Start with your exam subject: for an electronic keyboard exam, the sounds, accompaniment features and key range you need for your grade are important. For a piano exam, a digital piano with full-size weighted keys and a sustain pedal is the right option to explore. Then measure the space available and check the connections and accessories for each model: a more compact keyboard isn’t automatically suitable for piano exam preparation.
You’re preparing for an electronic keyboard grade and want to use the sounds, accompaniment and controls that suit your exam and pieces. Trinity College London sets out recommendations for key range and the number of keys at each grade.
You’re preparing piano pieces and technique, and need an instrument with the key range, weighted action and pedal options required for your chosen exam. ABRSM has conditions for using a digital piano in its piano exams.
You share or rearrange a small practice area and want to know in advance whether the instrument and the setup you need will fit. Yamaha’s manufacturer specifications for the P-145BT give its width as 1.326 mm.
Choose this option if: your exam is specifically for electronic keyboard and the instrument has the features and range required for your grade.
Consider: a shorter model may be easier to fit in your space, but it isn’t the same as a weighted piano keyboard for a piano exam.
Choose this option if: you’re practising for piano and have room for a full-size keyboard with the action and pedal function required for your exam.
Consider: a full-size keyboard needs more width. Also check whether the pedal, stand and headphones are included with the version you’re considering.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Suitability for your exam | Compare your exam subject, grade and pieces with the current syllabus and the features of the exact model. | If I want to practise on an instrument that suits my exam, I first check the requirements for my subject and grade. Around 36% of consumers put this first. |
| Fitting into your practice space | Measure the available width and depth, allowing room for a stand, stool and pedal. | If my practice space is small, I want to know whether both the instrument and playing setup will fit. Around 29% of consumers make this their top priority. |
| Practising with headphones | Check for a headphone output and make sure it’s compatible with your headphones. | If I want to practise with headphones, I check the connection on the version I’m considering. Around 21% of consumers prioritise practising with headphones. |
| Complete playing setup | Check which pedals and stand are included, and whether any additional accessories are compatible. | If I want to practise straight away in my usual spot, I want to know in advance what’s included with the version I’m buying. Around 14% of consumers make a complete setup their top priority. |
A portable keyboard and a digital piano may have different types of keys and features. A smaller size alone doesn’t tell you whether the instrument is suitable for your exam.
First establish your exam subject, then measure the space left for a suitable instrument and playing setup.
Recommendations for key range and features can vary by grade. A model that seems suitable for one level won’t necessarily be right for another.
Before you decide, compare the syllabus and your chosen pieces with the manual for the exact model.
The pedals included, and the optional pedal solutions available, vary by model and version. For example, Casio lists an SP-3 pedal as included with the CDP-S110, while Yamaha lists the LP-5A three-pedal unit for the P-145BT as optional.
Check what’s included in the specific offer and whether any pedals and stands are compatible with the instrument.
Yamaha offers models for both the keyboard and digital piano routes.
The Casio models reviewed include both a portable keyboard option and a compact digital piano option.
The FP-30X is a portable digital piano worth comparing if weighted piano keys and practising together using headphones matter to you.
The ES120 is a portable digital piano with a hammer action, worth including in your comparisons for piano practice.
The B2+ is an 88-key digital piano to consider as an alternative within the piano category.
Not without first checking the requirements of your exam board. For its Practical Grades, ABRSM allows a digital piano provided it meets conditions for piano sound, full-size weighted keys, range and a sustain pedal. A short keyboard with a different type of key isn’t automatically a suitable substitute.
Check that the sound, touch settings and connected pedal work for the pieces you’re preparing. For an electronic keyboard exam, also check the features and key range required for your grade according to the syllabus.
It varies by model and version. Casio lists an SP-3 pedal as included with the CDP-S110, while Yamaha lists the LP-5A three-pedal unit for the P-145BT as optional. Check the specific offer and accessory compatibility.
According to the Government of the Netherlands, when you buy from a business at a distance, you usually have 14 days to change your mind, although there are exceptions. You’re also entitled to a product that meets reasonable expectations; the Netherlands doesn’t have a fixed general two-year guarantee period. If a product is faulty, contact the seller.
