Choosing a digital piano is never easy. I’ve noticed that with the lack of good reviews, people generally don’t know what product to buy and as a result, they don‘t really get what they want. Knowing how to play the piano usually doesn’t mean having knowledge of pianos, especially since so much of it is subjective and abstract. I have used many different types of digital pianos and have also done extensive research on this subject. With that, I decided to share my knowledge with you! Whether you produce your own music or do this as a hobby, you will want to read this.
The Casio PX-130 is for:
- People who are in the music industry
- People who play the piano in multiple locations because of its portability
- Teachers who wish to teach students and vice versa (more on this later)
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
- Privia PX-130 Keyboard
- AC Adapter
- Music Stand
- (Optional) CS-67 custom wood stand
What factors go into deciding whether or not to purchase this?
Remember that I can guide you on which piano to buy, but ultimately you need to decide for yourself based on certain aspects:
(Note: Don’t worry if you don’t understand everything right now since I will explain everything you need to know)
- Number of notes on keyboards (most are 88-note keyboards like a real piano)
- “Weighted” keys, pedal boards, and others to simulate a real piano
- Number of tones
- Do you have a home studio?
- Weight/Portability of the digital piano for convenience
- And more!
Don’t worry if you’re a bit lost as I will cover all these aspects soon.
What type of keys does my digital piano need?
The type of keys your piano has can drastically change your experience. Clearly, a digital piano is not an acoustic piano. They strive to feel like an acoustic piano, but many times, they feel drastically different. Technology has progressed, though, to help simulate a real piano.
The Casio PX-130 uses a tri-sensor 88-note scaled hammer-action keyboard. Now some of you may be asking, “What in the world is that?” The number 88 stands for the number of keys that this digital piano has and as you may know, 88 is also the number of keys on an acoustic piano (which is a regular piano). In addition, this digital piano gives off the feel of a real piano because each key “weighs” the same as a real piano. As you go lower, the keys feel heavier. As you go higher, the keys feel lighter. Its realism is simply great. This is wonderful for traditionalist and for people who grew up learning from an acoustic piano (like me!). Unfortunately, the Casio PX-130 does not feel quite as “realistic” as some of the more expensive pianos so if this will bother you, then you should look at other options. Beginners won’t tend to notice though.
What about the tones? How does the Casio Privia PX-130 sound?
Tones are just Casio’s way of saying “instruments”. This particular model has 16 tones, which is not an amazing number but still provides you with a decent variety of instruments. Lets talk about one specific tone though – the grand piano. For its price, the grand piano sound alone makes this a great deal. All other tones are just an added bonus. The amazing thing about this piano is that for its weight and its price, it does an amazing job of capturing the nuances of a piano. Because it is a digital piano, it also requires no tuning unlike acoustic pianos.
This digital piano also manages to capture the acoustic resonance in pianos. When you play the piano, it has the sustain pedal (aka damper pedal), which is typically the rightmost pedal. When pressed, all notes played will continue to sound until released. To further duplicate realism, the Casio PX-130 has added acoustic resonance.
In addition, you can actually split the instrument to play two different sounds. If you are a beginner, this feature is great because you can have an instructor teach you on one half while you learn on the other half. Therefore, I believe that the PX-130 is a great entry level piano.
Where can I use the Casio PX-130?
It can be used almost anywhere. It’s light and portable. You can play it in your living room, take it to church, or play it in the garage with your band. It’s perfect for home studios as it’s very easy to connect to your computer. After connecting a USB cable, you can instantly use the keyboard with any of producing programs.
It is made of plastic though so you might want to get a case for it. It’s sort of a double-edged sword. The plastic is what makes it so light and portable. However, at the same time, it makes it a bit fragile.
What are some of its other features?
- 128-note polyphony : The Casio PX-130 also has a 128-note polyphony, which typically means that you can play 128 notes simultaneously. For example, if a piano has a 16-note polyphony and you exceed the maximum number, the notes that were played first disappears. Therefore, more is generally better.
- Four Chorus Types : Chorus is an effect that helps create a “thicker” sound. For example, when you have a whole band of flutes playing at the same time, it creates that “group” sound. That is what the Chorus effect does. It’s generally used for electric pianos and guitars.
- Four Reverb Types: Reverb can give off the impression of being in a more open area like a concert hall. If you were to play this in a room with speakers, the sounds would bounce off the walls and give a little natural reverb. This feature is a way to create that effect without being in a hall or having speakers. When you put on headphones, the natural reverb is gone so you can use this effect to hear what it would sound like. If you want the natural piano sound though, it’s best to turn this feature off.
What do others thinks?
- “Such full and realistic sound from such a compact package is shocking. You will not be disappointed.” – D. Johnson
- “It’s absolutely amazing. The feel is wonderful; the sound is beautiful; and the touch feels just right to me…it’s as good as, and in fact better than, any other keyboard I’ve ever played.” – J. Mellette
- “It plays beautifully and feels so realistic. I’m also looking forward to recording myself digitally!” – J. Briguglio
- “You won’t find anything better for the money. Key weight is just right. Great MIDI controller, USB MIDI interface, and Tri-Sensor.” – delucai7
- “Perfect. Incredible. Amazing. BEAUTIFUL.” – A. Skater
