Buy a Electric Piano | Digital Piano?

Do you want to buy a digital piano? Then you have come to the right place at music store Joh.deHeer. Joh.deHeer, founded in 1898, is a leader in the field of keyboard instruments. With a very extensive collection of digital pianos, Joh.deHeer has a assortment that is suitable for the beginner to the advanced pianist. All well-known brands, such as Roland, Yamaha, Kawai and Casio, can be found in the assortment. In addition to digital pianos, Joh.deHeer also has a wide assortment of acoustic pianos. Would you like to know more about the advantages and disadvantages of digital pianos and the potential possibilities? Then read on!

Click here for the assortment of digital pianos 

Click here for the assortment of acoustic pianos  

What is a digital piano? 

A digital piano, also called an electric piano, is an alternative to the acoustic piano and is an instrument that has undergone a stormy development in recent years. Basically, a digital piano is equivalent to an acoustic piano. Playing the piano or learning to play the piano is therefore almost identical on both models. However, the sound and keystroke of an acoustic piano remains more authentic than with a digital model, although this difference is being reduced further and further through technological developments and innovations. For example, the keyboard of a digital piano has the same back pressure and response as an acoustic piano. The “Ivory Feel” on the surface of the key makes the keyboard feel like that of an acoustic piano. A digital piano also has many advantages over an acoustic model, which are described below.

+ Adjustable volume

A big advantage is that you can play at any time. The volume control makes it possible to mute the volume to a minimum so that you can continue playing until late in the evening. If you want to play in an environment where really no sound can be produced, the headphones offer a solution. An electric piano can be played completely silently with headphones.

+ Technological possibilities  

Another additional advantage is the technological possibilities. For example, a digital piano always has multiple piano sounds and various sounds from other instruments, such as organs or string instruments. It is often possible to adjust the settings in such a way that the sounds can be set to your own taste. This makes more combinations possible, which benefits the playing pleasure.

There are also more keyboard options, for example it is possible to divide the keyboard into two parts in order to be able to sound multiple instruments. In slightly more expensive models it is often even possible to create a 'layer'. A layer is a layered sound, for example the sound of a stringed instrument placed under your favorite piano sound. These variants make it possible to combine the technology with your piano playing.

In addition, with most models it is possible to connect to a smartphone or tablet via a Bluetooth connection. Various apps from different brands offer options for additional functions, such as additional sounds, rhythm sections and lesson exercises. 

+ More compact and lighter

An additional advantage of a digital piano is its lighter and compact size. Where an acoustic model is heavy and difficult to adjust, a digital model is often lighter and easier to move. This is partly because a digital piano does not have a solid wooden housing and the heavy mechanism has been omitted. When a digital piano has a base, this base is often easy to disassemble, which ensures practical transport.

+ Price range and maintenance costs 

Another additional benefit of a digital piano is its more affordable purchase price and lower maintenance costs. Where a good acoustic piano is quickly talked about a purchase value of thousands of euros, you can already buy a good digital piano for under € 1,000. That's how Roland developed the RP-102 Digital Piano. This is a modern and stylish living room piano with an excellent keyboard and beautiful sounds for an affordable price. Of course there are also digital pianos in the higher segment. You can think of the Roland LX-708 or the Yamaha CLP-785. Also, an electric piano has no maintenance costs, while an acoustic model needs to be tuned twice a year. An average tuning costs around €80. A digital piano does not require tuning or maintenance and is therefore in the long term much cheaper in terms of maintenance.

-Less authentic

Compared to an acoustic model, a digital piano plays less authentically. Due to new technologies it is getting better and better to match an acoustic piano, but this will never quite work out. In general, the more expensive the digital piano, the better the properties of an acoustic piano are matched. For example, the sound of an acoustic piano is shaped by a large wooden soundboard, while with a digital piano this is done by a speaker system. The following applies: the more you invest in your piano, the more speakers your instrument has, making the sound better and more powerful. Unfortunately, these speakers cannot match the sound of an acoustic mechanism, which is in line with the above.

-Lifespan and economic value

A disadvantage of a digital piano is that the lifespan is limited to about 20 years. Several acoustic pianos, on the other hand, can last more than 100 years. In addition, digital pianos lose their economic value relatively quickly, while the value is more stable with an acoustic model. This is caused by the shorter lifespan and the development and arrival of new digital models that improve themselves time and time again.

-Adjustable volume

Where the adjustable volume was mentioned as a big advantage, it unfortunately also offers a disadvantage. With a digital piano, it often happens that a pianist lowers the volume when a soft and quiet piece is played. This keeps the pianist playing with heavy expression. As a result, a digital pianist is less able to distinguish nuances between hard and soft piano playing, so that it is not played dynamically. This can be a problem when a pianist is going to play an acoustic model, as the pianist will not have the right touch, as it feels "normal" to play with a heavy expression. To partially prevent this while playing on a digital piano and to create a good touch, it can help to always play with the same sound level in order to increase the dynamic range.

Different departments

Within the assortment of digital pianos there are different departments to meet everyone's requirements. The various departments are shown below to give you a better idea of ​​the various options.

Standard digital pianos and grand pianos

Standard digital pianos are most similar to acoustic pianos. Equipped with beautiful housings and beautiful sounds, these pianos will enrich your room. If you're looking for the crème de la crème of digital pianos, a digital grand piano may be just the thing for you. With such a grand piano you get all the advantages of a digital piano, while also retaining the luxurious appearance of a grand piano.

Click here to view the assortment of normal digital pianos 

Click here to view the assortment of digital grand pianos 

Portable and Stage Pianos

For stage use, or when you want a compact digital piano, portable and stage pianos are available. Compared to a standard digital piano, portable and stage pianos are designed to be compact, making them easy to transport and convenient for storage. The difference between the two variants lies in the fact that a portable piano has internal speakers and a stage piano does not. This means that a stage piano must always be connected to an external speaker system, making a stage piano ideal for performers.

Click here to view the assortment of portable pianos 

Click here to view the assortment of stage pianos 

Rhythm Pianos

Want the capabilities of a keyboard but the touch of a digital piano? Then take a look at a rhythm piano. The Yamaha CVP series has all of these rhythm functions built-in as standard. This series of pianos features state-of-the-art sound techniques that both pianists and keyboard players will appreciate.

Also standard digital pianos can often be turned into a rhythm piano. This can be done by means of the aforementioned Bluetooth connection between your piano and your device with an associated app. For example, Roland, Kawai and Casio have developed the Piano Partner 2, PianoRemote and Chordana Play applications.

Click here to view the assortment of rhythm pianos 

Different brands with their offer

In addition to various digital piano departments, there are also several leading brands in the electric piano market. Four leading brands with their best-known series are described below. If you want more information about a brand, you can consult a more extensive article by clicking on the link below for each brand.

Roland Digital Pianos

Roland Corporation was founded in 1972 and has been a reliable manufacturer of electric pianos for decades. Where Roland started with the EP series in 1973, the company now has several series of digital pianos that all distinguish themselves in a different area. The compact FP series is one of these series and is suitable from the beginning to the advanced pianist. If you are looking for a beautiful piano for your living room, the HP series can offer a solution. This piano series brings style, culture and music to the heart of your home. Roland's top segment is the LX series. This series guarantees quality to provide an incredible and immersive experience.  

Would you like to know more about this series or the other Roland digital pianos? Click here for more information!

Yamaha Digital Pianos

Since its founding in 1887, Yamaha's mission has been to consistently provide high-quality products and services that exceed customer expectations. This pursuit is reflected in the different series of electric pianos. As for the beginner segment, the YDP series is recommended. These pianos have a velocity-sensitive keyboard, which is necessary for learning to play the piano well. A critically acclaimed series is the CLP series, also known as the Clavinova series. This series guarantees good quality and offers more possibilities and a fuller sound than the YDP series. The CVP series is similar to the CLP series and also offers several features normally only found on keyboards.

Would you like to know more about this series or the other digital pianos from Yamaha? Click here for more information!

Kawai Digital Pianos

Kawai was founded in 1927 in Hamatsu by Koichi Kawai, his dream was to build the world's best piano. Where Kawai started out making acoustic pianos, the company now excels in the digital piano market as well. The ES series is the special series made for starting pianists. Due to the light and compact size, these pianos are ideal for transport. The KDP series has a little more to offer compared to the aforementioned series, so there are more sounds and functions on the pianos. In addition, these living room model pianos are excellent for placing in the house and they fit nicely in the interior. If you are looking for a piano in the top segment, you will quickly end up with the CA series.

Would you like to know more about this series or the other digital pianos from Kawai? Click here for more information!

Casio Digital pianos

You may be familiar with the Casio brand for its timeless watches or well-known calculators. However, Casio is also a major player in the electric piano market. With the PX series, Casio offers excellent and compact beginner pianos that meet the acoustic piano experience. Next up is the AP series. These living room model pianos also meet all the requirements for a good beginner piano and, because of the design, fit perfectly in your living room. With the GP series, Casio goes just one step further. These pianos have a luxurious acoustic design with classic wooden keys. This raises the playing level enormously.  

Would you like to know more about this series or the other digital pianos from Casio? Click here for more information!

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Digital Piano Service Package

When you decide to order a digital piano from Joh.deHeer, it will be delivered including the Digital Piano Service Package worth € 150, consisting of:

• Free delivery
• Installation of the piano 
• 3, 5 or 10 year warranty

All digital pianos are expertly assembled by our team of installation experts. As a result, you do not have any unnecessary packaging material at home and you do not lose assembly time, so that you can start playing right away. After installation, our specialized delivery team delivers the piano ready to play at your home. Whether you receive a 3, 5 or 10 year warranty depends on the relevant model or brand. The number of years of warranty can be found for each piano model under the heading ''specifications'' on the product page.