What is the best budget digital piano under 500 euros for 2022?
The Yahama P-45: Yahama’s bestselling beginner digital piano
Roland FP-10: the latest model of Roland’s FP-series
Yahama P-121: the compact digital piano with 73 keys
Korg B2: the new generation of digital piano’s from Korg
Introduction
In this guide, we’ll introduce you to digital pianos for a budget around 500 euros.
We help you and give you all the information you should know before buying a digital piano or keyboard.
Buying the cheapest keyboard is maybe not the best idea, even as a complete beginner. If your main goal, is it to learn the piano then we recommend you buying a digital piano with weighted keys.
We’ll also take a close look at the market and select the best digital pianos for beginners that cost less than €500, which will make your research that much simpler.
Yamaha P-45: Yamaha's best-selling beginner digital piano
The Yamaha P-45 is a fantastic entry-level digital piano with a fully weighted keyboard, 10-inbuilded instrument sounds and a compact and stylish design. The digital piano is very popular among beginners and intermediate players for the very attractive price and the high quality and realism of Yamaha instruments.
Yamaha P-45 |
| 64-note Polyphony |
| 10 internal Sounds |
| 10 demo Songs + preset piano songs |
| 88 fully weighted keys (GHS) |
| Weight: 12 kg |
| Advanced wave memory (AWM) dynamix stereo sampling |
| Touch sensitivity (fixed, soft, medium and hard) |
| Modes: Duo and Dual |
| Speakers: 6W + 6W |
| metronome, transpose and tuning |
Keys (GHS)
The piano is equipped with a Graded Hammer standard. It’s well suited for the beginner pianist and helps to builds the proper finger technique, for when the time comes to play an acoustic piano. Yamaha pianos with GHS action have fully weighted keys, and although the action is not like a acoustic pianos, the action is heavier and much better than what you get on arranger keyboards. This guide explains more about key actions. Most entry levels Yamaha digital pianos will have GHS action.
Design
The piano had a compact and stylish design. The black keys enhance the digital piano’s luxurious appearance. The lightweight, slim design of the instrument fits in any interior and occupies a smaller amount of space than other furniture. It can be easily moved anywhere in your home, and even used for performance outside. There is no requirement for piano movers.
Sound (AWM)
The “advanced wave memory” (AWM) Dynamix stereo sampling is a tone generation system developed by Yamaha. It’s a sampling system which creates the realism of an acoustic instrument by using digital technology and record the sound of an acoustic piano. If you want to know more about sound engines then read this article.
Functionality
The piano has a user-friendly interface, several P-45 settings can be changed with a just one button. If you hold down the “Grand Piano/Function” button and press different keys on the keyboard you can change voices, play demo sources, configure the metronome and much more. The digital piano provides an array of commonly used sounds such as grand pianos, electric pianos, organs, harpsichords, vibraphones, strings, and new choir and jazz organ. The digital piano provides 10 preset piano songs as well, for your listening pleasure. Anyone taking piano lessons can listen to them for reference, since many of the piano songs are classic piano pieces.
Pedal FC-5
The included Yahama FC-5 sustain footswitch works fine, but it doesn’t look very nice and it’s a bit flimsy. We would highly recommend investing in a better pedal system such as the Yahama FC-4A or Yahama FC-3A to increase the playing experience.
Piano Stand
To match the look and feel of the digital piano you can add an attractive stand. The L-85 is optimal and designed specifically for the P-45. The stand is well-designed and has an excellent quality. With this solid stand the digital piano will look attractive either against a wall or out in the middle of the room. The cheaper option is a X-type stand, which is also perfectly fine for the P-45.
Headphones
If you want to practice in silence, headphones are an excellent option for you. A good pair of headphones provide a better quality and more detailed sound. It is still not possible to use wireless headphones with digital pianos, so you will need a pair with a wire and a "jack" plug. Here you can see our selection of headphones.
PROS |
| Light, compact and stylish design |
| yamaha's cheapest digital piano (very affordable) |
| 50 preset piano songs |
| advanced wave memory (AWM) |
| Graded hammer standard (GHS) |
| 88 fully weighted keys |
CONS |
| speakers are not very loud (only 6w x 2) |
| no triple pedal support, the P45 supports only the damper |
| Lack of LCD screen |
| No wireless bluetooth audio |
| Only equipped with 10 internal sounds |
Unboxing video Yahama P-45
Product page P-45
Roland FP-10: the latest model of Roland’s FP-series
This digital piano is the cheapest and the latest model of Roland’s FP-series. This affordable piano is equipped with a realistic 88-key hammer-action keyboard. It’s an excellent piano for beginners or the ideal second piano for more experience’s players.
Keys (PHA-4)
The FP-10 is provided with the PHA-4 standard key action. This function stands for progressive hammer action. This is the cheapest of all the hammer key action in Roland’s arsenal. Also, the PHA-4 standard is an 88 keys fully weighted action with escapement mechanism. The keys are also individually weighted, and they are made of plastic and topped with moisture absorbing ivory touch.
Design
The FP-10 is modern and has a portable, space-saving design. It’s the ideal instrument for home use or for those who live in small apartments. But its also a good choice for musician who like to transport it for a jamming session or a gig, because of its slim design. The digital piano is only available in the color black and there is no screen included on the FP-10.
Sound (SuperNATURAL Sound Engine)
The Roland FP-10 comes with 2x 6-watt speakers, which is enough for personal performance. The digital piano has also the famous SuperNATURAL sounds engine. Also, the piano is provided with 15 built-in voices, such as: grand pianos, electric pianos, strings, organs and much more.
Functionality
The functionality of the digital piano is very simple and user friendly. There are only 4 buttons on the top of the piano. Which are on/off, volume up and volume down and functions. Also, you don’t need to remember all the functions of the keyboard because you can find all names of the sounds of digital piano over the keys.
Pedals (DP-2)
The included DP-2 sustain footswitch is basic, and it’s doesn’t support half-pedal action. We would highly recommend investing in a better pedal system, if you want to use the sustain pedal more regularly. The Roland DP-10 would be a good choice and increase the playing experience.
Piano Stand
To provide your digital piano with a better look, you can buy the dedicated stand, KSC-10 - made specifically for the FP-10. This stand is made of wood and keeps your digital piano stable, while you play.
Headphones
The FP-10 also has a "PHONES" input, so that you can practice silently. You can read this guide to get some tips on what headphones to buy. We have this package available, so that you can save money and buy a complete set, with the piano, the stand and headphones together.
PROS |
| great keyboard with escapement and ivory feel |
| quality natural piano sounds with simulated key-off and string resonance |
| Lightweight and compact instrument |
| Bluetooth connection |
CONS |
| No optional 3-pedal unit |
| The speaker are not very powerful |
| NO LED screen |
| All ports are on the back |
The Productpage
Yahama P-121: the compact digital piano with 73 keys
The Yamaha P-121 is a variant of the Yamaha P125 - it has all the same features, except that it is about an octave shorter. Instead for 88 keys, like the P-125, this piano has 73 keys. The P-121 has Graded Hammer Standard action (GHS) with weighted keys and an intuitive user interface.
Yamaha 121 |
| 192-note Polyphony |
| 24 Sounds |
| 21 demo Songs |
| 73 fully weighted keys (GHS) |
| Weight: 10 kg |
| Sound: Pure CF Sound engine |
| String resonance and dampening effect |
| Reverb and chorus effect |
| Speakers: 7W + 7W |
| Metronome, Transposition and Fine-tuning |
| Modes: Duo, Dual and Split function |
| Recording function |
Keys
The P-121 has a great keyboard. Very few models on the market with less than 88 keys, also has fully weighted keys. But the keys on the Yamaha P-121 are weighted and graded. That means that the piano provides a heavier touch in the low end and lighter touch in the high end. This gives the player the same feeling, as when playing an acoustic piano.
Design
The digital piano is available in black and white and has a slim and aesthetic design. The P-121 is light and compact for easy transport because it weighs less than other portable digital pianos. This model is also ideal for those who have space problems at home. Because there are not many pianos with less than 88 weighted keys, and for some people is it very useful if the piano takes up less space.
Sound (CF Sound Engine)
The digital piano comes with 2 speakers with 7-watt amplifiers and has the pure CF Sound Engine. The speaker system produces great and expansive piano sounds because of the grand piano samples. You can also enjoy 20 different rhythms, in genres such as Rock, Pop, Latin and many more. The piano is also included with 21 demo songs in total, as well with 50 piano songs. You also have the opportunity to record your songs with the 2-track recorder.
Functionality
The Yamaha P-121 has 192 polyphony and 24 different voices. They are 4 piano, 4 electric piano, 4 clavichord and vibraphone, 4 strings and bass voices each with several variations. Every piano voice and some bass sounds are sampled from real instruments. On the top panel you will find about a dozen buttons and a volume control fader, which makes it easier to choose the functions.
Smart pianist app
The P-121 can be connected to Yamaha’s Smart Pianist App. The app allows you to have complete control over many functions in your Yamaha digital piano with your phone or tablet. The rhythms and voices can be selected by the touch of your phone or tablet, and you can also use the chord tracker function to learn how to play the chords of your favorite songs.
Digital piano pedal
For enhanced realism, the P-121 can recreate damper resonance. When the sustain pedal of an acoustic piano is pressed, every damper is lifted at the same time. This enables every string to resonate with the other notes. The Yahama FC-5 sustain footswitch is included in box with the piano.
Piano Stand
The piano P-121 is great if you travel a lot of from gig to gig and want a more lightweight instrument, and also if you want to safe a some money.
It is also possibility to buy a piano stand L-121, which will give the piano a better design and more stability. This stand would be a great fit if you want the look of a real piano.
Headphone
You can use the P-121 with headphones, if you don't want to disturb those round you. The piano is equipped with the Stereophonic Optimizer function, so the player can enjoy the dispersed sound of an acoustic piano with realistic reverb. This will provide you with a comfortable and natural experience when playing piano with headphones.
PROS |
| Compact and light weight design |
| Smart pianist app compatibility |
| 192 note polyphony |
| 24 high quality instrument sounds |
| Great speaker system |
| Built-in library with 50 songs + 20 rhythms |
CONS |
| No bluetooth connection |
| Basic sustain footswitch |
| Limited selectionof sound effects/settings |
|
The graded hammer standard action is the one of the lower actions Yamaha makes. |
The Productpage
Korg B2: the new generation of digital pianos from KORG
The Korg B2 is the new generation of digital pianos which is focused on accessibility and ease to use. The digital piano is perfect for beginners but also for advanced players. Korg is well-known for its high quality digital pianos and keyboards. The Korg B2 comes with an 88-key hammer action keyboard, 15 W onboard speakers, and 120 note polyphony.
Korg-B2 |
| 128-note Polyphony |
| 12 internal Sounds |
| PCM stereo sampling |
| 88 fully weighted keys (GHS) |
| Weight: 12 kg |
| Metronom, Transpose and Tuning |
| Natural Weighted Hammer Action (NH) |
| Modes: Duo mode |
| Touch Sensitivity (light, normal and heavy) |
| Speakers 15w + 15w |
Keys (NH)
The Korg B2 comes with a full length 88-note keyboard, with fully weighted piano keys. The keys are graded, so the lower registers are heavier than those at higher registers. The Korg B2 uses Korgs NH (Natural weighted hammer action keyboard. It immitates the feeling of the hammeraction, from an acoustic piano. Moreover, can you choose between 3 touch levels (Light, normal and heavy). The key bed of the piano is sensitive to dynamics, so if you press the keys harder you emit louder sounds.
Sound
Korgs newly improved soundengine Stereo PCM is used in the B2. It provides a total of 12 sounds that cover a diverse range of genres, starting with five pristine piano sounds from its new piano engine, and also providing richly distinctive electric piano, organ, harpsichord, and strings. In addition to capturing the enormous tonal range of a grand piano, the meticulously-sampled sounds created for the B2 Digital Piano also reproduce the sympathetic string vibrations and damper resonances that give the piano its character.
Design
The Korg B2 looks great and has a simple and clean design. The design looks modern and the piano fits perfectly in small rooms. The weight and size of the B2 is good for portability. Its 12kg weight won't be a pain to carry around for gigs, and the slim size is perfect for small spaces, such as a bedroom or a smaller living room. The digital piano is availablein black and white.
Functionality
The front panel of the piano is very user friendly. Its only consisting of 4 buttons and a volume knob. But the digital piano is not equipped with a display. You use a USB cable to connect this instruments USB port to your smartphone, tablet, or computer. There is also possibility to connect your smartphones headphone jack or your music player to the digital piano. And then you can use the B2 as a home speaker system for enjoying music.
Speakers
The Korg B2 is equipped with 2 speakers, each with 15 watts. Moreover, the speakers have a good quality and are provided with the "Motional Feedback" technology. It’s an active, high-fidelity loudspeaker system, which reproduces bass frequencies by moving the speaker cone to correspond with necessary frequencies.
Korg Module App
The B2 is provided with software that’s convenient for practicing of for creative work. The Korg module app for IOS contains a high variety of sounds that you can download for free in the app store. With just your iPad/phone, you can play studio-quality keyboard, grand piano, organs, clavinets, strings, brass, and synths sounds. Click here to read more about the Korg Module App.
Piano stand
Like the former models, you can buy the matching stand with this piano. It improves the generel stability of the instrument as well as the look of it. The stand is called STB1 and is sold seperately or together with the piano and the pedal in the package deal.
Sustain pedal
Most entry-level pianos come with low-quality plastic pedal, but this model includes a piano-style steel pedal. Unfortunately, it’s doesn’t detect half-pedaling signals. If you want to improve the quality of your pedals, we recommend buying the package with the triple-pedals PU-2.
Headphones
The Korg also has the Headphones connectivity, so that you can practice without disturbing others. Besides that, it also has the "AUDIO IN" connection. By connecting your smartphone's headphone jack or your music player, you can output your favorite music through the speakers of the B2 and enjoy playing along. Even when you're not playing the piano, you can use the B2 as a home speaker system for enjoying music.
PROS |
| 88 fully weighted keys and natural weighted hammer action (NH) |
| Dualsplit |
| The scale hammer action |
| 12 voices and 128-note polyphony |
| Korgs cheapest digital piano: Very affordable |
| 18 W speakers with motional feedback technology |
CONS |
| Not able to use the usual generic quarter inch sustain pedal |
| No LED counter |
| No extra rhythms |
| No USB terminal |
| The quality of the speakers could be a bit better |
The Productpage
Overview of the products
|
|
Yamaha P-45 |
Yahama P-121 |
Korg B2 |
Roland FP-10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weight |
12 kg |
10 kg |
12 kg |
11 kg |
|
Speakers |
2x 6 watt |
2x 7 watt |
2x 15 W |
2 x 6 watt |
|
Sounds |
10 |
24 |
12 |
15 |
|
Keys |
88 |
73 |
88 |
88 |
|
Fully-weighted keys |
Graded Hammer standard (GHS) |
Graded hammer standard (GHS) |
Natural Weighted Hammer Action (NH) |
PHA-4 Standard with Escapement and Ivory Feel |
|
Touch senitivity |
4 types |
5 types |
3 types |
5 types |
|
Polyphony |
64 |
192 |
128 |
96 |
|
Bluetooth |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Tone generator |
AWM stereo sampling |
Pure CF Sound Engine |
PCM Stereo Sampling |
SuperNATURAL Piano Sound |
|
Metronome |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Transpose, tuning |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Modes |
Dual, duo |
Dual, duo |
Dual |
Dual, duo |