Home Keyboard or Digital Piano: The Difference and What Suits You
Home keyboard or digital piano? The difference starts with what your fingers feel on the keys, and continues to the sound, the pedal and the place the instrument will stand in your home. This guide goes through the differences one by one, so you can pick the instrument that fits what you want to play.
What a home keyboard is
A home keyboard, sometimes called an organ-style arranger, is built for variety. It usually has five octaves of light keys, hundreds of sounds from different instruments, ready-made rhythms and automatic accompaniment. It is easy to carry, which suits anyone who wants to accompany singing, play songs and try styles. For learning piano, light keys are its weak point, because they do not teach the fingers to control volume, and that is the foundation of piano technique.
What sets a digital piano apart
Digital pianos are designed to imitate the acoustic piano. It has 88 keys, with a hammer mechanism beneath each one; on the left the keys are heavier than on the right, and the sound changes with the strength of your touch. Most of its sounds are piano sounds, and a pedal is usually attached, so the experience is close to an acoustic piano, including in a compact flat. You can compare touch types in our guide to weighted keys, and the broader picture is in the digital piano guide.
Where the differences are felt
The most noticeable difference is touch. A soft press gives a quiet sound and a strong press a full sound, so someone practicing on weighted keys learns control that also helps on an acoustic piano. The second is the pedal: on a digital piano it is a natural part of playing and changes how long a note lasts. The third is speakers and headphones. Both instruments can be played with headphones, and Alexian models in the store accept two pairs at once, for example for a teacher and a student. Our guide to headphones for a digital piano helps with choosing.
How many keys you need
88 keys are the full range of a piano and are needed for classical pieces. 61 keys are enough for most songs. A high key count does not prove the touch: some home keyboards have 88 light keys, and others are built around full hammers, as in a piano. So it is worth playing the instrument yourself instead of relying on the number in the specification.
Examples from the store
The rolled-up keyboard (Hapsanterol) has 88 keys. It runs on a battery that lasts up to five hours, has a built-in speaker, a headphone jack and a MIDI connection, and a sustain pedal can be attached. Besides the piano sound it offers 127 sounds and 128 rhythms, and when you finish it packs into a small roll. It is an instrument for playing anywhere, easy to take on a trip or to another room at home. Beside it, the Alexian F5100 digital piano is built around an electronic hammer mechanism and comes with a matching chair. It suits daily practice and piano lessons.
How to choose by goal
Whoever wants to learn piano, play pieces or prepare for an acoustic instrument should choose weighted keys on a digital piano. Whoever wants a light instrument for singing, accompaniment and trying sounds will find what they need in a home keyboard. And if it is not yet clear where the playing will lead, renting is a way to test at home. Digital piano rental starts at 199 ₪ per month and includes a chair, with no commitment.
Several instruments wait side by side in our Ben Atar 28 gallery; try them in turn and feel the difference yourself. We are here for you with any question. If you connect the instrument to a computer, the steps are in the guide to connecting a digital piano to a computer.
Links: Digital pianos · Digital piano rental · Weighted keys · Digital piano
FAQ
Can you learn piano on a home keyboard?
You can start, but light keys do not teach control of volume. Anyone planning to learn piano gets more from an instrument with 88 weighted keys.
Does 88 keys mean it is a digital piano?
It depends on the mechanism. The number of keys does not indicate the touch, so it is worth playing the instrument and feeling it.
Can you play quietly on both?
Yes, both accept headphones, and you can practice whenever you like. Alexian models accept two pairs of headphones.
Can I try a digital piano before buying?
Renting is possible, so you can check at home whether it suits you. Rental starts at 199 ₪ per month and includes a chair.