Top Portable Piano Keyboards – Guide & Comparison
If you’re looking for a fast way to determine what the best portable keyboard for your needs would be, then you’re in the right place. Our website offers you the possibility of not having to read countless portable piano keyboards reviews. According to our findings, the first product you should consider is the Yamaha PSRE453 61-KEY, due to its 220 styles and 378 music database titles that will help you develop your skills. What’s also worth considering is the five new DJ patterns available in the menu, as well as the 10 DSP effects that can be controlled with a knob, all to make sure you get the most out of the experience and you find it easy to operate. Another excellent alternative would be the Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted.
Comparison Table
Our Top Choice
Just like the name suggests, this product features 61 keys to play with in order to create a wide array of sounds. It is both suitable for beginners and professionals and comes with a user-friendly and intuitive board. The piano keyboard is compact and portable, making it easy to travel with. It benefits from 378 music database titles.
Sadly, this item from Yamaha doesn’t come with an adapter, so you’ll have to purchase one separately. Also, it may not be compatible with all models of speakers.
This complete set is everything you need to start composing your own music. Yamaha is a reputed producer of musical instruments, so why not give this product a try?
2nd Best
It is delivered with various useful accessories, including a pair of handy headphones, a power supply, and a keyboard stand. This product features 61 touch-sensitive and lighted keys so you can even play it in low-light places. The demo song is perfect for beginners, while more experienced users could try one of the 392 high-quality instrument voices.
The main downside of this keyboard is that you cannot plug in a microphone. Therefore, you might reconsider your MC and DC abilities at the next party you are invited to.
With decades of experience in the field, Yamaha products are reliable, durable, and come with outstanding performances, even for those who have just started their musical careers.
Also To Consider
Looking for a reliable and affordable product? This one from Casio is complete with no less than 50 built-in dance music rhythms to help you create your own music. Thanks to the integrated Chordata Play app, you can connect this device to your smartphone or tablet and help you improve your music composition skills.
Although the headphone feature sounded like a great addition, some customers said it didn’t work well. Others stated that the keyboard wasn’t lighted either.
The product allows you to experiment with various styles and pre-set sounds for a customized music experience. Whether you’re a pro or a newbie, it is worth considering this item.
7 Best Portable Piano Keyboards (Reviews) in 2021
Sometimes, finding the best portable digital piano can be quite challenging, especially in an overcrowded market. To help you find the right option for your requirements, we have put together a list of our top choices, together with recommendations on how to go about your search.
If you’re in the market for a good synthesizer keyboard read our review and you might also fancy our article on a reliable midi controller keyboard.
- 1. Yamaha PSRS670 Portable Keyboard
- 2. Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package
- 3. Casio CTK-2550 61-Key Portable Keyboard with App Integration
- 4. Yamaha PSRS670 Portable Keyboard
- 5. Yamaha PSRS670 Portable Keyboard
- 6. Alesis Recital | 88-Key Beginner Digital Piano
- 7. Casio 61-Key Concertina CTK-2400
- Yearly Guide & Report
1. Yamaha PSRS670 Portable Keyboard
Suitable for experienced players as well as beginners, this Yamaha alternative will help you with your live performances using its advanced features; it will offer you a new option for composing due to its extended menu.
If you’re looking for an easily portable model, then this is an item that you should be considering. With a 48-note polyphony, this piano keyboard will allow players to benefit from fewer dropped notes and more expensive control than they would in case they chose other models with a lower note count.
Despite its wide range of notes, it manages to maintain its portability and compact design, making it easy to adapt to your method of transport for live gigs and other occasions.
This product has 220 styles and 378 music database titles. An Arpeggio function, 10 DSP effects controlled with a knob and five new DJ patterns are other aspects that make this Yamaha option worth your attention.
Click to see the price on Amazon!
2. Yamaha EZ-220 61-Lighted Key Portable Keyboard Package
The Yamaha EZ-220 is a model that comes in a packaging which includes many different accessories that might prove to be useful for the piano player, beginner or advanced. And you can also read this short review if you have a toddler interested in pianos.
Aside from the keyboard itself, a pair of Samson HP30 closed-back stereo headphones, a World Tour PA-130 power supply and a World Tour SXKS keyboard stand are the other products included, which make this set an accessible and smart purchase.
The model itself has 61 touch-sensitive lighted keys, a feature that will prove to be useful in different types of low-lighting environments.
A total of 392 high-quality instrument voices is another aspect that makes this keyboard a useful tool for experienced musicians. It also features 100 built-in songs and one demo song to help beginners learn the craft.
It also includes other useful stuff such as a fingering guide, a Yamaha Education Suite and an EZ-220 Page Turner app that can be used with an iPad.
Buy from Amazon.com for ($249.99)
3. Casio CTK-2550 61-Key Portable Keyboard with App Integration
This option features a dance music mode with 50 built-in dance music rhythms to help cheer up any party. It will be great for many kinds of social events as well as for concerts or other gigs.
A Chordata Play app is integrated and can be used with your smartphone or other devices that support this type of file. It will help you learn faster and improve your skills as you go along.
With a 48-note polyphony, this piano keyboard is perfectly sized to accommodate the needs of a beginner, but it might be suitable for experienced players as well, due to its compact design and increased portability.
Its Step-Up Lesson System is perfect for enthusiastic individuals who can’t wait to learn more about their favorite instrument and how to properly play it but who are willing to take on a carefully programmed guide to help increase their efficiency and solidify their knowledge.
This model comes with 400 tones and 100 rhythms, as well.
Click to see the price on Amazon!
4. Yamaha PSRS670 Portable Keyboard
An affordable model that includes the YPT-260 61-Key Portable Keyboard as well as the PA130 Power Adapter, this package is a good idea for those who want to make sure they have high-quality gear that’s able to make a good performance.
Complete with 400 voices and 130 Auto accompaniment styles with backing tracks, this item also features 112 onboard songs to help you try your hand at some popular tunes to increase your piano-playing skills while performing an entertaining activity.
A 9-step lesson function is designed to help beginners organize their session according to a program created by professionals, so that they have maximum efficiency in their endeavours.
The Aux input allows you to connect this device to other electronics such as a phone, a tablet or a computer in order to play along with music from other libraries.
You can also use the record and playback function to reuse certain areas of tracks that you’ve played before.
Buy from Amazon.com for ($129.99)
5. Yamaha PSRS670 Portable Keyboard
This portable alternative is, in fact, a starter keyboard for any audiophile who wants to enjoy playing music, since it can be used by both beginners and experienced musicians alike.
A color-coded control panel makes using this device extremely accessible since it relies more on intuition than on a complicated set of instructions. All you need to do is select a voice, choose a rhythm and start playing the tune. It works for children taking piano classes as well, due to its basic controls.
It has 120 voices and 114 styles, and this aspect is what makes the PSR-F51 incredibly versatile and suitable for many events as well as music genres.
The power adapter required to make this keyboard work is sold separately, but if you wish be independent on an electrical outlet you can also use double A batteries to power this product.
Click to see the price on Amazon!
6. Alesis Recital | 88-Key Beginner Digital Piano
This alternative has 88 full-sized, semi-weighted keys with built-in speakers, which make it slightly larger than other models we’ve also included in our list of reviews. However, you should know that it still manages to maintain its portability, given the lightweight design and compact shape.
It includes a Skoove 3-month premium subscription for interactive online piano lessons to help beginners improve their skills. They are designed in order to program certain stages to help lay the foundation for longterm knowledge.
Four modes, including Standard, Split, Layer and Lesson come with 128 max polyphony. The included power adapter that’s used to make the device works spares you of some future costs and helps you save a few pennies.
To link this keyboard to other electronic devices such as a computer, you need to have windows seven installed in 32 or 64 bits, 10.8 OS X in case you’re a Mac user and a 2.0 or higher USB port available.
Buy from Amazon.com for ($229.99)
7. Casio 61-Key Concertina CTK-2400
Another excellent alternative would be this Casio design, which comes in a packaging complete with Samson HP30 closed-cup headphones, an AD5 power supply, a World Tour SXKS keyboard stand, and a 6-inch USB cable — in fact all the tools you need for a successful performance.
What is also worth considering is that this item includes the instructional software that many users have found very helpful in improving their skills at playing the piano and just like a weighted keyboard on which you can read our review facilitates playing an actual piano this keyboard can help you evolve.
An intuitive sampling function with a built-in microphone has been added to this product’s design in order to offer the users the perspective of new technology.
Four hundred AHL keyboard voices are included in the library of this device. Another function that could prove to be helpful is the voice percussion. In order for this to work, a couple of samples are integrated into the rhythm to add layers and depth to your music pieces.
Click to see the price on Amazon!
Yearly Guide & Report
Finding the best portable piano keyboard among the many alternatives currently available for sale can be a daunting task, especially if you’re not a professional or if you haven’t had contact with the music field before.
Aside from selecting a couple of top options to showcase in our collection, our website also offers a complete buying guide filled with useful tips and information.
If you’re interested in this topic and you want to learn more about good weighted keyboards and other instruments as well, you may check out other related articles on products such as excellent travel guitars, reliable violin bows or how to keep a rhythm with the help of metronomes if your playing drums here or here if guitar is your passion.
Size and number of keys
An important aspect of choosing a keyboard would be to decide on the number of keys that would accommodate your needs. Aside from choosing the model that fits your musical skill and necessities, be it for private practicing or for live performances, you need to think about how this influences the overall shape and design of your keyboard.
Given that we’re discussing portable models here, one of their key features would be their size and transportability. If the model has a large number of keys, it might influence its size, making it harder to carry along whenever you need to get to a concert venue.
Another thing worth considering when choosing the number of keys in your piano keyboard would be the type of music you will be playing or practicing, given that certain genres and styles require different sizes.
Once you’ve got that all set, think about how your new device will fit in with your other gear and what it would take to transport it comfortably.
Controls and instructions
Especially if you’re a beginner and you don’t know much about how to play a piano, you will find it useful if there’s a set of instructions included in the packaging, even more if they’re plainly explained and simple to understand for just about anyone.
Many models include this type of guide, but it will be even better if you manage to spot the one that requires a minimum of skill and knowledge in order to start your session.
If you want to go even further and take some lessons to improve your capabilities, you might want to keep an eye out for products that come with helpful software. Many brands include apps that can be used on any smart device that you can link to your keyboard.
It’s even more helpful if these lessons are designed by professionals to aid the learning process, and organized in accordance with your level of proficiency.
Connectivity
When you’re looking for ways to adapt your performance and you want to expand your possibilities, you might want to consider a keyboard that can be interlinked with other devices, such as a computer or an iPad, in order to add layers to your sound.
Pay attention to the means of connecting that you choose and make sure it fits the other devices that you might already have in your equipment.
Either by USB cable or by wireless connection, you need to make sure that the two sources are compatible in order for the process to work correctly.
You might find this feature useful if you’re normally a fan of recording apps, given that you can take a segment of a track that you’ve previously played and use over and over again for new compositions. This helps the creative process and makes composing a lot more accessible.
Storage
In the case of a portable object, it’s crucial to consider the way it can be comfortably stored alongside other items in your musical gear collection. It might be a good idea to keep an eye out for brands that also offer means of storing their product, on top of the keyboard itself. It’s even better if it’s in the same price range.
Of course storage doesn’t only refer to the size of the device itself, but also to the work you’ve done. You can try to save the tracks that you’ve created on external sources in order to use them later when needed and thus make composing a lot easier.
A good portable piano keyboard should come with storage options including items such as flash drives, SmartMedia card slots and many more. You’ll find this feature extremely useful in the design that you end up buying especially if you’re a professional and you need to keep track of your ideas whenever you play.
Budget and other issues
If music is not your profession but simply a hobby, even one that you take very seriously, you might not be willing to invest significant amounts of money into buying an instrument.
However, it’s essential to keep in mind that when it comes to this type of equipment, a low price probably means low quality.
When looking for a cheap portable piano keyboard, at least stick to the brands that have made a name for themselves as time passes, because they’re less likely to neglect the quality of their products.
The important thing to remember would be to keep an eye out for manufacturers that include many different accessories in their packaging alongside the keyboard itself, since that is what would help you save a few extra pennies.
Bibliography:
1) The major components of a keyboard
2) Keyboard action and touch response
4) The 4 Categories of Digital Pianos
