Yamaha DGX-640

Yamaha DGX-640 plays like a real grand piano, sounds like a real grand piano and is not expensive. The action is not as good as on some more costly instruments, the volume could be a little louder, and it doesn’t come in a nice furniture-style cabinet - looks definitely like a ‘stage’ keyboard. But the DGX-640 is a good compromise that may only disappoint top-notch professional pianists used to playing top-notch acoustic instruments. I can say this with conviction because I used to be a professional keyboard player myself and I am far from being disappointed with the Yamaha DGX-640. Of course I would love to own and play a big acoustic concert grand. Wouldn’t we all? But like most people I cannot afford one and wouldn’t have room for such a thing in my house. So I reckon that the DGX-640 is the next best thing - not least since, unlike a big acoustic concert grand, it has lots more to offer than mere piano sounds as well as numerous automatic accompaniments that can make even the most inexperienced players sound ‘nor arf bad really’.

Consequently DGX-640 is also a good instrument if you want to send your children to piano lessons. This instrument will provide the right sort of piano ‘feedback’ for little fingers and, when practising is done, provide loads of fun. Besides, if the kids get fed up with piano lessons, or are forced to give them up due to pressure of school work later on - as seasoned parents will tell you happens ‘a lot’ - with DGX-640 you won’t have spent a fortune on something that is totally useless to all but Lang Lang or Jamie Cullum. Even rank amateurs with no previous playing experience will get some pleasure - and a lot more - from a DGX-640 than they would from an acoustic piano or more ‘pianistically orientated’ digital one with far less features and sounds. Whereas if you want DGX-640 to be louder, via the rear headphone socket you can easily connect it to a home hi-fi system or to one of the small, relatively inexpensive keyboard amplifiers around these days. Mind you, I don’t think that most people will feel it necessary to do that. Although DGX-640 is not as loud as some more costly instruments I guess it’s quite loud enough for your average living room - mine certainly.

In addition, compared to my other Yamaha piano - a CP300 - DGX-640 is much lighter and can easily be lifted onto its stand by an average-sized person. Conversely, CP300 needs two people to move it at all times. Whewf!

Just one other thing... If you do decide to go for the DGX-640 get the LPA-7 pedal board too. It only adds another fifty-odd quid to the price and gives you the same three pedals you’ll find on an acoustic grand piano. The small footswitch damper pedal supplied as standard with DGX-640, while perfectly adequate, is far from ideal. I am prejudiced against these things anyway because, on stage, they always drove me mad by sliding about on the shiny boards. But the substantial LPA-7 pedal unit bolts securely to the DGX-640 stand and is a far better solution all round.

In summary then,

PROS

1. Not expensive;

2. Sounds and plays like a real piano;

3. Loads of instrument sounds and automatic accompaniments;

4. USB memory stick slot for saving songs/settings;

5. USB socket on the rear for connecting to a computer;

6. Rear quarter-inch stereo jack socket for headphones or for connecting to external amplifier;

7. Runs off 12 Volts DC - so can be used away from mains power;

8. Large monochrome screen, which displays settings and also musical notation;

9. It’s from YAMAHA - the largest piano-maker in the world.

CONS

1. Could be louder;

2. ‘Action’ not Yamaha’s best - but pretty good nonetheless.

And that’s about it - the Yamaha DGX-640 Portable Grand Piano. Both thumbs well up from me for sure.