The Piano Problem: 4 Well-Tuned Tips For Picking The Right Digital Piano For Any Style — A Kawai Vs Roland Comparison

My very first up-close introduction to pianos came when I was in my early 20s, in the military.

My Sergeant asked if any of our crew were interested in music. When a few of us said yes, he told us to carry this grand piano upstairs to the officers’ mess.

Needless to say, my first impression of pianos in person… didn’t go so well…

Luckily, over the years, pianos and I have made up, become friends, and even travelled some of the world together — and I haven’t had to haul any more grand pianos up the stairs.

Photo by Jordan Whitfield on Unsplash

Those are all big wins in my eyes. I love traveling, I love playing, and I never want to lift a grand piano up a set of stairs ever again.

So when it came time to finally get myself a new piano, I had one rule: no grand sizes, unless it’s staying on the main floor of the house.

I’m just kidding, I’m not interested in a grand piano regardless, but that still leaves me with a lot of options, and not a lot of methods for narrowing down the list and finding the best one.

What I do know from my time travelling around and playing black and whites in various places, is that there’s a piano for every style — and while any piano can be used for any style… you’ll get the most bang for your buck if you get a kit with the right sound to begin with.

What I mean to say is, not every song is going to sound good played on a grand piano. In fact, most modern songs sound a little off if you use a grand.

A better option is to find the right piano to suit your needs, your budget, and the style of music that you play most often.

Personally, I always start with a list of my ideas, and try to narrow them down from there — but I admit, I’m a piano shopaholic, and I like looking almost as much as playing.

With that being said, I have had a certain amount of experience, so I wanted to share these 4 well-tuned tips I’ve come up with that always help me to find the right sound.

I’m going to compare two of the most popular and best-sounding digital piano brands, just as an example, but these strategies apply to any brands and any styles.

1. Pick Your Sound Source

With a typical piano, you would pick an instrument that uses a physical setup to make sounds with a specific feel and tone, to get the kind of music you want.

With a digital piano, it’s a little different because it’s all done in software, but that doesn’t mean that you have fewer options. It just means any kind can be more compact.

Kawai pianos have a very acoustic feel, with each individual note sampled from a traditional grand piano, before being processed to add string resonance and cabinet vibration.

Roland pianos, on the other hand, use software to mimic the hammer, strings, and other vibrations of a real piano, but they also offer a range of extra instruments as well.

If you’re not sure how these sound, you could always check out your local music store, or look up videos of each type of piano being used online.

Photo by Osman Rana on Unsplash

2. Don’t Forget About Feel

One important aspect of any piano is how it feels, and this can be a very personal choice for many people.

For those who don’t play, this may sound like a foreign concept, but every touch of the keys, every movement, every reaction has its own feel, and that affects how we play.

Typically, this is an easier choice to make, and in my experience, most musicians who prefer to play with classical instruments are likely to look for weighted, wooden keys, which most closely mimic a grand piano. Kawai does that quite well.

On the other hand, musicians who spend a lot of time playing digital may prefer something a little quicker, a little more responsive, and a little lighter.

That’s where I land, personally, and I prefer to use a hybrid system like that in a Roland piano — though to be honest, I’m happy with any keys I can get my fingers on.

3. Classical Or Connectable

Once again, this question can often be answered very easily by anyone with experience playing, just by narrowing down your style.

For classical players I would typically recommend something with the traditional triple pedals, and for newer musicians, perhaps a piano with built-in lessons. If you know pianos, you know that’s what Kawai does really well.

However, if you’re in a more modern band, or maybe you just like to mix it up, then you’re likely looking for something a little less classic and a little more versatile. That’s a Roland.

These pianos are known for being fully connectable, whether you’re looking for bluetooth, USB, midi or DAW support, a Roland likely has that feature built-in.

Photo by Sreemadhav on Unsplash

4. Price Points

Finally, what I hope is last on everyone’s list of considerations — the price you’re willing to pay for a new piano.

Here’s the good news: they’re not only a little more affordable than many people expect, but now they’re also more portable, so it’s a win all around.

With that being said, there are some differences to be aware of.

A typical Kawai can cost you anywhere from $700 to $4000, depending on the model you’re looking for, but they’re all going to look great, sound amazing, and feel like you’re playing the real thing.

A Roland can be a little more affordable, with the beginner options starting closer to $400, and the high-end maxing out at a little over $1000 — and at the same time you’re getting all the versatility a digital piano can offer.

Honestly, after working my way through this list, I know exactly what type of piano I’m looking for next, but maybe that’s because I wrote the list, and it’s aimed at what I look for in a piano.

Let me know if the list helps you out as much as it helps me, because maybe there’s something I can do to make it better, or something important that I missed.

Just let me know after you make a decision, because I’ll be wanting to hear all about what kind of piano you decided to pick up, and how it’s going for you.

The important part is finding the right sound, and making it work for you. I hope this helps.