Yamaha Digital Piano P45 Review
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Yamaha Digital Piano P45
Our Rating:
Yamaha is no doubt, the most popular brand in the digital piano industry. When it’s entry-level, P45 hit the market; all and sundry praised it despite its numerous flaws. It is the best deal for any beginner and intermediate player. One thing that has been on edge as long as this piano is concerned is the competitive price.
Yamaha Digital Piano P45 Review
This new brand piano was designed to replace the previous P-35 model in the massive catalog of the Japanese manufacturer. It shares all the features with the older Yamaha P-35, like the USB connector and the double polyphony.
It was introduced in 2015, although it is not the newest model as of now, it still proves to stand out whenever it hits the spotlight. The P45 design is not top-notch, compared to other costly digital pianos in the market. There are a few things about this versatile piano that makes it an impressive piece of instrument.
It is equipped with 88 keys with the Yamaha’s Graded Hammer Standard GHS Technology. It made the bass keys to feel a little heavier than the treble keys. Its selling point is its ability to replicate the regular piano grand piano without any hurdle perfectly. It can flawlessly follow any song, irrespective of the genre.
Although Yamaha P45 might not be the best at the moment, its price has made it perfect for people who want to give the piano a try or perhaps develop their skills. It is best for beginners and intermediate. If you are above these ranks, then Yamaha P45 will be a horrible choice.
Features of the Yamaha Digital Piano P45
There are lots of excellent features that make Yamaha P45 the idea piece of an instrument for beginners and intermediate. In other words, they are an edge when these features are highlighted.
- Sound
The Yamaha P45 comes with two distinctive sounds. Each sound has its characteristics. Most players prefer to use piano 1 for classical music, and piano 2 for pop. You can get ten different tone color from the same key depending on how hard is being played. As an entry-level piano, the sound is not too impressive. When it comes to sound, the speaker as to be shone some light. The speaker lacks a lot. That is because there are only two 6 watt speakers and they don’t produce the best sound quality. They sound weak and thin. As a solution to this, it is recommended you use a headphone or connect to an excellent external speaker or monitor.
- Accessories
The Yamaha P45 comes with an adapter, a music sheet stand, and a sustaining pedal. However, you will have to buy a stand or a bench for it.
- Control
The control panel of Yamaha P45 is extremely clean, with a power button, a function button, and a volume slider. You can change the count, fine-tune the instrument, and turn on the metronome. One of the downsides is that all function keys are not labeled. There are labels above the keys for metronome and sound settings. In a case whereby you change the reverb setting, you will need a manual to fix it.
- Speakers
The Yamaha P45 comes with a moderate good speaker. But to have an excellent experience, you will need to connect to an external speaker. The built-in speaker is 6W + 6W amp. If perhaps you will be playing on a live performance hall, you will need an external amplifier as the sound will be weak in such occasion.
The built-in speaker is not too weak, but not too high either. When the size of the instrument is considered, the sound remains intact even within a high max volume.
- Polyphony
Compare to the previous model; there has been a significant improvement to the polyphony as it was doubled from 32 to 64 notes. It ensures that the piano will have twice memory notes for a more vibrant and fuller sound.
- Transpose and fine-tuning
Like any other digital piano out there, the P45 doesn’t need to fine-tune. It comes tuned at a standard A440 pitch. Fine-tuning allows you to raise or lower pitch of the entire keyboard in a 0.2Hz increment. It is mainly down to match the pitch of the singer or other instruments. For example, you can quickly shift tone in other to match the pitch of a song, without necessarily having to change your hand.
Pros
- USB port enabled – This lets you utilize the gentle synths and preloaded sounds on the PC, and also download files or software update from Yamaha.
- Sound – The sound production is as realistic as you will ever get to a regular grand piano.
- Easy to use – The visual menu system is ingenuous, especially for beginners and intermediate players, with a low learning curve
- Lightweight – It is just 25lbs. It is effortless to move within the home or studio with minimal help.
- Features Dual layer and Duo function effect
- Graded Hammer Action – The lower you go in the octave, the more weight that the keys have. This helps the P45 to give off authentic sound.
- A full size 88-note digital piano
Cons
- Speakers – The speaker preinstalled is not of high quality. In other to get quality sound, you will have to use a headphone or plug in a sound system.
- Recording – The P45 does not have an audio or MIDI recorder preinstalled. This makes it impossible to record sessions
- Polyphony – The quality of the sound is significantly reduced as the polyphony gets higher. That is common among digital pianos that are in this price bracket.
- No AUX output to connect amplifiers
- Accompaniments are not available
- Onboard MIDI and LCD panel are absent
Is Yamaha Digital Piano P45 Good?
There are numerous options when it comes to digital pianos. They all have their ups and downs, and it is left for you to make a choice depending on the feature that appeals most to you. The Yamaha P45 comes at a moderate price, and if you are still learning and perhaps, an intermediate player, this is the best piano for you.
Yamaha Digital Piano P45