Electronic Keyboards and Digital Pianos: What’s the Difference?

The traditional "acoustic" piano with ivory and black keys that most people have seen or are familiar with has 88 keys and produces sound as the fingers press on the keys, which strike hammers that then strike strings within the body of the instrument. This is how an acoustic piano is distinguished from the newer electronic keyboards or digital piano instruments. In this article we are going to look at the differences between these instruments, and that will give you information about how to choose digital piano keyboard.

A digital piano attempts to mimic the sound and feeling of playing a traditional acoustic piano. The sounds are digitally sampled using amplifiers and speakers rather than the hammers and strings found in an acoustic guitar, and the keys, either 76 or 88, are weighted to feel like piano keys.

A digital piano also comes with a digitized sound bank of musical instruments such as a pipe organ or a harpsichord. Digital pianos are light and portable and they never need tuning. When you use the headphones you can play a digital piano without disturbing the other people in the room. An electronic interface allows you to connect the piano to your computer so that you can both record and play the music back.

An electronic keyboard provides a convenient, inexpensive way to learn how to play the piano without incurring the expense of, or providing the space for a large acoustic piano. An electronic keyboard is an electro-acoustic instrument similar to an electric guitar. The keys strike a metal string which vibrates causing pickups to detect the audio signal, which is then amplified. The keys are not weighted and the sound is generated through a synthesizer. Some electronic keyboards have sampling capabilities, which allow you to both record and play the sound back.

A Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) allows electronic keyboards to connect with your computer. A MIDI keyboard controller is a keyboard that does not have its own sound, but when you hook it up to your computer you can use your computer's built-in sound system to playback your music and record your compositions.

If you want to learn how to play piano, or if you want to learn a new style of playing then you may want to consider trying piano software. Rather than attending a school or hiring a private instructor to give you piano lessons, you can purchase and download a series of electronic books, audios and videos that allow you to learn at your own pace and at your own convenience in an economical way.






Your electronic keyboards or digital piano can connect up with your computer so that you can play along with the lessons and upload your compositions and record your practice sessions.

We have looked at the differences between the traditional acoustic piano, electronic keyboards, and a digital piano. Hopefully, you now have a clearer understanding of how to choose a digital piano or keyboard for your ongoing musical enjoyment.