YAMAHA NP-12 Piaggero - Slimline Home Keyboard for Hobbyists and Beginners, in Black

Product Information

There are 3 different touch sensitivities (soft, medium, hard), as well as an option to turn this off. The default Medium setting is natural enough, and I never felt the need to change things up. The NP-series’ namesake, “ Piaggero”, is Italian for ‘ light’, and that’s the design focus for the NP-series. Yamaha markets these as lightweight keyboards, and as you’ll soon see from the comparison tables, it really does live up to those expectations. This keyboard comes with a standard 12V power adapter, but can also run on 6 AA batteries. I always prefer to plug pianos and keyboards into the wall, but the battery option is always a nice bonus.

The rest of the sounds might feel a bit less detailed, but it’s always nice to get a bit more variety to spice up your practice sessions. Highlights include the DX7-style E.Piano 1 and the tine-based E.Piano 2. Yamaha offers a range of apps such as Digital Piano Controller, Metronome, and NoteStar for use with the Piaggero series. You can easily connect your iOS device* to the USB TO HOST terminal** on your Piaggero instrument, or wirelessly with the optional UD-BT01***, for easy operation and added performance functions. A total of ten sounds gives the NP-12 plenty of versatility. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these is the stereo grand piano. Created using a sample from an authentic Yamaha grand piano, the sound replication is fantastic, and certainly the most impressive available. Most of the other home keyboards on the market come loaded with an extensive bank of sounds - but let's be honest, you aren't exactly going to use that marimba setting all that much, are you? The NP-12 takes a refreshing approach, focusing on just 10 high-quality voices. These are Piano1, Piano2, E.Piano1, E.Piano2, Organ1, Organ2, Strings, Vibes, Harpsi1, Harpsi2. Of course, as you'd expect, you can layer two of these sounds together to create more complex voicings.To close this section, I’ll give props to Yamaha for including dedicated controls for most commonly used features.

The 61-key keyboard (a conventional piano has 88 keys) is perfect for playing pop tunes or simple classical pieces. Although the keys have the same box shape as those on a piano, the keyboard has a lighter feel that makes it easy for beginning pianists to start, rather than the weightier feel of a standard piano keyboard. You can also use headphones with the NP-15 if you are worried about disturbing those around you with your playing. Some key features Today, we’ll run the NP-32 (and by extension, the NP-12) through our rigorous review process, and we’ll let you know why it’s one of the better choices for music newcomers. The Piaggero’s light keyboard feel lets you experience the joy of playing a keyboard. Even with its softer touch, the Piaggero’s sound changes realistically in response to the force of your keystrokes, enabling you to enjoy expressiveness approaching that of an acoustic piano.

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Beyond this, you can create a range of different sounds. For instance, there are two great electric piano sounds available, including a vintage sound common in the 70s, along with a more classic 80s synth-like sound. For beginners, I consider the NP-32 a top value buy, but I’ll also admit that there area few omissions that make it feel slightly less fully-fledged than its other competitors. This is a missed opportunity, but most people today directly record their songs using the USB to Host connection, which we’ll cover in a bit. Maybe you want to learn how to play the piano, but the keys feel so heavy you think your fingers will tire out; or maybe you think your fingers aren’t strong enough to achieve sufficiently strong fortes. It would be a shame to let such trivial concerns discourage you from playing the piano. The Piaggero’s light keyboard feel lets you experience the joy of playing a keyboard. Let us know what you have and we’ll give you a price as soon as possible. We accept many pianos (acoustic & digital), keyboards, guitars, effects and amps.