.
| Digital
vs. Acoustic Pianos |
What Is The Difference?
Digital pianos are electronic keyboard
instruments that reproduce piano sounds. Unlike
an acoustic piano, they have no hammers, no
strings and no soundboard to produce the sound
that you hear.
Instead, they have electronic circuit boards,
sound chips
and speakers.
Digital Advantages
Digital pianos usually have an array of features
that, for some,
make them an attractive alternative to an
acoustic piano, such as:
- Different types of
piano sounds
- Other keyboard sounds
such as harpsichord, organ, etc.
- Other instrument
sounds such as strings, flute, percussion etc.
- Built-in rhythm
capabilities to accompany your playing
- The ability to record
your what you play
- The ability to
interact with other electronic music devices
(MIDI)
- Never need tuning
- Headphones to practice
in private
- Easier portability
Digital Disadvantages
The problem with digital pianos is that they
can't really duplicate the tone or touch of a
real piano. Even with modern sampling technology,
individual notes might be quite accurately
reproduced, but the tone of a chord or notes
sounding together, as in an acoustic piano - with
it's complex harmonics mixing and resonating
against a flexible wooden soundboard - cannot be
matched. As a result, most music sounds some what
sterile played on a digital piano.
Digital pianos just don't feel like real pianos.
"Touch Sensitivity" and "Weighted
Action" is not the same thing as the
sophisticated internal mechanism, or
"action", of an acoustic piano. Some
digital pianos merely simulate the touch of a
real piano. They don't provide the same feedback
or responsiveness to your playing, therefor your
performance range is limited.
If you are thinking of buying a piano for your
child, consider this: most piano teachers will
not teach students who have reached a certain
level on anything but an acoustic piano. Digital
pianos are considered counter-productive when it
comes to technique and dynamic performance. These
skills can't be practised on a digital keyboard
and then applied to a real piano action. It is
not the same thing. A piano also represents a
much stronger commitment to a student, as opposed
to a digital keyboard that might represent the
same thing to a child as a computer, an
electronic game-station or a CD player.
Another thing to consider is that an acoustic
piano will hold its value far better than a
digital. An acoustic piano can last 100 years or
more, while a digital can be obsolete in 5 years
and might be hard to even give away by then.
Hybrid Digital/Acoustic Pianos
There are some hybrid digital/acoustic pianos on
the market today, like the Yamaha Disklavier and
Baldwin ConcertMaster that combine the features
of both. These are normal acoustic pianos with
real piano actions that can be disconnected with
the digital sound on demand. Also, they are MIDI
capable. These pianos are quite expensive and out
of the price range of most people. However, if
you can afford one, these pianos are the ultimate
in a total piano experience. These are the new
generation of pianos: they can record and play
back your perfomance with true accuracy; can play
a wide selection of pre-recorded music of all
types and styles; can be used with piano
instruction software; and can be used as a MIDI
controller to connect to other electronic tone
generating devices like samplers, synthesizers,
drum machines, computers or anything with a MIDI
interface.
The Bottom Line
If you want a keyboard that can be easily
transported, or connected to an audio sound
system, or one that can be used to record music
with computer software, or has the ability to
plug-in headphones for privacy, then a digital
piano is the thing to buy. Otherwise, think very
carefully before you make a choice to buy a
digital in place of an acoustic piano. |
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