What Are The Best Yamaha Keyboards and Digital Pianos?
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Nobody can beat Yamaha when it comes to the production of quality digital pianos and keyboards. Yamaha stands among the foremost world-class keyboard manufacturers as their instruments are widely acclaimed by novices and professionals alike.
Here we have compiled a list of the best Yamaha keyboards and digital pianos that are currently available in the market and have received loads of compliments from the users. Before jumping into the list, let’s first take a note of what to consider in a good keyboard or a digital piano while buying. In a way, we are letting you know how we have selected and sorted this list of best Yamaha keyboards and digital pianos.
What to Look for in the Best Keyboards and Digital Pianos?
Yamaha is a Japan-based company that started back in 1887, established by Torakusu Yamaha mainly as a piano manufacturing company. He is also the inventor of a world-class reed organ.
Gradually, the company started manufacturing guitars and drums too. And, if not mistaken, they have come down with the production of motorcycles even.
Over the years of experience and facing tough competitions from big brands like Casio and Kurzweil, Yamaha has gained a lot of trust among its customers.
So, when you pick up a Yamaha keyboard or a digital piano, you can always trust its quality and user-friendly functionalities.
Here we have accumulated the 10 best Yamaha digital pianos and keyboards that fit your budget, have a fully functional responsive interface, comes with necessary accessories, and can be carried around for traveling.
The range of notes, tones, expressions, and other learning functions in a Yamaha keyboard is the most significant thing to look forward to, besides the essential features.
Top 10 Yamaha Keyboards and Digital Pianos
We have meticulously gone through the reviews of each of these instruments on the list. We hope you find a suitable one for yourself without any hassle.
Now, let’s get to the list without any further delay.
DGX660B 88-Key Weighted Digital Piano
Starting out the list we have the new DGX-660B 88-key fully weighted piano that comes with a durable stand. It is ideal for beginners and professionals alike.
With a portable design, this 88-key digital piano offers the feel of a real acoustic piano. This is because the GHS weighted action of the keys which is heavier in the low keys than the lighter high end.
The ‘piano room feature’ in the device lets you select any piano voice from over 150 samples and customize it using the provided acoustic settings.
You can even connect a microphone to it and sing along while playing it. The in-built high-quality speakers let you hear that sound and if you don’t like it, you can then throw some digital effects into the mix. But the best part is it consists of Yamaha’s pure CF sound engine modeled on CFIIIS grand piano.
Thus, you can add a hammer action to the notes selected on the LCD screen attached to the front panel. Moreover, the assignable pedal allows for compatible footswitch connectivity and other controlling functions.
The piano features wireless audio and MIDI functionality in order to stream any track from an iOS device. In fact, you can record and playback your tracks using a USB drive in this piano.
With lots of incredible interactive features, the DGX-660B helps you to explore the world of piano sounds.
Key Features:
- It is an 88-key weighted digital piano with wireless audio and MIDI features.
- Enables USB recording and playback options on a USB drive.
- Comes with a stand or a starter bundle and in another variant in white.
Integrated with Yamaha’s own Pure CF sound engine that has 150+ voices and 15 drum/SFX kits.
The Arius series of digital pianos from Yamaha is probably the most popular among musicians all over the world. The Arius YDP-184 is the best of the lot.
Modeled on the sound design of the CFX concert grand piano from Yamaha’s own house, this Arius digital piano features the VRM or Virtual Resonance Modelling.
It helps to reproduce the same natural resonating sounds of a real concert piano. With a full dot display, the piano consists of 88 synthetic ivory GH3 or graded hammer action keys that reduce the slipperiness of the fingers.
Moreover, the full dot LCD screen helps to easily navigate through different features and functionalities of the instrument.
Also, the stereophonic optimizer attached to the piano helps to distribute sound evenly when played through headphones.
A huge library of learning exercises and tutorials is accessible through the Smart Pianist app of Yamaha for playing on the keyboard.
But to top it all, the device comes with a music stand, sheet music book, a padded bench, and a power supply for complete and convenient usage.
Although you get so many high-end features on this digital piano, it might be a little expensive for beginners.
It gives you a true realistic piano feel that resonates naturally when you press those keys. Hence, you can’t ignore the beauty of this instrument.
Key Features:
- With 88 graded hammer action keys, this YDP184R digital piano can mimic Yamaha’s best selling CFX concert grand piano.
- It has a full dot LCD display for trouble-free navigation to the included 24 voices and stunning features.
- Available in three elegant colors – dark rosewood, black walnut, and plain black.
Comes with a padded seat, a music stand, a sheet music book, and the power supply.
Looking for a highly portable good quality Yamaha keyboard? Then the P121 73-key weighted Digital piano is a great option for you.
Boasting a compact and lightweight design, the 73 full-sized key weighted action piano is a lighter version of Yamaha’s P125 model. The graded hammer action is heavier in the low end than the high keys.
Meticulously designed with the Pure CF sound engine, the keyboard delightfully presents the CFIIIS concert grand sounds quite naturally.
Because of the host connectivity with the MIDI controller, you can transfer the audio from this keyboard through a single cable to any music software.
This is also available with a keyboard stand, bench, and power supply but we have linked the ‘only piano’ model here.
So, if you have a desire for the P125 model, but cannot afford to have it, this mini version P121 is just the right choice for you.
Key Features:
- This is a 73-key fully weighted piano with the Yamaha pure CF sound engine.
- Extremely lightweight and compact, suitable for traveling professionals.
- Can also be used as a MIDI controller through USB host connectivity.
A ‘mini’ version of Yamaha P125.
PSR-EW300 SA 76-Key Portable Keyboard
This one from Yamaha is a 76-Key keyboard called the PSR-EW300 SA. It is another highly portable Yamaha keyboard.
With this 76-key Yamaha model, you can have access to over 570 voices, 165 styles, and 150+ preset songs.
Moreover, you can even practice many more preset songs through the Yamaha Education Suite or any compatible MIDI file using one or both hands at a time.
Also, the touch tutor lesson mode helps to track the velocity sensitiveness of the keys for more dynamic learning.
It enables the USB port to integrate with any music-making software through a single cable. But most importantly, the keyboard comes bundled with a stand, bench, and power supply for efficient learning of a beginner.
If you’re looking for a lightweight and portable 76-key Yamaha keyboard with a simple user panel, then the PSR-EW300 is a perfect choice.
Key Features:
- It’s a 76-key portable keyboard featuring 160+ music styles, 500+ voices, and 150+ preset songs.
- Includes the Yamaha Education Suite for practicing with the preset songs on one hand at a time or both.
- Acts as a midi controller with the help of a USB cable.
Comes in a bundle kit that includes a keyboard stand and power supply.
The Yamaha NP12 61-key portable keyboard is the smaller version of Yamaha’s NP32 model. This is an overachiever among many low-cost, entry-level Yamaha keyboards.
Weighing less than 15 pounds, the NP12 lightweight keyboard has 61 small-size touch-sensitive keys perfect for small hands. This device has a simple, easy-to-navigate interface.
You can always add more features to it using the controller App for iOS for a better configuration.
It comes with no hammer action, LCD display, and any other high tech features, but is meant for beginners only. It offers only 10 sounds and 64-note polyphony without any complex effects.
The most significant part is that it is powered with only AA batteries, hence making it highly portable and travel-ready.
The NP models may not be that popular among professionals, but it surely deserves a place among beginners who want a highly portable digital piano. Simply put, as Yamaha has said itself, “sometimes less is more”.
Key Features:
- It’s a touch-sensitive 61-key piano that is super-lightweight and highly user-friendly.
- It uses six AA batteries to power up and plays up to 5 hours.
- Allows connection to any music-creating app on a mobile or PC via the USB port.
A mini version of the NP32 model having two color variants of black and white.
With portability and compact features, the Yamaha PSR-E363 makes for a cost-effective choice for beginners as well as professionals.
The keyboard has only 61 touch-sensitive keys with no hammer action. It enables you to have on-board lessons at your own pace through the Y.E.S or the Yamaha Education Suite.
You can even connect it to a mobile or pc. The keyboard features 570+ instrument voices ranging from acoustics to percussion for an immersive learning experience.
Besides, it has ample sounding in-built speakers and USB connectivity. This way, you can let any MIDI and audio files sent to a compatible device or can control the virtual instruments or DAWs.
Although it is a smart keyboard designed for beginners, it comes with no power adapter, so you need to buy it separately.
It is perfectly suitable for young adults who have just started out as a keyboard player. It will help you to develop a habit of playing the basic tunes of a piano on this compact and convenient styled keyboard.
Key Features:
- A 61-key touch-sensitive portable Yamaha keyboard.
- Integrated Y.E.S allows for a more improved practice session.
- Features good quality in-built speakers and USB to host connectivity to any music software.
- Includes a wide range of instrument voices from basic piano tunes to synth and percussion sounds.
P71 88-Key Weighted Digital Piano
Another amazing quality 88-key weighted digital piano from Yamaha on our list is the P71 model.
Designed mainly for beginners, the P71 boasts the classic slim and stylish look of a traditional piano. Moreover, it lets you play that acoustic piano sound with its 88 fully weighted keys.
It consists of 10 different voices like digital samples from Yamaha’s own acoustic grand pianos. You can even put together two voices in the dual-mode for a more creative experience.
Weighing only around 25 lbs, the piano acts as a highly functional lightweight keyboard that comes with a sustain pedal and power adapter.
Also, the included speakers and the sustain pedal are decent enough to start out.
With a classic piano design, this Yamaha stage-style digital piano provides an adept sound quality under budget.
Key Features:
- An 88-key black digital piano with weighted action.
- Comes with a power adapter and sustain pedal.
- Contains 10 voices of digital samples from real Yamaha grand pianos.
- Has a nice slim design with a classic look.
Our next pick on the list is the PSR-E463 61-key portable keyboard. It is perfectly suited to the needs of an entry-level player.
Similar to other top-notch entry-level Yamaha keyboards, this one, too, includes the powerful pure CF sound engine besides other functional features.
It sports a stylish compact design with lots of assignable knobs and controllers for real-time effects and styles.
Furthermore, it provides access to the XG Lite Voice library that has a huge collection of voices punching above its weight from the GM collection.
Now you can playback songs more easily from the boundless Yamaha XG song library.
The 230+ preset styles and 48-note polyphony on the keyboard lets you play more and more notes with any drop-outs, thereby allowing for more complex tracks creation.
Needless to say, like any other keyboard on the list, the PSR-E463 also hosts connectivity with your laptop for Midi and audio files transfer. Not only that, but the USB ‘to device’ port also allows you to connect USB flash drives for data storage.
Thus, you get a high-end portable and cost-effective keyboard that’s going to suit your needs magnificently.
Key Features:
- This is a 61-key highly efficient keyboard with a powerful sound engine.
- Enables access to the Yamaha XG Lite Voice library for playback songs.
- The 48-note polyphony allows for playing more complex passages.
The integrated USB ‘to device’ port lets you connect USB flash drives for loading and storage of data.
Yamaha has another featureful starter kit for amateurs in lighted keyboards. This is the EZ-220 61-key portable keyboard.
This is an amazing keyboard with 61 touch-sensitive lighted keys, perfect for a new learner.
It includes 390+ high-quality instrumental voices and 100 accompaniment styles along with 100 built-in songs with a demo for a better learning experience.
The keyboard also has access to the Fingering guide and EZ-220 Page Turner app for iPad beside the Yamaha Education Suite or Y.E.S. It allows you to learn the piano at your own pace.
But, the best part is that the keyboard does not come alone. It includes some high-quality essential accessories in a bundle kit for a beginner’s convenience.
The premium bundle kit contains a set of Samson HP30 closed-back stereo headphones, an x-style Yamaha PKBB1 foldable padded bench, and a World Tour SXKS keyboard stand with a PA-130 power adapter from the same brand.
Hence you get an amazing premium keyboard bundle kit from Yamaha in the form of EZ-220 under an economic price range. This is an all-in-one solution for a beginner or a student who is just starting out.
Key Features:
- It’s a 61-illuminated touch-sensitive key lightweight keyboard.
- Comes in a bundle kit including headphones, keyboard stand, padded bench, and power supply.
- There are over 390 high-quality instrument voices, 100 accompaniment styles, 100 in-built songs with a single demo song for an explorative learning session.
It includes a Fingering guide, Yamaha Education Suite, and the EZ-220 Page Turner.
Arius YDP-144
We have now come to the end of our list where we have the Yamaha YDP-144 Arius series digital piano that offers some mention-worthy features and functionalities.
This is by far the best Yamaha instrument that can gloriously reproduce the sound of the CFX concert grand piano with the help of the Damper Resonance DSP system and is modeled on the CFIIIS.
The piano has a beautiful bold black look with 88 synthetic ivory and ebony touch-sensitive keys.
The graded hammer action or GH3 is so smooth and expressive being heavier in the low-end keys that you never, for a second, feel like playing an electronic piano. The sound is very authentic and immersive.
The piano can be controlled with the help of an app in any iOS device for easy navigation. The Smart Pianist 2.0 app is also accessible to make your learning sessions more interactive.
So you can see, a drawback of this instrument is that it’s incompatible with any Android device. Now we talk about the best part where the piano comes in a high-quality premium bundle kit.
The kit not only includes general stuff like a set of headphones, online lessons, an instructional book, and a padded bench but also with an Austin Bazaar instructional DVD and a polishing cloth to maintain the bold black gloss on it.
By now, you have already come across the soothing acoustic features of the Yamaha flagship digital piano series, Arius. The YDP-144 is a handsome model among many others from this series, and one of the best electronic reproductions of an actual grand piano.
So, if you really like the characteristics of the piano and want a steady home model, then don’t hesitate to buy it for an engrossed, authentic, and expressive piano experience.
Key Features:
- With 88 synthetic ivory and ebony, touch-sensitive, graded hammer action keys, this is an ultramodern version of a grand acoustic piano.
- Comes in a premium bundle kit including a set of headphones, a cushioned bench, a fast track music book, an Austin Bazaar instructional guide on DVD, and a polishing cloth.
- This is a stylish black model featuring the realistic Yamaha CFX concert grand piano sound.
Helps to maintain a warm and rich balance in the sound at every volume level by adjusting the balance between bass and treble through the integrated Intelligent Acoustic Control or IAC.
Wrapping Up
When it comes to tradition, innovation, trustworthiness, and quality of an instrument, Yamaha stands out among all.
We hope the read was helpful enough in finding an excellent Yamaha keyboard or a digital piano that perfectly suits your needs.
Yamaha has been manufacturing a wide range of keyboards and pianos for over a century now. Therefore, we know there’ll always be another Yamaha digital piano or keyboard that you might have used and liked wholeheartedly, but we have somehow missed it out on the list.
So don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with us. It might help a fellow reader or might get included in the future.
