Yamaha YDP-145 B Arius

For those who are after a high-quality digital piano from a respected brand, the Yamaha YDP-145 Arius is an excellent choice. At an attractive price, this piano not only features a classic, timeless design, but also a grand piano sound sampled from the high-end Yamaha CFX concert grand. Added to this is the GHS (Graded Hammer Standard) keyboard, which features a responsive 88-key weighted and graded hammer action for an authentic playing feel. The speaker system delivers a natural sound with an authentic spatial feel thanks to the use of Tone Escapement technology, in addition to which the Smart Pianist app enables users to select instrument voices, adjust various settings, record their performances, and much more. Given this range of features, the YDP-145 Arius piano is also sure to find favour among more advanced users as well.

The best piano sound is only as good as the keyboard that is used to bring it to life. The GHS (Graded Hammer Standard) keyboard of the Yamaha YDP-145 Arius reproduces the touch of an acoustic piano, from a naturally heavy feel in the lower keys to a lighter touch in the upper octaves. This ensures a realistic playing feel with precise expression control, which also benefits beginners in particular. Realism is also a key feature of the pedals: The damper pedal has a half-pedal function, allowing for precise control and providing rich expressive variation.

Combing a digital piano with a tablet or smartphone opens up a whole world of further possibilities. The YDP-145 Arius is compatible with the free Yamaha Smart Pianist app, which can be used to customise the sound and resonance settings and also contains the sheet music for the digital piano's more than 350 integrated songs and practice pieces, including many classics and rewnowned etudes by Beyer, Burgmüller, Czerny, and Hanon. Other practical features for practising include the integrated record function, which enables separate recording and playback of both hands as well as the option of splitting the keyboard into two sections with the same piano sound and octave range.