Yamaha P71 review
In this article, we’re going to review the Yamaha P71, which happens to be an Amazon exclusive digital piano. The P71 is the cheapest piano from the “P” line, which also includes the very popular Yamaha P-45, and its more expensive brother, the Yamaha P-115.
To better help you, we’ve provided an interactive table below which allows you to compare the Yamaha P71 against other noteworthy digital pianos currently on the market.
| Photo | Model |
|---|---|
 | Casio PX-S1100 |
 | Alesis Prestige Artist |
 | Casio CDP-S360 |
 | Yamaha P-515 |
 | Casio PX-870 |
 | Korg LP-180 |
 | Casio PX-770 |
What Does the Yamaha P71 Offer?
The Amazon Exclusive P71 is a full sized electric digital piano manufactured with 88 realistic weighted action keys to somewhat give you the feeling of playing a real piano piano. The keys have been held by Yamaha’s entry-level Graded Hammer Standard, which holds the quality of the keys to a higher standard than some other brands. Yamaha outdid themselves with premium acoustic piano voices backed with quality sound and beautiful resonance.
There are two package options when purchasing the P71. For just a few more bucks you can also receive the add-on pieces like an effects pedal, the piano stand, and a pair of headphones. These accessories can help the user set up and play just about anywhere they need to. The stand is great quality and fully supports the keyboard with ease.
Another great selling point to the P71 is its slim and lightweight body style. With a depth of less than 13 inches, this makes the keyboard extremely easy to stow away until its next use. It is a fantastic household item and is even a nice instrument that’s not too overly complex for families that have children. And, since it is so easy to put away, you do not have to worry about kids, company, or pets causing any damage to the keyboard when you are not using it
In fact, the P71 is a fantastic purchase for beginners. For anyone looking to jump-start his or her career as a musician, this keyboard provides everything needed to get started. When Yamaha teamed up with Amazon to create this exclusive electric digital piano, they wanted to bring the customer an instrument that could guide them in the right direction musically. With highly reputed companies like Yamaha and Amazon, who have worked tirelessly to bring high quality items to your home, you know that quality is exactly what you will get out of this machine.
Below, please take a moment to view some of the best-selling digital pianos currently on sale online:
| BEST SELLERS |
|---|
| 1) Yamaha P-515 |
| 2) Casio PX-S3100 |
| 3) Casio PX-870 |
| 4) Roland FP-E50 |
| 5) Roland FP-30X |
In Use
Whether you are a beginner or maybe a little more experienced, the controls are set up to be plug-in and play. As soon as you open the box, you can understand that it is not as intimidating of a machine as other instruments like it. Users will be able to jump right in and start their musical journey.
One of the first things you will notice about the P71 is the action and response in the weighted action keyboard. You will feel like you have more control over the touch of the keyboard so your fingers do not tire out too quickly. The fairly realistic feel and response for a beginner’s keyboard is quite surprising but certainly a delight to play.
This keyboard is also very easy to use in terms of the user interface and switching between keyboard voices. There are multiple voices to choose from that will give you sounds that represent Yamaha’s award winning grand pianos. You can even record your creations on the P71 by using the Duel Mode functionality. Use it to simply play back your songs or as a duet to play alongside your own music. You can also use this function to play two different instrument voices for an even more inspiring experience and sound.
Sound
Another great testament to Yamaha’s quality when looking at the P71 is the overall sounds of the machine. Yamaha integrates digital audio sampling of their most valued acoustic pianos to bring you natural and realistic sounds. So when you sit down to play the instrument you quickly begin to notice those clear low and high tones from left to right. The keyboard comes stock with 10 different piano voices and instruments so that you have a wide variety of options for your musical performances.
If you are looking for something to give you rich full bass accompanied by crisp treble than you have found your instrument. This piano will provide you with a bunch of classical sounds, including orchestral instruments like strings or horns.
Which ultimately brings us to the Duel Mode of the P71. Here, you can play many different kinds of sound to have alongside your music, giving you the effects of a fuller performance. Record loops with any of the 10 voices provided to create styles and soundscapes unlike any other beginner level instrument on the market.
Connectivity
If you are like me, you are definitely looking for an instrument that will allow you to record into a digital audio workstation. The P71 allows the user to connect to any computer via the USB TO COMPUTER functionality. So nothing you have in mind as you start to play will be easily forgotten. Just Plug in, hit record, and lay down your MIDI track inside of your favorite audio workstation.
The P71 also comes with a power adapter to keep your instrument running smoothly and a headphone jack for audio out. You can use the audio output to plug into an amplifier or speaker system for an even more powerful performance.
Competition
It is no surprise that the P71 would have some intense competition. We are here to go over a few of those electronic keyboards with you. Which brings us to our first competitor.
Yamaha P71 vs Yamaha P-45
The Yamaha P-45 is another entry-level keyboard for beginners looking to have real piano sound and feel for a fraction of the price. The features of the P-45 are almost identical to the P71. It comes equipped with the same 88-Key Weighted Action Keyboard and almost all of the same effects and sound styles.
The biggest difference between the two machines is that the P-45 is more expensive in price and the P71 was created to be exclusively sold on Amazon. However, when it comes to the overall quality and style, there is not much of a difference between these two. Either keyboard is an ideal candidate for players just starting out.
Yamaha P71 vs Yamaha P-115
The P-115 would be the next step up in electronic keyboards. The keys are of matte finish and has several options in the touch settings. This digital piano gives you more control over the feel and sensitivity to the keys, making it easier to fit your desired playing style.
The P-115 also comes equipped with a built in speaker system with clear and clean audio resonance. You are sure to hear the quality that pours from this machine. At $599.99 this electronic keyboard is just a little more expensive but as i’ve said it’s the next level in keyboard when looking to advance.
Yamaha P71 vs Casio PX-160
For years, Casio has been one of Yamaha’s top competitors in electronic piano manufacturing—and for an excellent reason. They have strived to create some of the most innovative and pristine products on the market. The PX-160 is definitely worthy of that competition. It fully supports a maximum of 128 polyphony infused with Casio’s AiR Sound engineering. This gives the piano the ability to produce clear and rich sounds unlike its competitors.
The PX-160 comes stocked with a 60-song music library at approximately 90KB a song providing the user with a vast array of music to accompany them in their journey as a pianist. It also comes with a built in speaker system for portable playing if you are without headphones or an amplifier.
Conclusion
The Yamaha P71 isn’t a perfect piano, but considering its sub-$500 price tag, it’s a great keyboard for beginners that are relatively brand new to the music scene. But, we’d like to add this caveat: According to Yamaha themselves, the Yamaha P71 is the exact same instrument as the Yamaha P45. The difference here, however, is that the Yamaha P71 is an Amazon exclusive, as mentioned earlier. So, if you’re looking to buy one or the other and you’re on the fence, it might just be wise to purchase whichever one you can get at a cheaper price.
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