When purchasing a piano or keyboard, you might be interested in learning more about weighted keys and why they are so common. Some digital pianos, especially those manufactured by Korg, Roland, and Yamaha, have a keyboard that effectively mimics the sound of an acoustic piano and the ‘weight’ of the keys.
Pianos have hammers and strings; hammers strike the strings allowing them to vibrate. This sound creates the echo, which we ultimately interpret as a note. The hammer hitting the strings is attached to the trigger with a lever mechanism.
This guide has been carefully researched to assist pianists in choosing the right piano for their playing style, budget, and circumstances in which they may use it. This catalog provides you with a good choice of house, workshop, and ready-to-play pianos, whether you choose to play piano songs in your living room, record piano in a studio, or bring your piano to the stage.
Best Weighted Keyboards and Pianos
Korg B2SP
Best Portable Keyboard
The Korg B2SP is an outstanding alternative for those looking for a digital keyboard that provides both value and longevity. With Korg’s “normal weighted” hammer operation, the B2SP has a total of 88 buttons. This method has a grading system and optimizes the keyboard for a light, gentle touch. Overall, it gives a reasonable portrayal of acoustic activity, making it a good alternative for both advanced and beginner players.
People with sharp ears will note that the Korg B2 and B2SP sound very similar, and they are right. These digital pianos are characterized by a furniture-style stand and three-pedal system only by their prototypes.
The Korg B2SP has an undoubtedly gorgeous look. The Korg B2, on the other hand, has a more compact look and is less cumbersome due to its lack of a stand. The B2SP has a total of 12 tones, five of which are acoustic piano voicings.
PROS
- 120-note polyphony
- MIDI connectivity and USB output
CONS
- Not many voicing’s available
- Bulky home setup
The Nord Piano 4 is a great instrument for touring and recording because of its rich, vivid tone and buttery smooth movement. It’s difficult to beat this style if you’re looking for the best-weighted keyboard on the market.
Every part of Piano 4 has been carefully considered by Nord. The movement is weighted to mimic regular grand pianos, and the keyboard contains triple sensors for improved response. The Simulated Hammer Action is supple and fluid, with a light release suitable for glissando, staccato accents, and trills.
This keyboard supports up to 120 notes of polyphony, allowing you to play even the most complicated pedal passages without losing notes.
PROS
- Customizable sound
- High durability
CONS
- No in build speakers
- Non – attractive looks
The CP88 has a rich sound that’s suitable for the studio, but it’s still easy to use on stage due to its simple user interface. The full-size keyboard features graded action operated by natural wooden hammers, giving it a seamless sound that acoustic piano players can know. Keyboard players of all skill levels will find the keys to be relaxed.
The piano voicing is the core of the CP88. All of them are grouped into three simple alternative banks, allowing you to reach all of the voices easily. It’s the right layout for performers who like to have a variety of voicings on hand.
You can choose from 54 additional voicings, including upright and electric pianos, synths, organs, and strings. Compression, distortion, tremolo, and chorus are only a couple of the sounds you can use.
PROS
- Vibrant grand piano
- Customizable sound effects
CONS
- Low durability
- Low-quality speakers
The Privia PX-870 from Casio retains a lifelike feel and diverse voices in a budget-friendly kit that’s suitable for training and jamming. It has 19 voices, ranging from concert grand pianos to electric pianos, and 256 polyphony notes.
The scaled hammer action on the piano provides a realistic touch and sound that changes in weight as you walk up and down the keyboard. The sensitivity and hammer can be modified to suit your particular playstyle, unlike most other weighted keyboards.
PROS
- Best scaled hammer
- Realistic touch
CONS
- Exterior panels scratch easily
- Low user interference
Roland RD-2000
Best quality engine piano
The RD-2000, the newest stage piano for Roland, provides its iconic RD line with dynamic new voices and practical graded hammer action. It’s great for musicians, but it’s also one of the best-weighted keyboards for recording because of its huge sound collection.
The V-Piano and SuperNatural engines are also available in RD-2000. The V-Piano drives the essential piano sounds. It’s luscious and full-bodied, with infinite polyphony for creative cravings. Meanwhile, the SuperNatural engine recreates popular electric piano tones for true-to-life voicings.
Beyond conventional piano voicings, the RD-2000 lifts the bar with over 1,100 additional tones. You can select complex voicings for brass, organs, clavinets, synths, and more on command.
PROS
- Easy-adjust on stage
- 1,100 additional tones
CONS
- No, build in speaker system
- Bad switching between the voices
The Grandstage 88 is a sleek instrument with seven stunning sound engines built into a robust and refined box. It features 500 applications and separate engines for acoustic piano tones. Damper echo and mechanical noise are among the sounds, making for the most accurate simulation possible.
Six sampled pianos and Korg synthesis technology are used in the electric motor. The synthesis helps you tweak the preset sounds to your heart’s content, moving beyond basic samples’ limits.
There are three more engines with different organ tones after that. An analogy style reeds and brass and other sounds for keyboard, pipe organ, and mellotron are also dedicated to the final pair of speakers. The three-band EQ can comfortably be used for stage performance in the right sound band.
PROS
- Seven sound engines
- Adjustable keyboards
CONS
- No speaker on board
- Heavy default action
The Yamaha DGX660, one of the most common digital pianos on the market, completes our list. It offers a high-quality sound, with the voice of a Yamaha CFIIIS concert grand and a hammer action, for musicians of all ages.
The DGX660 is powered by Yamaha’s CF Sound Engine. It has over 150 voices, plus numerous types of pianos and other instruments, offering plenty of recording and performing opportunities.
With the latest Piano Room feature, you can alter the sound of the grand piano. This is a robust editor that helps you to add a damper echo, switch room ambiance, and even change the virtual piano’s lid position.
The DGX660 can handle any condition thanks to its 192 polyphonic voices and 300+ effects voicings in reverb, chorus, and delay. The DGX660, unlike most other keyboards, allows you to attach a microphone and sing directly via the speakers, as well as playback uncompressed MIDI songs and WAV files. It’s suitable for singer-songwriters who wish to record and assist themselves on a digital piano.
Read our complete Yamaha DGX 660 review if you are interested to learn more about this piano.
PROS
- 192 polyphonic voices
- Good software
CONS
- No full-size MIDI
- Heavy keyboard
The Vivo S7 features a high-sensitivity, weighted clavier, which fits both the piano and the symphonic organs’ sounds. Speaking of sounds, there’s a large variety aboard to fit most types and circumstances. There are acoustic and electric pianos, organs, strings, and simple synth sounds, among other items.
The S7 has a funky, dated sound, and its electric pianos aren’t the finest compared to the competition. Since tweaking effects are essential, it is not as intuitive as some other step pianos.
The S7, on the other hand, is moderately priced, is relatively compact and well-built, sounds fantastic on acoustic pianos, and has good effects and communication. The recently released Vivo S7 Pro M edition, which comes with two 35W onboard speakers, is also worth noting for home users.
PROS
- Good MIDI connectivity
- Portable for a weighted keyboard
CONS
- We’ve heard better electric pianos
- Not as premium-looking as some
This is an original professional upright piano and is used at home or as an instrument while retaining a high-level feel, and sound. The U1 comes in different colors and finishes and is built like a tank. It features guaranteed for ten years, three gentle, mute, and damper pedals, and is ideal for both learning and extreme results.
Sound quality is on the downside, and many individuals can’t afford it. Furthermore, since it’s acoustic, there’s only one sound: piano! It’s difficult to lift without expert support, which can be very expensive since it weighs 228 kilos (nearly a quarter of a tonne!) However, if you’ve got it in your building, you’ll never want to take it back. a
PROS
- 10-year warranty
- Solid investment
CONS
- Incredibly heavy
Medeli isn’t as well-known as some of the other labels on this page, but this is a good-quality digital piano with a full-sized 88-key keyboard and a slew of features that you won’t find on other digital pianos.
The SP4200 looks and sounds like a cross between a keyboard and a digital piano. Perhaps the best full-size weighted keyboard is a more apt term. While the weighted keys and hammer movement make it sound like you’re playing an acoustic piano, the voices and tech features make it feel like a keyboard. There are an impressive 600 voices involved, which opens up a whole new universe of possibilities for making new and exciting sounds.
It also has 128-note polyphony, which ensures that sounds aren’t lost while playing complicated melodies. A total of 230 style complements rounds out a vast array of options. There’s also a guitar mode that mimics the sound of acoustic guitar chords and picking. The USB host helps you to conveniently archive what you play onto a USB storage disk, which is a feature not seen on many digital pianos.
PROS
- Budget-friendly product
- Modern technology
CONS
- Low durability
- Speakers could have been of good quality
Value Editorial & Buying Guide
Sensitivity and Response of the Keys
While acoustic piano keys’ resistance cannot be reproduced entirely by a digital piano, many digital pianos are excellent with excellent results.
Start by looking for a piano with a counterbalanced or hammer impact keyboard. A graded keyboard adds clarity and some pianos enable you to customize the reaction of the keys to your tastes. A beginner can use a keyboard with 88 weighted buttons quite easily.
Sound Quality
Beginners would not need high-end tones and sounds, but the more requirements, the higher the cost. If you’re looking for a digital piano as a beginner, bear in mind that you’ll only develop your skills if you get the best tone and sound texture for your money.
Warranty
A warranty is essential for high-ticket items like acoustic pianos. The bulk of brand-new pianos come with a 5-year warranty. When buying a piano from a private seller, be vigilant. The majority of piano manufacturers, including Yamaha and Steinway, do not provide warranty protection for pianos purchased from unlicensed private sellers.
Polyphony
The maximum number of sounds a piano can output at any one time is referred to as polyphony. This means a piano with 32-note polyphony will play up to 32 notes at a similar time. Pianos with at least 64-note polyphony are recommended for intermediate players. A piano with 128-note polyphony or more is recommended for experienced pianists.
Why should there be a piano with 128-note polyphony if a full-sized piano has 88 keys? It is a query we often hear. This is due to the sustain pedal’s ability to deliver a large number of notes at once. If you use the sustain pedal when playing a long string of notes, the piano can produce more than 88 notes at any point.
Sampling
Sounds recorded directly from acoustic pianos are reproduced by digital pianos. The more samples are collected for each sound effect, the higher the keyboard quality.
Besides, on the same note, advanced models use multiple samples. This is because altering the color on an acoustic piano shifts the tone of the sound. Each brand has its own set of rules. The Roland “Supernatural” or Yamaha’s Pure CF, for example, is the most well-known. A variety of simple piano sounds are used with most digital pianos.
Sound Library
Many of the pianists publish their work freely on the internet. You can easily use such meanings in your model, thanks to the networking choice of digital pianos. Many piano manufacturers have specific built-in music libraries, some of which are free and others that cost money (they can be pretty expensive). The music library, on the other hand, is independent of the piano model you pick.
So, if you’re mainly involved in filming your sessions for YouTube or another video site, you shouldn’t be too concerned with the sound that your piano produces because you can adjust it post-production.
Materials
When purchasing a digital piano, beginners should know about the materials used in the building. Plastic keys will be used on the less costly models, and fake ivory-built keys will be found on the more expensive models. The latter key styles help you strengthen your grip while also offering a practical execution style to help you cross the distance between a digital and an acoustic piano.
Aside from the tools, beginners should consider buying a digital piano with touch sensitivity and counterbalanced keys. These key types will allow you to strengthen your ability to practice expressively and to learn the correct finger technique.
Portability
It is imperative to consider portability. You can easily buy a digital piano depending on the available space if you need the piano for your home. If you need to fly with your keyboard, though, you can use a compact model. The digital piano comes in four different styles: vertical, contemporary, compact, and level.
Vertical pianos resemble acoustic pianos in appearance, with the speakers housed in the stand’s shell. Contemporary designs mimic a traditional keyboard much better than a piano. Portable and stage pianos are easy to transport and can create a much louder sound for musicians who wish to make the best of their instruments.
FAQs
Does touch-sensitive mean weighted keyboards?
This isn’t to be mistaken with touch-sensitive buttons. It sounds like playing natural piano keys when the keys are weighted. Lead disks are typically embedded in real piano keys. If the instrument has weighted keys but no touch-sensitive keys, I recommend passing it up and continuing your search; Medeli SP4200 has good sensitivity.
How do you know if your keyboard has weighted keys?
A weighted keyboard has a function that makes the keys sound heavier. This allows the keyboard to resemble the keys of an acoustic piano when playing. Usually, the keys are weights on the acoustic piano.
Does the type of keys influence keyboard sound quality?
The sound quality of older, less costly keyboards is poor, but modern versions are excellent. Digital keyboards have a great, too lousy play experience, based on two main factors: the number of keys and the form of the key action. Korg B2SP has the best keyboard and sound quality.
How many keys should a beginner keyboard have?
For a beginner, 66 keys are appropriate for play, and a 72-key instrument will play most music. A complete 88-key piano is recommended for anyone interested in playing classical piano, particularly if they intend to play a conventional piano in the future. There are less than 66 keys on several keyboards.
Conclusion
As you will see from our page, you have a wide variety of choices. No two digital pianos or keyboards are similar, and although they both have fully weighted keys and a natural feel.
Researching if you’ll need a portable or stationary style, how many sounds and tones you’ll need, and also if you’re looking for a digital piano for a novice or a professional pro can all go into your choice. But our experts concluded that Korg B2SP is the best piano available in the market.
All of the digital piano and keyboard models on our list will provide a lot to an aspiring pianist; however, determining which one is best for you is crucial and can be aided by reading our buying guide.
