Acoustic vs Digital Piano: What to opt as a Beginner?

So, you’ve established that music is your calling and that you wish to learn to glide your finger on a piano and produce some life-changing music. Well, the dilemma that you are going through is which kind of Piano to buy to begin with, isn’t it? For musicians all over the globe practicing different genres, it is imperative to come down to one kind of piano that suits their music and their preferences. 

With a myriad of features that an acoustic and a digital piano are home to, it is only justified to research extensively and decide for yourself. Here’s a little help from us. You can thank us later, fellow musicians.

Acoustic Piano
Now what exactly is an acoustic piano? Do you remember seeing those grand wooden pianos in movies with all the vintage feels? Yes, they are acoustic pianos that are traditional in every sense. The sound of the piano is vibrational and grand. Furthermore, the voice originates through metal strings which are hammered when one taps the keys. Also, acoustic pianos do not need any electricity to function. Speaking of, it is grand and gives a very authentic feeling to the music.

Related Post: How To Buy The Right Used Piano 

Digital Piano
It is the new age and everybody wants things that are tech savvy and easy. A Digital piano is one of the many musical innovations. It has been known to take sound samples from acoustic pianos which later, are used to produce digital sounds. 

A digital piano lends synthesized sounds and samples in order to make music. Also, it has speakers and jacks in order to amplify the sounds birthed through it. 

If digital piano interest you, feel free to check Piano Nadu for more knowledgeable articles.

Acoustic piano or Digital piano?
Well, if you face a dilemma regarding who to choose, there are quite a few features that you need to look upon, so as to decide the best bet for you. We have listed some of them below. So, before opting for your piano lessons in Los Angeles, ensure to check out the following features and get out of this ever-pertaining confusion.

Build and Touch
An acoustic piano, as we said, is grand and royal. The vibrations and resonance coming from a big wooden musical instrument like this one is loud and sustainable. Since, it is traditional and doesn’t require electricity to function, this one is difficult to put down. The keys are hard and hammer the strings to make music. Therefore, a little effort is required while pressing the keys. 


On the other hand, a digital piano is compact and works on electricity. The keys are comparatively softer and produce music through the in-built sound samples.

Sound Quality
The sound of an acoustic piano is undoubtedly better than that of a digital one. The rich and warm texture and tone of the sound is given out by its traditional built that sets the strings in motion when hammered. Also, the sound can be effortlessly articulated, while in a digital piano, it borrows the sound of the acoustic piano and feeds the sound samples within itself to produce music.

Maintenance
An acoustic piano is more susceptible to damage if not cared for properly. It requires higher maintenance as compared to the digital one. Furthermore, unlike a digital piano, it is supposed to be tuned once or twice a year and kept away from humidity and moisture so as to prevent any corrosion of the wooden surface, metal strings, and the hammers.

Price
Owing to its authenticity and rich history, an acoustic piano is expensive and costs somewhere around 1000 USD to 3000 USD, which is fairly more than a digital one. Also, the resale value of the digital piano is very less as compared to an acoustic one, which makes it perfect for long term investment.

Portability
Due to its heavy weight and a complete wooden body, an acoustic piano is difficult to carry around. On the contrary, a digital piano is easily portable and comes with a stand which is foldable in nature. Moreover, digital pianos come in all shapes and sizes and are therefore preferred for a live gig or a concert.

A digital piano like Yamaha P115 would be much easier to move around rather than a heavy acoustic piano.

Features
A digital piano may or may not come with a sustain pedal whereas, an acoustic piano comes with three kinds of pedals – soft pedal, sostenuto pedal, and sustain pedal. Also, A digital piano is capable of producing the sound of a variety of other instruments. Isn’t that awesome?

An acoustic piano, on the other hand, cannot.
Also, it is incredibly easy to record and save a digital sound file on a digital piano. A quality that cannot be enjoyed on an acoustic piano.

To sum it up, your preference for a musical genre also decides the kind of piano you should be using to a certain extent. Blindly get an acoustic piano if you plan on making classical music. A digital piano is more suitable for rock, funk, pop, etc. Having read all the important features, we think it will be a tad bit easier for you to get out of this dilemma now. So, what is it for you? An acoustic or a digital piano? 

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