Digital Tech Takes The Exclusivity Out of Premium Pianos

In 2019, the most recent “normal” year on record, Statista reported roughly 31,000 acoustic piano sales in the United States. Sales decreased in 2020 of course, and the verdict is out on this year’s numbers.

Now let’s look at the number of people searching for piano lessons in the United States. Google’s data shows 480,000 searches online for the phrase, “piano lessons near me,” over the past year; a significantly larger number than the number of acoustic pianos sold.

So the question remains – on what instruments are these piano students practicing? Digital piano keyboard sales are doing well, and many students find it easier to invest in an electric piano instead of an acoustic instrument. But piano students need to be able to practice at home, and if they are working with a low-quality electric piano, their progress will stall. Fortunately, new technology makes it easier than ever for folks who can’t purchase an acoustic grand to acquire an excellent digital piano.

Modern Digital Pianos Level the Playing Field

You may have been referred to a Yamaha digital piano by your piano teacher, and it’s easy to see why. Yamaha offers a lineup of digital hybrid pianos which have acoustic action (even on the pedals!) with digitally produced sound. That means you can enjoy the sound and feel of an acoustic grand piano with the noise control of a digital instrument.

Even if you don’t want to pay for a digital hybrid, you can enjoy fantastic technology with a Yamaha Clavinova 700 series – they have weighted keys as well.

Specific Problems Resolved By “High End” Digital Pianos

Noise

One of the main reasons people can’t buy an acoustic upright or grand piano is that they are too loud. If you have kids, you won’t be able to practice late in the evening, and if you live in an urban setting, you won’t be able to bother your neighbors.

The problem is that until recently if you wanted to get a digital piano because of the noise, you had to sacrifice playing experience. That’s no longer true. Piano instructors everywhere are referring students to Yamaha, Kawaii, and Casio digital pianos because the keys have weighted action, the sound is sampled from authentic concert grands, and more.

Space

You may be holding out on a grand acoustic piano because you don’t have space for one – but you can now purchase an amazing grand piano experience without the large piano cabinet. Take the Yamaha N1X piano for instance. It’s only as big as a spinet piano or a Casio digital upright, but it has the action and sound of a concert grand piano.

The N2X is about 50% the size of a baby grand piano, so it’s another great alternative to a large grand piano. In short, there’s no excuse for not owning a professional-level instrument just because of size.

Cost

Grand pianos are expensive – there’s no escaping it. A new Steinway can be over $50K, a new Baldwin close to $30K, and so on. But digital pianos in grand piano cabinets can be much cheaper.

The best digital hybrid in the world, the Yamaha N3X, costs about $20,000 brand new. The N2X costs about $15K, and the N1X under $10,000. The Clavinova 700 series grand piano costs about $7K, and again, it has the feel and sound of an acoustic grand piano. So if you want a high-end grand piano experience, the modern digital piano can give you everything you need at a lower cost.

All told, you have more options for owning a piano than ever before. You can purchase a used piano online, you can acquire a brand new digital piano that looks, sounds, and feels like a traditional grand, and you can even enjoy a high-quality Clavinova upright keyboard for as little as $5K.