Best Yamaha Digital Piano & Keyboards 2023 – [TOP 11] Reviews & Guide

Top 11 Best Yamaha Digital Pianos Review:

1. Yamaha Arius YDP-181 – Best Sound Piano

YDP-181 is a suitable contribution from Yamaha in the industry. It feels like an acoustic piano with a graded action keyboard. Moreover, it comes with 128 polyphony notes that are the initiative to approach the standard of a grand piano. And that’s not over yet; there is more! Let’s have a glance at its key features.

Yamaha YDP-181 uses AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) recording method. That provides high-quality and dynamic sound to hear around.

You get a full-sized 88 keys weighted hammer-action keyboard to have the feel of an acoustic piano. And the keys are graded, which means it facilitates a more natural flow to your piano playing. Since in GHS keyboards, keys feel heavier at one end and lighter at the other end to mimic the acoustic piano keyboard. Moreover, keys are touch-sensitive, and you can also adjust the response to your level. That also generates diversity like Arius YDP-181.

Yamaha YDP-181 comprises built-in three-song recording memory. That also further awaits to make a single cover over the song. Best of all, you also get a built-in metronome to back up your song via a USB port into your backup device. Besides, you can vary the tempo of your recorded songs as well.

To enrich the tunes of this digital piano, like an acoustic one, Yamaha has installed Damper Resonance. When pedaling produces sound, it can grade it to a more broad canvas to create a more realistic sound.

This exciting feature allows you to sustain the sound depending upon how far you press the pedal. That means you get the sound of your desire using Half-Pedaling.

2. Yamaha YDP-143R – Best for Starters

On number two, we have another successor from Yamaha in the digital pianos market. In the same manner, it also has to offer quality features like weighted keys, maximum polyphony tones, and dual-mode to learn on. Now, let’s take a closer look at YDP-143R and explore more prominent features.

Yamaha YDP-143R comes with full-size hammer-action and weighted 88 keys keyboard. And also, as expected, these keys deliver a realistic approach similar to an acoustic piano. This keyboard is the same GHS that we discussed above Yamaha YDP-181. And of course, the results are excellent in quality.

As it is a well-known factor that without an excellent sound quality piano seems a low-profile product. Hence, to ensure that Yamaha has used the Pure CF sound engine, which is used in more expensive pianos. So, without any doubt, the sound that it produces is rich in quality and gives the feel of a real piano.

Along with other superb features, you also get DUO mode to let you widen the playing experience. This tool is chiefly beneficial for teachers to practice together with their students.

Guess what, you can record and play your performances without any other device, even onboard. And that is made possible by a 2-track MIDI sequencer tool. That means each song is divided into two tracks. So you can record separately and also can play them as a single song.

As we guess, you probably were expecting that tool in this modern piano. With the help of that, you can expand your learning process and do great with your skills.

3. Yamaha MODX8 – Lightweight and Portable Piano

The piano we are going to discuss now can be the best Yamaha digital piano for beginners as it contains almost every element that builds flow in the creative playthings. You get exceptional features like portability, rich polyphonic tones, synthesizers AWM2, and FM-X to produce the best-loved results. We are now going to shed light on the key elements to explore more about MODX8.

The piano comes with a slim and lightweight design making its portability easier. So, you get the opportunity of using excellent features at outdoor parties. Its lightweight design makes it easier to load in your vehicle or to store it in your storeroom when not in use.

MODX8 allows polyphony notes of 128 through stereo AWM2 and 64 notes through FM-X polyphony. That means you’ll get a maximum of 192 polyphony notes. That’s a load of tunes that you can get from MODX8 and enjoy a serene piano playing.

You can take your piano playing skill up to par with heavy-duty synthesizers and make unlimited music. That sound engine remotes the technology of AWM2 to create exceptional sound diversity. Along with that, a pure FM-X synthesizer adds a touch of ambience to amaze you with a unique sound design.

Advanced Wave Memory 2 profiles dope features along with the sophisticated playback. You get to play with each of the two 16AWM2 parts that further compiles eight synthesizers. That determines a rich playback experience with MODX8.

That is another grooving element of this piano. You get a superb knob that allows you to take control of 128 parameters at the same time. That is an exceptional feature of Yamaha MODX8.

Own now a 7″ LCD touchscreen to navigate through your favorite galleries of songs. Furthermore, 13 stereo effects of this piano let you expand your creative learning. Not just that, you also get 1 GB built-in Flash-Rom and 5.57 GB of Waveform-ROM memory.

4. Yamaha P115 – Best Yamaha Digital Piano Under $1000

Yamaha P115 is an addition to the previous product Yamaha P105. And Yamaha has produced various significant amendments to improve back from P105. Is it exceptional or not? Let’s shed light on this electronic keyboard and discuss the pros and cons. Later, we are going to let you decide the answer to that question.

Yamaha P115 comes with a GHS 88 keys full-sized keyboard. Keys feel great as they are touch-sensitive. That empowers the new learners’ fingers to make the movements on the keyboard flawless. You can usually expect a GHS keyboard under $3000, yet Yamaha has done a great job by introducing the P115 as budget-friendly.

When we talk about its dimensions, we are not left but with dedication towards it. Yamaha P115 is a compact design piano. It measures 52.2 inches in width and 11.6 inches (29.46 centimeters) in depth. Height is also user-friendly as it only weighs 6.2 inches when not using a stand. That increases its convenience a lot so that you can place it in smaller spaces and enjoy the rhythm of its sound.

You get Yamaha’s Pure CF sound engine that maximizes the richness and quality of the music. Are you wondering about its audio source? That includes the sound of the great grand concert piano Yamaha CFIIIS 9. And for better implication, each note is recorded at multiple levels of volume. So this sound engine generates a powerful and clear sound just like an acoustic piano.

Yamaha P115 consists of 3 different styles that meet your expectations. To name them, these are Duo, Dual and Split mode. Duo mode allows us to divide the whole keyboard into two sections so that two users can play simultaneously. Moreover, Dual or layer mode lets you layer the sounds of 2 different instruments on the keys. That will allow you to have beautiful combinations of tones. And in the last, Split mode halves the keys into two equal parts and lets you play different instruments in each section.

You get a 2-track MIDI sound recorder to record your performances. After registering, you can either play as a single song or practice more by muting one track. That will help you a lot in the long run as you can master your onboard skill faster.

5. Yamaha PSR EW300 – Best Yamaha Digital Piano for Beginners

Yamaha PSR EW300 is perfect for starters in the musical industry. Just like other pianos on the list, this is also the best piano. You can get it at a reasonable price. Moreover, the remarkable functions in PSR EW300 will leave no chance of regret. Let’s take a look at its key features that make it worth the value.

When talking about its keyboard, it comes with 76 touch-sensitive keys. The built quality is excellent, and you get the most beautiful response from touch velocity. You can either make louder sounds by pressing the keys hard or vice versa. That whole phenomenon determines the flexibility that its keyboard allows you.

PSR EW300 allows you to read the musical notes of the built-in sounds. Not just that, the songbook also illustrates the onboard lessons via images. That opens a window to a user-friendly environment while learning the piano. All you have to do is just download the songbook and you’re great to go.

Training and enjoyment are made a lot easier for you through EW300. You can simply divide the keyboard into two equal sections. Then two users can play along at the same time with uniform pitch distribution. That especially helps when teaching a beginner to play the notes on the keyboard.

You get 12 reverb effects to add depth, ambience, and variety to the sound. You can use the digital reverb effects to have the feel of playing in a concert or hall. Moreover, Master EQ works really like a master, as its name suggests. It monitors your playing and automatically adjusts the sound level.

You can hear your favorite music through a portable music player. What is more, you can also connect your computer or any device to record your playing. And the best part is that you don’t need any additional interface to work through. Besides, various piano educational apps are available to make your learning faster.

6. Yamaha CP88 – Cost-efficient Piano

At number 6, we have this lightweight Yamaha CP88 digital piano. Furthermore, the compact design makes it travel-friendly making it ideal for stage performance. Besides, the aluminum cover makes it durable and increases its longevity. Now let’s look into its detailed feature.

Yamaha CP 88 uses Natural Wood Graded Hammer Action keys. The plastic coating covers the wooden essentials. The wooden construction of keys feels like a real acoustic piano. Further, ivory and ebony surfaces reduce slippage and give a textured surface. This feature is useful for people playing with sweaty hands in grand concerts. In graded hammer action keys, weight is higher at the low end and lower at the top end.

When it comes to sound, much has been improved in this piano. It comes with a wide diversity of sounds including upright piano, grand piano, electric sounds, and keyboard sounds. Besides, It also features three grand piano sounds.

• Yamaha CFX provides powerful bass, dynamic range, and sparkling high sounds.
• Yamaha S700 is handcrafted by Yamaha master artisans. The feel is like a real acoustic piano.
• Bosendorfer is a unique sound that utilizes the Viennese style. It is described as a sincere and richer sound.

Yamaha CP88 piano features a diverse array of connectivity options like a USB slot for connecting with PC and tablet. It also had MIDI input for recording your performance. What makes it more best is that you can easily transfer these to your PC for virtual manipulation.

7. Yamaha MX88 – Travel Friendly Piano

At number 7, Yamaha MX88 is amazingly lightweight considering its big size. It comes with a diverse range of sounds perfect for a concert, studio, or worship place. The material used for its manufacturing is sturdy and durable. Matte black finishing on keytops makes it tactile. Further, you can access a wide variety of functions with its FM App. Now we discuss its detailed features.

Yamaha MX88 comes with graded hammer action 88 key synthesizers. This graded hammer action keyboard is more substantial at the low end and light at the more massive end. That provides real acoustic piano sounds.

As for as music is concerned, this piano has all the quality sounds for you. It has over 1000 sounds from Motifs. Furthermore, keyboard sounds from classic tine, electric reed piano, and tonewheel organs to give you fantastic sound effects. A powerful Motif engine can cycle, zone, layer switch, and also can play eight different elements per sound. These versatile song features make it an ideal choice for studio, stage, or worship places.

This inbuilt feature regenerates the sounds and behavior of antique music effects. VCM arranges the circuits to give you high-end signal processors. That will allow you to generate powerful signals while in analog mode from the digital model.

MX88 is compatible with almost all of the iOS applications, DAW software, and synthesizer software. Cubase AI offers the best tools for editing, mixing, and recording. The interface is simple, as both professionals and learners can handle it. You can easily connect it to MAC or PC through USB slots and MIDI connectivity.

Besides this, It also comes with an iOS FM Synth App, which connects with your iPhone. This app controls diverse functions. It has ten inbuilt voices. But when you plug it through USB camera mode, you get an additional 270 different sounds. Besides this, the app has an inbuilt step sequencer that controls changes, EQ, and drum phrases.

8. Yamaha Genos – Powerful Sounds

At number 8 we have come with Yamaha Genos, which is popularly known as a digital workstation. It uses the latest inbuilt features such as Articulation Element Modeling, and C7 Grand piano sound makes it an ideal choice. Let’s discuss these features in detail.

Yamaha Genos comes with 76 keys. The manual is built on a pressure-sensitive touch mechanism. Pressure sensitivity has different levels, from average to hard. That primarily earmarks beginners in the music platform as they can adjust sensitivity to meeting their skills.

The color touch screen of this piano allows you to see your performance and records. This interactive LED screen shows the current styles, modes, and sounds you are playing. You can quickly access features and adjust them at your finger touch. In that considerate amount of money touchscreen LED is a little extra than you would expect.

When it comes to sound, Yamaha Genos is on top of the list. It comes with 1710 instrument voices and 216 arpeggios styles. You also get a wide diversity of 550 accompaniment styles. That massive assembly lets you allow a more diverse piano playing experience.

Besides, the recording function enables you to quickly record your performances in the form of a WAV or Standard MIDI file. To access more compatibility, it comes with a 16 track MIDI sequencer. With the help of this sequencer, you can record in real-time.

AEM technology is the most advanced feature in this piano to upgrade your piano playing experience. That feature enables the keyboard to select appropriate samples in real-time automatically. This technology helps smoothly join the sample and articulate them just like in a real acoustic piano.

This inbuilt feature helps to create precise and original sounds. Revo drum uses elements like a multi-dynamic sample layer and round-robin cycling. It will help you to produce high-quality realistic sound. If you play the same key multiple times, it will generate different songs.

Besides, it also comes with a C7 Grand piano action, which creates fabulous sounds. That quality matches with the Rock/Pop/jazz voices. That C7 grand piano feature is the most popular and appealing all around the world.

Yamaha Genos comes with all connectivity options. It has USB slots and 2 MIDI inputs. Besides this, a diverse range of connectivity inputs like Auxiliary inputs, coaxial digital, and wifi connectivity options. With that much control, you can play it in outdoor parties as well.

9. Yamaha NP12 – Best for Both Starters & Professionals

We have here, Yamaha NP12 with a lot of potential features for both starters and higher-level players. You get various connectivity options and portable functionality. The best part is all the original features are absolutely at a moderate price range. So, without further ado, let’s look at the details of Yamaha NP12.

You get powerful two sound speakers of 2.5W each. The sound quality is pretty much motivation in that price range. Moreover, to be more expressive, the sound quality is more enriched and clearer.

When we talk about the connectivity options of NP12, it does not deprive us. Since you get a MIDI recorder to capture your onboard creativity, the best part is that you can export your media files easily in just a nick of time. Moreover, you also get an input of sustain pedal, which is a standard expectation from a digital piano. Furthermore, it also allows you to connect your Ipods and computer via USB to host connections. That many connectivity options determine the diversity of this piano.

One of the intriguing features that NP12 allows is its portability. NP12 roughly weighs 12 pounds, which determines its flexible use. Also, the dimensions are user-friendly as well. Its size is 46.9 x 14.1 x 7.7. That is the reason it is best-loved for outdoor parties as well as for playing in the house.

Besides, Yamaha NP12 also comes with a layer mode. That allows you to play two different tunes at the same time. So, you can create crazy combinations with your sounds—also, that way, you can enrich and extend your piano playing skills.

Yamaha NP12 comes with a 61 keys keyboard. Unfortunately, keys are not fully weighted, yet they provide excellent feel and performance. Considering the price range, that might be neglectable as NP12 comes with other exciting features as well.

10. Yamaha Montage8 – Versatile Control

Yamaha Montage8 is a beautifully designed piano that comes with a diverse array of control options. This model is the successor of the Yamaha Motif. They have improved a lot in synthesizers with other traits added to it. These synthesizers are built on the latest technology and interface. Besides, It also uses both analog and digital modular systems. Now we discuss its key features in detail.

Yamaha Montage8 comes with a high-quality 88 keys synthesis keyboard. This keyboard is loaded with a motion control synthesis engine. The motion control synthesis engine helps to balance the key action. It incorporates both the elements of the Motif series and DX. Furthermore, the keys feel fantastic when playing because of the high-tech finishing.

Besides, it also comes with motion control Synthesis, which utilizes AWM2 and FM-X. AWM2 is the latest engine that works on samples in the best possible way. AWM2 increases sound production because it is almost ten times stronger than MotiFX. Besides this, The FM-X engine produces high-quality FM sounds of the 80s. The FM-X sound engine uses 128 keynote polyphonies. They can provide a wide array of dynamic sounds with power and accuracy.

This piano has inbuilt super knobs that can control a variety of different parameters. With this feature, you can change the position of sound from front to back of the hall. Also, you can change different characters with ease.

Yamaha Montage8 comes with a USB slot for connection with your computer. Inbuilt MIDI connectivity helps to record your performance. Useful USB slots can transfer 16 and receive three channels of stereo 24 bit/44.1KHz of audio to or from your computer. You virtually manipulate your recordings with the help of diverse connectivity options.

It also comes with eight rotatory encoders and faders. These encoders are provided with LED stepladders that show position. Also, in the Direct control system, you can simply press a single button. The controller will move to the assigned location, and you can control the respective parameter.

11. Yamaha Arius YDP162R – Ideal Digital Piano for Newbies

Last but not least, we have this beautiful piano, ideal for students and hobbyists. This piano comes with features like graded hammer action keys, CFS sound sampling, and duo mode make it a perfect choice for beginners. Let’s have a look at its detailed features.

Yamaha YDP162R comes with a 88 graded hammer action key. These keys are heavy at the low end and lighter at the high end. Further, the GH keyboard provides quality sounds that feel like a real acoustic piano. Weighted keys play a significant role in developing muscle memory.

Besides, YDP162R comes with high-quality CFS sound sampling. This feature makes the sound rich and realistic. The 20 words per channel provide the perfect grand concert sound with power and clarity. An acoustic optimizer play adjusts the flow while you practice with the piano. It also comes with ten demo songs for practice and 50 preset piano songs for giving you the flexibility to learn more.

Besides this, DUO mode splits the keyboard into two halves. This feature is helpful for students as they can play with teachers.

Yamaha YDP162R comes with 20W built-in speakers on either side of the keyboard. The sound quality of these speakers is just perfect for playing and listening to recordings. You can also connect external speakers for powerful sounds at stage or concerts.

Besides this, it comes with a built-in recording function. It allows you to record your performances with two-track recorder options. The two-track recording system helps record multiple variants and sessions.

This piano comes with USB ports, which help connect with a Tablet or PC. Further, with a MIDI connectivity option, you can record performance and manipulate the virtual device with ease.

Buying Guide

Companies highly optimize their products to minimize any chance of a lousy user experience. But let’s just say some players might be confused about which product to choose. Well in that case here you go with some factors to keep in mind before you spend your valuable money.

That should be the prime question in the list when you order your piano. Since digital pianos come at certain levels to target different players. So please bear that in mind and choose the right fit for you.

After considering your skill level, that should be another vital factor you ought to think about. Some digital pianos come with an extreme quality sound similar to an acoustic piano. And some offer maximum polyphony tones, and built-in preset songs to help you along. So, read the specs and choose the right one!

Connectivity options help a lot when playing, and they are fundamental tools as well. Always check for MIDI, USB, and maximum output jacks. That will help you expand your piano playing experience.

That will serve a great purpose primarily for beginners. So, if you are a starter in the music career, then those lesson modes will help you beyond your thinking.

And of course, as a beginner, you would not want to spend your hard-earned money on an expensive piano. These digital pianos even start from under $500. So, learn on cheap ones at first as they are easy to use as well. Then you can move to a more advanced digital piano.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Digital pianos are becoming best-loved by music lovers from all over the world. But that does not chiefly mean that digital pianos are superior to acoustic pianos. However, the point here is people like convenience. And digital pianos offer that at a different rate.

Since Yamaha digital pianos are compact with many high-tech elements, so, consequently, they are popular among music lovers. However, you should be wise when choosing one of these digital pianos. Always go for the product which fits your preferences.

With all being said, we have the positive motivation that this article on the Best Yamaha digital piano 2023 has helped you in some way or the other.