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What is the best digital piano for Grade 3?
By this stage you will likely be reading key signatures with up to 3 or 4 sharps or flats, be introduced to a broader range of dynamics and articulation and pieces will be longer and more challenging to play both technically and stylistically.
It is important around this phase of learning to consider purchasing a quality piano rather than a portable version, so I am going to show a few suitable pianos from the Yamaha Clavinova range that would be perfect if you wanted to purchase for a grade 3 player.

To begin with is the super, well-priced Yamaha Arius YDP-165 and its slimline version the YDP-S55.
Both these pianos are effortless to play and come with the Yamaha Concert Grand sound, smooth release, 192 – note polyphony, and the Graded Hammer 3 keyboard, they provide everything you might need at this level.
The Graded Hammer 3 keyboard means that the piano reacts to touch as if the lower notes have longer, thicker strings, and the top octaves have shorter, thinner strings mimicking an acoustic grand piano.

The Yamaha Clavinova CLP-725 is an entry level Clavinova. Whilst similar looking to the Arius range, the difference is the timbre of the instrument.
The Yamaha CLP-725 has a further 64-note polyphony taking it to 256-note polyphony. By this level, you are going to find that longer, faster pieces will require more opportunities for increased polyphony.
The GrandTouchS keyboard are responsive to touch, meaning the player has more control over their dynamics and articulation. This is an important function for players at a Grade 3 level.
Whilst there are only 10 voices on the Yamaha CLP-725, there is a harpsichord and organ function which can be quite fun at Grade 3 when you are learning a baroque piece such as Couperin’s Les Coucous Benevoles, to hear what that may have actually sounded like during the period.
As always, don’t forget we have a wide range of used pianos that may allow your budget to take you up a level in the series. Check our our latest digital secondhand pianos.
So which digital piano is best for Grade 3? Personally, I feel that by Grade 3 there is more commitment to continuity, so perhaps I would go for the better spec Clavinova CLP – 725 or a similar used model.
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