Charmaine Li /Articles /UPDATED Dec 5, 2023
Christmas season is just around the corner! With Black Friday deals happening, now is the time to shop gifts for piano players in your life.
If you’re not a piano player, buying gifts for one can be intimidating. So, we hope this holiday gift guide will take the guesswork out of impressing the very lucky pianist in your life!
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Gifts for Piano Players: Digital Piano Buying Tips
So, you want to buy your lucky loved one a piano for Christmas, but acoustic pianos cost tens of thousands of dollars. In that case, consider a digital piano!
Today’s digital pianos can offer a comparable experience to an acoustic instrument, at a fraction of the price. A quality digital piano from a reputable brand is sufficient for beginners. They’re also an excellent choice for more advanced pianists in small spaces.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a digital piano:
- Try before you buy. How a piano feels under your fingers is the most important thing. And while it’s difficult to try a piano for someone else, we still recommend going into a store and playing a few instruments before buying.
- Look for 88 keys. This is a full-size standard keyboard. Even beginners should learn on 88 keys. That being said, we do have some product recommendations for shorter keyboards that are great for travel.
- Get weighted action. A weighted action means that you can control how loud or soft the piano is by how hard you press the keys. This is essential to developing technique, so definitely prioritize this characteristic!
If you need more help, we have tons of free in-depth resources:
- How to Buy a Piano
- Piano Brands
- Keyboard vs Piano
- Cost of Pianos, Explained
Digital Pianos for Beginners (Least Expensive)
Note: Unless otherwise indicated, most digital pianos in all categories don’t come with pedals, stands, and benches.
Yamaha P-45
This is a no-nonsense, 88-key, weighted action keyboard with ten voices, onboard speakers, metronome, and reverb from a popular brand. A safe bet for any beginner for sure!
> Review
BUY NOW: AMAZON | GUITAR CENTER
Roland FP-10
In the same class as the P-45, this instrument features Roland’s renowned SuperNATURAL sound engine. You can expect an authentic sound that incorporates an acoustic piano’s inner mechanics.
> Review
BUY NOW: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Get 90 days of Pianote: As friends of Roland, if you buy a Roland piano in the U.S. or Canada, you will also get a 90-day Pianote Membership!
Casio Privia PX-S1100
With a slim, sleek design, this instrument is a beautiful addition to small space dwellers. It also offers two headphone outputs and textured keys.
> Review
BUY NOW:
Black: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
White: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Red: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Yamaha P-125
A step up from the P-45, this instrument has a more sophisticated sound engine and better dynamic control. Lisa Witt used an older model of this piano herself when she was learning.
> Review
BUY NOW:
Roland FP-30X
The big brother of the FP-10, the FP-30X features more sounds, more polyphony, and a higher quality build and speakers. While Lisa recommends upgrading from the P-45 to the P-125, she notes that there are fewer differences between the FP-10 and FP-30X as they use the same action and sound engine.
> Review
BUY NOW:
Black: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
White: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Casio PX-S3100
The Casio PX-S3100 is similar to the PX-S1100 but with many more features that will appeal to synth enthusiasts, including a fun pitch bend wheel!
> Review
BUY NOW: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Digital Pianos for Advanced Players (Most Expensive)
Yamaha P-515
This instrument takes musical realism to the next level with built-in Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer sounds, and the Piano Room feature lets you customize your soundscape.
BUY NOW:
Black: AMAZON | GUITAR CENTER
White: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN
Roland FP-90X
The most advanced instrument in Roland’s flagship FP series, the 90X has the same action as Roland’s top-of-the-line RD-2000 and comes in a beautiful black or white colorway.
> Review
BUY NOW:
Black: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
White: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Nord Piano 5
The Nord brand is trusted by pros like Jesús Molina, Summer Swee-Singh, and David Bennett. These premium instruments come in a trademark red color and are revered for their technology, features, and authentic feel. They’re as premium as it gets when it comes to digital pianos!
BUY NOW:
88 Keys: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
73 Keys: SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Ultra-Portable Digital Pianos
These instruments aren’t great for learning on, but if your Christmas giftee wants a keyboard to travel with, they can make a perfect gift without breaking the bank.
Roland GO:KEYS
While it only has 61 keys, the GO:KEYS is a compact, lightweight instrument that packs a punch. It’s made a welcome appearance in many of our videos — Lisa has even gone stand-up piano boarding with one!You may also want to check out the GO:PIANO, which comes in both 61 and 88-key varieties.
> Review
BUY NOW: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | GUITAR CENTER
Korg Liano
This slim, full-size keyboard only weighs 6kg! It doesn’t have fully weighted keys, so it’s not the best instrument to learn on. But it’s perfect for travelers, buskers, or those who want a super compact solution.
BUY NOW:
Red: AMAZON Blue: AMAZON Silver: AMAZON Gray: AMAZON
Black: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
White: AMAZON | THOMANN
Synthesizers
If you’re not sure what the difference is between a piano and a synthesizer, read this. In short, a synthesizer is a fun, music-making machine where you can shape your own sound. Perfect for the budding producer in your life.
Roland JUNO-DS Series
This is a beginner-friendly synthesizer that comes in a variety of sizes. The 88-key version features fully weighted hammer action.
BUY NOW:
JUNO-DS61: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
JUNO-DS76: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
JUNO-DS88: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Yamaha Reface Series
These little keyboards are perfect for the synthesizer on the go! All models have batteries, built-in speakers, and responsive HQ-MINI keys. The Reface series includes four models: CS, DX, CP, and YC. Here’s a neat demo of the difference between each model.
BUY NOW:
Reface CP: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Reface YC: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Reface DX: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Reface CS: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Melodicas
Melodicas don’t require batteries, are super portable, affordable, and fun to play! Take one to your next campfire session and jam right along with the guitarists. Watch Jon Batiste, one of today’s top pianist-composers, rock the melodica here.
Hohner Performer 37
Hohner is the original inventor of the melodica. The Performer 37 has 37 keys and a full, accordion-like sound.
BUY NOW: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Yamaha Pianica P-37E
These charming little instruments come in three colors. The brown and black produce a mellower tone while the red melodica has a brighter tone.
BUY NOW:
Red: AMAZON Brown: GUITAR CENTER
Black: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | GUITAR CENTER
Books
Whether your Christmas giftee is looking for more interesting repertoire to play or a method book to guide them on their learning journey, books are an excellent, low-cost stocking stuffer.
Songbooks
The Most Beautiful Classical Piano Pieces
This beautiful, spiral-bound book contains the most beloved classical piano pieces such as “Clair de lune,” “Gymnopédie No.1,” and the “Moonlight” Sonata. With detailed tips and both original and simplified arrangements, it’s an excellent gift for pianists of all levels.
> Buy Now
The Pianote Christmas Songbook
A collection of favorites, from “Carol of the Bells” to “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” this book contains both traditional and simplified arrangements. You’ll also get a page of expert tips before each song. Suitable for pianists of all levels!
> Buy Now
The Real Book
The Real Book is known as the authoritative collection of jazz standards. Volume 1 contains key standards like “Autumn Leaves,” “Blue Bossa,” “The Girl From Ipanema,” and more.
BUY NOW: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
Method Books
Faber: Adult Piano Adventures All-In-One Course Book 1
One of the most popular piano series, written by a musical husband-and-wife team and organized into 16 easily digestible units.
> Review
BUY NOW: AMAZON | GUITAR CENTER
Bastien: Piano for Adults – Book 1
A great all-around method book for adult learners with plenty of exercises to help you remember concepts and well-arranged music.
> Review
BUY NOW: AMAZON
Alfred’s Basic Adult All-in-One Course, Book 1
This is an all-encompassing, comprehensive method book that covers theory, technique, musicality, and more. It also covers chord theory, blues, and jazz.
> Review
BUY NOW: AMAZON | GUITAR CENTER
Other Books
The Pianote Practice Planner
Designed by piano players, for piano players, the practice planner is designed to keep you on track to achieve all your goals!
> Buy Now
Piano Chords and Scales
This one is a bestseller! Quickly find a diagram for chords and scales in all keys.
> Buy Now
Hanon: The Virtuoso Pianist
This book contains technique exercises that have been used since the 1800s. Suitable for piano players of all styles to improve their chops!
BUY NOW: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | THOMANN | GUITAR CENTER
The Jazz Piano Book
Jazz piano can be intimidating. Mark Levine’s book is a go-to for piano players interested in delving into this genre. It’s extremely comprehensive, though some reviewers suggest it’s intended for more experienced players, such as classical pianists who want to branch into jazz.
BUY NOW: AMAZON
Accessories
The piano is, in general, an all-in-one instrument. That being said, sometimes it’s worth upgrading to better tools.
The Pianote Metronome
Want your performance to sound as tight as your piano heroes? Practice with a metronome! Develop your rhythm, timing, and coordination with this beautiful compact metronome made in Germany by Wittner.
> Buy Now
On-Stage KT7800 Piano Bench
A dedicated, adjustable piano bench is a must because it fosters good posture and correct technique.
BUY NOW: AMAZON | SWEETWATER | GUITAR CENTER
On-Stage SM7211B Music Stand
If your digital piano doesn’t come with a stand, you need a stable and durable music stand to hold up their sheet music, chord charts, stationery, and whatnot.
BUY NOW: AMAZON | SWEETWATER
Fun Stuff
Finally, if you’re looking for some piano-themed Christmas apparel, we’ve got you covered at the Pianote store 😉
Pianote Yuletide Knit Shirt
Bring on the holiday festivities while keeping cool in knitted-sweater inspired tee.
> Buy Now
Pianote Yuletide Knit Sweater
Keep warm this winter while showing everyone your passion with this cozy, knitted sweater.
> Buy Now
Pianote Yuletide Knit Socks
Dress them up and dress them down! You’ll be festive from head to toe.
> Buy Now
The best way to learn piano is with real teachers, but not everyone has the time and money for a private instructor. At Pianote, you can get real feedback from real experts…all from the comfort of your own home. Explore our Method and community yourself with a free 7-day trial.🎹 Learn Piano With Real Teachers
Charmaine Liis a Vancouver writer who has played piano for over 20 years. She holds an Associate diploma (ARCT) from the Royal Conservatory of Music and loves writing about the ways in which music—and music learning—affects the human experience. Charmaine manages The Note. Learn more about Charmaine here.
