We are digital piano & keyboard specialists, based in Banbury, Oxfordshire. Stay up to date with the latest
news, reviews, tips, and offers by joining our FREE newsletter (unsubscribe at any time).
Amidst the various lockdowns over the past year, we’ve been offered glimpses into the secret lives of celebrities homes & popstar studio set-ups during TV interviews & live streams, as we all adapt to a fresh way of continuing the creation of content.
I’ve been quite envious of some peoples set ups, namely John Legend’s huge plum tinted grand piano as the centrepiece of the living area of his family mansion made me particularly jealous…
What it has made me consider is what actually is the dream set up? What do we need to continue our musical creations from home, in times when we’re unable to travel to studios or venues.
In this blog, I thought I’d note my suggestions of what I think is a must-have for any home set up… whether you’re a piano player, songwriter, producer, or just a hobbyist player… at whatever level in your development, everything listed below I would seriously consider investing in if you haven’t yet got everything on the list…
The Piano.
First things first, the all-important Piano. It’s the main event. If you get this wrong, you’re in for a road of disappointment.
But if you get it right (and here at ePianos it is our priority to make sure we find the right digital piano for you…) then you’re giving yourself the best possible opportunity to harness that inevitable inspiration and you’ll be writing that TV theme or hit song in no time!
Before we go any further, I want to iterate that I am only going to be discussing digital pianos as, of course, that is what we do & what we do best here at ePianos…
So, where do you start? Well, first things first I’d probably suggest our Piano Chooser 3000 Simply answer some questions and instantly our algorithm will find the best digital piano or keyboard for you based on your answers. It’s easy peasy and the best way if you’ve no clue where to start.
However, if you’re already a player, maybe you’re already playing on some sort of digital keyboard/piano, then what next? Should you upgrade? What’s the next step up? Well, playing Piano is a physical experience as much as it is a cognitive and creative one… and the beauty of digital pianos is the possibilities they hold… but it’s right to find the one that’s going to enhance your playing and offer you maximum inspiration. Here are a few things to consider:
Touch.
How does the piano feel to play? This and sound are in my opinion the two most important factors to consider.
The more you spend, the closer to a real piano you get. There are plastic keys, synthetic ivory keys, semi-weighted, fully-weighted… the list goes on and it can be quite daunting.
If you’ve got the money to invest, my first port of call would always be the Yamaha Clavinova Range (They are Yamaha’s flagship digital piano range and would make any lockdown set up dreamy in my opinion.
Not only is it going to feel like you’re playing a real piano, but its additional features (like Bluetooth audio streaming & a 16 track recorder) makes for a fully-fledged home-studio style piece of kit — Making it perfect for any kind of musician… pianist and producers alike! You can of course, with all digital pianos these days, use MIDI to connect to a laptop/computer, allowing you to use the instrument as a midi controller which just makes for a much more streamlined and exciting workflow!
Sound.
The first thing people will say when they’re round for a cuppa is ‘blimey that sounds lovely!’ — the other specifications/technical stuff is for us, the musicians (the ones that notice these things…) but for your regular non-musical muggles, the sound of the Piano is without a doubt the most important part.
So, what should we look for? Well, I’d personally lookout for models that feature the CFX Grand Piano sample that Yamaha has so wonderfully mastered and generously put into a lot of their digital pianos and keyboards.
As well as the piano sound itself, however, speaker size & other sounds the piano/keyboard has built-in are also important factors to consider.
The brand new DGX670 for example not only feels and sounds like a Piano but has hundreds of styles and backings to experiment with.
It acts, almost, like a mini-recording studio — which during a time when you can’t get to a rehearsal room due to COVID restrictions, proves to be VERY useful!
On the other end of the spectrum, however, a portable keyboard like the Yamaha P125 would absolutely do the trick if you’re on a bit of a budget (or pushed for space).
It doesn’t have lots of bells and whistles but boy does it tick the boxes without breaking the bank account. You can read all about it here
And I must mention this… During the recent lockdowns, we’re making it our mission to bring the showroom experience to you with ‘ePianosTV’. It’s a huge selection of video demonstrations, comparisons, reviews, and more. Click here to watch online for free.
The Stool.
COMFORT! Gone are the days of sitting on a hard, awful wooden kitchen chair… here at ePianos we stock a whole range of benches to suit all budgets which you can look at here.
The Pedal.
If you’re playing a portable piano, you’re going to need a sustain pedal and although a lot of models come with one in the box, I’d always recommend upgrading to one a little more sturdy & piano-like, otherwise it’ll flap and slip around underneath your feet and you’ll struggle to find it mid-set… and then you’ll learn the hard way!
If you’re a sucker for brand names, then Yamaha of course has a sustain pedal available but you’ll be paying for it.
Whereas OnStage has a piano-style sustain pedal which we sell that does the exact same job for a third of the price! You can browse all the pedals available out here.
The Speaker
If you’re thinking about performing in smaller venues outside of your home-set up, that require you to bring your own backline & amplification, then I would always suggest theYamaha KSSW100 which is one of Yamaha’s more recent successes in leading the way with making your gear set up top-notch.
It adds a real richness to the tone of the already brilliant selection of Yamaha keyboards it’s compatible with and would be the perfect addition to your kit list if you’re playing one of the keyboards it’s built for.
It’s worth remembering that when you’re buying a piano from us at ePianos, you are entitled to a selection of reduced-price accessories. You can build your own ‘bundles’ in this way. Simply add the desired item to your cart. You can view them all here.
So, I hope this blog has helped you consider your ‘lockdown’ setup and given you some inspiration… I know mine won’t be looking like John Legend’s for a while but nonetheless, with the right tools, it sure will feel like I’m playing on a million-dollar piano!
As always, if you have any questions or queries please give us a call on 01295 266 788 or drop us an email on sales@epianos.co.uk
[featuredblog]
Sign up to our Newsletter
Enter your email address below to receive our free weekly newsletter containing the latest piano,
keyboard and organ demonstration videos, breaking news, special offers, invitations to our live video
events, technical support articles and much more.
Isaac Stuart
Sales at ePianos
Isaac is one of our longest-serving sales team members, and is a gifted musician and actor. He has a wealth of product knowledge and experience overseeing a range of promotional content via social media and email. You’ll also see him in a number of our ePianos Youtube demonstration videos.
For more detailed information regarding delivery and returns, including our 14-day returns policy,
please click here.
Please note: UK mainland DOES NOT include the Channel Islands, or the Scottish
Highlands. Surcharges may apply, so please contact us for more information before purchase.
Additionally, our in-house team, courier delivery, and postal services neither deliver nor collect on Bank
Holidays, so there will be a delay during these periods.
Special Order items
These items are sold on behalf of Yamaha, and are sent to us on a per-order basis, typically within 5-7 working days, unless an ETA is otherwise stated.
We'll contact you the moment your purchase arrives with us to organise delivery, based on your selected option.
Brand new products over 30kg
Example products: Yamaha DGX670, Yamaha P-525, Yamaha YDP-S55, Yamaha Clavinova.
These items must be sent with a heavy-goods courier (typically APC or FedEx). On occasion, depending on which is fastest, we will drop-ship directly from Yamaha to your address via Dachser.
Tracking will be provided by the haulier, with a typical arrival time of 1-2 working days.
*If you have included the optional £180 "Yamaha Premium Service" home delivery & setup option offered on selected products, we will contact you regarding arrangements after purchase.
**The Yamaha CSP Series, Yamaha CVP905 & CVP909, Yamaha CLP875, 885 & 895GP, and Yamaha NU1Xa are all sold on behalf of Yamaha and arrive with us on a per-order basis. As soon as your piano has arrived, we will contact you to organise the appropriate dispatch method. ETA for stock is shown on the product page for those items.
***If you have included the optional £99 home delivery & setup option offered on selected products, we will send your details direct to the installation team, who will contact you within 48 hours to make arrangements.
Used or display products over 30kg
Depending on which option is most appropriate, we will either contact you to discuss a bespoke ePianos delivery surcharge for goods we can’t package for a 3rd party courier, or otherwise dispatch goods via FedEx or APC.
If a courier is used, tracking will be provided by them directly, with a typical arrival time of 1-2 working days.
All products under 30kg
Example products: Yamaha PSR-SX920, Yamaha P-225, Yamaha NP-15.
These items will be sent via courier (typically APC or FedEx). On occasion, depending on which is fastest, we will drop-ship directly from Yamaha to your address via UPS or Parcelforce.
Tracking will be provided by the courier, with a typical arrival time of 1-2 working days.
Smaller items, such as books, discs, etc, will be dispatched via Royal Mail second class.
Downloadable Content
After purchase, you can download the file either from the order confirmation page or the "Downloads" tab in "My Account".
If you have selected the option to receive a pre-loaded USB stick, then this will be dispatched via Royal Mail.
Pre-orders
We will contact you regarding any pre-ordered items, and let you know when they arrive so as to arrange delivery with you at a convenient time.
We offer interest-free and interest-bearing finance options on selected products.
Finance options for new products
2–5 years interest-bearing finance at 19.9% APR (minimum 10% deposit).
A minimum loan amount of £500 after deposit is required.
Finance options for used products
Used items can also be purchased using either of the following options
(minimum loan amount of £250 after deposit):
10 months at 0% APR (minimum 50% deposit)
6 months at 0% APR (minimum 10% deposit)
Representative Example
Cash price: £700
Deposit: £70
Loan amount: £630
APR representative: 19.9%
Interest rate: 19.9% p.a. fixed
36 monthly repayments of: £22.87
Total loan term: 36 months
Total amount payable: £893.32
Available finance options are displayed at checkout. Alternatively,
please get in touch
and we’ll be happy to discuss the options, or email a finance application to you. Find out more by clicking here
Seasonal Hours
Our seasonal opening hours are as follows:
Christmas Eve: 10am to 1.30pm
Christmas Day: Closed
Boxing Day: Closed
New Year's Eve: 10am to 1.30pm
New Year's Day: Closed
Bank Holidays
We are closed on all bank holidays, therefore the processing of sales and deliveries will be delayed.
Tyros Tipsters Bonus Content for Tyros 5
Here's what we offer when you select the option to include our Bonus Content...
We update the firmware so that your Yamaha Tyros 5 is running on the latest version
We load in 600 registrations into the Tyros 5 which give you sound set-ups in your
registration bank buttons for different genres of music
We add 1825 songs into the Tyros 5 Music Finder
Contact Us
We are pleased to be able to offer interest-free finance on selected products through Novuna Personal Finance, for a limited period only.
This offer is available on purchases of:
Brand New Yamaha Genos 2
Brand New & Used Yamaha SX920 (if purchased with bonus content & guide)
Used Yamaha SX900 (if purchased with bonus content & guide)
Used Yamaha Genos 1 (if purchased with bonus content & guide)
Get in touch to request a remote 0% finance application with or without a part-exchange using the form below:
Here's what we offer when you select the option to include our Bonus Content...
Latest Firmware
27 Expansion packs which include 557 voices and 381 backing styles
234 extra styles from Tyros 5
600 registrations
2673 song setups
Video showing where all the key features are
...and when you select the option to include our GenosTipsters Guide
We include our GenosTipsters guide (digital version) worth £99,
featuring over 3 hours of video and 200 pages of written accompaniment.
Disclaimer – a proportion of this content is made available freely by Yamaha,
for those fully competent and confident with using the required software to install it via computer.
Information about this item
For orders of any stock displaying a 7-10 day lead time, we will contact you as soon as the item arrives with us to schedule a delivery with you.
Occasionally, there may be availability issues with our suppliers, in which case we'll get in touch with you to see if you're happy to wait, or if you'd like to cancel the order and receive a full refund.
Information about this item
This is a special order "agency" item, and comes to us directly from Yamaha on a per-order basis.
It typically takes 7-10 days for this item to arrive with us, whereupon we'll contact you to discuss the arrangement of delivery.
Information about this item
For any pre-orders, we will contact you as soon as the item arrives with us to schedule a delivery with you, and update you with an ETA.
Occasionally, there may be availability issues with our suppliers, in which case we'll get in touch with you to see if you're happy to wait, or if you'd like to cancel the order and receive a full refund.
Get up to £250 cashback from Yamaha*
Yamaha is offering customers cashback on selected purchases until January 15th 2026 - here's how it works:
Purchase a qualifying Yamaha instrument before 15.01.26.
Complete the claim form
following this link
and have your proof of purchase and serial number ready.
Once your claim has been validated, you will be sent within 35 working days your cashback reward via bank transfer.
*Cashback amount varies product to product, as indicated.
Available Content for Genos 1
Here's what we include when you select the option to add our Bonus Content...
Latest Firmware
23 extra expansion packs which include 877 voices and 577 backing styles
234 extra styles from Tyros 5
600 registrations
4096 song setups
Video showing where all the key features are
...and when you select the option to include our GenosTipsters Guide
We include our GenosTipsters guide (digital version) worth £99,
featuring over 3 hours of video and 200 pages of written accompaniment.
Disclaimer – a proportion of this content is made available freely by Yamaha,
for those fully competent and confident with using the required software to install it via computer.
Part Exchange
Genos Tipsters Bonus Content for SX900
Here's what we offer when you select the option to include our Bonus Content...
Latest Firmware
14 Expansion Packs inc many extra voices and styles
234 T5 styles
600 registrations
T5 Music Finder
15 Playlists with 2287 song set-ups
Video showing where all the key features are
...and when you select the option to include our GenosTipsters Guide
We include our GenosTipsters guide (digital version) worth £99,
featuring over 3 hours of video and 200 pages of written accompaniment.
Disclaimer – a proportion of this content is made available freely by Yamaha,
for those fully competent and confident with using the required software to install it via computer.
Available Bonus Content for SX920
Here's what we offer when you select the option to include our Bonus Content...
Latest Firmware
25 Expansion packs which include 780 voices and 540 backing styles
234 extra styles from Tyros 5
600 registrations
4256 song setups including 136 ‘Decades’ registrations
Video showing where all the key features are
...and when you select the option to include our GenosTipsters Guide
We include our GenosTipsters guide (digital version) worth £99,
featuring over 3 hours of video and 200 pages of written accompaniment.
Disclaimer – a proportion of this content is made available freely by Yamaha,
for those fully competent and confident with using the required software to install it via computer.
Bonus Content for Korg Pa5X
Here's what we include when you select the option to add our Bonus Content...
Korg Bonus Styles (Taken from the Bonusware downloads on Korg UK website) – 450 styles
Korg Pa2x Internal Styles converted to 5x – 419 styles, all complete with 4 x Keyboard Sets
Korg Pa3x Internal Styles converted to 5x – 486 styles, all complete with 4 x Keyboard Sets
Korg Pa4x Internal Styles converted to 5x – 584 styles, all complete with 4 x Keyboard Sets
Korg Pa800 Internal Styles converted to 5x – 409 styles, all complete with 4 x Keyboard Sets
Korg Musikant 4x Internal Styles converted to 5x – 577 styles, all complete with 4 x Keyboard Sets
ePianos Songbook for Pa5x – A collection of over 200 well-known songs with 4 Keyboard Sets per song, giving in
excess of 800 registrations
Latest Osimo Songbook from Korg
3 x User Sound Packs from Korg
6 x Korg Pa5x User Know How videos covering: "Power Up & Panel", "Selecting Styles", "Selecting Sounds", "My
Setting & Favourites", "Mixer Basics", "Songbook", and "Recording"
How to Locate and Load the Various Software Bundle Components (Video)
Available Bonus Content for Genos 2
Here's what we offer when you select the option to include our Bonus Content:
Latest Firmware
52 expansion packs which include 1,721 voices and 1,148 backing styles
234 extra styles from Tyros 5
816 registrations
4256 song setups including 160 ‘Decades’ registrations
Video showing where all the key features are
Some of the best parts of our Bonus Content option are the 1,721 new extra voices and 1,148 new extra styles
included
across 52 expansion packs. These packs are quite complex to upload and, whilst free to obtain, we pride ourselves on
getting them into your keyboard for you — something many dealers shy away from purely because of the time it takes
to get them uploaded.
...and when you select the option to include our GenosTipsters Guide:
We include our GenosTipsters guide (digital version) worth £99,
featuring over 3 hours of video and 200 pages of written accompaniment.
Disclaimer – a proportion of this content is made available freely by Yamaha,
for those fully competent and confident with using the required software to install it via computer.
Comments: