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All,

One of the choral groups I accompany has an opportunity to purchase a digital piano for rehearsals and smaller concerts (we try to rent an acoustic grand for larger concerts). I prefer acoustic piano for most music; I like the "organic" quality of acoustic pianos -- the multidimensional sound, the feel, the variety of tone, depending on manufacturer. The small group (16-20) tends to perform traditional choral music, Broadway/show tunes, and some pop. The singers are generally very accomplished vocalists/musicians.

The budget is open; I think a mid-range instrument would be reasonable, and I wouldn't rule out a higher-end one. The instrument needs to be somewhat portable; we don't need a lot of sophisticated features. The primary purpose is as an accompanying instrument that sounds and feels reasonably like a good acoustic piano.

I'm pretty unfamiliar with the options for digital pianos, and find the choices confusing. Does anyone have some recommendations that might fit our needs? I certainly would appreciate some guidance. Thank you.

Kevin

How big is the choir and the rehearsals space and the "small" performance space?

Portable in what regard?. Rolling from one room to another?
Or moving off site?

Hello Kevin,

I would recommend a portable 'slab-type' instrument with built-in speakers, such as:

- Yamaha P255
- Kawai ES7
- Roland FP-80

Depending on your budget, you may consider the lower priced offerings, such as:

- Yamaha P115/P105
- Kawai ES100
- Roland FP-50, F-20
- Casio PX-350/PX-150

Best of luck!

Kind regards,
James
x

Hi -- The group numbers 16-20 of mixed (SATB, sometimes split) voices. The performance space is usually a small auditorium (300 seats).

Portable = two people can move it from a storage space to the stage and occasionally from one building to another (on the same campus/site).

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll look into pricing on those.

Hello. On one side i would say you need a slab piano, which is quite portable. On the other side i guess you re not going to fill a 300 people auditorium with your piano unless you amplify, or choose a full size cabinet piano with proper amplification, which in turn will be less portable.

But... would you really have a 300 people concert without an acoustic grand?

My first thoughts, too.

I'd be inclined to get a good slab piano -- Roland FP-80, maybe -- and a reasonable PA system. Most halls (I think!) will have a PA system already. You can use that, instead of your own.

There's a rule of thumb (and it's not universally respected) that a PA system should run about 3 watts per person. That puts you up at 1000 watts (roughly) for 300 seats. That may be louder than you need, to accompany unamplified singers.

Suggestion:

See what's available for rent in your area. Rent something like an FP-80, a pedal unit, an X-stand (or something better), and a Yamaha Stagepas 500 (a 500-watt, reasonably-compact PA system). Try them out at a rehearsal. Move them to a potential concert venue, and see what they sound like.

You'll know, pretty quickly, if they'll suit your needs or not.

. Charles

PS -- IMHO, no built-in loudspeakers in _any_ low-to-mid-price (say, under $4,000) digital piano is going to fill a 300-seat hall. Adjust to the idea of a PA system, or rent an acoustic grand.

We have enough trouble getting a large audience to fill the auditorium as it is! For our main concert of the year, we usually rent an acoustic grand, which is ideal.

Excellent suggestions. I'll see how the pricing is on the recommended instruments and put together a list of options.

I agree with James. Portable slab with built in speakers. Will be fine I think for rehearsals. But inadequate for concert. You'll either need to put it through through the PA or get a decent powered speaker or keyboard amp, preferably with handle or on casters. You'll want a keyboard case with wheels, and a nice foldable table stand, the X type being most affordable but not the most sturdy. Don't forget patch cable and extension cord with at least two outlets for keyboard and amp.

I think even with built-in speakers that wouldn't be enough for the kids to hear it over their singing. It's been my experience that built-in speakers work on for solo or duets/trios. Anything bigger and the sound just doesn't cut through enough for the singers to be able to follow and feel supported/able to sing full out.

You may not need a full-blown PA system for rehearsals, but if you get one for performances, might as well also use it for rehearsals. However, if you are going to use the house PA system, you may need a smaller personal amp (well, two, because you will want to be in stereo) or even a couple of good monitors on stands.

Very good points about sound systems. We're also looking into some amps.

The choral group consists of adults, by the way (not that they would necessarily sing louder than kids!).

Ya, definitely plan on using amps for rehearsing too, then.

Many digitals will suit the task very well in this case which were mentioned previously in this thread. So then it's just a matter of testing out what you prefer for feel and sound and other features.

On The Keyboard Corner forum Aspen Pittman's SpaceStation v3 keyboard amp is very much praised currently, after the first customers got delivered their units.
That might be a portable, affordable option for smaller groups & rooms.

The Keyboard Corner> Head's-up: SpaceStation keyboard amp is apparently back

Thanks for the tip about the amp. I'll take a look.

I checked the SpaceStation's specs. Its low-frequency limit is 100 Hz. So you'll need a subwoofer with it, if you want the lowest octave of the piano (fundamentals 27 - 50 Hz, lots of sound energy between 50 and 100 Hz) to sound right.

Add that to the cost . . .

. Charles

Indeed, that has come up here often. People are enjoying the stereo effect of the amp for Leslie effect with organs. And it sounds nice on piano, but not enough low end without a sub.

Generally speaking, most here would recommend a powered PA speaker. Here are some great suggestions from Keyboard Magazine Powered PA Speaker Suggestions..

Thanks for the information from Keyboard Magazine -- lots of great reviews/comments. I'll pass it along to our tech expert.

All,

Because of budget limitations, we didn't purchase a new digital piano. I've resumed the search. Since over a year has passed, are there any new options to consider? I'm looking for an instrument that has a realistic piano feel and sound. Portability is desirable -- doesn't have to be strictly a stage piano, but it will be moved from time to time.

Thanks for your suggestions and input.

I don't believe they've shipped to stores yet, but the recently announced Roland FP-90 seems well suited for that application ( https://www.roland.com/us/products/fp-90/ ) as does the the Kawai ES8 ( http://www.kawai-global.com/product/es8/ ).