How to Pick the Right Digital Piano or Keyboard

Going over some of the things you should be thinking about when buying a digital piano, keyboard or midi controller. We'll be talking about 88 keys vs, 61, 49 or 25 keys, pressure sensitivity or action on the board itself, what MIDI is and does, the difference between a keyboard and a synthesizer, a little about workstations and more!

Listen to the new album:

A little about me:

Sean Daniel is a man. A man of simple needs and desires. And the one desire, no, the one NEED, that stands above all is to spread the challenges, joy and intellectual stimulus of music to people of Earth and beyond.
Born on the mean streets of upper middle class suburban Chicago, Sean learned the ways of the world through the dizzying heights of success to the lonesome depths of failure and emerged with the promise of a better tomorrow reflecting in his eyes and fiery passion in his belly.
He plays and teaches guitar on his YouTube channel where he regularly releases original music and projects to the adulation of legions of fans, who often compare him to Chris Pratt and one time Ryan Reynolds. He’s currently in the market for a nice leather jacket.

[InterDimensionalLizard]

"Choose poorly, or the consequences will be dire".

I don't like those options.

[purp]

My guy shames people by pressing a note on their keyboard.
*takes note shamefully*

[Rick-prdu]

Oh, hello musical version of pwediepie.

[justuslm]

When mentioning the amount of keys, one should also consider 76 keys as an option. It's not super common, but it exists, and is a good alternative to 88 keys if you don't want to give up much but want better portability.

[ellllllo]

“It’s not really true..i made that up”
Lmao

[jimleininger]

Sean! This video really saved my tofurkey. I was going to buy my wife a keyboard but settled on a glitter phone case instead.

JK, I just ordered her a Kawai Recital Pro. Hoping that's a good beginner setup. Now all I need from you is a video on how she can fake how to play Riders On The Storm so I can fake the guitar solo

[justice]

"Fun fact about Back to the Future, but I made it up"

[shantikeet]

I'm so glad I waited to buy a keyboard until this year when you made this video. Holy crap this is so informative

[Kurt]

Helpful video! For digital pianos, the Casio CDP 135 and Yamaha P115 are really nice pianos for the money imo.

[davehallock]

Lets add to this. There are keyboards with 76 keys. Piano action is stiffer and takes more finger pressure. Synth action is easier and allows for a bit quicker playing. If you are used to a piano then likely that is what you will want but if you are not used to piano then synth cn make sense. Find a keyboard that feels right. Everything else can be dealt with. A midi controller may well make sense if you wish to record and maybe play out. Triggering samples in Kontakt is not hard to do. A synth (ok they are also called ROMplers since the samples are in ROM memory) is generally used to gig with. I use a hybrid setup with a couple Romplers midied to a midi mixer and also to trigger samples in Kontakt or other programs. I advise people who are going to record to get a controller. Your DAW has instruments available that you can trigger. I have not noticed a horrible delay using instruments inside a DAW. Is there some delay, YES. I have gigged my 76 key synths but honestly 61 keys is far easier to carry and it is very rare that you need both the lowest notes and the highest notes in a single piece you will be playing. Every thing I have seen for decades has a transpose function meaning you can shift the notes or Octaves higher or lower so the lack of keys should only be noticed if you are doing classical works or very unusual modern pieces.

I am a headphones guy so I will just say that and not pick on Sean. Finally think about used rather than newest latest and greatest. My mate just got a new Roland synth. I have a 20+ year old Roland XP-80. His synth cost a couple grand mine on the used market s probably in the 500 range. His synth does thing mine can not no doubt. But my action was better (he said it) the sounds are still quite viable and the sequencer in my XP still works and saves to Floppies. Yeah I am going to get a floppy replacement that takes flash drives.

Just my $.02 cents worth.

[cguerra]

i liked it just because of your Delorean comment. lol

[Seltaeb_]

I really don't know what it is. But that damn blue Tele is amazing...

[samfar]

When your guitar teacher is absent and the class is substituted with a handsome piano teacher where you understand nothing just keep looking at him..

[johncgibson]

I am going for 61 key, touch sensitive, not weighted. I have been watching a church gospel jazz pianist's videos. And I am totally sold on it, even though I am an atheist.

[RandyFromBBlock]

Great info ! I am looking to drink beer and play tiny dancer so I am going to get one with a cup holder and a handful of keys.

[bramschiebroek]

I've watched this 3 times now just to get my knowledge up to snuff. great explanation!

[susana]

Well i have enough time now to practice, thanks to quarantiane

[RCSmiths]

Oh wait it's been like a year since I played my Piano. Should probably get back into it. After all, it was my first ever instrument that made me realize the art of music

[ohhorbit]

I just ordered a keyboard on Amazon I’m exited to learn!

[loansharkjoe]

Thank you so much for this!i've had the same keyboard for about 14 years and it's a very basic 61 key YAMAHA one that has no pressure sensitivity at all!i've learned so many songs on it, including Moonlight Sonata 1st Movement and i always had to quickly go to the TRANSPOSE settings to rescale the keyboard to hit the high note! hahah.
This video was very helpful, all i want is a 88 key keyboard with pressure sensitivity so it feels like a real piano, and i don't care about USB computer software stuff at all, and i just want plug and play speaker too. (like my current one)