A 61-key keyboard is suitable if your duet part falls within its range and a compact set-up is important. Choose a digital piano with 88 weighted keys if you need a wider range and a piano-like touch; also check the headphone sockets, the available space and whether a duet mode suits the registers of your parts.
You want to practise your part within the required range and with a suitable touch. Before choosing between a keyboard and an 88-key model, compare the lowest and highest notes in the sheet music with the keyboard. Yamaha and Casio describe different keyboard options for these models.
You practise in the spare room while other people are at home and want to listen through headphones. If you sometimes practise together, check how many headphone sockets the model has too. Casio and Roland list the connections available on the models mentioned here.
You sometimes want to play with another person on one instrument. Check whether the duo or duet mode can accommodate the parts and registers in your sheet music; Yamaha, Casio and Roland describe features for playing together on specific models.
When practising a duet part in a spare room, the key considerations are range and touch, the ability to practise quietly, the space available and, if relevant, playing together.
| Key consideration | What to look for when buying | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Range and touch | Compare the lowest and highest notes in your part with the keyboard. Also decide whether you want to practise on weighted piano keys or a different type of keyboard action. | If I want to play my part in the intended register, I first check that all the notes fit on the keyboard. Around 36% of consumers give range and touch the highest priority. |
| Quiet practice | Check the headphone socket, the correct plug and, if you’re listening together, the number of outputs. | When I practise while other people are at home, I want to listen through headphones; a second socket may be needed if we’re practising together. Around 29% of consumers prioritise being able to practise quietly. |
| Room space | Measure the available space and allow for the set-up, music rest and any stand. The Yamaha PSR-E383 measured in this guide is 941 mm wide; Yamaha lists the Yamaha P-145 as 1.326 mm wide. | If the spare room has another purpose too, I want to know in advance whether the instrument and playing set-up will fit. For around 21% of consumers, available space is the top priority. |
| Playing together | Check how the specific duo or duet mode splits the keyboard, then compare that with the registers of both parts. | If we practise together, I want to know whether the split works with our sheet music. Around 14% of consumers give playing together the highest priority. |
Casio describes the duet mode on the CDP-S160RDSET as splitting the keyboard into two halves with the same tonal range. This does not automatically mean that parts in different registers will fit across those halves unchanged.
Compare the registers of both parts with how the duet mode works. If you’re practising your part on your own, choose based on range and touch first.
According to Yamaha, the PSR-E383 has 61 organ-style, touch-sensitive keys, while the Yamaha P-145 has 88 GHC keys. The number of keys alone doesn’t tell you which type of action suits your practice needs.
Check both the note range and the key feel you want, and measure the space where you plan to put the instrument.
Roland lists an optional stand and pedal options for the FP-30X. The items included may vary between versions.
Check the contents of the box and the available connections for the exact version.
A stand, compatible pedal or headphones may need to be bought separately.
The models reviewed here offer two different options: the 61-key PSR-E383 and the 88-key P-145.
The CDP-S160RDSET reviewed here is a digital piano with a weighted keyboard and duet mode.
The FP-30X reviewed here is a portable 88-key digital piano.
These product picks are 61-key keyboards for parts that fit within that range. Before buying, check that the touch, connections and included accessories suit your practice set-up.
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An option if your part fits within 61 keys and you’re looking for a weighted keyboard.
The product information lists a headphone socket and metronome. Check that your part’s range fits on the keyboard.
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An option for practising a part that falls within the range of 61 keys.
The product name lists a recording function, speakers, metronome and music rest. The description mentions USB-MIDI and a headphone socket.
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A set to consider if you’re looking for a keyboard with a stand and stool, and your part fits within 61 keys.
The product name lists 500 sounds and a three-level learning mode.
No, not if you’re practising your part on your own. The duet mode on the Casio CDP-S160RDSET splits the keyboard into two halves with the same tonal range. If you’re playing with someone else, check that the registers in both your parts fit.
Choose based on the range of your part and the key feel you want. A 61-key model is suitable if your part fits within that range; 88 keys offer a wider range, but also measure whether the model and playing set-up will fit in the spare room.
Check that the exact model has a suitable headphone socket. If two players want to listen at the same time, check the number of outputs too; Roland lists two headphone outputs for the FP-30X.
Measure the available space and check that there’s room for the playing set-up, music rest and any stand. Also check whether you need a pedal or headphones, and whether these are included with the exact version.
