| You will see upright acoustic pianos every where, | | | | A viable alternative has to be the digital piano. A lot of |
| perhaps at your favorite restaurant, or at a school hall. | | | | them these days look very much like a traditional |
| You used to see them at your church, but perhaps not | | | | upright acoustic piano, and the sound is very similar. |
| so much these days, as the use of digital pianos | | | | An acoustic piano is a mechanical instrument where |
| becomes more prevalent. | | | | the depression of the keys causes muffled hammers |
| You like the class and sound of an acoustic piano so | | | | to strike against strings, which produces the familiar |
| much that you want one for yourself, and perhaps | | | | sounds, while digital pianos produce sound electronically. |
| have not considered going the digital route. | | | | The sounds produced come from previously recorded |
| Perhaps you want to give your child a musical | | | | sounds of a real piano, and certainly with the top of |
| education, and have settled on the piano as the | | | | the line digital pianos, like the Yamaha, the sounds are |
| instrument of choice, as it is by far the most popular of | | | | going to be of an extremely high quality, and practically |
| instruments and there are plenty of teachers around. | | | | indistinguishable to the untrained ear. |
| So once you have decided that the piano will be your | | | | There is another argument against digital pianos, which |
| instrument you will have to make a decision on what | | | | is that the feel of the keys is different from that on an |
| to buy. | | | | acoustic piano, and this used to be true. With an |
| Probably the first thing you would do is go to a piano | | | | acoustic piano you can actually feel the hammers |
| dealer and see what is on offer. You will see lots of | | | | striking against real strings, and can adjust the weight |
| wonderful pianos, which are almost like furniture, and | | | | you put on the keys according to the sound you wish |
| you will love them until you see the price and the | | | | to make. |
| amount of space it takes up. | | | | The left hand keys on a keyboard are harder to play, |
| So although you may desperately want one, an | | | | especially for a right handed person, and the strength |
| acoustic piano may not be affordable and you wouldn't | | | | of the key depression is lighter on the treble keys. |
| have the room for it, especially if you live in an | | | | However, because this was a sticking point in the |
| apartment. | | | | arguments about the merits of digital v acoustic, piano |
| If you are buying one for your child to learn to play, you | | | | manufacturers such as Yamaha have addressed this |
| have to remember that piano lessons are hard work, | | | | problem and the modern models can almost replicate |
| and your child may want to give up after a couple of | | | | the touch and feel of the traditional acoustic piano. |
| months. I know my own children lasted for a year, but | | | | The keys may be described as being semi-weighted, |
| that was it. | | | | weighted, hammer, and graded hammer. The graded |
| If this is the case, and you don't play yourself, you now | | | | hammer is recognised as being the best, while the |
| have an expensive piece of idle furniture taking up a | | | | semi-weighted and weighted actions are the ones |
| vast amount of space in your living room. | | | | normally used for the entry level models. |