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What is the best digital piano for Grade 2?
There is not a huge step up between Grades 1 and 2 between the various exam boards, however, the specification requires more fluency from the performer, there is an introduction of arpeggios, new key signatures and more complex time signatures.
There may also be a broader variety of dynamic markings and the expectancy of musical interpretation will be higher.
The Yamaha P-125 and the Yamaha YDP – 165 would be a good place to start looking.
The Yamaha P-125 is a portable piano, combining a superb piano sound with a minimal design that doesn’t detract from its purpose.
It has a 192-note polyphony meaning that 192 notes can sound together. It is very unlikely that at Grade 2 you would be playing pieces complex enough to need this, however, it will mean that this digital piano allows you to progress further.
There is a stand that can be purchased separately as well as a three-pedal unit giving the player the options of sustained, dampened, and sostenuto notes. Again, whilst these are not necessary for Grade 2, they will be essential for later grades.
Another option to draw your attention to might be the Yamaha YDP-165. This piano from the Arius range has the added advantage of synthetic ivory key tops which feels like the tops of acoustic pianos. It comes in its own cabinet with the Graded Hammer Action like the Yamaha P-125.
Arius also does a slimline range. These pianos have similar features, 88-notes, 192-note polyphony, Graded Hammer Keyboards and the look and feel of a great upright acoustic piano, however, they are slimmer in depth to the Yamaha YDP – 165, making them ideal for a smaller room.
Both these pianos are also compatible with the SmartApp feature, meaning that there are lots of creative ways in which to learn pieces as well as the added bonus of playing along with songs, giving the opportunity to take a break from exam practice and have fun with other pieces.
Which digital piano is best for Grade 2? That will depend on your space available, your budget and the likelihood that the player/s in your home will progress further. Both these pianos are very comparable to each other, with perhaps the Yamaha Arius YDP – 165 pipping the Yamaha P-125 for sound quality and feel.
As always, there are often-used versions of the pianos we discuss that you can find on our website and may give you scope to go to a slightly better model for a similar budget.
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David goes into depth about whether to buy a keyboard or a piano
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Used items can also be purchased using either of the following options (minimum loan amount of £250 after deposit):
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
Our seasonal opening hours are as follows:
We are closed on all bank holidays, therefore the processing of sales and deliveries will be delayed.
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.
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.
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.
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