Yamaha NP-12 Review

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You’re tired of lugging around your big, heavy keyboard. It’s too big and bulky to take with you on the go, and it’s hard to find a place to store it at home.

With its slim and lightweight design, the Yamaha Piaggero NP-12 is perfect for taking with you wherever you go. You can easily fit it in your carry-on luggage or backpack, so you can enjoy piano performances anywhere.

The Yamaha Piaggero NP-12 is the perfect portable keyboard for traveling musicians and amateur pianists alike. With its simple design and 61 touch-sensitive keys, this digital piano provides an outstanding playing experience without all the extra bulk. It offers an easy, user-friendly interface and great sound quality. It’s perfect for beginner musicians who want to take their music to the next level. To help you decide if this is the right piano for you, let’s take a closer look at what it has to offer.

61-key digital piano
10 sounds, including stereo grand piano sound
Touch sensitive keys
64-note polyphony
USB connectivity

The Yamaha NP-12 is a 61-key digital piano that brings a great balance of performance and affordability. While it may not be ideal for advanced players looking to play classical music, there is plenty here to like for beginners and session musicians that need a reliable digital piano to use on the go.

One thing to appreciate about the NP-12 is how unintimidating it appears for new players. Unlike many digital pianos, there are only 10 buttons found on the unit, which makes it so much easier to get used to playing.

Straight-off the bat, this is something that stood out to me and in my opinion makes the NP-12 a fine choice for beginners seeking a quality digital piano that isn’t too difficult to come to grips with. The interface is easy to learn, even for first-time players, and there’s no risk of getting overwhelmed by countless buttons, sliders, and knobs.

With a 61-key keyboard, the NP-12 is probably best left to beginners, although experienced players seeking a reliable digital piano to use on the go will certainly appreciate what’s on offer. Weighing just 4.5kg, it’s one of the more impressive portable digital pianos available.

But the 61-keys are a good bit fewer than a full range keyboard of 88-keys, so classical players probably want to stay clear.

However, the smaller number of keys does make the NP-12 a much lighter, more compact piano. Again, if you’re looking for something to use on the go, whether jamming with friends, taking to school, or for sessions, the build of the NP-12 is certainly a plus.

The keys themselves have a good feel to them. Although not full-weighted (which is to be expected given the price), the keys still feel quite realistic, albeit slightly lighter. They are made with touch sensitivity, however, so there is more of a realistic feel compared to most other models in this range.

A total of ten sounds gives the NP-12 plenty of versatility. Perhaps the most noteworthy of these is the stereo grand piano. Created using a sample from an authentic Yamaha grand piano, the sound replication is fantastic, and certainly the most impressive available.

Beyond this, you can create a range of different sounds. For instance, there are two great electric piano sounds available, including a vintage sound common in the 70s, along with a more classic 80s synth-like sound.

Other available sounds include organs, strings, vibraphone, and harpsichords, so there is plenty to play around with. In fact, using the dual mode to layer two different sounds at once allows you to produce an even greater variety of sounds, all of which are clean, well replicated, and generally fun to play.

Another fantastic feature is the inclusion of a metronome. It’s perfect for beginners that need some help keeping pace with the rhythm, also helping to better understand when you need to slow down or speed up.

It can be set to varying speeds to accommodate different experience levels, while also giving more range to practices. The count rates can also be adjusted, meaning you can set it to count differently from the classic 4/4, including 3/4.

A record function is also included for recording your performances, and you can opt to include the metronome if using it. It’s also possible to record and add an accompaniment over the original recording.

This is great for analysing your performance levels, highlighting just how suitable the NP-12 is for beginners and novices looking to become more skilled. Speakers aren’t anything special but still offer good sound quality and volume, although the audio output means you can connect to external speakers.

The Yamaha NP-12 is a great digital piano for beginners and professionals alike. While the 61-key keyboard isn’t ideal for every advanced player, the 64-note polyphony produces wonderful sound replication that won’t disappoint.

Summary:

ELEGANCE AND SIMPLICITY – Yamaha Piaggero NP-12 is simple and stylish digital home keyboard for beginners, combining practical design with quality sound that goes everywhere with you.

COMPACT KEYBOARD – 61 keys in a piano-style keyboard, 10 quality Voices, USB TO HOST terminal and plug-in your iOS device for added performance functions and easier operation. Portable thanks to its lightweight and with a battery powered option, take it anywhere.

RECORD & LISTEN FUNCTION – Practice sessions, performances and original compositions with a single touch. Share your masterpieces with friends and family.

EASY TO USE – With a record & listen function, NP-12 has everything you need to get started on your musical journey.