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Acoustic & Electronic Instruments, Musicians, News, Tutorials, Videos & Interesting Finds

Yamaha Piaggero NP keyboards: all models specification comparison

Introduction

The Yamaha Piaggero keyboards are a range of lightweight, entry-level keyboards designed with the beginner pianist in mind. They offer an introduction to digital pianos without the expense, weight and required playing strength of more advanced instruments. As they are manufactured by Yamaha they still have some quality to them, but would likely not satisfy a more proficient musician, particularly one looking for a realistic piano-playing experience.

First launched in around 2007, there are currently ten distinct models, the latest (NP-15/NP-35) being released in 2023. Released with the product code beginning NP, and with two slightly more feature-rich versions launched as NP-V. plus a YNP-25 which is virtually identical to the NP-30.

Yamaha NP-11

Key Features

Keyboard

All Piaggero keyboards use some variation of Yamaha’s Graded Soft Touch system, which is supposed to provide a much lighter, and hence easier to play, keyboard feel than a more realistic piano simulation such as the Graded Hammer Touch. Keys in the lower registers should still be slightly heavier than those higher up.

It is designed for those with reduced or limited dexterity, or who simply prefer a lighter touch, although some have said that there is virtually no ‘weight’ to the keys at all. This is a subjective point. but it is worth noting that this is deliberately not simulating the key weight of an acoustic grand piano.

All but three models have 76 keys, which is akin to a number of smaller digital pianos but stops short of the full 88 keys many advanced pianists expect. Three models have just 61 keys, which may be acceptable for beginners and simpler music but may feel rather ‘cramped’ in use, particularly for certain styles of music such as classical.

All the keyboards are touch responsive.

Polyphony and Sounds

Most models have a limited range of piano/keyboard based sounds, usually around 10, and including several acoustic pianos and electric pianos, organs, vibraphone/harpsichord and strings. The NP-V models have many more, in the hundreds.

Polyphony arguably lets these models down significantly. Earlier models, even the NP-Vs which can handle accompaniments, have a paltry 32 notes of polyphony, while later have 64. This will be easily noticeable when playing all but the simplest music.

On the plus side, Yamaha uses its tried and trusted AWM Stereo Sampling which, although not as advanced as the acoustic modelling/sampling systems it has on higher specification keyboards, is decent enough for beginners.

Effects

Most of the range have simple reverb effects, while the NP-V duo also add chorus and master EQ. The NP-35 also has ‘sound boost’ for altering the sound to enable it to cut through other instruments.

Sounds can be played in dual or layered, although it’s worth bearing in mind that this will effectively halve the polyphony available.

Yamaha NP-V60

Accompaniments

Most standard Piaggero instruments do not feature any accompaniment functionality. The NP-V models have well over 100 styles, and various controls and chord systems for manipulating them, as well as user styles. This makes them quite capable but, again, accompaniments do quickly eat into available polyphony.

The NP-V models also have arpeggiator functionality, which can be a fun accompaniment feature.

Controls

The NP-V models feature pitch bend, which may be of limited use to many piano-focused musicians, whereas the ordinary models do not.

Aside from this there are the usual fare of metronome, transposition and overall tuning. The NP-V models also feature additional panel buttons for accessing the additional features.

Several models allow for basic recording although the specifications can be rather vague as to how much storage is available.

Education

Only the NP-V models feature Yamaha’s Education Suite, although the documentation and specs are rather vague as to exactly what is covered in this.

Amplification

Most of the keyboards in the range have 6Wx2 amplifiers and 12cm/6cm x2 on board speakers, with slight variations on smaller models.

Connectivity

Connections are pretty much standard across the board. The keyboards can be powered from the appropriate AC adaptor, or batteries.

Most models have USB to host connectivity for audio and MIDI, although several models have the older MIDI 5-pin DIN connectors. All can use a sustain pedal, with the option of half-pedalling if a supported pedal is used.

The NP-V models have onboard memory and can connect to a USB drive for additional storage.

Aesthetic

All models are available with black casing. Different models may also be available in white and/or silver.

Yamaha NP-32

Realism

With Yamaha aiming this at beginners interested in a piano experience, it seems only fair to measure the keyboard’s realism against that.

For the price and given the deliberate design choices made to keep costs and weight down, we would have to give this about a 5/10 for overall realism.

The feel of the keys will be much too light for those expecting a piano experience, so it’s important to try to test out one of these keyboards before buying it. They may be slightly heavier in touch than a home keyboard or synth, but not by much.

The sound is generally good, with the AWM system still used on some of Yamaha’s more advanced digital pianos as well. What lets it down is the poor polyphony, which will likely result in sounds being cut off abruptly, particularly if accompaniments are used or passages of music employing the sustain pedal are attempted.

At least the later models have 64 notes of polyphony, which is passable.

Portability

These instruments (without batteries) weight anything from 4.5kg (~10lbs) to just over 7kg (~15½lbs). This makes them fairly light to transport, should it be required.

NP vs NP-V Models

As mentioned previously, the NP-V models (which are both discontinued) are the only Piaggero models to feature accompaniments, a significantly higher number of sounds, pitch bend, extra effects, external storage, and the education suite. That said, they only have 32 notes of polyphony and may not be the best choice.

Yamaha NP-12

Specifications

Here are the specifications as taken from the official Yamaha pages/manuals for each instrument. They are as complete as possible but bear in mind that even the style of specification, and detail given, varies between models.

 

 

NP-11

NP-12

NP-15

NP-30

NP-31

NP-32

NP-35

NP-V60

NP-V80

YNP-25

Control Interface

Keyboard

Number of Keys

61

61

61

76

76

76

76

76

76

76

Type

Piano-style keyboard

Piano-style keyboard

Box Type

Graded Soft Touch

Graded Soft Touch

Piano-style keyboard, Graded Soft Touch

Box Type (Graded Soft Touch)

Box type keys (E0–G6) : Graded Soft Touch Keyboard

Box type keys (E0–G6) : Graded Soft Touch Keyboard

Graded Soft Touch

Touch Response

Yes

Yes

Yes (Soft, Medium, Hard, Fixed)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes (Soft, Medium, Hard, Fixed)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Panel

Language

English

English

English

English

English

English

English

English

English

English

Voices

Tone Generation

Tone Generating Technology

AWM Stereo Sampling

AWM Stereo Sampling

AWM Stereo Sampling

AWM Stereo Sampling

AWM Stereo Sampling

AWM Stereo Sampling

AWM Stereo Sampling

AWM Stereo Sampling

AWM Stereo Sampling

AWM Stereo Sampling

Polyphony

Number of Polyphony (Max.)

32

64

64

32

64

64

32

32

32

Preset

Number of Voices

10 (Piano1, Piano2, E.Piano1, E.Piano2, Organ1, Organ2, Strings, Vibes, Harpsi1, Harpsi2)

15

10

10 (Piano1, Piano2, E.Piano1, E.Piano2, Organ1, Organ2, Strings, Vibes, Harpsi1, Harpsi2)

15

489 (116 Panel Voices + 361 XGlite Voices + 12 Drum/SFX Kits)

500 (127 Panel Voices + 361 XGlite Voices + 12 Drum/SFX Kits)

10

Effects

Types

Reverb

4 types

4 types

6 types

Yes

4 types

4 types

6 types

9 types

9 types

Yes

Chorus

4 types

4 types

Master EQ

5 types

5 types

Sound Boost

Yes

Yes

Functions

Dual/Layers

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Split

Yes

Yes

Accompaniments


Number of Preset Styles

160

165


Fingering

Multi / Full Keyboard

Multi / Full Keyboard


Style Control

ACMP ON/OFF, SYNC STOP,SYNC START, START/STOP, INTRO/ENDING/rit., MAIN/AUTO FILL

ACMP ON/OFF, SYNC STOP,SYNC START, START/STOP, INTRO/ENDING/rit., MAIN/AUTO FILL


User Styles

Yes

Yes

Songs

Preset

Number of Preset Songs

10 Voice Demo Songs + 10 Piano Preset Songs

10 Voice Demo Songs + 10 Piano Preset Songs

15 Voice Demo Songs + 10 Piano Songs

10 voice and 10 piano demo

10 voice and 10 piano demo

10 Voice Demo Songs + 10 Piano Preset Songs

15 Voice Demo Songs + 10 Piano Songs

30

30

10 voice and 10 piano demo

Recording

Number of Songs

1

1

1

1

5

5

Number of Tracks

1

1

1

1

6 (5Melody + 1Chord)

6 (5Melody + 1Chord)

Data Capacity

Approx. 7,000 notes

Approx. 7,000 notes

Approx. 7,000 notes

Approx. 7,000 notes

Functions

Overall Controls

Metronome

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Tempo Range

32 to 280

32 to 280

32 – 280

32 to 280

32 to 280

32 to 280

32 – 280

11 to 280

11 to 280

32 to 280

Transpose

-6 to 0, 0 to +6

-6 to 0, 0 to +6

?6 – 0 – +6

-6 to 0, 0 to +6

-6 to 0, 0 to +6

-6 to 0, 0 to +6

?6 – 0 – +6

-12 to 0, 0 to +12

-12 to 0, 0 to +12

-6 to 0, 0 to +6

Tuning

Yes

414.8Hz – 440.0Hz – 466.8Hz

414.8 Hz – 440.0 Hz – 466.8 Hz (approx. 0.2 Hz increments)

Yes

Yes

414.8Hz – 440.0Hz – 466.8Hz

414.8 Hz – 440.0 Hz – 466.8 Hz (approx. 0.2 Hz increments)

-100 to +100 cents

-100 to +100 cents

Yes

Pitch Bend

Yes

Yes

Number of Buttons

4 Pads x 8 Banks

4 Pads x 8 Banks

Performance Assistant Technology (PAT)

Chord,Chord / Free

Chord,Chord / Free

Yamaha Education Suite (Y.E.S.)

Yes

Yes

Storage and Connectivity

Connectivity

DC IN

DC IN 12V

DC IN 12V

12V

DC IN 12V

DC IN 12V

DC IN 12V

12V

Yes

Yes

DC IN 12V

Headphones

Yes

[PHONES/OUTPUT] x 1

Standard stereo phone jack (PHONES/OUTPUT)

Yes

Yes

[PHONES/OUTPUT] x 1

Standard stereo phone jack (PHONES/OUTPUT)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Sustain Pedal

Yes (Half pedal available with optional FC3A)

Yes (Half pedal available with optional FC3A)

Yes (Half-Damper compatible with optiona FC3A)

Yes (Half Pedal)

Yes (Half Pedal)

Yes (Half pedal available with optional FC3A)

Yes (Half-Damper compatible with optiona FC3A)

Yes

Yes

Yes (Half Pedal)

USB TO HOST

Yes

Yes (MIDI/AUDIO)

 

Yes

Yes (MIDI/AUDIO)

Yes

Yes

USB TO DEVICE

No

Yes

MIDI

In/Out

In/Out

In/Out

No

No

In/Out

Internal Memory

1.8MB

1.8MB

USB Drive

Yes

Yes

Amplifiers and Speakers

Amplifiers

2.5W x2

2.5W x2

2.5W ×2

6W x2

6W x2

6W x2

6W ×2

6W x2

6W x2

6W x2

Speakers

(12cm x 6cm) x 2

(12cm x 6cm) x 2

(12 cm × 8 cm) ×2

(12cm x 6cm) x 2

(12cm x 6cm) x 2

(12cm x 6cm) x 2

(12 cm × 8 cm) ×2

(12cm x 6cm) x 2, 5cm x2

(12cm x 6cm) x 2, 5cm x2

(12cm x 6cm) x 2

Power Supply

Power Supply

Adaptor (PA-3C/PA-130), or batteries (Six “AA” size, LR6 or equivalent batteries)

AC Adaptor (PA-130) or 6 x “AA” size batteries (alkaline [LR6], manganese [R6] or Ni-MH rechargeable batteries)

AC Adaptor (PA-130, PA-3C, or an equivalent recommended by Yamaha) or batteries (Six “AA” size alkaline (LR6), manganese (R6) or Ni-MH rechargeable (HR6) batteries)

Adaptor (PA-5D/PA-150), or batteries (Six “AA” size, LR6 or equivalent batteries)

Adaptor (PA-5D/PA-150), or batteries (Six “AA” size, LR6 or equivalent batteries)

AC Adaptor (PA-150) or 6 x “AA” size batteries (alkaline [LR6], manganese [R6] or Ni-MH rechargeable batteries)

AC Adaptor PA-150 or an equivalent recommended by Yamaha, or six “AA” size alkaline (LR6), manganese (R6) or Ni-MH rechargeable (HR6) batteries

AC Power Adaptor : Yamaha PA-150 (May not be included depending on your particular area.Please check with your Yamaha dealer.)Batteris : Six “AA”size, LR6 or equivalent batteries

AC Power Adaptor : Yamaha PA-150 (May not be included depending on your particular area.Please check with your Yamaha dealer.)Batteris : Six “AA”size, LR6 or equivalent batteries

Adaptor (PA-5D/PA-150), or batteries (Six “AA” size, LR6 or equivalent batteries)

Power Consumption

20W

8W

3.5 W (When using PA-130 AC adaptor)

20W

20W

18W

6.0 W (When using PA-150 AC adaptor)

20W

Auto Power Off

Yes

Yes

 

Yes

Yes

Battery Life


6+ hours

6 hours

Accessories

Accessories

Music rest

• Owner’s Manual • Music Rest • My Yamaha Product User Registration • AC Adaptor: PA-130 or an equivalent * May not be included depending on your particular area. Please check with your Yamaha dealer.

Owner’s Manual, Online Member Product Registration, Music rest, AC adaptor: PA-130 or an equivalent recommended by Yamaha *May not be included depending on your area. Check with your Yamaha dealer.

Music rest

Music rest

• Owner’s Manual • My Yamaha Product User Registration • Music Rest • AC Adaptor: PA-150 or an equivalent * May not be included depending on your particular area. Please check with your Yamaha dealer.

Owner’s Manual, Online Member Product Registration, Music rest, AC adaptor: PA-150 or an equivalent recommended by Yamaha *May not be included depending on your area. Check with your Yamaha dealer.

Music rest

Music rest

Music rest

Size/Weight

Dimensions

Width

1036mm

1,036mm (40-13/16″)

1052mm (41-7/16”)

1244mm

1244mm (49″)

1,244mm (49″)

1260 mm (49-5/8”)

1228mm

1264mm

1244mm

Height

105mm

105mm (4-1/8″)

104 mm (4-1/8”)

259mm

105m (4″1/8′)

105mm (4-1/8″)

104 mm ( 4-1/8”)

111mm

111mm

259mm

Depth

259mm

259mm (10-3/16″)

260 mm (10-1/4”)

100mm

259mm (10-1/4″)

259mm (10-3/16″)

260 mm (10-1/4”)

312mm

312mm

100mm

Weight

Weight

4.5kg

4.5kg (9lbs., 15oz.)

5.2 kg (11 lbs., 7 oz.)

5.4kg

5.7kg (12bs., 9oz.)

5.7kg (12lbs., 9oz.)

6.0 kg (13 lbs., 4 oz.)

6.3kg

7.1kg

5.4kg

Should You Buy a Yamaha Piaggero keyboard?

The Piaggero range of keyboards are aimed at a particular niche market, and it’s worth carefully considering if you want the features Yamaha is pushing on these instruments.

Piaggeros are not digital pianos—in fact, they are not even listed under “digital pianos” on the Yamaha product website, but under keyboards. Your expectations need to be realistic.

There are other entry level digital pianos which may offer a better experience, and if you want additional bells and whistles then definitely look at a home keyboard instead of the Piaggero range.

Only the NP-15, NP-35, NP-12 and NP-32 are currently still manufactured and sold new by Yamaha; all other models are discontinued.