Best Yamaha Digital Pianos of 2023

Portable Piano Power

The Yamaha NP-12 is an excellent choice for those who need a portable and versatile digital piano. The touch-sensitive 61-key keyboard offers excellent playability while also saving space, making it perfect for travelling musicians or small home studios.

Why someone should buy: This piano boasts Yamaha's Advanced Wave Memory Stereo Sampling technology, providing realistic sound across its 10 voice presets. Moreover, it can run up to 5 hours on 6 AA batteries, making it a perfect companion for outdoor gigs or practices.

Why We Love It:

• Exceptional range of high-quality sounds
• Triple-sensor NW-GH keyboard
• Seamless Sound Switching for smooth transitions

Technical Features:

• AWM2 Sound Engine
• 88 natural wood graded hammer action keys
• Master effects and MIDI recording

Review:

The Yamaha CP88 is a workhorse, designed with the performer in mind. The natural wood graded hammer keyboard feels authentic under the fingers, while the range of sounds allows for true musical versatility. The MIDI interface enables direct audio recording, an indispensable feature for any modern musician.

Verdict:

With its impressive array of sounds and features, the Yamaha CP88 is one of the best digital pianos for any professional musician seeking a reliable and versatile piano for the stage.

This Piano is Perfect For:

• Professional musicians
• Stage performers
• Musicians who need direct recording capabilities

This stand for microphones from Atlas has a round base and is chrome plated so you can be very sure about its sturdiness. If you are looking for something that can last long and sustain rough use too, this is exactly what you need. As for the height, it can easily be adjusted between 35 inches to 64 inches. This works out great in a setting where you constantly have to adjust the height, for instance, at church or an award ceremony. It will work smoothly with most microphones and give you great value for money.

Why We Love It:

• Compact and portable design
• Advanced Wave Memory Stereo Sampling for realistic sound
• Battery-powered for maximum portability

Technical Features:

• AWM Stereo Sampling Engine
• 61 piano-style keys
• Battery-powered
• Up to 5 hours of operation

Review:

Despite its compact size, the Yamaha NP-12 is a versatile and capable digital piano. It offers high-quality sound thanks to its AWM Stereo Sampling technology. Furthermore, its battery-powered design makes it extremely portable, allowing for easy transport and outdoor use.

Verdict:

The Yamaha NP-12 is a top choice for any musician who needs a compact and portable keyboard without compromising sound quality or versatility.

This Piano is Perfect For:

• Travelling musicians
• Musicians with small home studios
• Musicians who need a portable practice piano

High-quality Digital Home Piano

The Yamaha YDP-165 is a highly sophisticated digital piano equipped with Yamaha's Graded Hammer 3 action, synthetic ebony and ivory keytops, and a range of features aimed to enhance your piano playing experience. The YDP-165 offers the rich and dynamic sound of the Yamaha CFX Concert Grand, along with a selection of other instrument sounds.

Why Someone Should Buy: The YDP-165's rich set of features, coupled with its realistic feel and sound, make it an excellent choice for any pianist, whether they're a beginner or a professional. The integration with the Smart Pianist app offers additional functionality, making it an attractive, modern option.

Why We Love It:

• CFX Premium Grand Piano Voice provides exceptional sound quality
• Integration with the Smart Pianist app
• GH3 action with synthetic ebony and ivory keytops for a realistic feel

Technical Features:

• 192-note polyphony
• Graded Hammer 3 (GH3) with synthetic ebony and ivory key tops
• Half-damper pedal control
• Smart Pianist app integration
• Damper Resonance DSP
• 353 built-in songs

Review:

The Yamaha YDP-165 is one of the best upright digital pianos due to its high-quality sound and a plethora of features designed for learning and performance. The piano replicates the feel of an acoustic piano exceptionally well, thanks to the GH3 weighted action and synthetic keytops.

The integration with the app is a significant advantage, offering an easy way to control the piano's functions and learn new songs. Thanks to its 192-note polyphony, it allows for complex and dense piano passages without dropping a single note. With app integration and a variety of onboard songs and exercises, it's a superb instrument for practice, performance, or recording.

Verdict:

Overall, the Yamaha YDP-165 is an excellent choice for anyone seeking a sophisticated digital piano with a host of useful features. It successfully combines the feel of acoustic pianos with modern functionality, offering a versatile instrument suitable for any pianist.

This Piano is Perfect For:

• Intermediate and advanced players seeking a realistic piano feel
• Beginners who want a digital piano that they can grow with
• Pianists looking for a feature-rich digital piano that integrates with a smart app

Compact Yet Resonant

The Yamaha YDP-145 is a reliable companion for students and seasoned pianists alike, offering a high-quality piano playing experience in a compact form. It sports a classic look and, like its more advanced sibling the YDP-165, utilizes the CFX Premium Grand Piano Voice to deliver a rich sound profile.

Why someone should buy: Anyone wanting a compact piano without compromising on the rich sound of a traditional piano should consider the YDP-145. Its user-friendly design and accompanying Yamaha app make it a robust and interactive learning tool.

Why We Liked It - It is super easy and quick to adjust and that is why it is one of the friendliest stands from Hercules. When you are on stage, the worst thing that can happen is you struggling to fix the microphone or not being able to remove it. With this, none of that is going to happen.

Why We Love It:

• Excellent sound profile with CFX Premium Grand Piano Voice.
• Duo Mode for partner practice.
• Intelligent Acoustic Control for optimal sound at all volume levels.

Technical Features:

• Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) weighted action.
• 192-note polyphony.
• Virtual Resonance Modeling Lite (VRM) recreates string resonance.

Review:

The YDP-145 maintains Yamaha's standard of delivering top-quality digital pianos. The Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) weighted action offers a tactile experience, replicating the feel of an acoustic piano, while the VRM reproduces the string resonance for an authentic acoustic sound. The CFX Premium Grand Piano Voice gives the YDP-145 a sound profile that sets it apart from other digital pianos in its class.

Verdict:

The YDP-145 is an excellent choice for those looking for a compact digital piano that does not compromise on sound quality or playing experience. The added technology features enhanced learning and practice, making this piano a valuable addition to any musical journey.

This Piano is Perfect For:

• Intermediate to advanced players looking for a compact digital piano with superior sound.
• Students looking for a digital piano that can support their learning journey.

Portable and Powerful

The Yamaha P-125A is a portable digital piano that does not sacrifice sound quality or functionality. This lightweight piano, perfect for gigging musicians or those with limited space, packs in the Pure CF Sound Engine, recreating the tone of Yamaha's acclaimed 9' CFIIIS concert grand.

Why someone should buy: Those who need a reliable and portable instrument for gigs or those with space constraints at home will find the P-125A a perfect fit. It's lightweight but packed with features that enhance both practice and performance.

Why We Love It:

• Lightweight and portable, perfect for musicians on the go.
• Pure CF Sound Engine offers rich piano sound.
• Includes Duo Mode and Split Mode for enhanced practice and performance options.

Technical Features:

• GHS weighted action
• Damper Resonance DSP
• String Resonance for realistic piano sound
• USB / MIDI connectivity with computer or iOS device

Review:

The Yamaha P-125A proves that portability doesn't have to compromise on sound quality or functionality. Its audio engine and weighted action create an impressive piano experience in a compact, lightweight format. It's easy to use, and its additional features like Damper Resonance DSP, String Resonance, and USB to host connectivity make it a powerful tool for performance, practice, and even music production.

Verdict:

The P-125A is an excellent portable digital piano that provides a balance of functionality, sound quality, and portability. Whether you're a gigging musician needing a reliable instrument on the go or a home player with limited space, this piano could be an ideal choice.

This Piano is Perfect For:

• Gigging musicians looking for a portable, high-quality digital piano
• Beginner players
• Intermediate players with space constraints at home
• Intermediate players with space constraints at home

Budget-friendly and Compact

The Yamaha P-45 is a piano that delivers amazing sound with a realistic acoustic piano feel, thanks to its Advanced Wave Memory (AWM) Stereo Sampling engine and 88 Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keys. This compact digital piano is perfect for beginners or for musicians who need a portable instrument for gigs.

Why someone should buy: One should consider buying the P-45 if they are on a budget but still want the quality and reliability that Yamaha pianos offer. It is also great for those who need a compact piano that doesn’t compromise on the authentic feel and sound of traditional pianos.

Why We Love It:

• Affordable price with impressive sound quality
• Compact and portable design for easy transportation
• Realistic feel with 88 Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keys

Technical Features:

• AWM Stereo Sampling for rich, top-quality sound
• Four reverb effects to add dimension to your sound
• Duo mode for partner practice or instructional use

Review:

The Yamaha P-45 delivers a solid performance for its price range. The full-stereo AWM sampling provides a deeply rich sound, and the GHS keys give a realistic feel of an acoustic piano. Its compact and lightweight design makes it highly portable, ideal for those who move around a lot. The built-in reverb effects and duo mode also add flexibility for practice and performance.

Verdict:

All in all, the Yamaha P-45 offers excellent value for money. It's an affordable, compact, and highly functional digital piano, ideal for beginners and traveling musicians.

This Piano is Perfect For:

• Beginners looking for a budget-friendly option
• Musicians needing a portable piano for gigs or travel

Advanced and Versatile

The Yamaha YDP-S55 digital piano offers an advanced, versatile playing experience, mimicking the power and tone of the flagship CFX concert grand piano. This piano comes with a wide range of features, including 192-note polyphony, synthetic ebony and ivory keytops, Graded Hammer 3 (GH3) action, and the app integration.

Why someone should buy: The YDP-S55 is an excellent choice for musicians looking to have access to a wide range of advanced features and a high level of versatility in their playing. Additionally, the app integration makes it easier for musicians to control the piano's major functions and learn new pieces.

Why We Love It:

• Premium CFX concert grand piano sound offers exceptional tone quality
• Graded Hammer 3 action provides a tactile, realistic playing experience
• App integration for easy control and learning

Technical Features:

• 192-note polyphony
• Virtual Resonance Modeling Lite (VRM Lite)
• Dual Mode allows combining of two voices

Review:

The Yamaha YDP-S55 impresses with its advanced features and excellent sound quality. The CFX Premium Grand Piano Voice effectively re-creates the power and tone of Yamaha's flagship concert piano, providing an exceptional level of realism.

The Graded Hammer 3 (GH3) action, combined with synthetic ebony and ivory key tops, add a tactile surface that emulates the feel of an acoustic piano. The 192-note polyphony ensures no dropped notes even in complex passages, and the Virtual Resonance Modeling Lite (VRM Lite) offers harmonic resonance and an authentic piano playing experience similar to grand pianos. Combine two voices with the Dual Mode for a new playing experience.

Furthermore, the integration with the Yamaha's app makes it easier to control the piano's functions and even analyze your favorite songs for practice.

Verdict:

The Yamaha YDP-S55 offers a highly advanced and versatile digital piano experience. It successfully replicates the power and tone of a concert piano, making it the best Yamaha digital piano for serious musicians or those wanting to take their playing to the next level.

This Piano is Perfect For:

• Advanced players looking for a versatile and professional-grade model
• Students seeking advanced features to aid their learning

• Musicians who appreciate the integration of technology in their instruments

• Musicians who appreciate the integration of technology in their instruments

Buyer's Guide: Selecting the Best Yamaha Digital Piano

Buying a digital piano requires careful thought and understanding of what these instruments offer. Here are some expert-level considerations to help you choose the best Yamaha digital piano for your needs.

The Feel of Traditional Acoustic Piano

Weighted Keys

One of the primary aspects to consider when buying a digital piano is the feeling of the keys. Unlike synthesizers or basic keyboards, a great digital piano will emulate the feel of a traditional acoustic piano. This is achieved through weighted keys, which simulate the resistance you'd experience when pressing down a key on an acoustic piano.

• Yamaha uses several types of weighted actions, including the Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) found in the Yamaha P-45, and the Graded Hammer 3 (GH3) found in the Yamaha YDP-165 and YDP-S55.
• Some premium models like the Yamaha P-515 use the Natural Wood X (NWX) keyboard action, which provides an even more authentic touch. This is combined with escapement, a feature that reproduces the slight clicking sensation felt when playing an acoustic piano very softly.
• Choosing a digital piano with weighted keys is especially important for classical music players, as it provides the nuanced control required for expressive performance.

Sound Quality

Instrument Voices

Another important consideration is the sound quality that a digital piano produces. Yamaha digital pianos are known for their exceptional sound reproduction, with advanced technologies to ensure a rich, dynamic tone.

• Pay attention to the number of instrument voices available. More voices provide greater versatility, allowing you to switch between different piano sounds, as well as other instrument sounds like organ, strings, and more.
• Many digital piano models also offer additional effects, like reverb, to enhance the sound.

Polyphony

Polyphony refers to the number of individual notes or tones a digital piano can produce simultaneously. As you advance in your piano skills and play more complex music, you'll require a higher level of polyphony.

• Most entry-level digital pianos have a polyphony of 64 notes, like the Yamaha P-45, which is more than enough for beginners who are just starting to learn proper piano skills.
• Intermediate to advanced pianos often feature 192-note polyphony. This allows for even the most complex passages to be played without any dropped notes.
• Some premium models offer a full 256-note polyphony, like the Yamaha P-515, providing a seamless performance even when using the pedal for sustained notes.

Connectivity and Compatibility

In the digital age, connectivity plays a crucial role. Many digital pianos come equipped with USB and MIDI connections for easy integration with computers and recording software.

• Look for digital pianos with USB-to-Host for connecting to computers or mobile devices. This allows you to record and edit your performances using music software, as well as use educational apps.
• Many Yamaha models are compatible with Yamaha's app, providing an intuitive interface for selecting voices, setting up splits and layers, and even analyzing songs in your music library.

Yamaha Digital Pianos in Various Price Ranges

When it comes to digital pianos, Yamaha offers a comprehensive range that caters to all budgets, without compromising the quality and craftsmanship for which the brand is renowned. Whether you're a budding pianist looking for an affordable starter instrument, an advanced player seeking a feature-rich piano, or a professional musician desiring the absolute best, Yamaha's spectrum of digital pianos has something for everyone.

Entry-Level Yamaha Digital Pianos

For those on a budget or just starting their musical journey, the Yamaha P-series, particularly the P-45 and P-125 models, offers excellent value for money. These models are equipped with Yamaha's Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keyboard, providing a heavier touch in the low end and lighter touch in the high end, much like the hammers inside an acoustic piano. Despite their lower price point, these models do not compromise on sound quality, thanks to Yamaha's Advanced Wave Memory (AWM) Stereo Sampling. The P-series also includes some basic digital features, like duo mode for partner practice and built-in song libraries, making these pianos perfect for beginners.

Mid-Range Yamaha Digital Pianos

Moving up the price range, we find Yamaha's Arius series, like the YDP-144 and YDP-164 models. The Arius series focuses on reproducing the experience of playing a traditional acoustic instrument, featuring an 88-key weighted keyboard with synthetic ivory and ebony keytops.

These pianos incorporate Yamaha's Pure CF Engine, delivering the authentic sound of a grand piano based on samples from Yamaha's flagship CFIIIS. With more advanced features like Intelligent Acoustic Control (IAC) and Stereophonic Optimizer, Arius pianos are a great choice for more advanced students and hobbyist musicians.

High-End Yamaha Digital Pianos

For those seeking professional-grade instruments, Yamaha offers the Clavinova series, such as the CLP-745 and CLP-775 models. These pianos are Yamaha's most advanced digital pianos, featuring the most sophisticated technology and premium materials. Clavinovas employ Yamaha's Virtual Resonance Modeling (VRM), which reproduces the complex interplay of strings, dampers, and soundboard in a grand piano. Clavinova pianos also offer the most comprehensive selection of voices, effects, and connectivity options, making these instruments a fantastic choice for professional musicians and serious enthusiasts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best digital piano that feels like a real piano?

The best Yamaha digital piano that emulates the feel of a real piano is the Yamaha P-515. It comes with Natural Wood X (NWX) piano action that features escapement, synthetic ivory, and ebony keytops for an authentic acoustic piano feel.

What is the absolute best digital piano?

While the "best" can vary based on personal needs and preferences, the Yamaha P-515 consistently ranks high. It combines stunning piano sounds with advanced keyboard action to create a performance experience that rivals many grand pianos.

What is the best sounding Yamaha Clavinova?

The Yamaha Clavinova series is revered for its sound quality. Among these, the Yamaha YDP-165, which features the CFX Premium Grand Piano Voice, is known to recreate the power and tone of Yamaha's flagship CFX exceptionally well.

What is the difference between Yamaha P Series and U Series?

The Yamaha P Series and U Series primarily differ in their target audience and features. P Series digital pianos like the Yamaha P-125 and P-45 are portable digital pianos, making them ideal for gigging musicians and those with limited space. They feature Yamaha's Advanced Wave Memory Stereo Sampling engine for rich, expansive sounds. On the other hand, U Series instruments refer to Yamaha's line of professional upright acoustic pianos, which offer superior sound and touch.

Which digital piano has the best piano sounds?

All of the Yamaha digital pianos we've reviewed provide amazing sounds. However, the Yamaha P-515 stands out for its sound. It utilizes Yamaha's Pure CF Engine and Virtual Resonance Modeling (VRM) technology to produce rich, complex, and authentic piano voices.

Are Yamaha keyboards good for beginners?

Yes, Yamaha keyboards are excellent for beginners. For instance, the Yamaha P-45 is a popular choice for those starting their piano journey. It offers a realistic feel with its Graded Hammer Standard (GHS) keyboard, and it is lightweight and portable. It's an affordable, yet feature-rich, option for those learning the instrument.

If you've enjoyed this review by Music Critic, please leave a positive rating:

Conclusion

Choosing the best Yamaha digital piano involves carefully considering your individual needs, playing ability, and budget. Yamaha, as one of the leading brands in the musical instrument industry, provides a broad range of digital pianos across their P Series, Arius, and Clavinova lines. Each piano offers a unique set of features and qualities, whether it's the portability and affordability of the P Series, the acoustic-like experience of the Arius, or the professional-grade performance of the Clavinovas.

We've analyzed and presented the top Yamaha digital models, from the beginner-friendly P-45 to the professional Clavinova CLP-745, to help you make an informed decision. While each piano brings something unique to the table, they all share Yamaha's commitment to quality, sound, and authenticity.

Remember, the best digital piano is one that meets your personal needs and enhances your music-making experience. Whether you're a beginner looking to learn, an advanced player seeking to improve, or a professional aiming to deliver top-notch performances, Yamaha has a digital piano for you.