A number of people have recently asked me for advice on buying a piano for their home.  With so many options available at the moment, it is quite a task to know where to begin the search.  One of the first questions to ask is whether to purchase a digital or acoustic piano.  I use an acoustic upright Petrof piano for my in-house piano lessons and I use a Kawai digital piano (which I purchased earlier this summer) for online lessons.  With the research I did for my recent purchase fresh in my mind I have decided to go a bit further and detail some recommendations for you to consider if you are currently in the market for a piano.

The main difference between an acoustic and digital piano is in the way the sound is created. An acoustic piano is the traditional upright or grand piano which has been in existence since the early 1700’s when the first piano was invented in Italy by Christofori.  Pressing a key on an acoustic piano causes a hammer to hit the strings.  The sound resonates on a soundboard giving an authentic acoustic sound.

Digital pianos have been in existence since the 1970’s and in recent years have undergone a remarkable development in the quality of the key action, the generated sounds and the speaker systems.  When a key is pressed on a digital piano a sensor communicates with a computer inside the piano which then delivers a corresponding pre-recorded acoustic piano sound.  This is amplified and emitted through built-in speakers with volume control.  A digital piano mimics the sound and action of an acoustic piano but cannot really replicate the full experience of an acoustic piano.

To begin the search, it is worth looking at the pros and cons of a new digital piano versus either a new or second-hand traditional acoustic piano.  Ten or more years ago a piano teacher would have never recommended a digital piano but in recent years, especially with the development in digital pianos, some piano teachers have begun to accept the value of digital pianos as potential starter pianos for beginner students. 

Perhaps the most important and immediate consideration is that the piano is in tune.  This is important for developing the student’s ear.  A child’s musicality can be significantly influenced by this one factor alone.

• A digital piano will not require any tuning.  The tuning of an acoustic piano will “drift” with time and usage and should be tuned professionally at least once per year to keep it in tune.

Digital pianos can integrate with musical apps from Google play store and Apple app store. This can sometimes be a distraction but some children really enjoy exploring these options, keeping them engaged with their music in a way that cannot happen with an acoustic piano.  Depending on the model, digital pianos also have lots of built in sounds including orchestral voicings and backing tracks.

Digital pianos can be practised with headphones on which means that others in the house will not be disturbed.  It also gives the piano student more freedom to play whenever they wish without having to worry about affecting others.

Students are at a disadvantage with a digital piano as opposed to a good quality acoustic piano when it comes to developing technique and expression in their playing as they progress through intermediate and advanced levels.

Digital pianos do not hold their value as well as acoustic pianos.  As the technology behind them improves every year, many equate buying a secondhand digital piano to buying a secondhand TV and so you may not get your investment back when or if you decide to upgrade.

Absolutely.  If you have the space and budget and would love a finely built instrument in your home, this would be the ideal start for a beginner student. 

The benefits of starting with a new acoustic piano are that you have something that has substantial longevity. Even the most basic acoustic piano will give you 30 or 40 years. However, pianos do not necessarily appreciate in value with age.  Usually it takes 4 or 5 years to ‘break in’ a piano before it is playing at its peak.  There are many parts to a piano, some of which become worn with usage and age and so even though acoustic pianos do not depreciate in value unlike their digital counterparts, they do not usually appreciate in value either as a Stradivarius violin or cello might. 

Playing on a good quality, well maintained acoustic piano is a very rewarding experience.  As the student progresses, they learn to appreciate the authenticity of its sound.  Because an acoustic piano is a mechanical instrument, learning how to approach the keys and choreograph their hands gives the player a great deal of control over the shape of the sound they create.  The student is better enabled to develop a finer sense of technique and nuance in their playing because of that direct mechanical link between fingers and the sound being generated.  Learning to create colour and depth in the music in this way offers a wonderfully fulfilling experience that cannot be replicated digitally.

Maintenance has to be considered.  Your acoustic piano will require tuning once or twice a year depending on use.  A tuning usually costs around €120 and takes a couple of hours work by a qualified tuner. It will have to be kept in a relatively stable environment and should be kept in a part of the house that doesn’t have major shifts in temperature during the day, away from any radiators.

Probably the biggest deciding factor for most families in whether to go digital or acoustic is price.  A decent midrange digital will start at around €1200 whereas a decent entry level acoustic upright piano is going to start at €3,400.  The current market price for a suitable beginner secondhand piano is between €1,500 (at the very least) to approx €3,000.