Yamaha P45 Review (and P71 Review) – A Great Value Digital Piano

In this post, we’re going in-depth with some of the top Yamaha digital pianos out there, with a Yamaha P45 review. It should be said at this point that the Yahama P71 review is incorporated, due to the fact that the two are more or less the same thing. The P-71 is an Amazon exclusive model of the same digital piano.

The amount of products that Yamaha manufacture in music technology is absolutely huge and their range of digital pianos is excellent. The P45 is a superb example of the quality on offer from the brand. Many people discuss this in the realms of ‘beginner’ digital pianos and keyboards, and while it is great for people just getting started it is perhaps a bit more than that and could be a good choice for intermediate players too.

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Our Review

Yamaha and online retailers tend to describe this as a ‘home digital piano’. It is available at a price that suggests it is on the beginner end of the market, and if this is your first digital piano you are doing okay. The vital areas we’re looking at are the tone, feel, playability and of course cost when we look at any Yamaha piano. The P45 gets a massive thumbs up on pretty much all of those areas. It has its limitations and doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles some of the more expensive models do. Though simplicity is the name of the game, for the price, it is tough to find anything better.

Features:

This is a digital piano packed full of great features to improve your playability.

• A full-sized digital piano with 88 fully-weighted keys. A great simulation of the feel of playing an acoustic piano.
• 10 different ‘voices’ or tones which can be played, many sampled from Yamaha acoustic pianos, these are all very high-quality sounds. The ‘dual mode’ means you can choose two sounds to play at once for more unique combinations and lush sounds like a piano layered with string sounds.
• AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) samples, this is a more detailed way of recording sampled sounds by using two microphones and waveforms on both left and right channels for a more detailed sound.
• Amazingly portable, less than 12 inches long, and weighs around 25 lbs, which is crazy for a digital piano and allows you to take it out and about to band practices. This is not something you can do with a lot of keyboards or digital pianos.
• An inbuilt metronome to practice playing in time even when you don’t have a drummer or backing track.
• Simple layout and interface to allow you to change sounds, trigger metronomes and use all of the functions of the P45 or P71 with no fuss at all. Perfect for beginners who may not understand all of the terminology and function of a professional digital piano.
• USB connectivity for using this to control virtual instruments or other aspects of your DAW.
• Built-in speakers. It can be hooked up to other amplifiers and speakers but ultimately, you can get a good sound from your P45 wherever you take it without having to hook it up to amplification.

All of these functions make for a very good digital piano. Is it the very best product money can buy? No, but if you are looking for a budget-friendly, portable digital piano with good sounds and easy portability. The only advice I have is that the inbuilt speakers can sometimes be a little lacking, and don’t make the most of the amazing sounds that Yamaha have packed into the P71/45. Plugging this into a good quality amp can help you to make the most out of this product.

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To Bundle, or Not to Bundle?

As with a lot of Yamaha digital pianos, the 45 is available on its own or bundled with other products. The basic package will come with the power supply, but other packages are available. In our experience, these provide a huge amount of value for money. Without spending a huge amount more you can get an X-style keyboard stand, a comfortable padded stool and a sustain pedal for an even more realistic feel. A ‘deluxe’ bundle sees this sold with a full keyboard bench which would fit nicely in any home studio or just practice area.

Customer and Consumer P45 Reviews

As always, we like to give a well-rounded overview of a product and look for other reviewers’ opinions. With the P45, there are lots of people talking about this product online, and reviews on Amazon for the exclusive P71 model. The vast majority of consumers seem to be exceptionally happy with the product. Many are buying this for beginners or hobbyists, and due to the fact it is on the affordable end of the market a huge amount of people are complimenting the reliability and value for money. Another huge positive has been the realistic feel of the weighted keys, perfect preparation for playing real acoustic pianos.

Yamaha P45 vs Yamaha P115

If the P45 is the little brother, the P115 is the elder sibling. The P45 is designed as entry-level, the P-115 is more of an intermediate digital piano with some upgraded features including an improved speaker system, CF sound system and more sounds. The P115 even has its own app which you can download for help learning piano and getting the most out of yours. If you’re looking for an upgraded version with a bit more on offer, the whole Yamaha range is excellent and the P115 is an upgraded option.

Yamaha P45 vs Yamaha P71

People out there are often looking for a comparison between the P45 and P71. They are the exact same model. So which to buy? It doesn’t really matter, your choice is totally down to price and bundles. It may be that Amazon has a better bundle with an extra sustain pedal or more add-ons, and this will make your decision for you. If it comes down to a straight shootout, the only thing that should make your mind up is which out of the two is available cheaper.

Conclusion

Reliability and value for money are the names of the game here. Yamaha continues its impressive track record of providing great digital audio products and have created a top product for budding pianists. The price is very difficult to argue with and the vast majority of reviews are immensely positive. As long as your expectations are realistic, it is very unlikely that you will be let down by either the P45 or P71.

If you have any experience with these products, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.