, etc) is something I cannot live without and I know many other people feel the same way. And it's also one of the best things you or a family member can do for yourselves no matter what age you are!

Please take a look at my many piano reviews and consumer piano reports on this blog to get valuable info, and hopefully that will help you find the right piano. I am a professional music teacher (piano, keyboard, guitar, organ) & musician, and am an expert in this field, unlike many of the amateur reviewers out there. I do this to help people really understand what is out there and how to recognize the differences and make intelligent shopping & buying decisions. So please contact me directly for specific piano advice and to get lower prices than internet discounts.

If you want more info on pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call me direct at 602-571-1864

NEW Digital Pianos to AVOID Buying if Possible - STOP HERE & READ!

2011-07-24T11:59:00.006-07:00

I have played and continue playing digital pianos since they first came out on the market many, many years ago. I have literally played hundreds of different models and every brand including Yamaha, Casio, Roland, Kawai, Kurzweil, Korg, Suzuki, Williams, Nord, MAudio, Kohler, Orla, Alesis, Samick, GEM, Ketron, Adagio, Adams, Technics, and others, and I know which ones work well and which ones don't. There are a few new brands available these days that I recommend you stay away from buying if at all possible because they simply do not meet very minimum standards in the way way pianos should play and sound. And if they cannot reach even minimum standards, it does not matter what else they do or how little they may cost.

DO NOT be one of those people who purchases a digital piano on just the appearance of the piano or on what you perceive to be something you'll enjoy, because at the end of the day, you may be making a mistake which you won't like. Do yourself a favor and email or call me directly and I will give you personal piano buying advice based on your musical goals and budget so that you and/or family will have a great piano playing experience and not make a buying mistake.

As a pro musician and professional piano teacher who has taught thousands of piano & keyboard students of all ages through the years, it's important to do it right the first time. Please read my piano reviews on this blog and you are welcome to call me direct if you live in the continental US.

If you want more info on digital pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

REVIEW - NEW DIGITAL PIANOS & BEST MODELS that simulate acoustic Grand & Upright Piano Touch & Tone

2011-07-24T11:24:00.007-07:00

People ask me all the time; "which new digital pianos come the closest to reproducing and simulating a "real acoustic" upright or grand piano playing experience? Many people also tell me that their primary concern is getting great acoustic piano tone & touch in the digital piano and NOT so many (or any) "bells & whistles" to interfere with their piano playing and enjoyment. Digital piano "shoppers" also tell me that nearly every piano store they shop at has an agenda to obviously sell their brand while saying very negative things about the brands carried by other piano stores. This unfortunately is very typical and so the piano shopping experience can be frustrating sometimes because you really don't know who or what to believe at the end of the day.

Although everyone want the best quality they can get in a digital piano, the answers are not necessarily quick and easy. Also, many people shopping for new digital pianos have very little if any experience with these kinds of instruments so it is difficult to know what will be best within the budget. This is because there are no "standards" when it comes to reproducing an acoustic piano playing experience. Acoustic upright and baby grand pianos from top brands like Steinway, Bosendorfer, Kawai, Yamaha, Baldwin, Young Chang, Samick, Mason & Hamlin, and many others are all different. If they weren't different then there would probably be only one piano brand. There are many car companies, cell phone companies, computer companies, appliance companies, and other popular products that abound in the market place because they are all different in some very specific ways which offer choices to the consumer. Pianos are like that too. Consumers have choices when it comes to a particular touch and key movement, key resistance, tonality, resonance, and so on. This also does not take into consideration the actual cabinet structure & parts as well as the finish of the cabinet.

So when it comes to digital pianos, the same criteria is used when shopping for one of these instruments. You want to listen to the piano closely to see if you like what you are hearing. Also, look for other things such as a certain"feel" to the keys (light, medium, or heavy), the way they move (quick or stiff), the volume that comes out of the cabinet/speakers (big and full or tinny & weak), the overall quality of tone and the way it sound to you such as the bass response, treble clarity, evenness & smoothness in tone throughout the entire keyboard, progressive weighting of the keys, velocity smoothness, proper pedal movement and damper/sustain reproduction, as well as other technical aspects of the piano. All of this does not include other very popular digital piano features such as USB computer connections, headphone jacks, extra instrument tones and the amount and quality of those instruments, rhythm & drum patterns for timing and play along ability, and other requested functions.

The top digital piano manufacturers right now are (not in any particular order): Kawai, Roland, Casio, Yamaha, & Kurzweil. Korg used to this group but they have pretty much gotten out of that (digital piano) business with the exception of 2 new portable models which are just OK. If you really want specific info on what digital piano might be right for you within your budget, then you are welcome to email or call me directly. I would be happy to help you reach a good decision and show you how to get even lower prices. I have played nearly every new digital piano out ion the market these days (and some that haven't come out yet) and I know what they do and don't do.

I do all of this because as a professional piano teacher and musician, I want to see people enjoy the piano playing experience like I do. There are no words to express just how important music can become in one's life (in a very personal way) no matter how young or how old you are. I teach kids from 3 years old to 93 yrs old and seeing the smiles on people's faces when they're playing piano and enjoying themselves gives me all the reward I really need. I have years of experience with these instruments to give you the advice you're looking for...at no charge. You can also read my reviews of various new digital pianos on this blog as the list is quite extensive.

If you want more info on digital pianos and LOWER PRICES than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

PHOENIX, AZ REAL ESTATE - STOP HERE! SHORT SALES & BANK OWNED HOMES & what YOU NEED to know as a SELLER or BUYER ...by Tim Praskins, REALTOR

2011-07-23T18:48:00.009-07:00

I have been a pro musician, piano teacher, and piano & keyboard consultant for over 35 years. I have helped thousands of adults and children with their music education and getting the right instrument to help make good music. That is one of the main reasons why I have created this piano blog and keep it going...for the sake of people everywhere who need expert help and advice.

And when it comes to the local real estate market here in the Greater Phoenix Area including Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Surprise, Avondale, Buckeye, and surrounding communities, I do the same thing for people when it comes to helping them out in a professional way with solid advice. As a Professional REALTOR with Liberty One Realty here in the Greater Phoenix Area, (that's my other job) who works closely with the latest trends, I try to educate homeowners and home buyers on local Real Estate market conditions so that they can make the right decisions which will have the greatest benefit for them.

Homeowners by the thousands in the greater Phoenix area are unfortunately having trouble making their house payments and many of them have no choice but to stop making payments all together for a variety of reasons. Selling a home as a Short sale definitely can have a positive impact on the homeowner as compared to just letting the house go into foreclosure, but the homeowner needs to know when to do a Short Sale and how to do a Short Sale before it's too late and the bank forecloses on the home.

A Short Sale closing is never a certainty and not easy to do for a seller and definitely not easy or certain for the buyer waiting for the short sale to be approved by the banks. But it is generally better for both the seller & the buyer if the bank approves the Short Sale so it does not go to trustee sale (foreclosure). It takes a lot of work and knowing how to put it together on the part of the REALTOR, and that's where I come in. I help homeowners with one of the most important decisions they can make in their life; and that is how to best handle a financial hardship that impacts their ability to stay in their home and how best to deal with that. I also help home buyers with finding the perfect home for them and negotiating the short sale terms or putting the right kind of offers together for homes that have gone back to the banks.

The fact is, the large majority of Short Sale homes and Bank Owned homes here in beautiful Arizona are incredible values at low prices right now, and with the historically low interest rates we have been seeing, the full monthly payment on a nice 2000 sq ft $100,000 home in a great area (that used to be valued at $250-$300K) can be LESS than $700 per month with only 3.5% down payment for an FHA loan! Absolute gorgeous homes that are between 3000-4000 sq ft in beautiful, quiet family areas of surrounding communities are selling for $150K-$200K (which used to be valued at $400-$500K). Home payments including taxes and insurance for properties like these can be LESS than $1000 per month with approx $6,000 down payment on a FHA loan.

The point I am trying to make is, if you are in trouble financially and it's hurting your ability to stay in your home here in the greater Phx area and make your payments, I can help you figure out the best plan as how to have the least negative impact on your credit and any debt you still may owe. If you are a buyer and want a beautiful home at a very low price to live in full time or as a second home for vacations in a great area here in the beautiful state of Arizona where there is plenty of sunshine, perfect winters, lots of swimming pools, few natural catastrophes, friendly people, and lots of great things to do, then I can definitely help you with that. And if you have some extra money that you would like to invest, then there is no better place than where I am to invest your money in a home for lease to families.

There is a huge demand for good home rentals here and there are plenty of homes at low prices to purchase for that very purpose. In all cases, myself and my experienced team want to help you with your Real estate needs. We have special certifications for Short Sale representation and have worked with many Short Sales and Bank Owned properties and know the ropes and what the banks expect. So don't wait a minute longer or in my opinion, you'll miss out on some great opportunities to make the right move now. Things will definitely change and the opportunities will be gone sooner than later as interest rates rise, down payment requirements rise, and home prices stabilize and rise as they are doing in many areas.

And when it comes to music, that's the one thing that can really moves a person's soul and make them feel great in spite of their circumstances. I play music after a stressful day of helping clients with their real estate needs as well as teach music to students when I'm not doing my real estate business. I do stay busy but playing or singing music is the best thing that I know of to relax by and it's my passion. And helping people with home selling and buying is equally important to me because many agents do not understand what to do and when to do it when it comes to buying and selling homes in this particular market where things are so "crazy" much of the time. And when the purchase transaction gets done and everyone is satisfied, it's "music to my ears."

Please contact me either by email or calling direct at 602-571-1864. I would be happy to help you.

REVIEW - Greg Bennett Guitars (by Samick) - Surprisingly Excellent for the money! Compare to Fender, Takamine, Epiphone, Ibanez, Dean, and other guitars

2011-07-23T08:43:00.008-07:00

I have taught music lessons for well over 30 years including piano, synth, keyboard, organ, and guitar. Guitar was my first instrument and I own about 15 of them (they are all over my studio) including classicals, acoustic-electric, electric Strat style, Les Paul style, 12-strings, bass guitars, and other stringed instruments. I have played guitars and keyboards in various bands through the years and also compose music. I have not written a blog review of guitars before since I primarily concentrate on pianos and related subjects because that is what this blog is mainly about. However that does not mean I don't know what I'm talking about when it comes to guitars and what is a good value, as I have played literally thousands of guitars in my music career and understand various organic wood materials and electronic guitar parts and construction. In fact, I have even built a guitar myself but would not do it again (I'm just way too busy for that). I've been asked by some people about my choice of guitars lately in a low price range so I thought it was time to do a guitar review on this blog since I do play and teach guitar.

As a guitar teacher, most students and average players want a well designed guitar that looks, plays, and sounds great for a low price. Typically that price range is from $100-$300 and you can really get a great guitar these days for that kind of money because many low priced guitars have been made in Korea, China, & Indonesia for some years now and a few companies are doing a great job producing quality guitars for low prices over there.

My choice for overall selection, low price, quality sound, good construction, and smooth playability in a low price range (after discounts) goes to an industry leader by the name of Samick manufacturing who produces the Greg Bennett series of guitars. Greg Bennett is a real person (pictured below left) who is an American international guitar designer and professional musician hired by the Samick company many year ago to produce an exclusive and large line of quality guitars under the name of "Greg Bennett." These guitars have been on the market for a number of years now and the Samick company (based in Korea with US headquarters in Nashville, Tn) has sold thousands upon thousands of them throughout the US and the world based on the numbers I have seen.

I have tried out and played almost every guitar Greg Bennett has in this line-up and I am very impressed with the workmanship, overall tone, and playability of these instruments for prices selling generally between $100-$300 and some nice upgraded models over $300. The attention to detail and the quality materials and parts used in making the guitars were impressive, even on the guitars under $200, and that's a difficult thing to do. The design of the headstock, the tuning keys, the overall body and solid tops on many models, and the full tone were surprising, especially up against better known brands like Fender, Epiphone, Takamine, Ibanez, Yamaha, and a few others.

The Greg Bennett guitars use first rate materials like tight grained spruce or cedar solid tops, mahogany & rosewood backs and sides on their acoustic guitars, Grover brand tuners which really help the guitars stay in tune, and nice inside bracing and construction. The electronics and pickups in the electric and bass guitars seem to be well built and solid and the "fit and finish" of the various models (and there are many) all seem to be as good as much higher priced brands such as Martin, Fender or Gibson in many respects. Most of the Greg Bennett guitars are factory production made instruments and not "hand made" so I am not comparing these guitars to hand made guitars over $1000.

The Samick company has it's own large and highly advanced production facilities (pic on left) and has made many guitars for other famous companies through the years including Washburn, Epiphone, Fender, Yamaha, and many others so some of the famous name brands out there were actually made by the Samick guitar factory believe it or not! To me, that says a lot about the quality that Samick has been putting out for a long time. I own some well known brands of guitars that cost a lot more money than the Samick "Greg Bennett" models and I have to say that I enjoy playing some of the Greg Bennett's just as much as my higher priced "famous brands." Of course some of the nicer handmade guitars from Martin, Gibson, Fender, and others ARE better than the Greg Bennett models and that should go without saying. But they are substantially more money. But in the $100-$300 price range, I believe these GB guitars are worth every penny and the Samick company stands behind them with lifetime guarantees on many of the models which is impressive to me.

So if you are looking for a good, solid, dependable, great sounding & playing new guitar for a low price, I would not hesitate to recommend the Greg Bennett guitars. They do have a web site and I have provided a link below. By the way, I have met Greg bennett in person on more than one occasion and he is as nice of a guy as is his namesake guitars. And Greg plays guitar like a monster!:)...but in a very good way, his style and detail to his craft are outstanding and as a long time guitarist, I am equally impressed by his playing ability and guitar knowledge as I am with the Greg Bennett guitars. I would not hesitate to recommend these guitars to anyone looking for a good buy on a great low priced guitar. I do know however, that the Greg Bennett guitars can be difficult to find and are not in the typical large guitar stores such as Guitar Center and Sam Ash Music. I understand this is because Samick wants it's Greg Bennett guitars to be sold by generally smaller music instrument shops who tend to understand guitars and guitar playing better than the big chain stores. So if you want more info on the Greg Bennett guitars, just shoot me an email and I will help you out as well as get you lower prices.

http://www.gregbennettguitars.com/

Also check out this video below of Greg Bennett Guitars being played live:

REVIEWS of DIGITAL PIANOS - #1 BUYERS GUIDE to help YOU!

2011-07-09T12:30:00.008-07:00

I am a digital piano & keyboard specialist & adviser to top musicians, music teachers, studios, and churches throughout the country, as well as being a musician & piano keyboard, organ, and guitar teacher, and I continue to work with kids and adults in various music education programs as I have for over 30 years. I have taught thousands of music students in group and private lessons on pianos and keyboards of all types and I know how difficult it can be to figure out which digital piano is right for you. It can be confusing out there and the digital piano "landscape" is constantly changing. There are many pianos that are very good and some that, quite honestly, are not good and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone and not afraid to say so. But how does the average consumer disseminate and figure out which new piano to buy or whether a used digital could be an acceptable option?

The answer is simply...ask ME, Tim Praskins. I am a digital piano expert and know them inside and out. I understand the technology and the piano fundamentals of hundreds of new and older models more than almost anyone out there. I get emails from all over the world from people just like you who are looking for a digital piano that will meet their own or their family's needs and they also want some good help and advice on whether the prices they are getting from music stores are really good deals or not. I am a pro when it comes to understanding the "ins and outs" of digital pianos, how they work, what they sound & play like, and whether they are good for what you want and need.

Do yourself a favor and please contact me no matter where you may live, and I will be happy to respond by email, or also by telephone if you are in the continental US. Please go ahead and call me directly at 602-571-1864 and I will be happy to give you specific advice only if you live in the continental US. I do this because music is my passion and my mission. I want to see other peoples lives improved and enriched like mine has by playing a musical instrument...especially the PIANO, although playing any musical instrument is a wonderful thing to do!

I will caution you however that just because a musician and/or piano teacher is good at playing a piano or keyboard of some sort (especially a grand piano), it does not automatically qualify them to understand and review digital pianos. As an example, I have seen more than a few piano teachers and "musicians" who play well think they can evaluate digital pianos for their students and others. I can tell you that unfortunately, many of them really don't know what they are talking about when it comes to digital pianos because they simply do not have the experience with some of the new ones out there. In reality, good digital pianos can be great (and even better) alternatives to an acoustic piano in giving musical satisfaction to the piano player whether they are beginner or advanced. After 30 years of playing thousands of digital pianos and keyboards, working deep within the music industry with all kind of musicians, and playing some of the best acoustic grand pianos in the world, I can tell you what will work and what will not work. I do not "sugarcoat" my reviews because a piano store or manufacturer is paying me to be nice to them. Also some of the information and reviews of digital pianos on the internet are old and outdated or done by the piano/music dealers themselves, so the information can be very skewed or irrelevant.

I offer a complete BUYERS GUIDE of REVIEWS of nearly all the digital pianos today by simply clicking on the reviews here in my blog on the right side of the page or using the search bar (right top) by putting in the model number you want to know about. Have fun and do your homework. If you don't see something on this piano blog that you would like to know about, contact me as I will probably have helpful advice on that model too.

If you want info on digital pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call me direct at 602-571-1864

REVIEW - Williams Symphony Digital Piano - NOT Recommended

2011-07-07T16:27:00.010-07:00

I have reviewed many digital pianos from all of the major brands, and I do enjoy playing them. I am a big believer in digital pianos as a great alternative to acoustic pianos and the major digital piano manufacturers such as Kawai, Casio, Yamaha, Roland, & Kurzweil, & Korg have done a very good job in producing some high quality instruments for lower prices. However the Williams piano is not a major brand because it is not actually a piano manufacturer, nor does this company actually exist outside of the fact that it is a "name" of the Guitar Center company "private label brand" of instruments. The Williams brand is also carried by Guitar Center subsidiaries such as Musicians Friend, Woodwind & Brass and other Guitar Center owned companies. So it stands to reason that the company that benefits the most from this brand is Guitar Center and all of the Williams ads will direct you exclusively to Guitar Center company stores. The pianos are made by an unknown manufacturer(s) in China for Guitar Center and in my opinion should never be considered seriously if you actually want a "real piano experience." I am not saying that pianos produced in China are bad because some are actually very good. It's really about the quality level of that builder, it's materials & parts, as well as the skill of it's factory people. I have reviewed other Williams cabinet models on my blog and they seem to be pretty much all the same as far as piano touch, tone, and electronics.

The Symphony model (left pic) appears to offer at lot for a low price in a decent looking furniture style cabinet. And that's the problem...you just cannot get something for nothing...unless you are not getting what what you think you are and don't know it. The major digital piano companies like Yamaha, Casio, Roland, & Kawai also have these types of full featured furniture cabinet pianos (with drums & chord accompaniments) but not until you get to about $1400 internet price. And they are not offering it to you for higher prices just because they have a better, more popular name. They simply produce a much better product at much higher standards than the Williams models. I have had people say to me, "but I'm just a beginner or don't play at all, so shouldn't this Williams piano be good enough for me?" My answer would be...no. I would not recommend it to anyone in my family nor any of my friends so why would I recommend one to anyone else?

The Williams Symphony is selling on the internet for about $700-$800 right now which is half the price of its competitors models, and so the question is...how do they do that? The answer is, they do it producing a very poor quality electronic piano (in my opinion) when it comes to piano touch response, piano tone, polyphony memory, proper pedal sustain, and other important aspects of the piano. When you use cheaper electronics, construction, and parts, you can certainly reduce price, and that's what they have done.

As far as a quality musical instrument goes, you could purchase one of the latest model Yamaha or Casio $200-$300 76-note keyboards that more than outperforms these Williams full size pianos pianos in most ways (except that they are not 88-key weighted) including key touch response, dynamics, instrument sound quality, and many other features. These new low priced keyboards out perform the Williams pianos in many ways because the Williams uses inferior electronics (in my opinion) and puts them into an inexpensive piano cabinet that really should not sell for more than 300-400 because that's all it's worth as far as I'm concerned. And if you really want a good 88-key digital piano for around $800 or so, you would be much better off getting the Yamaha DGX640 or Casio PX330 which use the kind of key touch and electronics that new pianos should have as compared to the Williams. And the music and performance that comes out of it? Here's a quote (below) from a piano teacher who purchased one of these pianos not knowing what she was really getting herself into. She reviewed it on another web site so that others would not make the same mistake she did:

"I am a music teacher who bought this digital piano as a temporary instrument to help me begin my studio. I wasn't expecting a fabulous piano, but I was surprised how terrible this instrument was. First the pre-drilled holes weren't aligned for assembly. The keys and pedals are stiff and insensitive. The sound quality is very poor. Finally, about 9 months after we purchased it, it wouldn't even turn on. Do not be lured in by the cheaper price. You wll get far less than you paid for."

Also, I am always surprised when I see positive reviews for this piano. I suspect those reviews are written by people who have no idea what a piano is supposed to play and sound like, which is the likely scenario. And many people really don't know, and that's the problem. As a piano instructor for many years, I would not recommend a Williams piano to any student of mine no matter how low their skill level is because the key touch response on this piano can cause bad playing habits.

As a piano goes, the Williams Symphony digital cabinet piano is simply a big disappointment to me. I wanted to like it because the price is low and it was in a cabinet. However, it only has 32-note polyphony memory (should be at least 64, and more like 128 based on today's standards) which drastically reduces it's ability to sound good and play smoothly as compared to many other digital pianos for under $1000, it has a very poor dynamic response for key volume control and smoothness, and the sustain pedal is off/on only with no progressive (1/2 pedaling) sustain which a piano player at any skill level should have since all acoustic pianos have it. But that is not something you would probably be aware of until you actually started to play this piano and spent some time with it, and then it would be too late if you purchased it.

However, if you have low expectations in a digital piano, want some fun rhythms and accompaniments regardless of the tone quality, want a furniture style cabinet that appears to be nice on the outside, and you don't have much money, then this may be the perfect piano for you. Otherwise, get a low priced piano from the actual piano manufacturers including Yamaha, Roland, Kawai, Korg, or Kurzweil. By the way, Williams is not the only brand that I don't care for because there are a few others including Benjamin Adams, Suzuki, and Adagio. Finally, the Williams Symphony weighs 154 lbs which is too heavy of an instrument for a low priced digital piano, and also heavier cabinet weight does not necessarily equal quality.

Here are the specs for the Williams Symphony piano:

KEYBOARD: 88-note, hammer-action keyboard
MAX. POLYPHONY: 32
VOICES: 138 Voices, (Including ten Asian folk instrument voices), Five quick select voice buttons and 2 banks
VOICE MODE:Layer (dual) voice, Lower (split) voice
VOICE EFFECTS: Reverb, Chorus
SET UP: Power On/Off, Main Volume Control: Min-Max, Accomp Volume Control:
Min-Max
NUMERIC PAD: 12 keys
DISPLAY: 16-Character LCD
REGISTRATION MEMORY: 9
DEMONSTRATION: Ten songs
RECORDING: Four songs, 3 track recording
OVERALL CONTROL: Transpose, Tempo, Touch response: soft, normal, hard, fixed,Voice split point, Accompaniment split point
AUTO BASS CHORD MODE: Single, Fingered, Piano, Off
AUTO-ACCOMPANIMENT STYLE: 100 Auto-accompaniment styles, Five quick select style buttons and 2 banks
ACCOMPANIMENT CONTROL: Synchro start, Start/Stop, Introduction/Ending, Fill-In Variation, Metronome, Auto harmony (four types)
PLAY ALONG SONGS: 50 songs
FUNCTION Reverb level, Chorus level, Touch Sensitivity, Split point for voice, Split point for auto accompaniment, Master Tune, Drum kit selection, Harmony type selection
AUXILIARY JACKS: Headphone x 2, Line Out, Line In, USB Device Port, Power In, MIDI, In/Out/Through
PEDALS: Sustain Pedal, Sustenuto Pedal, Soft Pedal
VOLTAGE: AC 120V
AMPLIFIER: 20W x 2
DIMENSIONS
54.2 x 20 x 33.9 inches
(1377mm x 510mm x 862mm)
WEIGHT: 154.3lbs/70 Kg

Like I say, the Williams has a lot of functions and features on this Symphony model, but quantity does not necessarily equate to quality. Please do your homework before you make a purchase you so that you can get something that will work properly when it comes to playing a piano. As for product reliability, my personal experiences have not been too good with the Williams models I have seen and played. Please note that I do not hate these Williams pianos because they are what they are and for some people they may be OK. But if you are looking to get a good piano playing experience out of them along with long term reliability, then there are other better choices in my opinion, many of which I have reviewed on this blog. To read more about other Williams models and other pianos, please search through my blog review using the search bar for more info.

If you want more info on these and other pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call me direct at 602-571-1864

REVIEW - Yamaha P155 & Kawai EP3 Digital Pianos - Both nice in a similar price range but which one is BEST?

2011-06-22T16:40:00.028-07:00

UPDATED REVIEW - October 15, 2011 - Kawai EP3 audio demos at bottom of this blog Review - The Yamaha P155 portable digital piano ($995 internet discount price, top left pic) is made by a company that knows pianos and has years of experience producing both acoustic and digital instruments. The same is true for the Kawai piano company in having produced world class acoustic and digital upright & grand pianos along with their very nice EP3 portable digital piano ($1099 internet discount price, above pic). Both of these fine piano companies have their world headquarters in Hamamatsu City, Japan and are strong competitors and recognized by musicians and piano teachers throughout the world as offering high quality piano products.

So it comes as no surprise that even though both the Yamaha P155 and Kawai EP3 portable models are a bit over 2 years old now based on when they first came out, both pianos are still the top models in the $1000-$1100 digital piano market. They have a very high quality piano touch & tone and easy to use features in a sturdy cabinet weighing in at under 50lbs, so they are not too heavy. Roland, Casio, Kurzweil, or Korg have higher and lower priced portable digital pianos that are quite good, but they compete in those other price ranges. Both the Kawai EP3 and Yamaha P155 have very good internal speaker systems that allows for a surprisingly full reproduction of a professional quality piano sound as well as nice key actions. Both pianos are priced separately without the factory built piano style stand which would be an extra cost.

As far as which one is best, that is really a subjective choice. Some people will like the Kawai and others the Yamaha. However I have carefully played each one and compared them with each other (which most people have not) so I do have an educated personal choice and it would be the Kawai EP3 (pictured left with optional stand). Here are my top 10 reasons why I like the Kawai EP3 over the Yamaha P155:

1. The EP3 has a much better, more realistic key action which moves more smoothly and quickly like a regular acoustic upright piano. The Yamaha P155 key action a little too heavy, especially on the upper octaves above middle C, and other people who have tried the P155 have mentioned this as well. Those octaves on the P155 have physically stiff touch resistance when playing (especially lightly or softly) which is unnatural as compared to a good acoustic upright or grand piano. This can be a problem when playing music where you need more finger speed or want a light subtle touch. I was surprised by this as Yamaha typically knows what they're doing, but this model does not live up to my expectations on authentic piano weighted key action and movement although some have suggested this unnatural heaviness is a good thing, but it is definitely not so don't be fooled by those comments. I have played a number of P155's and they are all the same. Both Yamaha and Kawai key actions are graded weighted hammer style, although as I mentioned above, the weight of the upper octaves on the P155 is quite heavy and unnatural on the upper octaves with too much upward pressure resistance based on my experience with acoustic pianos. There is a key velocity sensitivity function which allows for velocity curve changes, but this does nothing to change this issue on the P155.
2. The Kawai has a better built-in audio system including 2 main bass reflex speakers and 4 smaller speakers (total of 6 speakers) for an even fuller sound reproduction, as opposed to 2 speakers in the Yamaha which are smaller than the Kawai main speakers. The stereo amplifier power is also slightly less in the Yamaha (24 watts total) as opposed to 26 watts in the Kawai, although they are close.
3. Acoustic piano tone resonation and dynamics are better in the Kawai in my opinion. Both Yamaha and Kawai have various company words to describe the kind of action they use or the way the sound is produced or sampled. I understand the need for terminology but at the end of the day it's what you feel and hear that really counts. So I give both pianos a definite thumbs up for tone and resonance but even more so for the Kawai as far as coming closer to an acoustic piano in dynamic touch levels and fluid movement as well as very smooth half-pedaling on the damper pedal (both pianos have this) for realistic sustain control for various kinds of music.
5. Total amount of instrument tones on the Kawai is 21 as opposed to 17 on the Yamaha. The Kawai has 3 grand piano sounds (which can be edited and adjusted to your own tastes) as opposed to 2 piano sounds on the Yamaha, although the Yamaha piano sounds are very good and I do like them. The other instrument sounds including electric pianos, string symphonies, guitars, organs (with Leslie digital slow/fast speed control for B3 sounds which is very authentic), etc, are MUCH better and noticeably more realistic on the Kawai than the Yamaha.
6. The EP3 has a very cool pedal function called "pedal hold." This enables some of the more legato strings and choirs, and organs to have extended and continual sustain while being played as solo sounds or layered with piano sounds which normally decay. Without pedal hold, the legato sounds would decay and fade out like a piano normally does, which is not natural. Kawai has this feature but Yamaha does not. Some people may never need pedal hold because they are at a beginner level. But if you move up from there you'll wonder how you ever lived without it.
6. The stereo reverb effects are much better on the Kawai and this is important in getting a bigger more elegant piano tone reproduction as well as being better at enhancing the other instrument tones. If you don't know what reverb effects can do for tone enhancement and how important they can be, then just know that good digital reverb effects can be very useful. Yamaha has them but they are very weak and limited.
7. There are 30 very realistic drum rhythm patterns in the Kawai and none on the Yamaha. Yamaha does have a metronome for timing as does the Kawai, but no drum rhythm patterns such as jazz, rock, march, Latin, Gospel, funk, Country, ballad, waltz and so on. Not only do I love to have good built-in drum patterns for myself to play along with, but I frequently use them for student lesson training with timing issues and understanding how to interact with a real drum set.
8. The Kawai has a "4 hands mode" which allows the keyboard to be specially electronically split into two identical smaller keyboards for duet playing or teacher-student simultaneous play. This can be very useful depending on the situation. I use this feature for student piano lessons and recitals. Yamaha does not have this feature.
9 The Kawai EP3 has a USB output connection to computer. Many people these days are connecting their digital pianos to there home computer as I am. There is a large amount of great interactive music software out there that make the piano playing and learning experience even better. The Yamaha only has the older MIDI output connections which still allows for connection, but it's not as user friendly and requires a special USB adapter box for conversion to USB.
10. When you sit down to a higher quality piano like these 2 models from Kawai and Yamaha, you just want to play it with the grand piano sounds and perhaps a few other instruments and "connect with it." I feel I have more of a "connection" when playing the Kawai EP3 than I do with the Yamaha P155. But that's just me. You may feel differently.

Here are some things I like better about the Yamaha P155 (pictured left with optional stand) over the Kawai EP3:

1. The Yamaha looks a bit nicer including its music rack (although that's a still subjective). It comes in a few different colors whereas the Kawai only comes in black and is a bit more sterile looking, although it still looks nice and is fine for my needs.
2. The P155 can take a USB flash drive for storing piano recordings that you may have done on the piano. That is an advantage if you need to store your recordings for later playback or you can put the flashdrive into your computer to download into music software. The Kawai cannot do that.
3. The Yamaha has 128 notes of polyphony as opposed to 96 in the Kawai which can help with the overall piano tone and instrument playing especially for larger more complex scores and when layering two sound together. Although 128 notes of polyphony is better, 96 is sufficient and the difference is not an issue or really noticeable. If the Yamaha or Kawai had closer to 200 notes of polyphony (which is more of an expense to do) then that would be a very significant increase.

As far as comparing the other features on both pianos including editing features, 2-track recording, layering & splitting two tones which they both do, transpose, and other functions, both pianos are very close in that way and either would be just fine. Both pianos can have external speakers (powered or unpowered) connected to them using the piano audio outputs, and the Kawai has an on/off switch to turn off the internal speaker system whenever desired which is a very nice feature. And finally, the Kawai EP3 has a very handy stereo line in jack for CD players and iPods, etc so that you can listen to your favorite audio song files through the piano speakers or a pair of headphones and play along with them live with the piano...that is very cool and the Yamaha does not have that feature. The Kawai EP3 is $100 more than the Yamaha P155 but I think that is a small difference to pay for what the Kawai EP3 offers. However I believe you could be very happy with either piano. People want to know if there are advantages of one over the other and there are, but I believe the Kawai EP3 in this case comes out on top.

And speaking of Kawai, if you want to go to the next step as far as a quality portable digital piano, then you should also take a look at the Kawai MP6 at $1499. It is a big upgrade in piano tone and key action touch as compared to the EP3 or the Yamaha P155. Take a look a my blog review below when you have time.

http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2011/01/kawai-mp6-digital-piano-awesome-piano.html
Here are some EP3 demos below to give you an idea of what this instrument really sounds like and why I think it's a "best buy" for its $1099 internet discount price.

   JazzMan (Modern Grand Piano, Bass player, Drummer)

   Jazz Trio Jammin' (traditional jazz group)

   Classical Zone (Classical Piano Solo)

   Romantic Grand Strings (Grand Piano and Symphonic String orchestra)

   Concert String Symphony (Famous Classical String Symphony)

   PIPE Organ Movie (Impressive Full Classical Pipe Organ)

   Digital River (The famous Yamaha DX7 digital piano sound)

   DigiPiano Groove (Famous Fender Rhodes Sound in Action)

   You've got the Vibe (Dual Mallet Stereo Vibraphone)

   Cool B3 (Jimmy Smith Full Hammond B3)

   Hot Hammond & Leslie (The Joey D sound)

Harpsichord Heaven (Mozart Himself would love this)

   Guitar Folk Scene (The James Taylor Sound)

If you want more info on these and other pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call me direct at 602-571-1864

George Gershwin, Leonard Praskins, & Tim Praskins - Our Musical Connection

2011-06-17T12:12:00.011-07:00

If you are old enough to remember the famous American pianist, composer, and musician George Gershwin (left pic) and his incredible music, or you have played, listened to, or studied his music before, then you may understand what a great composer his was and how he influenced American music for the last 100 years. Some of his famous compositions include "An American in Paris," "I Got Rhythm," "Rhapsody in Blue," "Porgy & Bess," "Swanee," "Foggy Day," "Summertime," and many others. His music influenced Jazz singers & composers, Broadway plays, film scores, famous musicals, and so many other types of music for the last 10 years. In fact his song "I Got Rhythm" is still a very popular piece included in various current piano curriculum for students including adults and children. So his music continues on even to this day. George wrote the music and his older brother Ira wrote the lyrics. So the Gershwin brothers were famous worldwide for their incredible music.

The reason I bring this up is before Ira Gershwin came on the scene in 1918 as George's partner and writer of the lyrics to his songs, my Great Uncle Leonard Praskins (left pic) had been good friends with George Gershwin and writing lyrics to George's songs for a couple of years prior to Ira Gershwin becoming George's lyricist when Leonard and George were both in their earlier teens. It has been documented how these very first songs that George ever composed had lyrics written by my great uncle. However, due to different career paths, my great uncle and George parted ways and while George continued to be a huge influence in the music world, Leonard became a very famous writer of Broadway plays, movies, and TV shows including, "The Champ," "Bird of Paradise," "Treasure Island," "The Call of the Wild, and older TV series including "Maverick," "Wagon Train," "Gunsmoke," and Disney's "Davy Crocket." Pretty cool actually with that kind of history so I am glad that I can carry on the family musical tradition. Not only do I play many instruments, teach, record, and compose music, but I am helping many other families throughout the US and the world understand how important it is to get their family involved in good music in some way. Once a person's life at any age is filled with good music (especially playing the piano), they will find it a comfort and an inspiration to their soul and something that will always be with them until the end. Very poetic, but true.

I hope you will do yourself a favor and get yourself and/or family members into music and purchase a good digital or acoustic piano to help make your dreams come true like I have. You never know what kind of positive influence you could have on others by making great music like George & Ira and my Uncle Leonard did so many years ago. In fact, one of my favorite songs in my teens that I use to play on guitar & piano and sing with a partner of mine was George Gershwin's "Summertime" song. At the time I did not know that my Uncle Leonard had anything to do with George Gershwin because he did not talk about it and there was no internet then for me to find out. I wish you and your family musical success.

If you want more info on these and other pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call me direct at 602-571-1864

*Below is just a brief introduction to George Gershwin's life & career:

George Gershwin's parents emigrated from Russia to the U.S.A in 1891. He was born Jacob Gershowitz in Brooklyn, New York, on September 26, 1898. Early on he excelled at street sports in his poor lower east side Manhattan neighborhood and had no early musical contact. His first musical exposure came when a piano was brought to the Gershowitz home for his brother, Ira. George (age 12) took an immediate interest in the instrument and began to play a popular song he had memorized from a neighbor's player piano. His parents invested in lessons for George beginning at age 13. He studied with the American composers Rubin Goldmark, Henry Cowell, and Wallingford Riegger and with the Russian-born composer and theorist Joseph Schillinger. At the age of 15 Gershwin had quit school and was a pianist and "song plugger" for a Tin Pan Alley music-publishing firm, Jerome H. Remick & Company, earning $15 a week.
To supplement his income, on Saturdays, Gershwin recorded piano rolls under various pseudonyms. For his efforts he received $35 for six rolls. He was a great admirer of the comedian Ed Wynn and it is at this time, in honor of him, that Gershwin changed the end of his last name.
Gershwin's first song to be published was When you want 'em, you don't get 'em, when you got 'em, you don't want 'em in 1916. It was the success in 1918 of his song Swanee brought him fame, established him as a composer, and marked the end of his systematic study of music. Swanee was originally written for a revue at the newly opened Capitol Theatre. It was not successful on that outing but when presented by Al Jolson in Sinbad it became the greatest hit of Gershwin's entire career. After this, Gershwin continued to be a prolific composer of many famous pieces as well as being ahead of his time musically. He unfortunately died an untimely death in 1937 from a brain tumor.

The video below is a very cool rendition of George's "Summertime."

Here actual video of George playing "I Got Rhythm." Incredible!

A very famous Gershwin piece below called "Rhapsody in Blue"

Casio AP620, AP420 Pianos & Apple iPad/iPad2 - Announcement! Casio Pianos now have full USB MIDI connectivity with Apple iPad CoreMIDI applications

2011-06-05T21:43:00.012-07:00

AZ Piano News PRESS RELEASE - July 1, 2011 - I have just learned that for the first time, owners of the popular Casio AP620 & AP420 digital pianos will now be able to interface directly with the new Apple iPad because Casio designed it's new digital pianos to have CoreMIDI USB Class Compliant software. This will enable the piano student, recreational piano player, or musician to interface more easily and utilize the incredible array of Apple software 3rd party software that has been created for apple computer devices including the famous iPad. As far as I know, no other home digital cabinet piano brand under $2000 has this quicker and more user friendly connection capability. This means that you can directly connect your Casio piano to the iPad using the the "Class Compliant" USB MIDI connection on these Casio pianos and connect directly to the iPad with a regular USB cable going to the iPad "Camera Connection Kit." You can then connect the iPad stereo audio output to the Casio stereo inputs (few pianos under $2000 except for Casio have stereo audio inputs) with an inexpensive audio cable to hear the music you are creating, composing, or learning on from the iPad. In short, an owner of the new Casio Celviano AP420 & AP620 pianos have access to the beautiful iPad user interface screen and all of the very exciting music software (including the world famous "Garage Band" software program that can be used on the iPad for music education and practice at home as well as full studio recording and music creation. You will now be interfacing and connecting with almost unlimited ways of writing music, seeing music, printing music, music education, and music creation on the portable iPad device all at home on your Casio Celviano piano.

This is a huge deal for the Casio Piano company as well as the digital piano business in general. iPads will be to kids as (they grow up) what laptop computers are now to adults. Kids are growing up in the "iPad world" and as such take these things for granted and treat them as just every day common items that adults otherwise think are so fantastic. Adults have experiences and history with previous technology which younger kids do not so much. If you want your kids (and yourself as adults) to have an even more exciting time and worthwhile time with piano education and musicianship in general and be able to compete musically in tomorrow's world, then these newer Casio pianos might be the way to go. And...these Casio pianos (especially the AP620 pictured lower left) are already very in demand in based on their lower prices, vast number of useful features, and realistic reproduction of acoustic upright piano touch & tone. It's just a matter of time before other digital pianos companies are able to connect with an iPad in this way where they are "plug & play," but right now Casio is in the lead. So congratulations goes out to Casio for making this happen.

Do a Google search (including Youtube videos) of the various music software now available for iPad including music notation, educational software (such as eMedia piano interactive lesson program, left pic) and the Apple "Garage Band" software, and you'll see what I mean when I say "exciting things" can happen with your music when connecting a digital USB piano with iPad. A USB connection on any good digital piano is all it takes to connect to computers and iPad/tablets, but the Casio pianos can do it more quickly and efficiently with CoreMIDI USB Compliant.

If you have not already read my review of the Casio AP420 & AP620, then take a look when you have time. Go to the following links below:

http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2010/01/all-new-casio-celviano-ap620-piano-is.html

http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2010/01/new-updated-casio-celviano-pianos-for.html

For more info on digital pianos and how to get one of these models for LESS, please contact me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864

REVIEW - Casio WK7500 Keyboard - All New Model - Very Impressive

2011-05-19T22:51:00.008-07:00

REVIEW - The Casio company has been making digital keyboards for decades and most people know that. They have sold billions of them and many people think of them as toys...but not anymore. I have never reviewed a non-piano key action digital keyboard on this piano blog before because although I own, play, and like keyboards, I do not recommend them as a good replacement for an acoustic piano. With that being said, there are people who want a keyboard for their family or for professional purposes because they are not necessarily interested in getting the "weighted piano touch experience" but do want lots of great sounds along with fun & professional features, and new technology for a low price in a reliable, solid instrument. At one time or another, I have played nearly all the home style & pro keyboards that have been out for the last 30 years including instruments from Yamaha, Casio, Roland, Kawai, Korg, General Music, Kurzweil, Ketron, and others in all price ranges.

However, a brand new low priced keyboard from Casio has really caught my attention so I thought I would do a short review on it. This new instrument is called the WK7500 and is a non-weighted quick touch 76-key keyboard (just 12 keys less than a full piano keyboard) with piano "style" keys for just $499 internet discount price. I will say that all the things this keyboard can do is not necessarily amazing because other new keyboards can do similar things...but NOT for a low price $499. Other keyboards that can do similar things (but maybe not all) would be selling for at least $1000 or more. Something else that surprises me about this model is the key movement is so quiet compared to Casio keyboards in the past and even other Casio models out now. Casio has done a great job in producing a smoother key response that is much quieter (physically) and does not feel or act like a toy. Nice improvements.

What makes this keyboard unique is because it has not only a very realistic stereo acoustic piano sound and great dynamic range with outstanding key response coming through a very powerful on-board speaker system, but because it also has the ability to record your voice from a microphone plugged in and any acoustic instrument plugged in (in stereo) along with an on-board 17-track MIDI recorder/sequencer into one full audio recording in WAV audio format which can be stored into and played back on the keyboard or in your computer...WOW!

It also has 800 very nice instrument and percussion tones, a 32-track digital mixing board with live mixing sliders, 250 rhythm-arrangement patterns, 96 setup memories, full Hammond style drawbars with 9 physical sliders for authentic jazz organ sounds along with fast & slow digital Leslie rotary speaker effects, tons of effects, a large LCD user interface displaying all the information you could want at this price range, a USB/MIDI 2.0 class compliant plug and play output (which can connect to the latest iPads, iPods, & iPhones), instrument in and outputs, SD card slot for SD storage and transfer of music compositions and setups. As with most Casio 61 and 76 note keyboards, the automatic left hand chord arrangement styles make this a very fun keyboard for the "one-man-band" setup or for people (like me) who really like pre-arranged chord-rhythm patterns for the left hand so you can just play chord style while your right hand plays the melody. That's just a fun thing to do and allows you to play live music that you otherwise would probably not be able to play. Yamaha and Roland are also famous for nice arranger-chord keyboards too but not with all of the realistic and innovative features this WK7500 has at such a low price.

This 76-key WK7500 keyboard can be used to write music, arrange music, record music compositions into an audio WAV file with full editing functions. You can also take it with you to play live performance sessions in a church, school, studio, home, retirement center, or on the go at a park, beach, etc, because it only weighs in at about 19 lbs and can use D cell batteries if no power is available. And it's very cool looking too! What more can anyone want:)

If you want more info on pianos & this keyboard, as well as lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864

REVIEW- Williams Overture & Benjamin Adams DP400 Digital Pianos - Stay Away

2011-04-21T22:40:00.018-07:00

UPDATED REVIEW - Nov 1, 2011 - I really like playing on digital pianos that have a good piano key action touch & proper tone and there are many good brands out there that do have things. However, just because a digital piano has a good appearance and the "specs" seem to suggest that it will play properly (at just minimum standards), does not mean that it will. The Williams Overture (left pic) and the Benjamin Adams DP400 (below left pic) digital are such pianos that I would not recommend because they have big deficiencies in the way they play and sound. They do look somewhat like pianos in their simulated spinet piano cabinets and they have 88-black and white keys like acoustic pianos. The keys even have a bit of weight to them and move up and down too. In fact, at times, the piano sound on these two digital pianos almost sound like a real piano. But that's where the similarity ends. Regular acoustic upright or grand piano are complex organic wood instruments (with a total of 230 piano strings in a typical acoustic piano) that are not easy to duplicate in the digital piano world. Different digital piano manufacturers try to do it and some get very close to an acoustic piano, but the Williams and Adams do not and I will explain why.

First of all, both Williams and Adams are not really piano manufacturers. They are created names by the Guitar Center company (Williams) and the Sam Ash Music company (Adams) and are made by "un-named" factories in China. The names on these pianos sound American on purpose...to give the buyer the idea these instruments must be American in some way...but they are not... they are completely created and made in China. China is not a bad place to make digital pianos as even a top brand like Yamaha makes many pianos in China. It's the actual materials, construction & qualified labor, and specific design that separates a good piano from a bad one regardless of where they are made. Beyond that, these "private label brands" typically make Guitar Center and their on-line subsidiaries as well as Sam Ash Music more profit than many other digital pianos they sell and that's likely a big motivator for them to carry and sell these pianos. That's because they own the "piano labels." As for the price, both of these pianos are advertised for $599. They both have 15 sounds and are both 64-note polyphonic. One of the glaring problems I found when playing these pianos is how inconsistent and uneven the volume response was when playing the keys hard or softly (regardless of where you set the key touch sensitivity feature). Here's a quote (below) from a review by a person who bought a Williams Overture recently that sums up this key action volume response problem pretty well:

"In manual it says you can adjust it (the key response volume), but honestly I didn't notice much of a difference after trying to adjust. The same thing with adjusting piano touch sensitivity. It says there are 3 levels, standard, soft, and hard but in reality they all feel pretty much the same (very soft like most of the digital pianos) and like i said earlier, volume jumps up and down."

This is the problem with the key action volume response...it jumps up and down when playing. When you press a key (especially multiple keys at the same time), it's not graduated or smooth, not at all like a real piano or even the better digital pianos brands (Roland, Yamaha, Casio, Kawai). Both the Williams & Benjamin Adams pianos are identical in this way. In fact in my opinion, you would be better off purchasing a less expensive Yamaha or Casio 76 or 88 key semi-weighted digital pianos because those instruments behave much better in that area. An additional volume issue with the Williams Overture/Adams DP400 is that when you slowly press the key down, the piano sound is triggered even before the key goes all the way down and touches the bottom. This is not how acoustic pianos work. There should be no sound and volume at all when the key is pressed all the way down on a digital piano until you apply enough pressure for the key contact to trigger a minimum volume. In other words, the volume is triggered too early and unnaturally on these pianos when the key is pressed down and this can create bad playing habits or just throw off natural key volume expression. This issue is not found on Roland, Kawai, Casio, or Yamaha digital pianos.

When it comes to learning how to play piano, you need the right "tools" to create music in the proper way. It's like using a screwdriver or pliers to tighten something; if they didn't work correctly you might not get the desired result you want, or at least you'd have to compensate somehow to get the job done. The worst thing you can do for a piano student is to not give them the correct "musical tools" to work with. Your only doing potential harm to that student in their ability to play that piano correctly so they will sound good and enjoy the experience and be able to progress properly. Also, the keys have a unnatural (or heavy) upward resistance when trying to press the keys down lightly. It's a very odd sensation and makes playing not only unnatural, but difficult for beginners who have to compensate for this by playing and pressing the keys in a way that they should not have to. And when the keys come back up when playing normally, they are somewhat noisy in this way and distracting, much more so than other brands of digital pianos.

Another negative thing about these two pianos is that the damper/sustain pedal (that's the pedal on the right side of the 3 pedals - pictured left) is only "on and off" in it's operation. That's a negative thing if your a student trying to progress in your piano playing or if you're already a piano player. Damper/sustain pedals (like keys) on an acoustic piano also go up and down and the piano sustain also need to be smooth and graduated from small to large amounts..not just on & off. There is no acoustic piano I have ever played that has just on & off damper/sustain pedal. But unless you were looking for this when trying out these pianos or didn't know any better, you'd be stuck and you cannot change that. In the very beginning, using the pedal is not as important, and for very young small children, they cannot even reach it. But it won't be long until you need it and need it to function correctly, and your piano teacher (and eventually yourself) will be disappointed if your piano cannot function properly in that way.

These two pianos are just $599 for a reason...they obviously (based on my experience) have very low quality electronics put into a"nicer looking" cabinet although the cabinet structure and materials used to build it look cheap once you really examine the pianos as I have. Please understand that this is my opinion, but as a musician, composer, and piano teacher for many years I want to give the best advice I can, and in the end you will have to make your own decision. If you really think you can get something for nothing (a good digital "cabinet piano" for $599 or less), then buy it. But if and when you read a "positive consumer review" somewhere else for either one of these pianos, there could be a good chance the reviewers simply don't know what they are talking about (as many don't), or they have very low expectations. As the old saying goes, "sometimes you DO get what you pay for" or "ignorance is bliss." And in the case of these pianos, if your expectations are very low and you are will be easily satisfied with the pianos as I have described, then this may be good choice for you, although I would personally not recommend them at any price.

I would look for an alternative new digital piano which could include the following: Yamaha P-95, Yamaha S31, Yamaha YDP141, Casio Privia PX130, Casio Privia PX330, Casio Celviano AP220 or AP420, or Kawai EP3. Of those selections, the Casio AP220 & 420 would be the best furniture cabinet piano choices but they will cost you more money than the Williams Overture or Benjamin Adams DP400 (you just don't usually get something for nothing). Also, I'd rather see someone purchase a slightly used Yamaha or Casio digital piano for less money than a new or used Williams Overture or Benjamin Adams DP400 pianos any day. Is there anything positive about these two pianos? Umm... they're a cheap price and look fine and have 128 (unimpressive) instrument sounds each, but that's about it. I wish I could be more positive about these Williams & Benjamin Adams digital pianos, but I can't. If you want a long term, satisfying experience playing a digital piano for under $1000, then do yourself a favor and get a Yamaha, Casio, Roland, or Korg piano because they are a much better option and are actual name brands with their own factories which use much better piano technology.

If you want more info on these pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864

REVIEWS - Williams Allegro & Casio CDP100 Digital Pianos - LOW PRICED 88-Key Portables

2011-04-14T22:44:00.013-07:00

REVIEWS - Williams Allegro and Casio CDP100 - UPDATED - August 1, 2011 - I always say that owning any kind of a keyboard or digital piano is better than having none at all because getting involved in music is the goal, regardless of how much or little you can afford. However, I usually don't talk much about the lowest priced portable digital pianos out there because they are generally not very good in various ways. But with the economy being the way it is and families having a difficult time finding extra cash to spend on themselves and/or their kids, it's better to have some sort of 88-"weighted key" piano than none at all as I just mentioned. I have taught private & group lessons to hundreds of people of all ages for a number of years, and there's nothing better than getting music into a person's life by involving them in learning to play the piano at some level.

OK, with that being said, the two 'weighted key action' 88-key portable digital pianos that are the "best" under $400 in my opinion (that's a qualified "best") are the Williams Allegro ($299 internet price-pic on left) & the Casio CDP100 ($399 internet price-pic lower left). There are other 88-key lower priced pianos out there that are completely or just slightly unweighted (like a keyboard), and I would try to stay away from those if possible as far as playing piano goes. The Williams & Casio pianos I am reviewing here are "good for their price" because the prices are low. But for anyone to suggest that they are good enough for an intermediate piano student or semi-pro or pro musician, is ridiculous (I have seen where self proclaimed 'knowledgeable people' have actually said this). Also to suggest these instruments have an authentic grand piano tone and/or touch is equally amusing and must mean the person who would suggest that has little or no actual acoustic piano playing experience. You cannot get something for nothing (as the saying goes), but these particular instruments are so inexpensive that they are quite adequate in the beginning at their price level.

Both pianos have weighted keys with the Allegro being lighter weight 'weighted' and the Casio being a bit heavier, which is better. The overall piano sound is decent on both so that's OK, but what really separates the two is the way the keytouch volume/response is and also the way the sustain pedal responds. The Williams Allegro keytouch piano response is not smooth at all. It is somewhat choppy with noticeable jumps in volume as you play the keys harder or softer. An actual piano touch response is smooth and gradual, with subtle changes in volume. Not so on the Allegro. This would NOT be good for anyone above a beginner level and even with beginners this could cause bad playing habits because you'd always have to be compensating for it. Teachers don't like that. The Casio does have a noticeably smoother, more gradual keytouch volume response than the Williams, but it could be better as well...but once again, it's only $399. Can't expect more than what it has.

As far as the pedal sustain response goes, the Williams is only "on and off" when you press the pedal and then let it back up. A regular piano is gradual, with more or less sustain as you press the pedal down and then slowly release it back up. Once again, the Williams would not be good for anyone in this way except a beginning student OR if you simply didn't have a bit more money to spend. Then you just have to live with these things. The Casio CDP100 is better with regard to pedal sustain response because it is also more gradual and not just "on & off." If you don't play piano, then you may not recognize these things right away but I assure you, they are and will be important and you will NOT be able to change or modify it once you own the keyboard.

There are some other differences between the two keyboards as far as total note polyphony (64 on the Williams and 32 on the Casio), number of sounds (8 instrument tones on the Williams and just 5 on the Casio) & features, etc, but the main things that need to focused upon are the things that I have mentioned. On the surface it would look like the Williams offers more, but actually it offers less than the Casio in the areas that are important. So it's what you cannot see that is what you really need. There is one huge noticeable difference between the two instruments, and that is how much they weigh. You would think that something this small and portable would be lightweight which is the case with the Casio weighing in at only 26 pounds...that's great. But the Williams weighs a whopping 64 pounds which is CRAZY heavy for a low priced portable piano! That's more weight than many portable 88-key "pro pianos" with many more features, better keyboards, better touch, better everything. Perhaps that won't be an issue for you, but if it ever falls off the stand or you have to move it, then it does become an issue.

The Williams piano is actually a private label brand owned by Guitar Center (there is no such thing as a Williams piano factory...someone else in China makes it for Guitar Center). It's sold by Guitar center and other companies (mostly Guitar center affiliates) as opposed to the Casio being from a real digital piano manufacturer who designs and makes the pianos themselves. The Casio's are sold in various stores and on-line dealers. Neither of the pianos typically include stands and/or benches at those prices. For me, the Casio CDP100 is the better investment as you'll be able to do more of the necessary piano things that students must do to improve as they progress through their lessons and the piano itself is easy to carry. It's also the better choice for those who play piano a bit but just don't have the extra money to get something better. If you only have the $299, then get the Williams, but understand it's limitations.

For just a bit more money, I would instead recommend either the Casio PX130 digital piano ($499 internet price-above pic) or the Yamaha P95 ($549 internet price-left pic). Both are much better alternatives and worth the extra money for many reasons. These pianos are shown here with optional stands and pedals.

Learning to play and playing the piano is one of the best things you can do for your kids and yourself. If you can afford it, do it with a quality instruments, but if you can't afford it, then something is better than nothing and hopefully one day you can move up from there. These instruments are not bad, but they are limited, which in the very beginning could be fine, but if you progress in your playing, you will need to move up to something that better emulates an acoustic piano (more actual piano tonal and key-touch characteristics along with better pedal response), and your piano teacher will like you better for it:)

If you want more info on these pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call me direct at at 602-571-1864

REVIEW - Kawai MP10 Digital Piano - The BEST - For Piano Players Serious about their Music!

2011-03-19T15:06:00.043-07:00

Updated REVIEW - January 12, 2012- Ever since this piano first came out about 1 year ago, I have been saying it is a truly amazing piano playing experience for those people who are looking for the best possible digital piano at a very reasonable low price. And now my predictions have come true. Kawai is so heavily back-ordered on this model right now that new customer orders can possibly take up to 2 months to get due to its overwhelming popularity. But in my opinion, that kind of wait is completely worth it because once you get your hands on this piano and experience how it plays and sounds, you won't want to stop playing. The Kawai MP10 is definitely for discriminating buyers who can appreciate it's higher quality key action touch and tone. I have played this model many times and agree with MP10 owners that nothing else comes close until you get to a much higher price range. So if you are looking for a "jaw dropping" grand piano playing experience in a digital piano and don't want to break the bank, then look no further than the Kawai MP10 portable concert grand digital piano.

The Kawai MP10 ($2499 internet price) is an outstanding top of the line portable model from the Kawai piano company which can be played on stage, at home, church, school, studio, or wherever. Kawai is one of the most respected piano companies in the world and their full size acoustic concert grand pianos, baby grands, uprights, and digital pianos are played by well known professionals as well as in universities, recording studios, and many other places where great music can be found. I have personally played Kawai grand pianos for years as have many of my musician friends and I know how good these instruments can be. So it came as no surprise to me that Kawai was able to develop and build this incredible portable instrument that can easily replace a fine acoustic grand piano for many people.

I say "portable" digital piano because it can be transported pretty easily (if necessary) although it does weigh 70lbs. However that is considerably less weight than the Kawai CA93 furniture cabinet model version (with the same grand piano key action) which weighs in at 192lbs. So the MP10 is obviously far lighter and therefore has a definite advantage in that way to any full size cabinet model as well as being far less money. The MP10 has no built-in speakers or stand like a traditional cabinet model, but all you need is a great sounding small stereo powered speakers (which are low priced) along with a good stand and bench and then you will sound and play beautifully. I can also give you advice as to which specific accessories (incl speakers & stand) would be best for the MP10 and at the lowest prices. The MP10 also looks very attractive as compared to other portable pianos because of its mahogany wood sides that give it that classy appearance along with its piano design.

So why should you consider a MP10? If you are a professional pianist, long time recreational piano player, and/or just someone who wants the best grand piano reproduction possible under $3000, then I believe the MP10 will exceed your expectations. One of the main things that makes this piano unique is that Kawai has designed a special RM3 Grand "mechanical wooden Grand Piano key action" (left pic above - click on pic for larger view) which moves and responds very closely to that of the Kawai acoustic concert grand pianos. That is a very difficult thing to do but I believe the Kawai company has done an excellent job designing this new key action and has even included the subtle nuances (such as key let-off and zero minimum key action volume) that occur when playing a fine grand piano key action such as a Steinway or Yamaha. I would consider the touch resistance (the amount of force needed to push the key down to be medium-light "feel" for better control over the subtle piano tonal nuances.

The keytops are made of a new synthetic material that reproduces the ivory key feel and look of the older acoustic grand pianos (before buying & selling elephant ivory was outlawed), which is very nice and it feels great! Other digital pianos also have their own synthetic material on the keys but I have seen and felt these other key tops and they don't come close in my opinion to what Kawai has done on their piano keys. And when it comes to replicating the grand piano tone, Kawai has also done an outstanding job with their "state of the art" sound source called Ultra Progressive Harmonic Imaging which includes a whopping 192-notes of polyphony and more realistic sound subtitles than any of their other pianos. You can feel and sense the organic sound of a fine concert piano for resonance, overtones, sympathetic vibrations, and other subtle tone changes with key velocity increases and decreases. Putting it in simple terms, I believe it is the best acoustic piano sound offered in a portable or upright cabinet model digital piano...period. That's my opinion and some people may favor another brand or model, but I've been playing grand and digital pianos for many years and honestly I don't think this new Kawai MP10 can be beat for what it is at this price.

The MP10 was originally designed as a professional "stage piano" (with XLR outputs and other pro features) but it can easily be used in the home, church, or other traditional settings as I mentioned earlier because it is fairly intuitive to use and the functions are logically arranged and set up. In fact, I like it better than the cabinet model version not only because it costs far less money, but because it sounds better with newer acoustic piano tones, and the user has more flexibility in editing and modifying the piano sounds and other instruments tones including multiple layering and splitting of tones. It is also built as a piano "controller" so it can be useful in recording studios, stage work with off board gear, and just general playing flexibility. This piano is really very basic in a way because it only has 27 total sounds along with 100 very nice drum patterns (incl rock, jazz, Latin, country, and many others), but the sounds are the best possible instrument tones you can get anywhere in this price range. It kind of reminds me of a top racing car which doesn't have all the bells & whistles, but instead has an ultra responsive touch and movement like no other along with the most powerful engine in its class. That's what the Kawai MP10 is; a high performance digital piano which has the astounding ability to take the musical "curves and corners" of your piano playing to new heights. If it sounds here that I really like this instrument, then you would be correct, but it's difficult to not like it.

If the MP10 is what you're looking for and you don't mind being in the $2500 price range, then I highly recommend this piano. I have personally played the MP10 model and it is the ultimate digital piano in my opinion when it comes to acoustic and classic electric piano tones. I highly recommend this instrument to anyone. If you'd like to hear actual recordings of the MP10 in action, go to the following link which will bring you to the Kawai MP10 web site and then select the songs in the upper right corner:
http://www.kawaius.com/main_links/digital/PRO_2010/mp10_audio.html

However, Kawai also produces another new model called the MP6 ($1499 internet price left pic) which is a lesser priced version of the MP10. Although the MP6 is not quite as refined as the MP10 in grand piano touch (no wooden key action) & acoustic piano tone, it's more than enough in my opinion for many people, and it has many more
features too. It still has the ivory touch keys, a smooth piano touch (although slightly different) with escapement/let-off like a grand piano, 256 high quality instrument tones and 256 individual memory setups, and lots more including a USB MP3/wav file audio recorder just like the MP10. And it only weighs about 46lbs. If you want more info on the MP6, just do a search on that model number for my review in this blog which also contains some actual recordings of various instruments I did on the MP6.

The MP10 is definitely the Mercedes or pro racing car of digital pianos under $7500, including comparing it to the new and much higher priced Roland V Piano, in my opinion.

Either way, both new Kawai portable pianos are super hot and do what most people want...reproduce acoustic grand pianos very well. However, I do not recommend these pianos for everyone as there are other options for different needs and musical goals such as families who want a nice digital piano in an attractive cabinet and are just entering the world of piano playing. One of the lower priced digital piano furniture cabinet models I recommend is the Casio Celviano AP620. It has lots of useful built-in educational features which helps students (children & adults) have a better understanding of music and speeds up the learning process during practice in the home. The Casio Celviano AP620 (left pic above - $1399 internet price) is one piano I would recommended for those features and I have written a blog article review about it, so check it out at the following link:
http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2010/01/all-new-casio-celviano-ap620-piano-is.html

If you want more info on these and other pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864.

*Also, here's a video I found (below) of a Kawai MP10 live demo by a pianist in Europe (Kawai US doesn't have one yet). He is not speaking English but the video will allow you to see and hear this new MP10, and it is impressive. Also notice the wooden key action in the video.

REVIEW - Suzuki Digital Pianos - R-21, DP-1000, HP-99, TSI-1ei - STAY AWAY

2011-03-12T22:21:00.027-07:00

UPDATED REVIEW - Nov 10, 2011 - Suzuki digital pianos have been around for a long time. The Suzuki name is fairly well known for violins and piano & violin teaching methods as well as for motorcycles, cars, and other consumer products. There are also Suzuki acoustic upright and grand pianos too. In the case of Suzuki pianos, this (piano) company has nothing to do with the other Suzuki products and services. They are independent and owned apart from the other Suzuki products and buy their pianos from an independent Chinese piano factory.

In my opinion it does not really matter where a piano is made and who makes it, as long as it is a good quality instrument which closely (as much as possible) plays like a real acoustic upright or grand piano, has good construction, and is reliable. I have played all of the new Suzuki digital pianos and put them through their paces and the most important things necessary in digital pianos is key action feel, tone quality & velocity response, proper damper pedal movement along with sustain & half damper response, and finally construction. The Suzuki's do look like quality digital pianos but there are some definite problems with its playability. The DP1000, R21, & HP99 are identical in key action movement and piano sound response to how how or soft you press the keys.

Good velocity response means that the volume of the piano sound plays evenly and gets progressively louder or softer depending on how hard you push on the keys. After playing these pianos I noticed the Suzuki R21 - $995 internet discount (above left pic), DP1000 polished ebony - at Costco right now for $999 - left pic), HP99 - $1795 internet discount (below left pic), & TSI-1ei - $1695 internet discount (not pictured) all have a problem in this area. The key touch response is very uneven and the sound is not smooth and gradual in volume (because of that) when playing the keys, as good acoustic pianos do. Simply put, this would likely be due to inexpensive electronics/key sensors in the piano along with the physical parts used in the key action. Suzuki uses the same key action and basic electronics in all their pianos so the results are unfortunately the same in all models.

The #1 most thing in a digital piano (and piano teachers look for this too) is getting a good key touch & key movement (at minimum standards). Also, when you press a key down softly as far as it can go, you should hear no sound at all. That is normal in pianos. In the Suzuki pianos mentioned here, the piano sound actually is triggered half way down so you hear the sound even before the key gets to the bottom...not good! This will throw off your ability to play with proper dynamics, especially if you are a beginner and just learning. These things are not something which is apparent when first playing the pianos, especially if you have little or no experience with pianos. But after awhile it will become important as you progress with lessons or if you play and try to use proper soft to loud dynamics. Play any new Casio, Yamaha, Kawai, or Roland and you will not find this problem in those pianos.

The resonance of the piano tone is also very shallow and short when holding down the damper pedal especially on the upper half of the piano keys. And to add to that problem, the damper pedal (right pedal) which is used very often for sustaining (holding) the note for a while after you release the key, does not function as it should. On an acoustic piano, when you press the damper sustain pedal (right pedal) down to get full sustain, the sustaining tone is supposed to gradually let off as the pedal comes back up, and not just immediately stop as the pedal starts going back up. In the digital piano world, gradual up & down sustain is called "half-damper." Yamaha, Casio, Roland, Kawai, and a couple other brand names have this feature but Suzuki does not. Suzuki only has sustain "on or off" (like most inexpensive keyboard do) and that is definitely a problem in my opinion, especially for the piano student or player. You'll notice that Suzuki does not mention the word "half-damper" on any of their on-line literature or product specifications and the reason for that is they don't have it. If they did, they would mention it because it's a big deal for most people. The reason they don't have it in my opinion is that it saves them money to use inexpensive electronics and functions.

My favorite saying is that "you cannot judge a book by its cover" and that's true for pianos as well. The Suzuki digital pianos overall look attractive (most of the cabinets that are in the basic dark rosewood color also come in polished ebony for more money) and sound OK (nothing great compared to the other brands) and can even be price competitive for what they "seem to offer," but the reality is they do not come close to playing at all like real acoustic pianos (even at minimum standards).

As far as reliability, additional features, and warranty, that is unimportant if the basics aren't right although my personal experience has not been too good with Suzuki digital piano reliability. In fact, when I recently played the DP1000 in Costco, the sustain pedal was not working at all and it was plugged in properly. Not a good sign. The DP1000 does have some cool features including drums, chords, multiple sounds, iPod docking tray, and is in a cute polished black cabinet (which picks up fingerprints and smearing very easily). But the key action and response is just not acceptable in my opinion if you want a good playing experience for yourself or your kids or other members of the family. For all the digital upright style models Suzuki offers incl their small (cute looking) digital baby grands, I would stay away from them and move on to other brands including Roland, Yamaha, Casio, and Kawai. Those pianos work well, sound great, have useful features and most importantly, do what pianos are supposed to do.

By the way, I really did want to like these Suzuki pianos, but unfortunately could not. I have also reviewed in detail a couple of their other Suzuki models in the past which can be found on the following links:

TSI-1ei... http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2010/04/digital-piano-review-suzuki-tsl1ei.html

MDG100 Micro Grand... http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2010/10/suzuki-mdg100-micro-grand-at-costco.html

Be sure to check out some of my other blog articles on digital pianos from the "big 4" piano makers especially the Casio AP620 & AP420, PX830, Yamaha P155, Kawai EP3, Roland RP201, as well as the Kawai CE200. They are the best in their class for the under $2000 price range right now in my opinion and I recommended them.

If you want more info on these pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864

SAVE 50% OFF Roland HP307 or Kawai CA93 Digital Pianos

2011-03-03T23:33:00.022-07:00

UPDATE: July 20, 2011 - How would you like to save up to 50% off two of the best new furniture cabinet digital pianos in the world, the Roland HP307 and the Kawai CA93? Of course you would.

Now that I have your attention I can tell you that you cannot save 50% off these particular pianos. BUT...you can spend 50% less to get the same piano tones and key action touch of these top of the line Roland & Kawai pianos by purchasing their portable versions instead. That's the point I'd like to make.

Most digital piano shoppers do not know (except for the pros) that both Roland and Kawai make portable versions of their top two cabinet pianos when it comes to offering the same top of the line piano key action touch and some of the same sampled acoustic piano tones in both models. The Roland HP307 (top pic) and Kawai CA93 (left pic) are sold in stores at discount prices for somewhere between $4000-$5000. If you instead purchased the Roland FP7F/RD700NX (lower left pic) or Kawai MP10 (lower left pic under Roland), you likely would not be able to tell the difference between the cabinet and portable model version when playing piano on them, although the piano sounds on the Kawai MP10 are even better than the CA93 cabinet model and that's really saying something because the CA93 is so nice. So there are upgraded piano sounds on the Kawai MP10 over the CA93.

The biggest (but not the only) difference is between the portable and cabinet piano versions are the internal speaker/audio systems and full size cabinets on the home versions. However, in many ways the portable versions have more sound flexibility because they can produce customized acoustic piano and instrument sounds that you can design for your particular tastes as opposed to mainly factory preset piano sounds for the cabinet pianos. There can also be differences in the total amount of extra instrument tones one way or the other on these instruments.

I have played all of these Roland & Kawai portable piano versions and I can tell you it's a great way to get that top-of-the-line- digital piano experience while saving big money in the process. The pros have been doing it that way for years. Many non-professionals (families, students, etc) think the portable "stage versions" would be more difficult to operate and to figure out. In years gone by that would have been true, but no more. These new portable pianos are user friendly and intuitive for the most part and once you start playing on them you'll see what I mean.

There is another lower priced portable Kawai piano called the MP6 and it's a very nice piano, although not near as refined as the Kawai MP10 for piano touch and tone. But with the MP6 at $1000 less than the MP10, it's definitely a great piano at that price. I have reviewed the Kawai MP6 (below left with stand) in another blog article so please check that out when you have time because it's a fine instrument that I highly recommend (I believe it's a "best buy" for it's high quality) and it's just $1499 internet price:

http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2011/01/kawai-mp6-digital-piano-awesome-piano.html

If you are the type of person who wants a good looking full size cabinet in their home with a powerful internal audio system, and don't mind spending the extra money for it, then that's understandable and paying the extra money might be worth it for you. Cabinet models can be beautiful and certainly look more substantial. But as far as I'm concerned, if I don't want to compromise my piano quality and expectations but am willing to look for ways to save money, this is a very practical way to do it. And...you can actually move these portable piano versions very easily as they are much lighter and easier to get around when you need to:). Who knows, you might get so good or become so popular you'll have to take the piano with you when you go out on your "gigs":)

One more thing, dollar for dollar, I believe the new Kawai digital pianos outperform the Roland pianos in both piano sound and key touch based on my experience with them although both brands are quite nice to own and you would be happy with either one. If you want to know more about that, please contact me directly.

If you want more info on these pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864

REVIEWS - Yamaha YDP181, Roland RP201, Kawai CE200, Kurzweil MP10, Casio AP420 - COMPARISON of 5 Furniture Cabinet Digital Pianos under $2000

2011-02-27T02:35:00.039-07:00

Updated REVIEW - Sept 1, 2011 - There are many new digital pianos that are being offered by the top piano manufacturers and sometimes it can be very confusing as to what the best digital piano is for a particular price range. So I have written this blog article to help out people looking for digital pianos under $2000.

I consider the top digital piano manufacturers for the US market to include Roland, Kawai, Yamaha, Kurzweil, and Casio. Korg used to be a top digital piano brand with full size furniture style cabinets, but they are out of that business now. Almost all other brands of digital pianos that may be available in some piano stores, on-line web sites, or consumer store web sites like Costco, are what I consider to be "off brands" and pianos I would not recommend such as Suzuki, Williams, Adams, Adagio, and a few others. I can only say..."stay away from them regardless of how inexpensive the price may be." I have written reviews on many of these brands and models so if you want more info on them, take a look at some of my other blog reviews.

In this blog article I will be referring only to furniture "cabinet style" models (no portable piano/keyboard type) that do not have automatic accompaniment chords or easy play features, and only those that have an internet discount price for under $2000, which is where most consumers want to be when looking for a new digital piano.

Roland digital pianos are very fine instruments, but unfortunately Roland only makes one furniture cabinet model for under $2000 (they really should offer more) and it's called the RP201 ($1599 discount selling price). It has a very nice reproduction of an acoustic piano sound with 128 notes of polyphony, but its touch is very light for a piano and not like an acoustic piano in my opinion. All of the other Roland cabinet model pianos (they're all well over $2000) have a key action touch that is much more realistic than the RP201. I do like the piano tone a lot and the fact this piano has buttons across the front panel so it's easy to operate. The RP201 has 306 very realistic instrument and percussion tones which is very good, but it's stereo amplifier speaker system puts out a total of only 24 watts which is relatively small for a piano like this. The RP201 has the ability to layer or split two tones on the keyboard as well as play duet style which is quite useful, but it does not have a USB output connector (just old style MIDI connectors), which in this day and age it should. I also happen to think that Roland could have done a much better job on the cabinet style, especially because it does not have a full privacy panel on it. With regard to the key action on this piano, Roland's web site describes the RP201 key action in this way:

"With its Progressive Hammer-Action keyboard (PHA alpha II), the RP201 has a natural key touch that reproduces the feel and response of an acoustic grand piano. Lower keys are more heavily weighted; as you move up the keyboard, the key weight becomes progressively lighter."

The fact is, this keyboard touch in does not like a grand piano...period. It feels nice to play but it's a lightweight action (which some people may or may not enjoy), but to say that it feels like a grand piano is just not true. The other higher priced Roland piano models (HP, RM, DP, LX, KR, RG) do feel much closer to a grand and they have developed those key actions to be like that. So overall, I think this RP201 piano is somewhat overpriced for what its offering, although it does sound nice.

Yamaha offers 4 cabinet model digital pianos under $2000 (which is nice) with three of them being more traditional pianos without easy play one-finger chords, etc. The Yamaha Arius YDP181 piano is the competitor to the Roland RP201 and sells at discount price for $1799. This is a fine piano and quite popular as it is carried in many music stores and on-line internet dealers, and the piano key action is more realistic than the Roland RP201. However, Yamaha does say in their specification text the following statement:

"Perfect for beginning students and experienced players alike, the ARIUS / YDP series provides true piano sound and feel."

OK...so what IS "true piano sound and feel?" Yamaha does not say but understand that piano sound and feel differs slightly from one acoustic piano to the next. That's because acoustic pianos are organic, made mostly of wood parts so that's why many acoustic piano shoppers will try out two or three of the same model acoustic piano in a store as each one can be slightly different in feel or tone. As I said, the feel and tone is different from one brand to the next, so "true piano tone" is relative but the YDP181 does have a very good piano tone. The YDP181 offers 14 instruments (not much for that price especially compared to Roland), and the acoustic piano tone is quite realistic with 128 notes of polyphony. The YDP181 also has a more powerful audio speaker system with 40 watts of total stereo power. It also has a layering feature but no split or duet play, and the piano does not have a USB output (once again, in this day and age it should). It does have a USB flashdrive input so MIDI song recordings can be saved and stores to flashdrive, which is cool. It has a 2-track recorder for separate right and left hand recording and playback. As far as looks, it might be slightly better looking than the Roland, but not much. It still needs a better privacy panel and for it's price, it's pretty basic in features, although in my opinion it feels/plays better than the Roland.

The Kurzweil MP10 ($1495 discount price in Rosewood cabinet) is a new model for Kurzweil and has a new keyboard action along with a new tone generator offering 64 notes of polyphony. This model is a bit difficult to find in stores at this point because it is so new and not readily available. Kurzweil has been producing pro digital pianos for many years as well as cabinet pianos and they do have some nice models. As on the Roland, I do like the piano sound and various instrument tones the MP10 has (total of 88 tones which is much better than the Yamaha), and the touch is especially good when playing digital pianos & B3 organ sounds that need a fast response. The Kurzweil MP10 also has an impressive 60 watts of total stereo power (which is a lot) and is able to do both layering and splitting of tones. It also has 78 drum rhythm patterns which is very cool especially for timing practice and song creation along with a 1-track recorder. The control buttons are along the left side of the piano which is OK, but I prefer it across the front because that's where we normally look and where the music rack is. But to save space and keep costs down (to make it more affordable), Kurzweil elected to put the controls on the left side. It does have a USB output for plug and play to any home computer using a variety of music software available these days. The cabinet looks nicer and more up to date in my opinion than both the Roland and Yamaha.

The Kawai company produces two digital furniture cabinet pianos under $2000 with the the CE200 piano ($1699 discount price) being the most affordable along with more features, and it has a special key action not found on any other digital piano under $2000. The keys themselves are actually made out of real wood (direct from their acoustic upright pianos) and are created to emulate an acoustic piano. Having wood keys is a big deal for some people and the other brands also have wood keys, but not until you spend more than $3000. The piano tone is, in my opinion, arguably the best of all the traditional furniture cabinet digital pianos under $2000 and it has 96 notes of polyphony, which is plenty for most playing situations. The features that Kawai offers on this piano are pretty impressive as well. All of the control buttons are across the front of the piano (where they should be) and they're easy to see and use. The CE200 is capable of layering and splitting two tones and it also has some other cools things like octave shift when layering two sounds together which none of the others can do. The CE200 has duet 4-hand play which means two people can play the piano at the same time by splitting the piano keyboard into 2 equal keyboards playing in the same octaves which is very cool. It has 20 very realistic instrument tones (20 is OK and better than Yamaha), has 30 very nice drum rhythms for timing practice and drum creation (neither Yamaha or Roland has that), a layer relative volume balance slider control (the only piano to have that), and a 2-track recorder for separate right and left hand recording and playback. The CE200 DOES has a USB output to connect to computer for interfacing with music software (like the Kurzweil). And as far as looks, I think Kawai is the best in the bunch and looks more substantial and more like a piano (but not quite). I would definitely recommend this piano as the clear winner for its low price. And most people know that Kawai builds professional concert grand pianos, so they do know what they're doing. The Kawai CE200 is not produced in large quantities from what I understand and is also not easily found in many piano or music stores, but it's definitely worth looking for and trying out:)

I included the Casio Celviano AP420 ($1099 discount price) because it offers a lot of "bang for the buck" for a very low price. In my opinion, the keyboard touch, response, and movement is quite good and the keytops have the new synthetic ivory material for the better ivory feel touch. The piano has a pretty realistic sound with 128 notes of polyphony, and Casio has even put in 2-track recorder for left & right hand recording and playback. There are 16 instrument tones (not much but enough at this price) on this model along with duet four hand play, layering, splitting, transpose, and some other cool things. The control buttons are on the left side (like the Kurzweil) and many of the features have to be selected with a function & key, so it's not as user friendly as the Yamaha, Roland, Kurzweil, or Kawai. But for the very low selling price, I can accept that. Casio has included some advanced tech features like a USB CoreMIDI connector to computer (very nice for plug & play connection to iPad) and an SD card input for saving and playing MIDI piano song recordings. The Casio AP420 audio speaker system is surprisingly powerful at this price with 40 watts of total stereo power. And it's got great looks with a cabinet that includes a full privacy panel and front stabilization legs (not available on the other pianos). It also includes a height adjustable bench which the others don't. So for $1099, this piano is a very impressive package.

My first choice in this digital piano comparison would probably be the Kawai CE200. With the wood key action, more realistic acoustic piano touch, and very resonate acoustic piano tone along with it's other cool features, this one is worth the money. My next choice would be the Casio AP420 because it offers a lot for such a little price (and these days low price is very important to a lot of people).

There are also a couple of cabinet (furniture style) digital pianos under $2000 that include fun automatic chord accompaniments and additional piano educational features. These pianos are referred to as "arranger" or ensemble digital pianos. Yamaha makes one called the YDPV240 ($1899) and Casio has one called the AP620 ($1399).

Go to the following link to read more about the Yamaha YDP V240:
http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2010/01/yamaha-introduces-new-arius-dgx-digital.html

Go to the following link to learn more about the Casio Celviano AP620:

http://azpianonews.blogspot.com/2010/01/all-new-casio-celviano-ap620-piano-is.html

If you want more info on these pianos and lower prices than internet discounts, please email me at tim@azpianowholesale.com or call direct at 602-571-1864