Piano Information

Hi Graham Howard,

I am still looking for a digital piano – I want something reasonable and as like a piano as possible. I went to Chappell of Bond Street and tried out a few models, but the one that stuck out (at least in my price range) was the Yamaha CLP 330 – it just felt so much nicer to play than the others. (The keys were much firmer than the 320 and it seemed worth spending the extra) I haven’t quite decided on which one to buy yet, as I was hoping to spend slightly less, but I’ll go back later in the week and make a final decision. I will happily write a review of it when/if I get it.

Thanks,

Lydia

Graham Howard, Piano Adviser

Send me an email if you have any questions or need advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Or call freephone 0800 358 8880

After playing the Roland FP7 for 2 hours- I just did not think that it sounded
good enough,a very nice piano sound and superb action but it did not give me
“The Thrill” of playing a Grand Piano. So thats why I walked out of the shop
without it.

(it may be that no digital piano I can afford will give me that thrill?
Maybe a second hand Yamaha upright would come closer?)

So I also want to have a go on the Yamaha P155 ( a much cheaper instrument-
more of a competitor to the cheaper Roland FP4)- but no music shop in
Manchester seems to have one- they say they are such a good seller that they
are out of stock! (sales talk?).

Ideally I need a shop which stocks both the above models I mentioned so I
can do a Side by Side comparison- cant find a shop nearby which deals in
both Roland AND Yamaha AND has both models in stock

I also read some good reports about the Casio PX330 on the web last night-
it seems great value if you can tolerate the “image” of the brand, and the
plastic body- but one web review stated it had a very easy action- which is
not what I desire.

Then finally there is the Classenti option- I know there is the option of a
refund- but I am not a risk taker and so would not order one without playing
it first. Would be nice if there were a place in Manchester I could try one
first- or if my job takes me to London for any meetings I could try and
squeeze in a visit.

My criteria?- well I am an organist of almost 40 years and have an organ at
home- but organ keys offer little finger resistance and practising gives me
backache after a while as you cannot put your feet down due to the
pedalboard- so this instability causes stress on your lower back. So I want
a piano for the living room to play scales on to improve my fingering
technique. The classenti CDP3 would probably fulfil this criteria perfectly
at the same price as the Roland FP7F I trialled today, but in the back of my
mind I think I want a stage piano as I have a mate who is a popular
guitar/folk singer in local pubs and he keeps asking me to join him in his
act and play backing keyboards.

The Roland FP7F, Yamaha P155 (and Classenti CDP1)  all give this compromise
in that they have a matching stand and look ok in a living room- but can be
taken out to gigs if needed.

The Roland is supposedly sampled on a Steinway (but this may be just web
speculation) as it does not sound like one to me- even though it is a nice
piano sound. The Yamaha will definitely not be sampled on a Steinway as
Yamaha make their own fine pianos.

I would like a Steinway(esque) sound if possible but it has to come with a
firm action for finger development.

I will never be a concert pianist- just a good organist who can get away
with playing popular songs/cocktail piano in hotels, pubs etc. My first love
is still the Wurlitzer Theatre Organ, but I get a different kind of musical
satisfaction playing slow ballads with big jazz chords on a piano. The organ
also has a limited repertoire- but you can play a lot more popular music on
a piano.

I have been searching web articles for weeks and have come to a few
conclusions:

1.       Many of the web reviews on pianos are by “beginners” who are
pleased with their purchase- but as beginners their ears are probably not
open enough to know any different. You rarely get a review from a grade 8
player or a concert pianist- is this because a concert pianist would never
even consider a digital?

2.       For every good review you read on the web- there is a contradiction
on a different website from some geek who swears he can here the loop points
and some un-natural dying away of the sample on some keys! Can you trust
what these guys actually write?

3.       When you listen to any demo’s on Utube or mp3 downloads- they both
suffer from being compressed to help with download speed, and this makes it
hard to judge the true quality.

4.       There are far too many variants from all manufacturers. I just
cannot see how it is economic for say Roland to run multiple  production
lines for  so many different models- when there is so little difference
between the variants

I have looked seriously at the computer program “pianoteq” which models the
whole sound rather than samples it and it does appear very impressive. The
downside being that you need to take a laptop with you and wait until it
boots up etc to run the program- (and who can be bothered with the
instabilities of Windows as well). Then you also need a quality Master
Keyboard to trigger Pianoteq- and these Weighted Midi Master Keyboards
actually cost more than a decent stage piano with the sounds already built
in- so it seems false economy. (although a future upgrade of any of the
pianos I have suggested is possible using the Midi Out port- to a Laptop
running Pianoteq if I got really bored with the internal sound of whichever
piano I purchase!)

David Spencer

—

Piano Advice from Julian:

One piece of advice I would like to pass on to any newbie keyboard musician is,

Rather that plugging your keyboard  straight into the mixing desk via a screened lead,

Try connecting your keyboard via a DI box a take one feed for monitoring (like a full range wedge monitor)

and the balanced line output to the mixing desk (XLR Cable)

you’re be amazed at the superb sound quality of your stage piano/keyboard.

DI boxes start as low as £35 to £200. I use a cheap and cheerful Samson stereo in and out box

I bought on eBay for about £40.00. (the blue one)

It makes your stage piano sing more like a grand piano.

Never monitor your stage piano through a guitar amp, it will sound thin dully and really horrible.

The other piece of advice I would like to offer is be careful when choosing your next stage piano, if you just rely on headphones alone to audition you next keyboard, this can give you a false impression of the sound because you are just listening to the sounds in isolation, you need to play the keyboard through an amp or monitor the sound reflections of the shop walls can also be deceiving, try and try again before you part with your hard earned cash.

Best wishes

Julian

—

Dear Graham
Many thanks for getting in touch.

I have read your notes with great interest and found the points
extremely valuable. It helped me to understand the mine field of terms related
to digital pianos.

My circumstances:-
I am in my 60’s.  I learnt to play ( not very well!) when I was young and as,
with many youngsters, gave up too soon.
I liked the theory and passed a few exams!
In my dotage I decided that I might like to have another go.  I went to a music
shop to look at keyboards (cheap and small option) and was convinced that a
digital piano might be a better option.  I had not envisaged spending much and,
indeed, was looking at a cheap second hand keyboard.
However, I was shown a Casio CDP-100 as an example and was impressed.  I did not
need much convincing that this was a better route for sound, key touch etc.  I
also do not need the gismos with keyboards.

I started looking for a second hand digital piano. I think you have convinced me
that it might be better to buy new because of the warantee etc, am I right?

Also, I think I am right in saying, the Casio CDP-100 is relatively new,
therefore there are not many in the second hand market, but there are lots of
others. This then leads me to look at second hand  Privia and Celviano in their
various models as well as other models.  So the second hand market leaves me
with mind boggling options.

Thank you for your interest.

Best wishes
Pat

—

Hi Graham,

Already put your piano guide (and your email response to another query) to good use.
As of earlier today I purchased a Classenti CDP1 (from ebay). Would have also been
happy to buy a new one from UK Pianos, but wasn’t so keen on waiting until end of
July for availability.

So sorry I didn’t put any further business your way, but I’m really impressed with
your approach to customer service. Very impressive.

Regards,
Mark

—

Hi Graham

I’m in Honduras where there is a high level of humidity, termites, and only
two qualified piano tuners in the whole country.  So, even though I am an
acoustic classical pianist (amatuer but at a fairly high level — studied
piano for more than 20 years and I have a degree in music) I came to
understand the value and technological advancement of contemporary digital
pianos.

I was thinking about importing a piano, but that would mean in addition to
paying for the piano I would incur about 25% import duties and the cost of
shipping.  Here is my journey.  At first I was looking at Yamahas and had
the opportunity to ‘test drive’ a Yamaha CLP 380 in Manhattan, USA, during
the summer.  I was disappointed in the quality of the sound and the volume.
So, in the same store I tried the CVP 501 and 505.  I was more satisfied
with the sound of the CVPs, but wasn’t certain I needed all the bells and
whistles and, even though I most enjoyed the 505, I knew I would have to
settle for the 501 because of the price.  I called back the dealer in
Florida who had originally convinced me to consider a Yamaha digital and he
inspired doubt by being surprised at my choices, then saying I should
consider the higher level Yamahas, F01 modus and even the Avant Grands,
which I cannot afford.

Okay, back to the drawing board and dying for a piano here.  Wish I’d have
packed my upright acoustic Baldwin in the shipping container!  When
travelling to San Jose Costa Rica I had an opportunity to play the Roland
RG-1 (I think it might have been a previous model) and found I really liked
the Roland sound better.  Then, I began reading in depth the blogs on the
Internet and began to understand the comparative technologies and mechanisms
of the Yamaha vs. Roland vs. Kawai, etc.  Currently, I am thinking about
getting a RD700 NX (a stage piano) because they will have them in Honduras
for test playing in late November and I wouldn’t have to import a piano.  I
know I would have to buy speakers, bench, stands, etc. to accompany it and
it is not a great looking piece of furniture.  If I had the money, I’d
probably buy the LX01F or the RG-1F or RG-3F.  I would probably consider an
HP 307 if they had one in Honduras, but paying $4000 for the HP307 or $5000
for the LX-10F in addition to import duties (I think they are about 25%) and
shipping does not make sense.

I am a bit concerned about how the RD 700 NX might sway as you play, even if
it is placed on a sturdy stand.  However, the speakers are better and better
placed than even on the HP307 and I’m not keen on the design of the cabinet
of the HP307.  I narrowed down my search of Roland models to those that had
both the PHAIII action and the Supernatural Sound.  As you can see, I’ve
come a long way in my digital journey from acoustic piano because of
necessity.

Thank you for your inquiry.  Hope all is going well with the market in UK.
I moved to Honduras from Philadelphia more than a year ago.  It has been
very interesting.

Sally

—

“I’m in my early 50s and have owned maybe 5 or 6 pianos in my lifetime…”

My latest is a Korg Concert-3500 digital which I purchased for around $2,000 USD
maybe 15 years ago.  There are about 5 onboard sounds, otherwise I run it
through a Roland SC-88 tone generator, linked through Cakewalk Sonar 9 on my
computer, etc. etc.  I’ve just been feeling that my Korg is getting tired; or
perhaps I’m getting tired of the Korg.

I have always loved Kawai pianos ever since I heard my first one (an acoustic of
course) in the early 70s.  I’m sold on the digital realm and understand (as
confirmed by your publication) that technology has advanced leaps and bounds.
Also, why would I need an acoustic as they eventually go out of tune, again and
again…?  Accordingly, I am pretty much sold on the Kawai CP139.  It goes for
around $5,000 USD on the “street.”  I briefly considered the next step up, the
CP179, but I couldn’t find enough enhancements to justify the $3,000 USD
increase in price.

Why have I not yet obtained it?  Well, first off, what’s the hurry?  I DO plan
on purchasing it however just as soon as I determine where I can get the best
deal.  I am in California and regrettably, we have about a 10% sales tax here.
Quick math tells you that I would have to pay an extra $500!!  Now, there are
eight states in the United States without ANY sales tax.  Conveniently, Oregon
(a state directly to the north of us) is one of those.  However, Kawai
dealerships are few and far between.  There are only approximately 6 in the
entire state of Oregon (which is about the size of Germany).  The closest one is
about 390 miles from me.  I’ve also read that stores don’t give price quotes on
the phone, so that threw a monkey wrench in the proceedings.  haha.  There IS a
shop in Berkeley (you’ve heard of Berkely, right?) which is about 17 miles to
the north of me, that has the CP139.  I actually tried it there and loved the
bottom end.  Otherwise I’ve printed the entire manual and can’t wait.  I love
that it has all the bells and whistles, etc.  I will definitely completely use
this piano and have fun in all regards with it.  There’s another shop in San
Jose (about 35 miles to my south) that probably has it.  I need to visit them.
I’m waiting on an ex of mine to fly back home from Seattle and we’ll go there
together (she’ll be good with at least the cabinetry choices)

Anyway, that’s where I’m at.  I know the above is very jumbled, but it’s about
11pm here and I have to go to work tomorrow so I’m not EVEN going to un-jumble
it or maybe even run a spelling check (haha).  At first I thought your emails to
me were canned.  Maybe most of the verbiage was, but since you are asking
specific questions and it is an interesting subject re a hobby I’ve been
immersed with for many years — AND you’re nice about things — I thought I’d
favor you with this reply.

I’m going to buy this thing sometime in the very immediate future because I want
it and at my age have the money.   After, I’m happy to give a review, but bear
in mind that my review would not be “weighted” against any number of other
pianos.  I’m not a professional reviewer but rather a guy who thinks this is the
right thing for him.

Mike, San Leandro, CA, USA

~ Baldwin Piano Company Lays Off 34 Employees

In an effort to streamline its operations, Baldwin Piano, Inc. of Trumann, laid off 34 employees last week. The Baldwin Company made the job cuts announcement on Monday, Jan. 28.

acoustic piano – the name that describes a piano with a soundboard and strings: upright, grand and baby grand pianos

baby grand piano – the smallest type of grand piano

boudoir grand piano – a medium sized grand piano

celviano – Casio’s brand name for their range of AP digital piano

clavinova – Yamaha’s brand name for their range of digital pianos: Yamaha CVP and Yamaha CLP models

conservatory piano – a medium sized grand piano, often found in the conservatory of large homes

digital keyboard – another name for an electronic keyboard

digital piano – a piano that produces sound electronically

electric keyboard –  another name for an electronic keyboard

electric piano – another name for a digital piano

electronic keyboard – a much smaller version of the digital piano but the keys are very light

electronic piano – another name for a digital piano

grand piano – an acoustic piano that sits on the floor horizontally

hammer – the part that hits the piano strings to produce and acoustic piano’s sound

horizontal piano – another name for the acoustic grand piano

iron frame – the iron frame is found in upright and grand pianos, it holds the tension of the strings

keybed – the part of an acoustic piano that holds the piano keys level

keyboard – a much smaller version of the digital piano but the keys are very light

music keyboard – another name for an electronic keyboard

musical keyboard – another name for an electronic keyboard

over damped – describes an old fashioned upright piano that has “dampers” above the hammers, an inferior system to the modern piano

overstrung – all modern pianos are overstrung; the bass strings cross over the treble strings. This produces a better sound becuase of the increased length

piano keyboard – another name for an electronic keyboard

piano tuning – the art of making the twelve semitones of the piano sound equal. Also known as equal temperament.

portable piano –  also commonly called “stage piano”. These pianos are designed with portability in mind, they have heavy keys like a piano and all the musical instrument sounds of a digital piano

privia – Casio’s brand name for their lightweight revolutionary digital pianos

stage piano – also commonly called “portable piano”. These pianos are designed with portability in mind, they have heavy keys like a piano and all the musical instrument sounds of a digital piano. Used mainly by travelling musicians

tuning – the art of turning turning pegs on an acoustic piano to produce the correct sound

tyros – Yamaha’s famous brand name for their top of the range keyboard

under damped – all modern acoustic pianos are under damped. This system is more reliable than the old overdampers. The underdamping system stops the note immediately after releasing the key

upright piano – a vertical acoustic piano that is designed to stand up against the wall. The upright piano takes up far less room than a grand piano

vertical piano – another name for the acoustic upright piano

Hi Graham

I have an important question to ask, this can affect my decision on buying one.

My flat is quite small and the only place I can place the piano is the
livingroom. My kitchen is an open kitchen, and the whole flat tends to have a
lot of condensation. Can digital pianos survive in humid areas in the long term?

regards

Rebecca

Reply/ Hi Rebecca

Digital pianos are OK with heat or cold, but
they don’t get on well with condensation…

Condensation can affect the electronics inside
the piano.

The best thing to do would be to keep it as
far away from the part of the kitchen you
do your cooking.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

“Is high gloss polished ebony worth paying more for?”

Hi Graham,

I need your advice regarding the maintanence (Yamaha Clavinova) for polished ebony, black walnut, dark rosewood
and mahogany. Which one among them that is easy to take care of?

The reason for this question is that the price list for polished ebony (PE) seems to be £300++ difference from
the rest, hence, I wonder whether it is worthwhile to spend for PE or perhaps, it is just cosmetic.

Your advise is highly appreciated.

Thank you,

Regards,
Ahmad

Reply/ Hi Ahmad

You raise a very important question. And it’s one
I often hear in the piano showroom when families
are considering colour choices.

The easiest finishes to maintain are the satin ones.

Polished high gloss finishes (especially black) show
dust and finger prints more. They also scratch more
easily.

But whichever finish you choose, it will look good
for years if you look after it.

Tips:

• Keep the piano out of direct sunlight
• Keep the piano at least a few inches away from a radiator
• Don’t leave the piano turned on if you’re not playing it
• Don’t place sharp objects on it (picture frames, toys etc.)
• Always use a soft cloth when wiping it over

Paying £300+  more for a high gloss finish is only
worth it if the piano compliments the room it’s in.
In the right setting the high gloss finish looks stunning.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

“Our dilemma is whether we carry on with the one we have, incurring further costs, or
whether we should buy a new one.”

Hi Graham

Thanks for your offer of help, the digital
piano book was really helpful and interesting.

Our church has a Roland KR-177 which is about 15-16 years old – the church
is cold and damp during the week when not in use but it’s been fine until
the last few months.  We had a problem with a note which would occasionally
sound very loudly or not at all – then it became increasingly worse until we
had someone out to repair and service it.  All was fine for a couple of
weeks but then the note next to it is beginning to suffer the same fate,
despite the chap saying all was well with it.  We leave the piano on and
covered during the week and this seems to limit the problem.  The previous
repair bill came to £150.

Our dilemma is whether we carry on with the one we have, incurring any
further costs, or whether we should bite the bullet and pay out for a new
one.  Is it likely that this kind of problem will keep recurring? It’ll only
take 5 repairs for us to have bought a new fairly decent one!!  We are a
very small church – only about 30-40 people attend and the room is only the
size of a large lounge, and we only need something very basic.  I have been
looking at an Aurus at our local retailer which is for sale at £750 (and I
get 10% as a piano teacher discount) would this be good enough, and do you
think it more prudent to repair or buy new?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Many thanks

Carolyn Port (Mrs)

Reply/

Hi Carolyn

Repair bills (as you have discovered) can be
incredibly expensive on digital pianos.

And a piano that’s over 15 years old is likely
to be on its last legs.

I recommend replacing it with a brand new
digital piano.

The YDP141 can be purchased online for £576
including delivery. Click on the link below:

http://budurl.com/Gear4Musicydp141

Let me know if you’d like me to recommendation
some suitable pianos for your church.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

“Can you give me some advice about whether digital pianos tolerate room heat better than
an upright?”

We are redecorating a room and are considering getting rid of our old
upright piano (which we are told by our tuner is on its last legs anyway)
and getting a digital piano. This is for my 11 year old to learn on and one
of our other children to play occasionally.

My view is that a digital will make better use of space (it is not a large
room), plus we are installing a wood burning stove in the room and don’t
have any choice but to position the piano within a couple of metres of it.
So whilst I’m sure that your advice will be to keep any instrument away from
a heat source as much as possible, we don’t have a lot of choice. The stove
won’t be on al the time, by the way, a radiator is also in the room but
further from the piano.

Given our limitation on where we can place it, would you consider a digital
piano to be a better bet than an upright if this close to a heat source?

Many thanks,

Richard Luscombe

Reply/ Hi Richard

Digital pianos are much more resiliant when it
comes to heat.

This is because they are made predominantly
from mdf and plastic. Whereas a traditional
upright piano consist of mostly wood.

Heat isn’t usually a problem for digital pianos.
Only condensation is something to aware of.
The piano’s electronics can fail if subjected
to high levels of condensation.

Steam from the kitchen is something to be
careful with. But from a wood stove… it’s
absolutely fine.

Upright pianos are happiest if kept in a
room with a constant temperature. Also not too
hot, and not too cold.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

“Is it better to keep the piano switched on or off when not in use?”

Could you advise on whether or not it is better to keep the
digital piano switched on, rather than having it switched on and off
continuously throughout the day? My instincts tell me it’s better for the
digital piano and the environment to switch it off at all times when not in use,
but I wasn’t sure (it’s an old one, so I didn’t know if it was doing more harm
by turning it on and off 6 times a tday….).

Many thanks for your time and looking forward to hearing from you.

Best,
Tiffany

Reply/ I advise turning your piano off when it’s not
in use. This is more a safety issue really. But
it will also help preserve your piano’s life.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

“What other actions would your recommend in maintaining a digital piano?”

Graham,

I have question for you.

In response to a question on your web site (www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-digital-piano-questions),
you stated:

“The CLP340 is a well-built piano and will last for 10+ years if looked after.”

I have had a Clavinova hand me down that is about 12 years old.  It has been
the work horse of our family and has provided great service to our family
and children.  About the only thing we have done is dust it and teach the
children to treat it with respect.

Considering I am going to take delivery on a Clavinova CLP-340 here in a
couple of days, I found your comment interesting.

What other actions would your recommend in maintaining a digital piano.

Getting it tuned yearly? – Joking of course

Thanks for your reply.

Reply/ Hi

Of course, if a digital piano is not played then it
should last over 30 years…

The main reason a digital piano has a shorter lifespan
than an acoustic piano is that the moving parts wear out.

The moving parts are made from plastic and metal. An
acoustic piano uses wood, felt and leather. This is
much harder wearing.

To maintain your piano you should keep it away from
direct sunlight, steam from cooking, and heat sources.

If you have to put it near a radiator then leave a
gap of at least 6 inches, and keep the heating on
as low a setting as you can live with.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

Do you happen to know of a good PC program that will teach me about chords
and maybe rhythm?

I bought one a few years ago, but it wasn’t much good
unfortunately.

Many Thanks, Gaz

Answer/ Hi Gaz

I don’t know much about PC programmes but I do know
that the Piano Chord Finder will probably be of great
help to you.

Regards,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

Question/ Hi Graham. I’m progressing, however, not as quickly as I possibly should! I’m enjoying the experience and I will continue practicing. I signed up to Rocket Piano’s six free lessons, so far so good. About three weeks ago The Independent newspaper was sponsoring a seven day Learn to Play musical course in conjunction with Gigajam & Yamaha.

I bought the newspaper for the seven days and followed the course for the keyboard, seems OK. I wonder if you could check it out and compare it with Rocket Piano?

Regards, John

Answer/ Hi John. I took a quick look at the GigaJam piano/keyboard lessons offered
by Yamaha and the content it offers looks very good.

I haven’t studied their whole course in detail so I am not able to
comment on it in the way I would like.

Rocket Piano, however, I have studied and played through the whole
course and SO FAR it is the most comprehensive and easy-to-follow
piano/keyboard course I have seen.

My recommendation is to go for the Rocket Piano course – it will teach
you need to everything you need to know.

Here is the link: www.ukpianos.co.uk/rocket-piano-online-course1

Regards,
Graham Howard
UKPianos.co.uk

Question/ Are web based training courses suitable for a starter or would it be better to take lessons locally?

Answer/ Hi Terence

You might want to have a few lessons online before
paying for a private teacher. It’s good to learn
some of the basics in your own time before
committing to a course of lessons.

The most comprehensive – and easiest to follow –
online piano course is the Rocket Piano, by
Ruth Searle.

… This is the best online course by far. It’s
packed full of really useful tips and simple
lessons.

I can confidently recommend it to you.

Click here to find out more about Rocket Piano.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard

If you want a printed course, then I recommend this highly:

Hejran’s Piano Method Book 1 (Ideal for children and adult beginners)

“What’s an arpegio?”

Question/ Thank you for your piano lesson. I look forward to your next. What is an arpeggio?

Answer/ Hi there

I am happy to hear you are enjoying my piano lessons.

In answer to your question, an arpeggio is a type of scale. If you place your right thumb (finger 1 ) on middle C and then place finger 2 on E and finger 3 on G you are playing a C major chord. If you were to play these one after the other then you would call this an arpeggio – it is like a broken chord. This may seem confusing to you at this early stage but I’m sure you will pick things up quickly.

What is the Howard Score?

It is the industry standard rating system for digital pianos.

Every digital piano is evaluated for authenticity on the 13 aspects of key touch and 15 aspects of sound. Each aspect is calculated and multiplied by an importance factor, ending up with an accurate overall authenticity score out of 100.

To receive a free copy just fill in your first name,
email address and the piano(s) you’re interested in:

Why the Howard Score is useful, and what you can use it for…

If you’re deliberating between similar pianos from different makes then you no longer need to spend hours traipsing round different shops to try them out, then trying to remember how each one sounded or how the key touch felt… all you need to do is refer to the Howard Score.

Most piano shops stock only one or two leading piano brands. So it’s virtually impossible to find somewhere that displays lots of different pianos to try out and compare.

You don’t have to go to a piano shop to compare pianos anymore…

Up until now, the only way to compare piano brands and models was to visit 2 or 3 different piano shops. Even if you had the time and patience to do that you’d still have to take notes, or remember how each one felt and sounded…

Now all you need to do is check the Howard Score for each piano!

The Howard Score gives all digital pianos a rating for:

1) Key touch
2) Sound
3) Howard Score (Total Score)

To receive a free copy just fill in your first name,
email address and the piano or pianos you’re interested in (if you know that):

Here is a list of points analysed:

Key Touch (in order of importance – most important first)

1) Key weight (Light-weighted, semi-weighted, weighted, medium-weighted, fully-weighted, heavy-weighted)

2) Touch sensitivity (also known as ‘dynamic levels’) (i) Number of levels: 1,2,3,4 or 5? (ii) Responsiveness of each sensitivity level (Applied force for each sensitivity level to achieve the correct dynamic) (iii) Smoothness when changing between sensitivity levels

3) Resistance on key descent (i) How closely it replicates a real piano on the various stages of descent (ii) Smoothness (Any obstruction or unevenness/unnatural heaviness to the key at any point of descent?)

4) Force and speed replication on key ascent (How close it replicates a real piano)

5) Weight of individual keys compared to adjacent ones

6) Repetition (How easy to play the same note quickly?)

7) Key noise at bottom of keystroke (Volume/pitch of thud) (i) volume mid-way (ii) volume off (The ‘next room test’)

8) Key noise when key returns (Click, thud or plop) (i) volume mid-way (ii) volume off (The ‘next room test’)

9) Sideways play (How much movement? Any clicking apparent from touching adjacent black or white keys?)

10) Feel of key tops under fingers (Smooth? Even? Plasticky? Slippery? Sticky?)

11) Bouncing keys (Do keys bounce at bottom when playing quietly?)

12) Graded hammer action (Yes/no: how accurate is it?)

13) Set-off (Yes/no: how weak or strong?)

Sound (in order of importance – most important first)

1) Tonal quality (Authenticity – how natural it sounds): weak/strong, boomy/clear, muddy/rich, false/pure, harsh/warm, dull/crisp, flat/bright and clarity for the following areas of the keyboard: (i) Bass (ii) Low bass (iii) Low treble (iv) Centre (v) Mid treble (vi) High treble (vii) Top octave

2) Note decay (i) Length of note decay at p, mf, ff – test bass, centre, treble and top (ii) How natural is note decay? – Rate sound natural or synthetic on a sliding scale at p, mf, ff – test bass, centre, treble and top (iii) How good is the looping disguised?

3) Tuning (i) Equal temperament: test accuracy of centre octave, bass and treble (ii) Octave stretching

4) Tonal balance (i) Evenness of tone throughout the keyboard (ii) Smoothness between individual notes and octaves

5) Tone quality and volume level on each sensitivity level

6) Speed of sound response after striking key (Immediate or delay?)

7) Piano sound from the audience’s point of view (i) Listening from a short distance away from the piano (ii) Listening from a nearby room

8) Tonal quality with headphones (The original sound source): weak/strong, boomy/clear, muddy/rich, false/pure, harsh/warm, dull/crisp, flat/bright and clarity for the following areas of the keyboard: (i) Bass (ii) Low bass (iii) Low treble (iv) Centre (v) Mid treble (vi) High treble (vii) Top octave

9) Speaker sound (What type and volume of sound/distortion is coming from the speakers: Hissing? Humming? Crackling?) (i) Whilst playing (ii) With ears close to the speakers

10) Tone quality and crispness level on repetition

11) Distortion test on maximum volume level

12) Harmonics (Are the harmonics clear and correct through each register? Test each sensitivity level)

13) Tone quality when using pedals (i) Sustain pedal (ii) Soft pedal (una corda)

14) Volume (Is it too loud or too quiet on maximum? Is it the same as a real piano on mid setting? Is it still audible on a low setting?)

15) Reverb (i) Reverb turned off (Measurement of natural reverb and string resonance) (ii) Different reverb settings

To receive a free copy of the Howard Score just fill in your first name,
email address and the piano or pianos you’re interested in (if you know that):

Copyright

All contents Copyright © 2012-2020 Graham Howard. All rights reserved.

The Howard Score list by rank, list by brand, list by category, and all content on this page is registered with the UK Copyright Service, registration number 284660139.

This information may be freely distributed in its entirety provided that this copyright notice is not removed. But, no part of it may be published on the internet, or offline, nor copied, reproduced, or altered, without the prior written permission of Graham Howard.

Graham Howard – Author and Piano Advisor.
Email for piano advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
or Call 01327 300 016

Comments…

“The Howard Score enabled me to find the best instrument for a price I could afford”

Needed help to decipher which digital piano would best suit my needs. Used the Howard Score, kindly sent by Graham Howard of UK pianos, which enabled me to find the best instrument I could afford. It is concise and informative. His website is full of useful information and reviews which I found most helpful.

Helen Steele

“I don’t need to spend hours in the showroom trying pianos!”

Your chart gives me the opportunity to evaluate the sound quality.
And this is well worth while.

Maurice

“Thank you for all the information you have painstakingly put together”

As a complete novice I really appreciate it.

Leda

“I don’t know how you keep up with all the different models”

Dear Graham,

Many thanks – this is really good stuff. How does the Yamaha CGP 1000 fit in?
One problem with Yamaha in particular is trying to compare the CLP and CVP and hybrid ranges, and you have addressed this quite well.

Many thanks for your efforts in informing us all, and I must come over and visit your shop.

Regards,

Philip

“Howard Ranking System is a priceless thing for everyone looking for a digital piano”

I am about to choose a digital piano for myself as have got all necessary information from this and The Digital Piano Bible. Read them carefully. Probably you will never and nowhere find anything similar to it for free and what is more important – in clear and understandable way.
Thank you for the great job.

Dmitriy

“The howard score is for anybody who can’t run around shops to try every piano available”

Hi Graham.
It helped me a lot to understand basic parameters and specifications of electronic pianos, to thing about what is important for me and what is not. It helped me to narrow the choice so that finally I had to personally test about 3 models only.
The site will not choose for you. You must always make final decision. Sometimes it is even different from UKpianos recommendations. Choosing piano is very personal.
However, at least you make your decision very well informed.
I can fully recommend this site.

Petr

Graham,

Thanks for your scoring of pianos. I am sure some will be upset that their favourite piano is not listed or poorly rated, and I hasten to add that I am not in that camp.

Regards, Jon

“The Howard Score made the whole process of choosing a piano at a distance without a showroom possible”

Coupled with the price, the Howard Scoring helped me whittle down my choices to a manageable number.
I then checked the sound of each instrument on Youtube.
A useful tool in choosing a piano online.
Thank you Howard for spending the time and effort to put this list together.

Review by Louise Langhorn

“Highly recommended reading for anyone looking to invest in a piano”

I have been searching for a good second hand Clavinova for around 6 months but not being a player myself (piano is for my 3 kids) I was totally bamboozled by all of the technical jargon I kept coming across. I found Howard Piano Score on line whilst searching for advice.  A couple of clicks and e-mails after I first found the site I found myself reading a buyer’s guide which has helped me so much to better understand exactly what I want and need.  Saved myself from buying what would have been a really poor choice of piano because I had been taken in by the seller’s jargon.  Highly recommended reading for anyone looking to buy a piano (and not wanting to pay a fortune for something which doesn’t meet your needs).

Steve Nally

Graham’s website provides masses of helpful information to guide you through the minefield of choosing a digital piano.
I had nearly made my mind up, and then his Howard Score confirmed the choice. Many thanks for the help

Sara Davies

“Thank you very much”

I asked for it more out of interest, since I bought last Christmas the CVP 701. Choices here in Brasil are a little bit limited, but thanks a lot for your Piano guide. It helped a lot at that time!!!
Personally I played roughly 12 years piano on a traditional piano (Schimmel) but due to business issues I stopped for several years and returned playing this year on the digital.
I am quite happy with the instrument, though the speakers could be a little bit better. With my headphones, even though in no way High End, I get a much better sound.
Once again thank you very much for the guide and the score.

Best regards

Ralf

“Helped me make my decision”

I found the Howard scoring system extremely helpful. I was undecided as to what make and model to go for but after going through the scoring chart and asking a few relevant questions I have made my decision.
Thank you, Terry

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“I found it useful”

Hi Graham,

I received the score and found it very useful, thank you very much.

Deniz

I hate Facebook, so I’d like to tell you I am impressed with your commitment to your business and your excellent Howard score. I do intend to make the time to come to Enfield and try out a piano even though its a long trip from Somerset, (M25-ugh!)

Keith

“Helped me to decide”

Dear Mr Howard,

Thank you for sending me your score. It is indeed very useful in helping me in understanding different levels of quality in digital pianos. Your score, together with available info about piano prices, have really given a useful info in deciding my choice so that for a certain range of price I can get the best digital piano.

Many thanks and regards, Ratna

“Graham Howard is to be commended”

The Howard Score is invaluable when trying to make a decision about which digital piano is the best one for your circumstances. All the hard work has been done, and it allows you to pick two or three candidate pianos based on price, touch, etc., which you can then test out (and you do have to test them out, so that you are comfortable with the choices you have made).

For my price-range and general requirements, I used the Howard Score to short-list two pianos, a Roland and a Yamaha, and I finally ended up buying the Yamaha, mainly because the two were so closely alike that it finally came down to price, and the Yamaha was about £400 cheaper. Graham Howard is to be commended for all the work he has done with the Score, along with his Digital Piano Bible, which are both regularly updated.

Dale Samson

“Your ranking list was incredibly useful”

Short of time I only used your ranking list to get an understanding of the value of the incredibly many models I came across when searching the Internet and learned a lot only by that! Thanks a lot! I meant to read it all, but time just passes too quickly. But I got a piano and use some of my time playing on it. It is mainly for my daughter who started taking lessons 2 years ago, and she enjoys it a lot too! Plays much more often now. Found a very old model, CVP 92, by chance and bought it without reallly understanding how bad or good it would be. For being so old (and low priced), I must say I am very content. The only disturbance is the somewhat loud noise of the keys. But as a starter´s piano, it is great. Now I can afford a really good piano chair too 😉

Thanks again for your awesome impressing job with the guide!
Regards, Ann

“So user friendly”

Thanks a lot for your amazing rating and guide it is so user friendly and allows to make a well balanced decision.

Sveta

“Really valuable”

Hi Graham,

Thank you for the Howard Score information which has been really valuable when considering a digital piano. The ebook has been brilliant too in helping to get to grips with the various features and jargon used by the various manufacturers.

John

“Fast to read and easy to understand”

Your opinion in one sentence
Very good. A lot of information in ONE place!

As I’m going to buy a digital piano, I found all the information very useful.  The rating system is fast to read and easy to understand.

brgds, Gian

“Thanks for the guide”

Thanks a lot for the guide, it was really useful. And you were so right about Yamaha NU1 being so much better than Kawai CS9.

Regards
Spencer

“Thanks for providing the list”

Greetings Howard:
Thank you for providing the comparative list of digital pianos to begin with, never mind radically updating it with transient information. It is better to look up prices at the time. If you put them into the document, they will be be obsolete in six months anyway. And it really does not matter if they are separated by brand. That would defeat the purpose of the comparison. If they were separate, the mind would have to judge the comparison by numbers alone, and we jelly brains (as opposed to the rock brains of computers) are not so good at that. The list is fine as it is.

I do wish the Kawai MP8 and MP8 II were there. Does the list only include pianos currently being manufactured? It think that is too restrictive, considering I bought mine as a store demo, and many are being traded second hand. I await your scoring of the MP6 and MP10.
Thanks for all your effort. Cheers,
Kurt

“It’s a really big help”

Hey Graham,
I can tell you’ve and your team have put a lot of effort into this system, and I would like to say that it’s a really big help to anyone considering getting a new keyboard. Great work!
Regards, Lawrence

I was being inquisitive in your scoring for the digital pianos
and was pleased to see my cvp 709 scored quite highly.

Once again thank you, Albert

I found the Howard score on choosing a digital keyboard piano very helpful indeed.  Thanks to the way he has set out the different models available, I got the keyboard that suited my playing and budget the best.

Caroline

“Outstanding Advice”

Graham Howard of UK Pianos is an outstanding fellow who puts in a lot of work just so that you can choose the right piano and not get burned. Without his advice I’d be playing on a regret right now. I am so thankful for his work and dedication and it is my hope that even though I am in the USA that I would purchase a DP from UK Pianos if they would ship it to me. I am choosing a DP based on Graham Howard’s “Howard Score”. It has been the most useful and helpful reference guide for comparison.
Joshua La Russa

“Thanks very much”

Dear Graham for all your useful information and attachments. I’ve received it.

Rafael from Spain

“5 out of 5 for a piece of helpful advice”

‘Only just thought of possibly buying a digital piano, so clueless to start with. Therefore, the Howard Score is hugely helpful. It makes me aware of the big range of pianos out there and focuses on the two issues I felt most important, touch and quality of sound. Also it helps decide a price range and shows that more expensive doesn’t always mean the best.
I’m now starting to look at digital pianos in the flesh and the Howard Score is very helpful in narrowing the field to make a decision on what’s best for me.

Thanks Howard Score: I’m happy to say 5 out of 5 for a piece of very helpful, and free, advice.
Graham D. Fisher.

Howard’s Score changes pre-conceived ideas and revealed an unexpected “Best Buy”, that made me investigate a brand further, check it out at the Enfield shop, and make a purchase that I think was much better informed.

Mark Harrison

Questions and Answers

Q/ Hi Graham

Thanks for this very useful information.

What might be good is to put the list price of each piano against it. I checked the Yamaha N3 and at over £13k I’m not surprised it top scores, and I’m sure that adding the price would show that in the main you get what you pay for.

I have a CLP635 and am happy with it although I have become aware of its (and my!!) limitations, but then I’m not prepared to pay the extra money to change it for something better.

Regards Peter

A/ Hi Peter

Thanks for your feedback.

I didn’t put the price because this is always changing.
And I wanted the Howard Score to be up-to-date.

The score will never change for those particular models.

Yours pianistically,

Graham Howard