DIGITAL PIANO VS MIDI KEYBOARD : Which One’s Better?

Pianos and keyboards go hand in hand. The recent alternative for classic pianos is modern-day digital pianos. However, a more digital version of digital pianos is the MIDI Keyboards.

Even though Digital Pianos and MIDI keyboards will give you results just the same, their working procedure is quite different. Even if you’re a beginner or an expert, you should know the differences between the two types!

Don’t worry my friend. In this article, I’ll show digital piano vs MIDI keyboard comparison, so you can know exactly what to choose for your practices!

Well, before getting to the main comparison, let’s review their definitions. With this, you’ll be clarified further without leaving any sort of loops in your concept. So, without further exaggeration, let’s get straight back to the concept, yes? Okay!

Digital Piano

Simply saying, a digital piano is just the acoustic piano with a hint of digitization. Don’t get it? Okay, let me clear it for you.

Do you remember, how an acoustic piano works? The acoustic piano uses original hammer action to strike the strings when you press a key to produce the sound. However, in digital pianos, inside every key, there is a recording of the corresponding acoustic piano tone. So, there is no original hammer action. Instead, you have a recorded version of it.

MIDI Keyboard

MIDI keyboard, on the other hand, is slightly a different type of instrument. MIDI basically stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. So, it’s the medium through which you connect instruments and devices that produce and control musical sounds. The connected instruments communicate with each other using MIDI messages.

That’s the main task of a MIDI keyboard. These keyboards don’t come with a sound system attached to them. So, they can’t produce sound on their own without being connected with other instruments or devices.

And in the world of musical instruments, we don’t even know. And when it comes to pianos and keyboards there are plenty of options. And you should know their functions separately or else you won’t be able to differentiate between their actions and know which one would perform better under which circumstances.

Also, don’t forget to check my piano buying guide and piano apps article What is The Digital Piano Yamaha P115 – Full Review and Complete Buying Guide for Beginners on 2021 and The Yamaha DGX660 Reviews – Best Digital Piano For Beginners on 2021 and piano Buyer Guide: Yamaha P71 Reviews – A Killer Piano Reviews and Buying Guide

DIGITAL PIANO VS MIDI KEYBOARD

Before buying anything we always consider some factors. And this is no exception. This comparison is just only here to facilitate you further to choose which one suits you best.

In some cases, you need to know about all the functions of the variant instruments. For example, if you know about the main functions of a digital piano or a MIDI keyboard, you’ll be able to detect which one would best serve your purpose. You can even recommend these to the other close people who come to you for related advice.

What Is the Difference Between A Digital Piano and A Midi Keyboard?

We are discussing DIGITAL VS MIDI KEYBOARD.  Both plays using fingers; they have keys and when tapped it makes musical notes.

They’re one of the best for those who want to learn to play the piano on a less budget as they are pocket friendly. It needs a small space. They are cheaper and lighter than a grand piano and upright pianos but need more space compared to midi keyboards. Midi keyboards are also travel-friendly, yes! they are that portable and small.

Midi keyboards cost a little less than Digital pianos.  A digital piano is intended to give the sound and feel like the original acoustic piano, on the other hand, a midi keyboard is supposed to be used in music production, often with controllers such as faders and knobs for various midi commands.

DIGITAL PIANO VS MIDI KEYBOARD #The Body

 A digital piano’s body is bigger, making it even more rigid and “furniture-Esque” (if that is even a word!). But the midi keyboard isn’t like that.

In the case of a MIDI keyboard, the body’s small. It doesn’t take up too much space. And the most advantageous of it is that you can place it anywhere you want. The body’s so light that it’s super portable and lighter in comparison to a digital piano.

DIGITAL PIANO VS MIDI KEYBOARD #The Keys

 The keys of a digital piano are designed to replicate the notes of a real piano, and the quality varies based on how much money we are able to spend.

It is popular for absolutely weighted keys, and some digital pianos use the same material as acoustic pianos. If you want the finest, you can look into the luxury Yamaha Grand Piano collection.

The keys on a midi keyboard are often moderately weighted (to say not weighted at all). It is more important to have a lightweight, portable keyboard that is easy to play than being as authentic as possible.

As a result, if you want to create a portable music studio, a compact and lightweight midi keyboard would be a better choice.

DIGITAL PIANO VS MIDI KEYBOARD #Possible port connections

Usually, if you observe a digital piano closely, you’ll find a number of connections. They are:

• Sustain Pedal
• USB
• Headphones
• MIDI
• Power input

In this case, a MIDI keyboard doesn’t fall too far behind. They also have a few functional port connections. They are:

• Sustain Pedal
• USB
• Headphones
• MIDI
• Power Input (or USB can be used)

As you can see, there isn’t a lot of variation between these relation choices.

The fact that the digital piano has a USB link means that you can use it as a midi keyboard in your music studio.

If you want to learn more on how to use a digital piano as a Midi Keyboard Controller, read this post, where I also explained some possible dangers of using it as a keyboard that I believe you should be aware of.

Let’s Watch a Video!

Options for Midi Controller

This is where you can really think carefully about what you want for your own musical instrument.

Most midi keyboards have a selection of faders and knobs, each of which is given a specific task: to operate multiple midi commands.

When you buy a keyboard, you often seem to get a good music library to install with it. That may be an orchestra, pianos, keyboards, drums, or synthesizers.

If you want to make the most of your digital piano and music output, you must also purchase a separate midi controller.

Live Perform: Speaker

Built-in speakers are in digital pianos. This means that all you need to get sound out of a digital piano is a power cord.

A MIDI keyboard cannot generate the sound of its own.

“But hold on!”, you might tell. “I have a keyboard at home that has speakers!”

It is the distinction between a midi keyboard and an electronic keyboard.

An electronic keyboard is a self-contained instrument with built-in speakers that can produce music (I might write an article on that topic as well, in the near future).

A midi Keyboard does not have speakers. In order to emit music, it requires a link to a computer/monitors.

Longevity

Most digital pianos last about 10-15 years. Midi keyboards, in my opinion, are even more delicate, lasting between 2 and 5 years.

Pro tip: don’t go for the cheapest one.

In my case:

Over the last five years, I had two separate (and inexpensive) midi keyboards. In truth, it’s the same model.

These were the M-audio Main Station 88es, which was a fantastic midi keyboard in its own right. It was, however, very inexpensive, and the keys were of low quality. For two years, they turned yellow and became non – responsive.

That is why I finally switched to a digital piano.

The Best Digital Pianos for Amateurs

My guidelines must all meet the following criteria:

When you play the keys on the automated digital piano, it can sound like you’re playing a real piano. It must be of high quality and long-lasting.

It is also capable of using as a midi keyboard. It must sound fine on its own, without connecting to an amplifier or monitor.

Final words

Wrapping it up, I think both are pretty handy in their own way. However, both of them have their special points that you can know from this digital piano vs MIDI keyboard comparison. I’ve described it all so that you can find it easy to select your chosen instrument!

Don’t worry about other factors such as budget, size, and other extras when you can utilize their function properly. There are things that a MIDI keyboard can do, and digital piano can’t (true in case of vice versa too). All that matters is if you’re able to use them to your benefit or not! So, go and find the appropriate one for you now!