Digital Piano Design - How It All Works Together

Digital piano keyboard technology has come a long way since the early models. These days, it's tough even for an expert to hear the difference. Let's take a look at how the design gets that real piano sound.

Key Response Is Key

Maybe you remember those old piano keyboards of yesteryear, where no matter how hard or light you played, the same tone came out? Well, one of the most amazing things about modern instrument design is the response of the keys. Play them piano, and it comes out soft; forte, and it comes out loud.

Digital pianos use sensors that are touch sensitive. The piano's computer tracks accurately how hard you hit the keys, and conveys that to the sound bank. Only digital technology can enable this fine sensitivity.

This is also why they have such accurate speed response. Digital sensors can transmit the tone at exactly the moment it is hit. They are designed to respond exactly to your touch.

How The Sound Gets Out

The reason for the accurate sound of digital pianos is the sound bank. This is the most important part of the design. The sound bank contains high quality digital recordings of the world's finest pianos.

After the key is hit, the connections made, and the sound reproduced, the final step is the amplifier, which projects the sound out of the speakers. The sound of the strings' reverberations can be so faithfully reproduced because of the quality of the digital recordings in the sound bank, and the power of the amp to push it out.

Finally, most of these instruments contain a MIDI output, so you can record your works as you play. It is like a mini-studio attached to the instrument. There are lots of other optional features built into the design that give it an edge over acoustic pianos.

Some traditional players still prefer acoustic pianos only. But, demand for digital pianos is growing as the quality increases. They are easier to move and maintain, and you can buy a high end model for much cheaper than a Steinway or other top maker's acoustic piano.

The best way to find a good digital piano keyboard is to grab a good pair of headphones, head to your local instrument dealer, and take a few for a spin. Just like buying a car, test drive it and make sure it feels natural and good for you. Nothing can replace the feel of your fingers on the keys.