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By the end of July, many people already have a good idea of where they will be living and studying come September.
For anyone heading away to university, one of the big questions is how everything is going to fit into their new room. If they play the piano, it might be tempting to assume that their instrument simply has to stay at home.
That does not necessarily have to be the case.
Digital pianos already solve one of the most obvious problems of living in shared accommodation because they can be played through headphones. The next thing to consider is space, followed closely by budget.
Thankfully, there are several good options available, from portable pianos that can be tucked away after playing to slim cabinet designs that still feel like a permanent piano.
Here are a few of our suggestions, grouped loosely by the type of player they may suit.
The Yamaha P-145BT is probably the first model I would look at for a beginner moving into a smaller university room.
It gives you a full 88-note weighted keyboard, so you are still learning and practising on something that feels like a proper piano. However, the piano itself is compact and can be used with a folding stand rather than a permanent cabinet.
I actually have one at home which stands neatly against the wall when I am not using it. When I want to play, I can simply pull it out and set it up. Depending on the room, it could also be stored under a bed.
That makes it a very practical option when every bit of floor space matters.
The piano itself measures approximately 132.6 cm wide, 26.8 cm deep and 12.9 cm high, and weighs around 11.1 kg.
It has 88 weighted keys, 64-note polyphony and 10 built-in voices. It is straightforward, compact and accessible, but you are not having to compromise by moving down to a smaller, unweighted keyboard.
This could be a very good fit for a beginner, a more casual player or anyone who needs their piano to be easily tucked away.
The Yamaha P-225 takes up almost exactly the same amount of space as the P-145BT. It is the same width and height, and only 4 mm deeper.
It has a brighter, richer Yamaha CFX concert grand piano sound and gives a more expressive overall playing experience.
There is also a substantial difference in polyphony. The P-145BT supports 64-note polyphony, whereas the P-225 supports 192 notes. This gives the P-225 more headroom during complex passages, particularly when the sustain pedal is being used.
The P-145BT provides 10 voices, while the P-225 includes 24 voices, along with split functions and 20 built-in rhythms.
Both models use Yamaha’s compact GHC weighted keyboard action, but I find the P-225 gives the player more room for expression and emotion, helped by its richer sound, greater polyphony and wider range of features.
It measures approximately 132.6 cm wide, 27.2 cm deep and 12.9 cm high, and weighs around 11.5 kg.
This could suit someone who is more serious about their piano playing and will appreciate the improved sound and additional features.
For someone who wants a digital piano with much more to play with, we would look towards the Yamaha DGX range.
The Yamaha DGX-670 still gives you a full 88-note Graded Hammer Standard weighted keyboard, but it also includes 263 automatic accompaniment styles covering genres such as pop, jazz, R&B and many more.
This makes it particularly interesting for someone who enjoys writing songs, singing, arranging music or experimenting with different sounds and styles.
You can play on your own and have the piano provide a backing band around you, which makes the DGX feel much more like a creative workstation than a traditional digital piano.
It does take up more room than the P-145BT or P-225. The DGX-670 measures approximately 139.7 cm wide, 44.5 cm deep and 15.1 cm high, and weighs around 21.4 kg.
That means it is worth measuring the available space carefully, but it still offers much more flexibility than a full cabinet instrument.
This could be the right choice for a creative student who wants a proper weighted piano alongside accompaniment, additional sounds and plenty of room to experiment.
A portable piano is not going to be everybody’s first choice.
Some players will still want a piano with a proper cabinet, three pedals and a more permanent position in the room. In that case, Yamaha’s slimline YDP range is well worth considering.
The current slimline choices are the Yamaha YDP-S36 and YDP-S56. Both provide a full 88-note weighted keyboard in a much shallower cabinet than a traditional upright-style digital piano.
Both models measure approximately 135.3 cm wide and 79.2 cm high.
The YDP-S36 cabinet is around 29.6 cm deep, although the fitted anti-fall brackets increase the installed depth to approximately 36.6 cm.
The YDP-S56 cabinet is approximately 30.9 cm deep, increasing to around 38.2 cm with the anti-fall brackets fitted.
Because this article is all about fitting a piano into a smaller room, it is worth using those full installed measurements when checking the available space.
The key cover also folds down to create a flat top when the piano is not being played, which helps it look neat and unobtrusive in a smaller room.
These are not portable in the same way as the P-Series models, but they are still designed with smaller living spaces in mind.
This could suit a beginner or developing player who wants a proper cabinet piano but does not want it projecting too far into the room.
For someone who wants the classic Yamaha Clavinova experience, the CLP-825 is the model we would consider.
Clavinova is an iconic name in the digital piano world, and the CLP-825 has the familiar full cabinet design many people picture when they think of a permanent digital piano.
It is less about portability and more about creating a proper piano setup in the room. It looks substantial, includes three pedals and is designed primarily around the experience of sitting down and playing the piano.
In the standard finishes, it measures approximately 135 cm wide, 41.1 cm deep and 84.9 cm high, and weighs around 45 kg.
The polished ebony version is slightly larger and heavier, measuring approximately 135.3 cm wide and 85.1 cm high, with a weight of around 47 kg.
It does take up more floor space than the YDP slimline models. However, the difference is mainly in the depth, so it may still fit comfortably against the wall in the right room.
This could be a good choice for someone who wants a permanent piano and values the traditional cabinet design and playing experience over portability.
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Whatever model you are considering, our biggest piece of advice would be to measure the available room properly before ordering.
Remember to allow enough space for the player to sit comfortably, not just for the piano itself. It is also worth thinking about whether the piano will need to come home during holidays or remain in the accommodation throughout the year.
For a portable piano, consider where it could be stored when it is not being used. Against a wall or underneath a bed may be perfectly practical, but it is worth checking the measurements first.
For a cabinet model, make sure there is a suitable permanent space and check whether it will need to be carried upstairs or through any narrow entrances.
These suggestions are not strict rules. A beginner may prefer the P-225, while a more experienced player may be perfectly happy with the simplicity of the P-145BT.
The right choice will depend on the available space, the type of music they enjoy playing and how portable the piano needs to be.
To talk through the options, call us on 01295 266 788 or email sales@epianos.co.uk.
Already have a piano or keyboard at home which is no longer going to be used? We may also be able to help with part exchange:
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