Do you spend much time figuring out which upright piano is best for a beginner like you? Well, I also experienced the same thing a couple of weeks ago, and for this reason, I came up with this comprehensive article about the best upright pianos for beginners.
When buying an upright piano, a lot of questions will play in your mind. “Do you need a professional grade piano?” “Are you just going to use it only for practice?” “Do you need a basic one or something with onboard effects?” All these questions may enable you to zero in on the right upright piano.
Things to Consider When Selecting an Upright Piano
Yet, if you are keen on making an intelligent purchase, you need to know the important factors to consider when buying an upright piano. Here are the succinct factors you need to consider when buying an upright piano:
Storage Space for the Piano
When buying a piano, you should first consider the space where you would position the piano. If you have a cramped house, buying a huge piano may not be advisable. So, beforehand, you should check the available space in your house. Is there enough space for the specific piano you would like to buy? Then, start shopping around for the one that would fit into that space.
If you are going to store it in your living room, measure twice the available space allotted for the piano. You should also measure your door if it can accommodate the piano. An upright piano is such a bulky instrument. So, it is best to do the necessary measurements than regret later. The average dimensions of an upright piano include height-110 to 150 cm; width-150cm; and depth-40 to 60 cm.
Your Budget for the Piano
Pianos will always be expensive, and it will be good to engage first in finding the ideal piano for your playing needs than to worry about how much the piano costs. The price range of the acoustic piano is from $3,000 to $10,000. The price range of upright pianos, on the other hand, is between $3,000 and $5,000. This means that you would need to spend a sizeable amount of money to avail of one. So, you can only look for pianos within your budget.
There is indeed a strong correlation between the size of the piano and the price of the piano. This correlation says that the larger the piano, the more expensive it would be.
Upright pianos also come in different finishes and designs. You will find similarly designed pianos but with great price discrepancy because one is made of better wood than the other.
If budget is not an issue, however, you should always go for trusted brands and models. Go for those with better woods and finish because these things will factor well when it comes to resonation and the sound that the piano produces.
Moreover, if you are going for a digital upright piano, you should choose something with better onboard effects. You should also note that when choosing a piano—whether it is more expensive or not—you should choose something that matches your piano playing style.
Appearance
The design and the appearance of the upright piano may factor well in your choice of a piano. Some buyers of piano usually make so much fuss about the appearance of the piano. They make sure that the piano that they will buy can make a statement and can provide a new character to their living room or music room. Pianos, of course, come in a variety of styles and shades. You can also choose its colors from mahogany to black finish.
Digital Upright Piano Vs Acoustic Upright Piano
There is a huge difference between the price of a digital piano and acoustic piano. Since the digital piano is devoid of hammers, strings, and other internal parts that can be found in acoustic pianos, they tend to be less expensive. This doesn’t mean, however, that they are of lesser quality. Much engineering works have been spent in the creation of a digital piano. Thus, it isn’t right to say that they are of less value than the acoustic pianos.
The digital and acoustic pianos come with pros and cons. For example, an acoustic piano is weather-sensitive, and for this reason, you need to retune the acoustic piano every once in a while. Digital piano, however, can be stored anywhere without worrying about their tunes going off. Yet, you also need to consider the electronic circuits inside the digital piano system and do not overdo your lack of care for it.
Experts say that you should tune your acoustic piano at least four times or less during the first year. Then, retune it again twice in the second year. Of course, the tuning process will add up to the money you would spend on an acoustic piano. The digital piano, however, needs no constant tuning. You can also transfer it to another place without worrying about it going out of tune.
The plus factor with the acoustic piano is its unrivaled exquisite sound. You can feel the exquisite hammer sound when the hammer strikes the string. This sound is further amplified by the soundboard where the sound resonates. The digital piano, however, has already improved by bounds and leaps since it was first introduced in the market. They have come to mimic closely the feel of the acoustic piano, though many still relish the exquisite beauty of the acoustic piano.
Recommended Beginner’s Upright Pianos for Beginners
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As a parent who would like to buy your kid an upright piano for a start, you would surely find yourself at a loss as to which piano brand and model to choose. This is because there are myriads of piano brands and models in the market today. Yet, to facilitate the process for you, I have listed here the most recommended upright pianos for beginners:
1) Yamaha Arius YDP162R Digital Piano
If you are looking for an upright digital piano for beginner, the Yamaha Arius YDP162R Traditional Console Style Digital Piano is your best option. Its keys are weighted just like its acoustic counterpart with a lighter touch on its high end and heavier touch on its low end. It presents awesome key stability, repetition, and response. The tops of its keys are made of synthetic ivory that makes them easy to grip.
The Yamaha Arius YDP162R offers great acoustic sound as well as an awesome and realistic feel. Despite its being a digital piano, it can mimic the feel of its acoustic piano counterpart with its Graded Hammer Standard keyboard that is weighted. Thus, you need not worry about your hands for not developing the proper strength and technique you would imbibe when using an acoustic piano. This also facilitates your transition from a digital to an acoustic piano without any trouble.
The height of this digital piano is 33 inches, giving this digital piano a better upright piano look. It also comes with an Acoustic Optimizer that readily adjusts its acoustic flow, rendering it with a better resonance control for an overall rich sound. It also comes with a two-track recorder for practicing and learning some songs. Overall, this upright digital piano is a great choice.
2) The ONE Smart Piano, Weighted 88-Key Digital Piano
If you are looking for an intelligent console keyboard, you should consider the ONE Smart Piano. It is an intelligent piano that lets you learn how to play the piano like a child. Using its USB port, you can connect it to your smartphone or tablet, allowing you to access an app replete with around 4,000 songs.
How would you learn these myriads of songs? The answer is simple. If you have the ONE Smart Piano, you can tinker with its various learning modes provided by the app to learn your new pieces. Using this app, you can play the piano by following the intelligent Blue LEDs that indicate which key you need to play next. Moreover, you can access more than 100 tutorials and videos using this digital piano.
The hammer-action of its keys are exceptional and mimic the hammer actions of the acoustic piano. It also features 3 foot-pedals located at the piano base. These levers provide you with optimum control of its sound. It also comes with a built-in metronome along with volume control.
The design of this digital piano is modern and comes with other features. It is equipped, for example, with 128 instrument sounds or more, and with its weighted keys, you can transition with ease from digital piano to acoustic piano.
As a beginner, you will find this digital piano a great way to start learning the piano. Piano teachers will also find this piano a good tool for training their students. With this digital piano at hand, the learning process for piano students becomes fun and exciting.
3) Casio PX860 BK Privia Digital Home Piano
The PX-860 is the flagship product among the Privia line of new products. It comes with an innovative AIR sound set that provides it with extra realism. It also features a lid that is similar to that of the grand piano. Moreover, it offers a great sympathetic resonance.
The Casio PX860 features full-sized keys and great hammer actions, as well as a great feel. So, when you play it, it feels that you are playing its acoustic counterpart. The hammer action is scaled in such a way that it matches the resistance and weight of the 88 keys of the grand piano.
Its keys are set in simulated ebony and ivory, providing a great feel and texture like those of the grand piano. It also comes with three sensors for capturing the dynamism of every performance. Its hammer response much mimics that of the grand piano, providing you with seemingly grand piano experience.
The most remarkable aspect of this piano is its sound. It simulates the 9-foot concert piano’s sound. This is commendable for a digital piano to accomplish. Moreover, this piano is equipped with three pedals that mimics the pedals of a grand piano. If you want a great way to begin your piano study, this piano will provide you with a great way to start. You can also lift its lid to make it sound fuller and louder.
4) Kurzweil CUP2A Compact Upright Digital Home Piano
If you are looking for a high-end piano for beginners, you can check out this highly recommended upright piano. The Kurzweil CUP2A features 88-fully weighted keys that come with graded hammer action as well as sensitive keys. With its 10 levels of selectable response, you would have a wide selection of options at hand. Moreover, you will get to experience an amazing realism that you would seldom get in many digital pianos.
The Kurzweil CUP2A comes with a sterling design that you would surely love. It features a very compact upright cabinet that looks streamlined and modern. Its fallboard is also slow closing with its prop-up lid.
The Kurzweil CUP2A also lets you also access Kurzwell’s wide range of musical pieces that you can use for practice. It is equipped with an awesome sound system that offers a three-way, six-speakers stereo sound. With its control panel that you can readily slide in, you can access all its functionalities, allowing you perfect control of all its functions. It also comes with a built-in metronome along with standardized sustain and soft pedal options.
5) LAGRIMA Digital Piano
Another great choice for beginners is the Lagrima Brand New 88. It offers a very stable sound source and very vivid expression. It also comes with many functions and features, allowing you to learn the piano with ease. It features 88 full-weighted keys that mimic its acoustic counterpart. It also comes with useful educational features to facilitate the learning of the piano.
The great thing about this piano is that it comes with volume adjustment sound recording control, multi-tone selection, split/touch control, and playback function. It also comes with teaching function, metronome function, and many more.
Compared to other pianos in the market, this upright piano lets you tinker with a lot of features like adjusting its sound volume to get to the sweet spot of volume and selecting multiple tones. You can also record practice sessions and play them back later. Moreover, it comes in two types, both almost having the same specifications. If you are looking for a less expensive alternative that has great features and functionalities, the Lagrima Brand New 88 would be a good option to consider.
Conclusion
You can spend much time comparing the different brands and models of upright pianos in the market today and still find yourself indecisive as to which brand and model to purchase. Yet, if you know the succinct factors to consider when buying an upright piano as well as the most recommended upright pianos in the market today, you can easily zero in on the ideal upright piano for enhancing your piano playing skills.
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