Choose a digital piano by checking its headphone socket, key feel and how it will fit in your room. Headphones let you avoid playing the piano sound through the speakers, but they don’t eliminate audible key noise or vibrations. Kawai describes the ES120’s key cushioning as a product feature, not a guarantee of silence. For an intro that calls for precise touch and sustain, compare the keyboard and pedal functions before weighing up accessories or extra sounds.
You want to repeat an intro without playing the piano sound through speakers every time. Roland describes headphone use with the FP-10. Bear in mind that key noise may still be audible, and agree practice times with your housemates if needed.
Pay attention to touch, repeated notes, timing and pedal use. Roland lists a metronome for the FP-10; also check which pedal is suitable for the sustain you want.
You have limited space or want to be able to move the instrument. Compare the model’s dimensions and allow room for a stand and a seat.
Start by deciding how you want to listen. Then check that the touch and pedal suit your intro, and measure the space available for your complete playing setup.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Listening with headphones | Check whether the exact model has a headphone socket, and try it out to see if key noise is still audible where you plan to play. | If you often practise while your housemates are at home, you may not want the piano sound playing through speakers. Around 36% of consumers prioritise practising without sound from the speakers. |
| Touch, timing and sustain | Try the passage on the keyboard and check that the pedal function suits your intro. Roland lists a metronome for the FP-10 and says the DP-10 pedal for half-pedalling is optional. | If you want to play notes both softly and loudly, or let them ring out, the keyboard and pedal controls will be key to your choice. Around 29% of consumers prioritise how the intro is played. |
| Space and portability | Measure the space for the instrument, stand and seat; compare the dimensions and weight of the exact version. | If space is limited or you want to move the piano, the complete setup needs to fit in your room. Around 21% of consumers prioritise space and portability. |
| Accessories you need | Check which pedal function you need and what comes with the version you’ve chosen. Kawai describes an optional stand and triple pedal unit for the ES120. | If you want to use the piano straight away with a suitable stand or pedal, you’ll want to know in advance which parts you still need. Around 14% of consumers focus on having a complete playing setup. |
Headphones change how the piano sound is played, but they don’t prove that key presses or vibrations will be inaudible in a shared home.
Try the keyboard where you plan to play and agree practice times with your housemates if needed. Kawai describes the ES120’s key cushioning as a product feature, not as a measured noise level in your home.
An included basic pedal doesn’t necessarily provide the half-pedalling that a particular passage may call for. Roland says the DP-10 pedal for half-pedalling is optional with the FP-10.
Check which pedal action your intro requires and which parts are included with the exact version.
If your passage requires a specific pedal function, you may need to buy a suitable pedal separately.
A Joybuy product listing for the MLS-931 specifies 61 keys. Whether it’s suitable therefore depends on whether all the notes in your intro fall within that range.
Check the required key range and try the touch before choosing a model.
The P-225 is a portable digital piano with a weighted keyboard.
According to Roland, the FP-10 combines a portable design with a PHA-4 Standard keyboard.
The CDP-S110BK is a portable digital piano with a relatively slim casing.
The ES120 is a portable digital piano that lets you take touch and setup into account.
According to the specifications cited, the B2 is an 88-key model with an NH keyboard.
Joybuy picks with 61 keys for practising a song intro; check that the key range covers the notes you need.
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Consider this model if all the notes in your song intro fall within its 61-key range.
61 keys; black.
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The weighted keyboard may be worth considering if you want to assess the touch. Choose this model only if its 61 keys cover the range of your intro.
61 keys; weighted keyboard; black.
No. Headphones don’t guarantee that key noise or vibrations will be inaudible. Roland describes headphone playback for the FP-10; Kawai lists key cushioning as a product feature of the ES120, not as a guarantee of silence in your home.
You can practise the passage slowly and use a metronome if you like; Roland lists this feature for the FP-10. Also check that the pedal provides the sustain your intro calls for.
Measure the space, including room for a stand and a seat, and check the power supply, pedal and headphone socket on the exact version. Casio and Kawai list different dimensions and accessories for the models mentioned.
The seller must offer a solution if the product isn’t as it should be; a manufacturer’s warranty is in addition to your statutory rights. According to the Dutch government, there is no fixed statutory warranty period in the Netherlands: what you can expect depends, among other things, on the product, its price and the information you were given.
