If you mainly practise alone, choose an instrument with a key range and touch that suit your duet part. A 61-key keyboard may be enough if it covers all the notes, while an 88-key digital piano offers a wider range. Headphones prevent sound coming through the speakers, but they won’t make the keys themselves inaudible. If you want to play together on one instrument, check that the duo or twin function suits both parts and consider how each player can listen.
You usually practise alone while other people are at home. Headphones stop the instrument’s sound coming through the speakers, but they won’t automatically muffle the sound of the keys. Roland lists headphone use for the FP-10; it’s also worth agreeing practice times with the people you live with.
Your part may call for a wide key range, a particular touch or pedal use. Compare the notes with the keyboard and check which pedals are needed for the performance. For example, Yamaha lists an optional three-pedal unit for the P-145BT.
You may sometimes want to play side by side. Check that the shared playing areas suit both parts and how you’ll both listen. Roland describes Twin Piano on the FP-10 as having duplicated octaves; this doesn’t automatically mean that every duet part will fit that layout.
A good fit if: your part fits within its range and you’re looking for an instrument you can put away regularly.
Bear in mind: it has a narrower range than an 88-key piano, and touch-sensitive keys are not the same as a weighted piano keyboard.
A good fit if: your part calls for a wider piano range or a particular piano touch, and you have room for the setup.
Bear in mind: the instrument takes up space; check whether you’ll need to buy a stand or more extensive pedal setup separately.
A good fit if: you want piano keys and need to make the most of limited cabinet depth.
Bear in mind: a shallow depth tells you nothing about the width you’ll need or the space required for a stand and music rest.
When practising in a shared home, it helps to check the range of your part first, then consider how you’ll listen and play together, and finally measure the space available for the setup.
| Consideration | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet practice | Check the headphone socket on the exact model and agree practice times with the people you live with. | I want to practise while other people are at home and listen through headphones, without assuming the keys will be silent. Around 40% of consumers put quiet practice first. |
| Key range and touch | Compare the highest and lowest notes in your part with the keyboard; check whether you need weighted keys or sustain. | If my part calls for a wide range or a particular piano touch, I want to know before I buy. Around 30% of consumers give range and touch top priority. |
| Playing together | Compare both parts with the layout of the duo or twin function and check how many headphone sockets there are. | When we practise side by side on one instrument, the keyboard layout needs to work for both of us. Around 20% of consumers make playing together their top priority. |
| Space and storage | Measure the available width and depth, including the stand and music rest; decide whether you’ll move the instrument regularly. | In a shared room, I want to know whether the instrument and the complete setup will fit. Around 10% of consumers put placement and storage first. |
Duo and twin functions split or duplicate playing areas, so the notes in a duet part may fall outside that layout.
Compare both parts with the function description in the manual for the exact model.
Your setup also needs room for its width, stand and music rest. Yamaha lists the P-145BT as 1.326 mm wide; Korg lists the stand and three-pedal unit for the B2 as accessories.
Measure the full playing area and check what’s included with the version on offer.
You may need to buy a suitable stand or a more extensive pedal setup separately.
Headphones prevent sound coming through the speakers, but they don’t guarantee that people you live with won’t hear the keys being played or the sound of the setup.
Agree practice times and assess how noisy your chosen setup is in your own home.
The PSR-E383 is a 61-key keyboard, while the P-145BT is a separate 88-key digital piano.
The FP-10 is a portable digital piano for playing piano and practising alongside another player.
The CDP-S110 and PX-S1100 are different digital piano models to compare if cabinet depth is a consideration.
The B2 is an 88-key digital piano for a permanent or portable home setup.
The ES120 is a portable digital piano to consider if you want two separate headphone sockets.
This selection focuses on a compact 61-key instrument for practising at home, provided the notes in your duet part fit within its range.
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Suitable for a duet part whose notes fall within the 61-key range; the product name also lists a headphone socket.
No, you can’t tell that from the function’s name alone. Yamaha lists Duo mode for the PSR-E383, while Roland describes Twin Piano on the FP-10 as having duplicated octaves. Compare the available playing areas with the notes in both parts.
No. Headphones prevent the instrument’s sound coming through the speakers, but they won’t automatically make the keys inaudible. Assess the setup in your home and agree practice times with the people you live with.
A 61-key keyboard may be enough if all the notes in your part fall within its range. Also check whether your part calls for weighted keys or a sustain pedal; a touch-sensitive keyboard isn’t automatically the same as a weighted piano keyboard.
Measure the available width and depth for both the instrument and the complete setup. Allow space for a stand, music rest and player if needed, and check which accessories are included with the exact version.
Two sockets are only relevant if you both want to listen through your own headphones at the same time. Kawai lists two headphone sockets for the ES120; don’t assume other models have the same feature without checking the specifications for the exact instrument.
