Yamaha NP32 Piaggero is a simply designed, yet natural-feeling digital piano. Features Yamaha’s Graded Soft Touch action keyboard, comes with only the essential features to let you focus on playing the piano. Has a really good acoustic piano tone.
Yamaha NP32: Pros & Cons
- Pros: 76 keys to help you play several extra songs, no extra features (for those who just want to focus on playing the piano), Affordable
- Cons: No hammer action keys like on a real acoustic piano (although this one is good for learning and for practicing)
Yamaha NP32: Review
Looking for a budget portable digital piano to begin learning the piano, something which sounds full and rich? Need a piano keyboard that lets you get straight to the music, not some complicated arranger workstation, or synthesizer workstation stuff? A piano that will make the transition from mere practice to amazing performance as your skills improve? The Yamaha Np32 keyboard will help you do that.
The Yamaha NP32 Piaggero is a portable 76-Key keyboard with good piano sounds and minimum features, minus the accompaniments. An affordable keyboard for learning the piano and for practicing. A good Digital piano with superb sound and good action, perfect for someone who wants to start learning the piano.
Are you a beginner who wants to start learning the piano? Are you already an intermediate player who has played a lot on 61-key keyboards, but now wants to play compositions specifically for the piano? Have you moved location and looking for a basic digital piano which will help you practice playing the piano?
If you are one of the above, you will find the Yamaha NP32 an attractive proposition. Its simplicity of design and function makes it an easy-to-use piano. At the same time, when it comes to its sound and feel, it compares with the best pianos.
It is a bit smaller in size, considering it has 76 keys, but then that is what most people actually need. It makes it more portable too. There are many experienced keyboard players who want a board that is lightweight and has more than 61 keys, and are really not interested in the various styles and effects.
This is where the NP-32 makes perfect sense.
What sort of piano action does it have?
The Yamaha NP32 piano has Yamaha’s Graded Soft Touch action (its not fully weighted).
Good Second Keyboard for the Experienced Player
It is adequate for practicing, and lightweight enough to be easily carried to the church, to social gatherings, or to any performance venue if need be.
The built-in speakers may not give you a real idea of the tone but the samples used are actually very good; just run it through good amps and you’ll be amazed to hear the sound of the Yamaha NP-32 Piaggero.
What About Beginners?
Beginners should also evaluate other options as you can get 76-keys with several accompaniments and lots of features (YPG, DGX series). Those interested in the learning piano should ideally consider buying something with proper weighted keys.
But, if you are happy to play the piano on a portable keyboard with semi-weighted keys, and don’t want to spend a lot, this can be a good option.
Should You Upgrade to This?
If you have been using a 61-key Yamaha psr type of keyboard for long, and never used the accompaniments much, you can definitely consider this option.
As mentioned, the samples used are good so if you run it through amps / PA, it is going to sound really good.
Runs on Batteries
This keyboard runs on batteries as well. If you’re also a music teacher, and assuming the main electricity goes off in the middle of a lesson, you can still continue using batteries. You can even take it along on your weekend getaway.
Competition Check, Piano comparison
The NP-32 is great bargain for the price, and the 76-keys allows you to play variety of songs. Line out, USB to computer, runs on batteries too.
Other keyboards worth mentioning, besides Yamaha NP32:
- Yamaha NP32: 76-Key Lightweight Portable Keyboard, Graded Soft Touch (GST)
- Yamaha PSR-EW-310: 76-Key portable arranger keyboards (lost of voices and styles), normal keyboard keys
- Yamaha P45: 88-Key fully Weighted (slightly more expensive than the rest but has better-weighted keys)
Yamaha NP-32 Vs Yamaha P-45
Yamaha P-45: Popular stage piano, its priced higher but has excellent sounds and weighted keys.
The P-45 is for more experienced player or for piano students who want a more realistic action. The P45 comes with a Graded Hammer Standard action, and it comes with 88 keys. The P-45 is also proced higher than the NP-32. However, for beginners and intermediate level players looking for a good pratcice piano, the Yamaha NP-32 sholdbe fine.
Yamaha NP-32 Vs Yamaha NP-12
Yamaha NP-12: One level lower than this one in this series of pianos.
The NP-12 has a similar sound and feel to the NP-32 but comes with 61-keys. It’s also lighter compared to the NP-32. But the extra keys on the NP-32 will let you play and practice more songs.
Yamaha NP-32 Vs The Yamaha YPG-235
The Yamaha NP-32 is more of a stage piano with a simplistic design, whereas the Yamaha YPG-235 is a 76-key arranger keyboard with several styles, effects, and features. But if you want only piano sounds and you want to learn to play piano (both hands, notations, etc.), then go for the NP 32.
You can check the Yamaha PSR-EW-series for more recent 76-key keyboards.
Yamaha NP-32 Vs Yamaha NP-31
The Yamaha NP-32 replaced the outgoing Yamaha NP-31 digital piano. The NP-31 had 32-note polyphony, whereas the NP-32 has 64-note polyphony and better tones. However, if you find a used NP-31 for a good price, do consider it.
Yamaha NP-32 Piaggero: Video Review / demo
Here’s a video showing a demo of the Yamaha NP-32 Keyboard
Yamaha NP32: Technical Specs
Here are the features of the Yamaha NP32.
- 76 keys, Graded Soft Touch Keyboard (not fully weighted, though it offers some resistance)
- Built-in Stereo Speaker System & Stereo-Sampled Piano Sounds: The rich and full sound of the Yamaha NP-31 is because of the fact that it uses real, stereo piano-samples to produce the various piano sounds. It also has a superb built-in stereo speaker system which helps the piano to sound great.
Note: You also have the option to connect headphones if required, or connect it to some external music system. - Metronome & Tempo Functions: A built-in metronome is provided which can be adjusted to play along with different time signatures. Choose any style of music to play – 4/4 rock, 3/4 waltz, 6/8 jazz. The metronome supports various time signatures. You can even set the tempo directly using a numeric pad. So if your piano piece says the tempo needs to be 72bpm, you can set it up and you will know exactly how fast the composition is supposed to be played.
- 10 Voices (electric piano, organ, harpsichord, strings, vibraphone), 64-note polyphony, Piano Preset songs
- Runs on Batteries (run for up to five hours on six AA batteries) as well as AC adaptor
- Easily accessible buttons
- Half-damper control with the optional FC3A pedal
- Other features include Layering of the sounds and MIDI. Besides the stereo piano sound, the NP32 has a few more built-in sounds. Layering lets you combine two voices to create interesting sounds.
- MIDI lets you connect your Yamaha NP32 digital piano to a computer, which gives you a huge range of possibilities for digital music creation.
- Dimensions: Width: 1,244mm (49″), Height: 105mm (4-1/8″), Depth: 259mm (10-3/16″). Weight: 5.7kg (12lbs., 9oz.)
When you have advanced much from being a beginner, and are ready to showcase your talent, just hook up the Yamaha NP32 piano to a keyboard amplifier. The sound is going to be good enough for you to perform onstage as well.
Yamaha NP32: Buying Links & Pricing
If you’re looking for a 76-key board (semi-weighted) with only piano songs, then the Yamaha NP-32 Piaggero is a good buy as it comes with minimum features. A value-for-money product suitable for for learning the piano and for practicing. It comes with 76 keys, is easy to operate and comes with basic set of sounds (but the sounds are rich and full), and it has a graded hammer action keyboard. So even if you graduate from a beginner to advanced piano playing, you will still find the Yamaha NP-32 equally inspiring. You also have the option of buying the Yamaha NP-32 Piano Keyboard bundle that comes with essential accessories.
Buying Options
This is a perfect piano for practicing, especially if you have just started learning to play the piano, it’s very portable too.
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
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