Yamaha P45 Review

The benefits of playing a musical instrument are various and they range from the development of various skills to discovering one’s creativity. Even though they might be challenging at first, pianos are part of the most common instruments people resort to when it comes to learning how to play a musical instrument. 

However, getting an acoustic piano is not always an option, whether because of one’s budget or space available. Here is where digital pianos come into sight. Thanks to the latest technological developments, you can now enjoy the various advantages of this instrument in a digital version that takes less space and is often more affordable.

The Yamaha P45 88-key weighted action digital piano is an option you might want to consider if you want to embark on this sonic journey. To help you make a more informed decision, we have highlighted below the main characteristics of this model including both its ups and downs. 

Main advantage

Digital pianos are highly appreciated for being portable and easy to store, yet one should not overlook its sonic capacities when buying such an item. A digital piano is indeed a compact and more affordable version of an acoustic piano but that doesn’t mean that this is the main feature to consider when buying such a product. 

A digital piano might be lightweight and compact yet if it fails to deliver the desired sonic output and performance, it becomes more of a spare-time fun toy. Here is where the Yamaha P45 excels. The unit was designed to help you feel like you’re playing an acoustic piano and, thus, comes with a sound engine that is committed to delivering superior performance.

To make this possible, the unit features AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) sampling. This characteristic is the one that enables the digital piano to recreate the natural sounds of acoustic pianos in stereo. 

By using pairs of waveforms and digital technology to record the sounds of acoustic pianos, AWM is committed to producing richer and deeper sounds. This means that it will be difficult to make the difference between the sonic output of this product and the one of an acoustic instrument. 

Thanks to these characteristics, the digital piano plays one sample per key and does so at different timbre and volume levels, which further translates into enhanced versatility. 

Plus, to take your sonic performance and diversity even further, the P45 comes with 64-note polyphony, so you can play piano songs that are moderately dense. Add the Dual Mode feature to the benefits mentioned above and you’ll understand why this model has gathered appreciation. This function will help you use two voices at the same time such as strings and piano and thus get more creative. 

Main disadvantage

As we’ve said before, digital pianos are convenient because of their dimensions and portable design, not to mention their price. A classic acoustic piano isn’t just pricier but also significantly bigger; therefore, if your home is not very spacious, such an instrument may not even be an option.

One of the reasons behind the invention of digital pianos regards this very aspect. However, despite the remarkable technological developments, it is difficult to create such a compact unit without sacrificing some of the advantages of the classic acoustic piano. 

Even if the P45 sports AWM sampling, 64-note polyphony, and the Dual Mode option, it might be a better option for students and young players. Advanced musicians might not find it versatile enough to meet more challenging sonic adventures. 

Plus, experienced players who are accustomed to acoustic pianos might sense the difference between the sounds produced by a real instrument and the ones created by this digital version. Still, it takes a very skilled and seasoned musician to tell the difference. 

The bottom line is that this model is probably a more inspired choice for someone who has just started to play the piano and does not set too high targets as far as the sonic output is concerned. The sonic performance and versatility ensured by this model are ideal for beginners. 

If you’ve already gained experience in this field and you want to upgrade to a digital piano that will keep up with the needs of an advanced player, this unit might not meet such requirements. However, it is best to try it out before making your final decision. 

Main features explained

Designed to help piano players recreate the natural sounds of the acoustic instrument, this product is worth taking into account. It boasts features that render it suitable for beginners interested in exploring the sonic capacities of digital pianos. 

Realistic feel

Thanks to the GHS weighted action, you won’t feel that this is a digital piano when playing. This type of action is lighter in the high end and heavier in the low end, a feature also offered by acoustic pianos. 

This characteristic won’t just provide you with a realistic feel but will also help you develop the right finger technique; therefore, if you’re an aspiring pianist, the weighted action will make it easier for you to enjoy an experience that is similar to the one provided by the real instrument. 

By helping you build proper finger technique, the product proves to be of great help if you intend to play the real instrument at some point as it won’t be difficult for you to make that transition. What’s more, the black keys have a matte finish that makes them less slippery. This translates into enhanced comfort and precision even when you use it for extended practice sessions. 

Deeper and richer sounds

A digital piano is not only about a compact and convenient design or a realistic feel, though. The sounds it produces is the one that will make you go for it or opt for another item. When it comes to the sonic performance of the P45, the unit promises to create the natural sounds of the acoustic instrument. 

To deliver deeper and richer sounds, the digital piano features AWM Stereo Sampling that makes use of waveform pairs that have been captured with two microphones. This characteristic makes it possible to play one sample per key at different volume and timbre levels. 

Furthermore, the product boats the Dual Mode option that allows you to combine two voices. For example, you can combine strings and piano for enhanced versatility. Also, thanks to the 64-note polyphony, you can play denser piano passages as you advance. 

Since pianos come in several types, this unit is committed to helping you explore the sonic capacities of several pianos and thus sports various settings for different types of pianos. This means that you will get to explore more with just one unit. 

Easy operation 

This model was engineered with beginners in mind and, therefore, promises to make it easy for aspiring musicians to use it. The item is compact and lightweight, which ensures ease of transportation and storage. If you don’t practice only at home, the portability ensured by this digital piano is a feature you will surely benefit from. 

As a beginner, you will have lots of things to learn in order to get closer to mastering the piano. To make sure that things don’t get even more challenging, the P45 sports a user-friendly design. 

You can easily and rapidly change the various settings provided with the help of a single button. Holding down the Grand Piano/Function button and pressing the keyboard will help you configure the metronome, change voices, and do other such things. 

This feature comes in handy if you don’t want to play the same voice, for example, but would like to be able to change it quickly and easily. The unit has 10 voices for increased diversity and thus the possibility to change them rapidly is a great plus. 

Yamaha

Whether you’re in the music industry or you’ve just started to explore this field, it is highly unlikely not to have heard of Yamaha. The brand is now well-known for manufacturing a rich selection of musical instruments and products ranging from digital pianos to keyboards. 

It all started back in 1887 when Torakusu Yamaha, the company’s founder, built the first reed organ in Japan. This paved the way to a successful series of upright pianos, electronic organs, wind instruments, guitars, trumpets, drums, clarinets, horns as well as other products such as semiconductors and lifestyle-related items. 

The products manufactured by Yamaha have gathered appreciation for the quality materials used and the performance provided, which helped the brand gain one of the world’s top positions in the field of musical gear and lifestyle item manufacturing. 

The company is also the largest piano manufacturer in the world. The success of Yamaha products led to various awards including the “Product of the Year” and the “Keyboard of the Year” awards for the YPG-625 in 2007. 

The company’s activity has not been limited only to the production of the various items mentioned above. In 1954, Yamaha Corporation began a program of music lessons and established the Yamaha Music School. 

Yamaha’s current product offer includes a variety of pianos, keyboard instruments, synthesizers, music production tools, professional audio gear, audio & visual products, home appliances, sporting goods, and more.