| Buying a digital piano can be stressful and bewildering | | | | demonstration videos where you can actually see and |
| experience. The typical digital piano on display in most | | | | hear the piano being played by both professionals and |
| music stores has so many flashing lights, buttons and | | | | average people. The more research you do the better |
| sliders it can get very confusing. | | | | chance you'll have in finding the keyboard that is right |
| First a bit of history: digital pianos have come a long | | | | for you. |
| way in the past 20 years. Back in the good old days | | | | Evaluating the Sound |
| they sounded pretty bad and the keyboard action was | | | | Whether you are buying at a music store in person or |
| just awful - thankfully all that has changed. Today you | | | | online, probably the most important aspect when |
| can purchase a brand new digital piano for your home | | | | deciding which digital piano to purchase is the actual |
| for a fraction of the cost of an acoustic upright piano | | | | sound. Most digital piano sounds are sampled from real |
| that many families and schools used to have. Not only | | | | concert grand pianos and will sound amazing to the |
| are they portable, they now sound and even feel like | | | | untrained ear. But you need to understand that it's the |
| concert grand pianos. | | | | subtleties of the sound samples that they use that |
| So what should you know before you decide to start | | | | make all the difference as far as quality and of course |
| shopping? | | | | the price. |
| Try Before You Buy | | | | The more expensive models record the sound of |
| Since every digital piano sounds and feels different, | | | | dampers hitting the strings and harmonics. They also |
| you really need to try the piano before you buy. Visit | | | | take multiple samples of each note with varying |
| your local music store and ask to see their keyboard | | | | degrees of pressure applied to the keys. Again this |
| department. Once in the keyboard section, sit down | | | | costs money and you may not be able to hear this. |
| and play the piano for yourself. If you are a beginner | | | | You should consider that the speakers in the piano |
| you may feel self-conscious when you play the piano. | | | | also contribute to the quality of the sound. Generally, |
| In this case look for the "demo" mode button and | | | | the more expensive the piano is, the better the quality |
| press it. | | | | of the speakers will be. |
| If you can't find the demo button then ask the | | | | In the end, it's all about how you the buyer feels. The |
| salesperson to help you. The piano should start playing | | | | sound of the piano should be pleasing to you and |
| some classical compositions. Turn up the volume, sit | | | | connect with you. Remember, this piano will be in your |
| back and close your eyes; now can properly audition | | | | home for a long time. |
| the sound of the piano. | | | | In part 2 of How to Buy a Digital Piano I'll discuss finding |
| If you can't personally try out a digital piano then I | | | | the right piano action and determining who the end |
| suggest you read online reviews that are freely | | | | user is that you are buying for. |
| available on the web. Many of the reviews include | | | | |
