” The two most important things you need from a digital piano when you’re learning is a realistic touch and an authentic piano tone. It must feel close to the weight and response of a real piano and have a minimum of 4 dynamic levels. Size, weight, and ‘bells and whistles’ shouldn’t be a deciding factor in your purchase “, Graham Howard, Piano Advisor
Call freephone 0800 358 8880 or email your questions: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
Get my FREE digital piano buyer’s guide here
The complete range of Gewa digital pianos are on display in our North London showroom.
83 Southbury Road, Enfield, EN1 1PJ. Piano Advisor Graham Howard is in store every Saturday.
“Excellent – wonderfully embraces the sound and feeling of a grand piano. Congratulations to you and your team”, Alexander Meinel, professor of piano at the University of Leipzig for Music and Theatre
Gewa pianos – made in Germany
The Vogtland region in Germany not only represents traditional instrument making, but also develops high precision, top quality circuit boards and components for Gewa digital pianos. The production process includes multiple quality controls. Each component and every piano has passed the documented procedure and is 100% made in Germany.
Sampling without loops
The heart of a GEWA Piano is the high performance sound board, which was developed by European hardware and software experts.
A fully developed technique encounters true innovation. 256 note polyphony without any sample loops. The new, extremely fast IC enables a much faster data release off the NAND-Flash memory. As a result you experience all piano functions in real sequence. Sampling without loops. The larger cabinet also enhances the tone quality.“Excellent – wonderfully embraces the sound and feeling of a grand piano. Congratulations to you and your team”, Alexander Meinel, professor of piano at the University of Leipzig for Music and Theatre
Steinway Sound sampling
All Gewa digital pianos were sampled on a Steinway concert grand in Hamburg, Germany.
The Steinway Concert Grand Piano D274 was recorded in a state of the art recording studio in Hamburg, Germany. More than a hundred samples were made. This sound can be heard in all Gewa digital pianos.
Keyboard
Thanks to the use of 3 contact points the “Concert-Pianist” keyboard‘s resolution is on the level of a concert piano when it comes to weighting and repeat performance. The clearly defined and precise touch supports the most advanced playing and is perfectly calibrated to 6 layer samples.
Main circuit board
To address our fine sample library in the memory we need high tech on the sound engine. The German made main circuit board uses a military grade IC that’s able to address the memory ultra fast to achieve this unique sonic performance. The amplifier and power supply are also mounted directly on the circuit board to save resources and make it an efficient and easy way to service the main board.
VSRC
With the VSRC you even hear the soundboard vibrating and the resonance changing inside the cabinet, as the full decay of every key was recorded in every sound layer.
Sampling: A sample is the digital image of the complex sonic structure of a sound.
A Steinway concert grand piano in a state-of-the-art recording studio in Hamburg was meticulously sampled to offer an unrivaled sound experience. Every key was recorded in multiple dynamic layers resulting in several hundred individual samples. Most importantly, the sounds were recorded without looping.
So what you hear striking any key in a GEWA piano is the true sound with the full recorded decay of the fantastic Steinway grand.
Memory
The new, super fast IC enables a much quicker data release off the NAND-Flash memory. As a result you experience all functions
in real sequence. GEWA pianos: 256 note polyphony without any Sample-Loops.
Final Assembly
In Adorf, headquarters of GEWA, the final assembly of the pianos takes place. In keeping with the expectations of the Made-in-Germany emblem, the quality has top priority for the manufacture of Gewa products. Providing best preconditions – meaning the adherence to all EMC guidelines, skilled production workers, optimised processes with integrated quality management and documentation as well as a final performance check based on fixed patterns and processes – each and every piano is manufactured according to these strict guidelines.
Questions
“Do you have any recommendations for good digital pianos?”
Hi Graham,
Thank you very much. We’ve been very busy lately (packing to move to another country next week for a couple of years) but are very excited to read The Digital Piano Bible in a couple of weeks after we settle and choose a piano for our 6 year old daughter. She did around 10 lessons before the summer break and is looking forward to resume her lessons in coming weeks.
Her teacher recommended that we look at Yamaha clp380 (or 370/340/280/270). Depending on budget, her other recommendations were for clp407 and clp609 (these appear to be very expensive models, even second hand). She was saying that clp series 600-685 are ok but have fewer functionalities that keeps children excited. Similarly, Kawai cn27 is but it seems to have a good sound. We are complete beginners (apart from our daughter who did a few lessons) and are looking to buy a piano within a reasonable budget that the whole family can use to learn and enjoy for years to come something that will allow us to progress to an advanced (but not a professional) level.
Once we have a chance to digest The Digital Piano Bible, we’ll have a better understanding of differences between different pianos that will help us make hopefully a good choice. If you have any recommendations for good digital pianos in the meantime, please let me know.
Kind regards,
Ulmas
Reply/ Hi Ulmas
I’ve played all the Yamaha and Kawai digital pianos.
Personally I much prefer the key touch of the Yamaha.
Its firmness of touch feels much closer to a real piano.
The Kawai has a nice touch also, but if feels quite
soft (spongy) at the bottom of the key’s down stroke.
That’s not favourable for my playing. I like to feel
the key reach the bottom. It gives me more control
and I can put more into the music I am playing.
As an alternative, I recommend looking at the new
Gewa digital pianos.
These are completely made in Germany.
The best of the range are the models UP380G,
UP380G/WK and the creme de la creme UP400G.
These are lovely pianos and have a Steinway sound
(sampled on a Steinway concert grand in Hamburg).
The key touch is ultra responsive and feels the same
as playing on a real piano.
The Gewa pianos have extra sounds (as they all do),
but more of the memory is used in the sampling of
the grand piano sound than other manufacturers who
spread the memory out across many instrument sounds…
The result is a full, warm, rounded grand piano tone
that has excellent sustain and long note decay.
I love the sound of the Gewa pianos!
Let me know if you have any questions.
Yours pianistically
Graham Howard
—
“I’m looking to spend below £1,500 and would prefer a well known brand”
Hi Graham
I’m a real beginner but hoping to work up to a decent level and keen to buy a digital piano. I was interested in the Roland HP603 but wondered if you had a view on the HP702? They both seem around the same price point. I’m looking to spend below £1,500 and think I would prefer a well known brand. The other option I was considering is Yamaha CLP 635. Or do you recommend anything else?
Best regards
Crawford
Reply/ Hi Crawford
I’m not keen on the Roland digital pianos anymore.
3 years ago they implemented a new sound sample.
It is not as full and warm as their previous pianos.
I much prefer the sound of makes like Gewa and Kurzweil.
I would like to recommend for you either the
Gewa DP340G or Kurzweil M110.
The Gewa DP340G would be my first choice out
of the two. It’s a newly launched model (made in Germany)
and has a wonderful piano tone…
The sound is taken directly from a Steinway concert
grand. It has a warm, resonant and natural tone –
refreshingly different to the hard tone of most
digital pianos.
What’s more, the DP340G has 5 dynamic levels.
This means you can play a wide range of different
volume levels on each key. This is required for
grade 6 and above.
The Kurzweil M110 is another for you to consider.
And this is one of our best sellers in the £800-£1000
price range.
Like the Gewa DP340G, the Kurzweil M110 is suitable
for up to grade 8 level.
Kurzweil make really good digital pianos.
Both the sound and feel of the keys are close
to a real, acoustic piano.
Here is the Kurzweil M110
Either piano is suitable for learning on right up
to the highest level (grade 8), so you won’t
ever need to upgrade it.
If you could stretch up to the Gewa UP360G
then this has an even more sensitive and
graded key action. The sound is also deeper
and more resonant due to the extra speaker
outlet running the entire length of the piano.
It sounds and plays beautifully.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Kind regards
Graham Howard
—
“I’m looking for digital piano with extra sounds and great speakers”
Hi Graham,
I’m looking for digital piano with extra sounds. Great speakers and a nice bright colour. Not the standard black, walnut… and I am looking in the region of £2000 to £3500 price bracket.
I’ve seen a Dexibell in red but can’t decide if it’s a good buy as very few people stock them.
I’ve seen chase pianos too. In many great colours. But they appear cheap and for beginners.
Thanks in advance.
Kris
Reply/ Hi Kris
I recommend for you the Gewa UP380G.
This sounds and feels very close to an acoustic piano.
It has a really sensitive key feel that allows you to play a
wide range of dynamics. You can put so much expression
into your music… and the sound quality is full, warm and
resonant.
Gewa are the only brand that’s been allowed by Steinway
(some German collaboration thing) to put the Steinway
sound in digital pianos.
You can see the Gewa UP380 here: ukpianos.co.uk/gewa-up380g
They also do a wooden key version: ukpianos.co.uk/gewa-up380gwk
The wooden keys add some firmness to the feel.
Just to let you know also that there is one more model
in the Gewa range that’s above the UP380G.
This is the UP400G.
Being taller than the others in the range, the UP400
looks more like a traditional upright piano.
It also has a more sophisticated 3-way speaker system.
This really shows of the tone quality to its maximum.
A real joy to play!
You can see it here: ukpianos.co.uk/gewa-up400g
Let me know if you would like to come to our
Enfield store and play them.
Yours pianistically
Graham Howard
—
“Can’t decide between digital or acoustic pianos”
I am looking to hire a Piano. I am an adult beginner but can not really decide between the digital or acoustic. I would appreciate any advice you give in regard to this. There is much online regarding touch and feel of an acoustic. However is it the case that as I am a beginner these subtleties would largely be lost on me? Or do I begin initially with an acoustic? It should also be mentioned that my intention is to buy after one year of rental.
Thank you in advance for your kind assistance
Peter Melling
Reply/ Hi Peter
It’s usually best to learn on an acoustic piano because
of the natural sound and feel.
Digital pianos try to emulate this, but most don’t do
it very well.
There are exceptions, of course.
Yamaha Clavinova, Roland, Gewa and Kurzweil are all
decent digital pianos (from £1,000 and up) that feel
and sound close to the real thing.
Or in the lower price range (under £1,000) there are
the Broadway digital pianos that are really good for
the price.
We always have a good range of second hand upright
acoustic pianos all available on the Rent to Buy programme.
Prices range from £40 – £75 per month.
Let me know which colour (dark, medium, or light)
so I can email you some photos and recommendations.
If you would prefer a digital piano then I recommend for
you the Gewa UP380G.
The UP380 is the closest digital piano to an acoustic (under £2,000)
that I’ve played.
It has a really sensitive key feel that allows you to play a
wide range of dynamics. You can put so much expression
into your music… and the sound quality is full, warm and
resonant.
Gewa are the only brand that’s been allowed by Steinway
(some German collaboration thing) to put the Steinway
sound in digital pianos – Vorsprung durch technik!
You can see the Gewa here
They also do a wooden key version: UP380GWK
The Gewa is also available on Rent to Buy for £75 per month.
Let me know if you would like to go ahead with the
rent to buy or have any questions.
Yours pianistically
Graham Howard
—
“Which of these pianos to go for?”
kawai cn39
gewa dp300g
kurzweil mp120
Which do you think is best?
Reply/ Hi John
I recommend the Gewa DP300G and Kurzweil
MP120 digital pianos.
The Gewa would be my first choice.
It’s a newly launched model (made in Germany)
and has a lovely piano tone…
The sound is taken directly from a Steinway concert
grand and has a warm, resonant and natural tone.
What’s more, the DP300G has an extra dynamic level
over most equivalent priced digital pianos.
This makes it suitable for at least grade 8 level.
So it’s a piano you won’t need to upgrade later.
The key touch feels the same as playing on a real
piano. It has the correct weighting and response,
and is very sensitive to the touch. A real joy to play.
You can see the DP300G here
The Kurzweil MP120 is another for you to consider.
And this is one of our best sellers in the £1200-£1500
price range.
Kurzweil make really nice digital pianos.
Both the sound and feel of the keys are close to a
real, acoustic piano.
You can see the Kurzweil MP120 here
Although the Kawai has a nice key feel, I find the
sound too bright and harsh. The Higher models
(£2000 and up) in the Kawai range are an improvement.
The Gewa and Kurzweil pianos all come with a home
warranty. So we come to your home to fix the piano
anywhere in the UK.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Yours pianistically
Graham Howard
—
“Please recommend a digital piano that goes up to grade 8”
Hello Graham,
Reply/
The most realistic digital pianos I’ve played on are
by the German company Gewa.
I recommend for you either the UP360 or UP380.
Their sound is taken directly from a Steinway concert
grand, so they have a warm, resonant and natural tone.
What’s more, both the UP360 and UP380 have
an extra dynamic level over most other equivalent priced
digital pianos. This makes them suitable for at least
grade 8 level… so you won’t need to upgrade later.
The key touch feels the same as playing on a real
piano. They are weighted correctly, and very
sensitive to touch. A real joy to play!
They’re both available on Rent to Buy for £65
or £75 per month.
You can read more about the rental here
Yours pianistically
Graham Howard
—
“What are the key differences between the Gewa models?”
Hi Graham,
I saw on your website that you also have second hand piano, and appears that you may have Gewa DP340 in black available? If so, would you able to advice the condition?
I really like the Gewa after looking into it more, could I ask what are the key differences between the Gewa models? What is the key difference between the DP and UP series?
Thanks.
Jane
Reply/ Hi Jane
Yes, we do have a second hand Gewa DP340G in black.
It is an ex-display model (3 months old) in excellent condition.
The UP series has a graded key action, larger acoustic
resonating box and extra speaker grills.
All this improves the sound output and tone quality.
All digital pianos in the Gewa range have fully-weighted keys,
so the feeling is close to a real piano.
Let me know if you would like to reserve the DP340G
or if you have any more questions.
Kind regards
Graham Howard
—
“We need a nice sounding digital piano for our church”
Dear Graham,
We need something sturdy, not necessarily with fancy other noises, with wheels, weighted/realistic keys and with a decent and room filling sound. It is for the Church vestry used mainly at choir practice. We would need it delivered. It doesn’t have to be 88 keys, but we would prefer that.
Can you recommend on this basis?
Many thanks, Gordon
Reply/ Hi Gordon
The best type of digital piano for your church is
one that has powerful speakers, a sturdy cabinet
and several inputs/outputs for speakers, PA systems,
computer and other electronic devices.
The most popular pianos that churches buy are
the Kurzweil CUP320 and Gewa UP380G.
The Gewa has a more realistic piano sound than
the Kurzweil. It’s full of vibrancy and richness.
Being a really accurate sampling of a Steinway
concert grand piano it sounds close to the real
thing. The Gewa sound would carry best in
your church.
The Gewa key touch is also more responsive.
The Kurzweil has a slightly brighter, more
strident tone. The advantages of Kurzweil
are a more famous brand and the price being
£200 less than the Gewa.
But I find the Gewa more enjoyable to play
due to its warm, sonorous tone throughout
and nicely weighted key feel.
You can see these pianos here:
Gewa UP380GWK
Kurzweil CUP320
Yours pianistically
Graham Howard