You will find that the keyboards on Yamaha NP12 and NP32 have remained the same, still offering you a fantastic feel and response, however, they do now have a 64 note polyphony instead of 32 note, which prevents any muted notes from occurring. As a new customer, users can also get access to 3 months of Flowkey Premium for free, an accessible learning software that can be used across multiple devices giving you access to over 1500 songs varying from classical piano pieces to pop. Regarding connectivity, the NP-15 has a USB port allowing you to connect to a computer, transforming the keyboard into a MIDI controller. Although, if you were using it for studio productions, you might want to find a more specialised keyboard that has more features, such as a mod wheel, pitch control, pads, etc. That said, for beginner pianists, that's unlikely to be a concern. As with most Yamaha instruments, each voice comes with a default reverb setting, which I find well-tuned. Unless you’re chasing a specific tonality, you should be fine with the defaults. On the NP-12, t he Grand Piano sound is sampled from a Yamaha Grand Piano. It’s very bright, which is not surprising, as the Yamaha Grand as always been pretty boisterous. There are two types of organ sounds: the first is a kind of smaller, reed organ sound, while the second sounds more “churchy,” almost like a pipe organ.

Because of the extra power needed, the NP-32 takes 18W instead of the NP-12’s standard 8W (regarding power consumption). However, all three keyboards are battery powered in addition to the power supply option. But because of the NP-12’s lower wattage consumption, its battery life is the longest of the three at 16 hours, versus 8 hours for the NP-32 and 6 hours for the NP-11. Dual Mode is the only extra play mode you get and it’s sometimes called ‘Layer Mode’ on other keyboard brands.The Yamaha NP-15 also features a metronome and the choice of three different tunings - 414.8 Hz, 440.0 Hz, and 466.8 Hz. However, the metronome doesn't allow you to select specific tempos, so you will have to dial it in by ear. The NP-32’s limited number of controls is a blessing in disguise. For one thing, it helps reduce the top-to-bottom width, and they also avoid the unnecessary options that might be overwhelming for beginners. I would normally suggest that novice players choose an 88-weighted key piano, but the NP-15 has made me reassess this assertion. This model might just be the perfect beginner keyboard.

Thanks to the high quality sound, these instruments are very enjoyable to play and are suitable for musicians of all levels. One more thing you might have noticed is the existence of ‘ Graded Soft Touch’ on the NP-32. This might lead you to believe it’s a weighted keybed. This is false, and we’ll talk more about this once we reach the Keyboard section of the review. So if you are on a budget (and aren’t we all!), and you want to see how fun it is to learn the piano before you decide to spend some serious money, then the Yamaha NP12 Piaggero may just be for you. This is a missed opportunity, but most people today directly record their songs using the USB to Host connection, which we’ll cover in a bit. MASTER TUNING. The central tuning of the middle A can be modified from 414.8 Hz – 466.8Hz in 0.2 Hz increments. The default is 440 Hz.In terms of looks, Yamaha has done well with the NP-32. It’s unfortunate that the controls feel flimsy. The speakers on the NP-32 are another highlight, as they’re of a high wattage compared to the competition. Yamaha pianos always hold great value, and they do not depreciate like mobile phones or cars do. Someone is always looking to buy a digital piano, which makes this a good investment if you are worried about selling it in the future. Summary Unlike the PSR-E363, the NP-series comes with a smaller feature set, though it does include both keys that look more realistic (emphasis on “look”) and a slightly modified sound set.

TRANSPOSITION. You can transpose the keyboard either up 5 semitones or down 6 semitones to adapt to unfamiliar key signatures. Yamaha have done a fantastic job of capturing the sound of a grand piano and putting it into something much smaller. The other sounds that you get with the Yamaha NP12 are also great, especially the electric piano. While the NP-12 and the NP-32 both have USB to Host, the NP-11 does not. Instead, it has a MIDI IN/OUT which is not easily connected to a computer, and will have a lot of difficulty connecting to apps and other computer software that requires a USB connection. Unfortunately, you can only save 1 single recording at any time, and there’s also no way to export the song as a MIDI file either.

Launched as the successor to the Piaggero NP-12, does the new NP-15 out-stage the much-loved beginner favourite?

You should get an instant answer on whether your application has been successful, though in some rare cases Klarna or V12 may need to look at the application in more detail. For those looking for a full-sized stage piano with weighted keys, we highly recommend the Yamaha P-45. The NP-32 is also quite bare-bones when it comes to connectivity options, but all the essentials are here. After one touch, that illusion breaks down. The keys are unweighted, but their piano-style shape means there’s a slight bit of added heft, which can make the keys feel slightly more sluggish than similarly unweighted flatbed keys on other keyboards (like the PSR-E363). With that said, I do believe that the sluggish keys hurt the NP-32 / NP-12 in this regard. I’m more used to the weighted keys of fully-fledged digital pianos, but I still found the flatbed keys on the PSR-E363 usable.

But, a t a low price, and a fairly good design, you’re getting good value. The Yamaha NP-12 has enough features for a beginner to get started. You may find yourself needing a more in-depth keyboard down the line (especially since there are only 61 keys on this keyboard), but this is a wonderful place to start. METRONOME. A standard metronome is included to facilitate practice and can be used while recording. Now, thekeys on the NP-12 themselves feel great (well, at leastwhen you factor in the fairly cheap price of the NP-12), although it’s important to note that these keysare not full-weighted. While they’re a little lighter, they’re built with touch sensitivity to attempt to simulate a more realistic piano. The use of lighter keys brings down the weight of the keyboard to around nine lbs., which is relatively light for a keyboard. Still, it feels sturdy enough to withstand portability, and I think it would take a lot of stress testing to break this thing. Finally, you have a USB to Host connector provided, using USB Type B cables. This option allows you to send MIDI data via a USB connection and lets you record MIDI data to computers.The NP-32 (NP-12) comes with 4 different algorithms, including a small room, a small hall, a large concert hall, and a recital stage. These can thenbe modified in depth to change how intense the effect gets. Headphones come in very handy when you want to practice in private, focusing solely on your playing and not disturbing others nearby. Please note that this extended warranty is currently only available on products sold within the UK, EU or EEA, and is subject to the terms and conditions as detailed on the extended warranty certificate provided. Controls are very easy to use and allow you to access 10 on-board sounds including pianos, electric pianos, organs, strings, vibes and harpsichords. It may be difficult to believe that something so small, portable and inexpensive can sound great, but have a listen for yourself by watching this vid: