I just purchased this piano yesterday. I'd like to add my two cents worth about the weight of the keys if you don't mind. I am 80 years old with osteoarthritis in my hands. I'm what you might call an "advanced beginner" and I've been taking lessons on a Steinway grand and to tell you the truth when I sat down and tried this piano it felt just like the one at school, which is what I had been looking for. I am delighted!
Hi Gina! That is amazing! We are happy to hear that you have found a piano that you really resonate with and gives you a feeling of consistency between your at home practice and lessons. :)
Hey brother I'm a poor hard working jazz musician. If I don't have any gigs I drag my Yamaha digital piano to my neighbourhood train station here in Copenhagen (I moved) on my large bike trailer behind my cargo bike and play my tunes and standards for passing change. But I ended up somehow with all Yamaha gear most of its been dropped at least once over the many years I been doing this ; assiduously avoiding day gigs as Monk told us. The point is their shit is tough! and don't break! like one of my cracked mini P.A. speakers that still sounds great with zero distortion.
I like Stu's honesty and, as he is also an excellent keyboard player (who has also played a lot of different keyboards) it's an opinion you can respect. Thanks Stu, appreciated.
Yes the keys are physically heavy. But set the touch curve to Soft 1 and then the playing experience is excellent. Included FC4A pedal does NOT support half pedalling, you need to buy FC3A. I also recommend setting brightness to 7 in Piano Room for most piano tones. Great instrument. Edit: brightness to 6 is enough
Seriously, since he's spending so much time talking about the heaviness of the action, why doesn't he know or at least talk about how you can adjust the touch!
I received my P515 in white with the matching stand and 3 pedal unit! It sounds and plays amazing! It’s tone is so beautiful, especially on the lower notes, such richness and tonal quality up and down the whole keyboard If your on the fence, buy it!
Thank you for the great review. I bought this piano and I’m 75 and a rank beginner but it has everything I will ever need , best money I ever spent. So my observation. The key action is adjustable on the 515 but since I never knew what a real key action should be, I just ignored it and left it on default, or normal. I figured if I can play this piano with the heavier (normal setting/ default) action then a regular acoustic pianos key weight shouldn’t be a problem. Would you agree?
Stu, Yamaha should hire you to improve the design of their digital pianos. FYI, most of the piano players in H.K. love Yamaha because of the quality and durability. ^^
Simple, I tried Yamaha CLP-685 and its GrandTouch action keyboard, which is almost identical to P-515. It feels good. The action is not too heavy (lighter than GHS and GH3, much lighter than Roland's PHA4-Standard), able to play some skillful pieces and its wooden keys also better than some cheap entry-level upright pianos. Interestingly, it still cannot play tremolo too fast because the key still not bounces quick enough. But all in all, I think the latest Yamaha's piano sound and the NWX action is suitable for practicing. If you want to purchase a quality piano but don't want to bother the neighborhood, I think the P-515 or CLP series with NWX actions are good choices.
Please tell me too, which is your first, second and third place for key action and connection between: Kawai ES8, Yamaha P515 and Roland FP90?. Thanks!.
There's something about the p series that always caught my attention, I own a yamaha montage 6 and I'm planning in selling it to buy the yamaha P515. Reason is having weighted keys like the ones on the P515 and the Acoustic piano presets are just on another league, i don't really need 1000 sounds funny thing is I only use acoustic piano and some DX 7 presets from the montage engine and some pads and basically thats it. I own a MacBook Aswell with komplete 10, Apollo twin mkII and Sunday Keys 2021 and I'm planning in buying Keyscape Aswell and there's some awsome FM sounds there, having the P515 as midi controller and internal sounds with aswome piano sound, awsome keybed action there's no need to spend 3000 or more for a keyboard.
I think you're right when you say Yamaha's users may just be accustomed to a heavier action. I bought the P515 in December after reading several reviews and watching a few videos. It's my first "real" digital piano, only owning cheap non-weighted arrangers, synths, etc. I have been playing acoustics my whole life and wanted to match that action as much as possible so when I heard "heavy graded action" I thought - perfect! Right away my first impression was "WOW - this is WAY too heavy". Now almost into August, I've spent a considerable amount of time with it - maybe 2-3 hours a day, every day. Even now, my forearm and wrist is just not strong enough to match the action. Small, light, slow pieces sure. But there are some I almost can't get through to the end (not to mention playing for many minutes/hours straight). At first I didn't even think it was the keyboard - I researched wrist injuries, tension relieving exercises, revisited finger positioning, etc because it seemed that no one was complaining about this in the forums. But after sitting down on an old upright and playing the same pieces without fatigue I realized - the P515 is just too heavy. Given you are the only one that seems to notice this, do you think something like a Kawai ES8 could bring the action/play-ability back into a more comfortable range while still maintaining the nuances of a traditional acoustic? I would almost give up everything I like about the Yamaha (Sounds, features, etc - which are likely all customizable in other keyboards anyways) to get a more satisfying action.
Hi there Old Moustachio!! ES8 is going to be definitely better in this regard although Kawai is in the middle of replacing it with an upgraded model. Roland's PHA-50 is a nice in-between, slightly heavier than the RH3 action that the ES8 has...and unfortunately I don't have any info on whether the RH3 is being enhanced or changed for the ES8 replacement. If you're looking for portable and DON'T need internal speakers, I think most would agree the MP-11se from Kawai is just ridiculous in terms of how good it sounds and feels...like I've said on camera - if it were 10 pounds lighter, I'd be using that to gig with...as it is, the RD2000 Roland is a better all-round unit for what I need on stage...but for piano alone, pretty hard to beat. Anyways, I hope these thoughts help a bit! -stu
@@MerriamPianos Hello Mr. Stu, After stumbling across this comment, I was wondering if you knew where I could find more information on the next version of the ES-8, as I am thinking about purchasing a piano within the next few months. Is there an estimated time on the kawaii website?
I am wondering, after two years, where you are, keyboard-wise? Do you still play the P-515 or did you sell it and change for another? I am thinking of buying my sister (who plays a "well-used" spinet) a digital. She likes it's light touch and I wonder if the P-125 wouldn't be a great choice as the 515 sounds too heavy for her. Your thoughts would be great.
I’ve had the Yamaha P515 for just a couple of months and I absolutely love everything about it, I love using it for band gigs and I also play for solo gigs and theatre shows in an orchestra, it’s a joy to play and the piano samples in particular are outstanding,especially the CFX and Bosendorfer, also the ballad grand is such a versatile sound for more intimate settings and venues,the Rock and Bright Grand are great to cut through a pop or rock band ,all in all it’s a brilliant all round instrument with great electric piano sound,organs etc,and the rhythm accompaniment with bass backing accompaniment options to either use as split or to incorporate into solo piano style playing is great too🙂👍🎹
The P515 is quite the powerhouse with a very extensive offering of features. We're happy to hear that you've been enjoying everything it has to offer. Thanks for tuning in and happy playing! :)
Great review! I have to say that I'm actually like how Yamaha designed white key's surface on this keyboard. On other digital pianos in this price range I found key surfaces to be very slippy, so you have to be more aware of it and sometimes it causes unnecessary tension in hands. But this glossy surface on NWX is made just right - not too slippery, but not too grippy either, which allows for precise control when you need to slide your fingers up or down the keys. As for keys heaviness - you can change touch sensitivity to Soft 1, as already proposed in the comments here, and the keyboard will feel lighter. But I prefer the default Medium setting, feels right for this keyboard!
Underrated channel. this was a good showcase as i am trying to find a decent rental so i can compose music. Thank you and keep it up as I am looking forward to the next review
Thank you very much, Stu. I subscribed in appreciation of your thorough and balanced review of the P515 which we’re considering purchasing. (I also appreciate and envy your piano skills and ability to improvise!) My husband and I are decidedly amateur but serious piano players, and currently own a Yamaha C2 grand and want a second, more portable keyboard that can be used when both of us want to play piano at the same time, for 2 piano duets, and for playing outdoors. The key weight is something I’ll definitely check out, and I hope one of the commenters is correct in saying that Yamaha has made its P515 keys lighter now. I did see other online comments about the key weight, so this is definitely an important consideration, and something I will definitely check out on a demo P515. The P515 may not be your favorite piano, but it sounds like you agree the piano sound is excellent which is something we really care about since we play mostly classical music and have the Yamaha grand. Thanks again for your great review.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you so much for subscribing and supporting our channel! We sincerely appreciate it. I will be sure to pass along your kind words and compliments to Stu on your behalf. Thanks again and happy playing! :)
Hi Stu I bought this from a friend about a month ago coz it wasn't 100% what he was looking for. I just wanted to learn a bit of piano. I absolutely love the sound, the feel and the overall ease of using this piano. I'm a 64 year old guitarist (took up guitar in 2015) who really just loves all musical instruments. This piano and my trans-acoustic guitar will keep me happy for the remaining years. I love the fact that I can pick a piano sound, put some strings under it, pick a rhythm, set the tempo and just play using my guitar song-sheets. Great fun 👍😎🎹
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Congrats on picking up your friend's P515! It is a super solid instrument with a lot of fun features as you've discovered. It is great to hear you are enjoying many facets of musicmaking. Thanks for tuning in and happy playing! :)
Love your videos. So far you've covered a pretty complete range of digital pianos from different brands. But Korg stands out as the big 'absentee'. I would love to hear your take on Korg's top end keybed, the RH3 (not to be confused with Kawai's RHIII). This keybed seems to be implemented differently from one model to the next, f.e. the Grandstage feels differently from the D1, G1 Air, the new SV2 or even the almighty Kronos 88. I would particularly be interested to hear what you think of the new SV2(S) 88. It's geared a lot more toward the piano player, much more so than it's predecessor... Edit : the P515 actually comes with the FC4A pedal, which doesn't support half-damping. The FC3A, however does, and that comes with the CP88 (which should also be on your review list ;-) )
The only thing missing is some facility for saving a configuration of settings. This piano resets to factory defaults when you power on, so if you like working with several personalized settings, or you're just in the process of experimenting, you're going to have to reset them every time you turn it on. Also, it would be nice for cases where multiple people (in a family, for example) practice on the same P-515 and they could each save their own favorite settings and just switch between profiles with the selection in a menu.
Having easily accessible stored settings is quite convenient and important for certain players. From this perspective, the Roland pianos are excellent options. Their tone engines allow for impressive adjustability and customization and storing/recalling settings is very easy and accessible. :)
You have to understand coming from using a concert grand piano to the P515 it was a benefit for me the weight of the keys. I would recommend definitely work on your stamina if you are having fatigue issues playing the instrument. It is about as close as you can come to a concert grand piano as far as weighted keys they are perfect.
B Drones thanks for the insights and comments. I need to strongly disagree here with the comment about this being as close to concert grand as you get - concert grands are weighted at 55 grams give or take. This is 80+ grams, making it 50% heavier. We can debate the pros and cons of that change in weighting, but it is measurably heavier. Yamaha stage digitals have always weighted the keys heavier than acoustics, I remember playing the CP300 for a Second City production for 2 full years, and it still gave my hand cramps after 2 hr shows 5 days a week. It could legitimately just be me on this one, no one else seems to be bugged by it at all 🤷♂️
@@MerriamPianos I think it's easy to conflate "heavy" with "authentic"; I know I tend to do that. And in this case I was thinking that having it be heavier is better for me who would use it mostly for practice. I don't really go gigging anywhere except for maybe church, where they already have an acoustic.
I tried a P515 yesterday, after playing a Roland piano with the PHA50 50 actiin. The P515 felt like the keys were in sand/molasses, or like my joints were swollen. Now I know why.
I am using this P515 for 5 months now.. and it feels good..my only issue is thr weight of the keys it very heavy... The sounds are amazing...compared to the action keys of roland Digi piano, i prefer their action keys..but for the sound of the piano, i prefer yamaha...but may be in time i will go back to roland because i prefer the action keys of roland..my hands is aching really playing the piano on long term
Thanks for tuning in! It is difficult finding a piano that has a touch and tone that you like. With that said, when it comes to digital pianos, I tend to prioritize the action as the sound is a variable technically. You can access a plethora of sample libraries and piano sounds via MIDI and VST plugins. :)
It s possible to change the velocity on this keyboard, which help a lot. Many things can be done on this keyboard, just need times to get to know the board. It is not so heavy if you are a piano pplayer.
Thank you Stu Harrison for practicing and becoming so talented, because your doing so makes these reviews so much more enjoyable as you play so beautifully. You could sell cicklets on a 2x6 board you're so talented. Thank you!
Great Review, thanks for uploading. As a P515 owner I have to say that sometimes the weight is a bit disturbing, especially if you want to play really fast passages, but at the same time it is really easy to hit the key at the right velocity.
If anyone is deciding between this and the 125, the biggest difference is the action and the ‘acousticlike’ sound which the speakers can produce. In comparison the 125 sounds more like a traditional keyboard. I’m not sure if an amp could fix the digital quality the 125 has but that’s just my observation.
Stu Harrison, thanks so much for your very thorough review of the Yamaha P515. I've been a Yamaha player for years and I was so delighted to find out from you that Yamaha had purchased Bösendorfer, the best acoustic grand piano in the world with its extra register on the bottom end of the keyboard. Having that unique sound on the P515 will be amazing! And as for the key weight, that works out fine for me. Thanks again for demoing and explaining point-by-point the P515. René Swan
Hi René! Thanks so much for the kind words and for supporting our channel! We're glad to hear that you have been enjoying the videos. Thanks again and all the best! :)
Sir I still don't understand how you can play all sorts of styles pretty much on the fly . Esp at 6:58 🙏. Does that sort of thing come after years of training or did you have training in specific styles of music?
Thanks for a new video! You talk about the grippy surface - Stu, do you know a solution for slippery keys due to sweat? I'm having quite problems with it to a point where sometimes I have to wash my hands and clean the keys literally every 10 minutes. I would say I sweat normally though, there is no anomaly
I guess you're not reading this now, but maybe somebody is. For me the worst gigs are the outdoor ones. The wind dries my hands and makes it hard to control the surface contact. I use a tiny amount of any dense hand cream and work it over the finger tips. That seems to ensure both a satisfactory grip and a bit of slide. Don't use too much!
That's why I traded my Yamaha P-95 for a Casio CDP S350. I like "matte" keys better than glossy ones. Best feel I ever experienced was the real ivory of my teacher's vintage Steinway
If you just take your most challenging Hannon ex and do it in (12 keys) with a metronome increasing tempo slowly over weeks you will see big difference in 3 months.
I consider to get this digital piano. Did I understand it right; is it possible to play music from other sources like the mobile and CD-player through the piano?
Hi Stu - before I start, thank you for these videos. Just starting to learn piano and the videos have been very helpful. My question (surprise surprise) relates to the weight of the action. I’ve read that the touch curves on digital pianos can help with heavier/lighter actions. Is this really the case? And for a newbie like myself, could these be used to compensate for a heavier action whilst I’m learning the ropes. Thanks
Hi Bryan, so yes the touch curves can help to compensate and/or accommodate a specific physical approach and better mate it to the sound generation on a digital. I'm all for it, provided that you aren't doing a lot of transitioning back and forth between digitals and acoustics. I've found that players who tweak the touch curve to make a key feel lighter (the P515 might be an exception here) wind up losing a lot of muscle tone and endurance when they get behind an acoustic. With regards to the P515, I think the touch curve is already on the light side to make up for the 80 gram keyweight. Of course it probably doesn't hurt to remind other readers that touch curves only simulate a change in weight, there aren't any digitals that actually change the geometry of the action. Thanks for the question and for watching! -stu
Thanks Stu. Really appreciate the response and help. I couldn’t get it through my head how a touch curve could improve it given that you are still physically pushing down the key weight which won’t change.
I love th way this guy reacts to his phenomenal playing! Hahahah, like it ain't no thing to play a mean honky-tonk, the's just listening to the sampling quality.
Great video Stu and killing playing - I’m a jazz drummer and jazz pianist who plays a Yamaha C3 meaty action and have been looking for a heavy key (also have a p90, very light action imho) this seems perfect for me and what really works is the onboard drum grooves - it’s been a hard call but this seems perfect - thank you
I like the piano: for other sounds from an iPad: is it as easy as just putting an iPad on the piano, BT/MIDI/Audio, no cables, and the P515 controls the iPad? iPad audio is streamed to the P515 with no cables? no latency issues?
Stu, after having tried the Casio PX-1000, I tried out the P515 and I took it back after a week. The action just isn't for me. I couldn't justify it for the price. Some people seem to like it. The store was happy to get it back because demand remains high and supply tight for the P515s. After having gone through a Casio PX-1000 (I sent it back after a week) and the P515 (also sent it back after a week), I can confirm that your analyses are spot-on. I shoulda listened to you to start off with. I ended up going for a radical solution: I bought a used Casio PX 160 with stand and pedals for 360 euros. It's good enough for what I'm looking for. Your analysis on the PX 160's key action was also spot-on. The keys have that side-to-side movement. I actually find the action of the PX 160 reminiscent of an old Spaeth upright piano I recently tried out at a piano store. This action does have some advantages versus the PX-1000.
My biggest complaint with my CP300 is the weight of the keys too! After a bit my fingers are cramping and i don't feel like playing anymore. Sad to see its the same with the 515. I am probably going to upgrade to the es920 when they come available.
It's weird how Yamahas sound. People often use the term "bright" to describe them but I don't like that description because it's not complete. Technically, it's right but, the piano gives a different aural sensation to me. This one is based on the CFX, so CF, CX, SX, even though there are different levels of refinement they all have a similar type of tone. There's actually less brightness in the treble than some makes but more in the midrange and tenor then lower bass is quite deep but not boomy. There's also an interesting balance and clarity between the ranges--balanced yet separate. Yamaha can blend but they don't go for saturation as much as other pianos. So, they sound thinner but not thinner in a bad way, in my opinion. In this respect, I think it's expression is in articulation. Even the digital ones excel at that. (This is concerning the main voice, the CFX.) Kawai and Roland are totally different beasts. Kawai has a deep and darker tone with moderate overtones and saturates. Roland has fullness and pronounced overtones. Nice presentation.
Agree with your characterizations of the different brands, especially when listening to the direct line sound. In person though, it's a very mixed bag: I own a Yamaha N3X and the sampled CFX sound through the 12 speakers is breathtakingly realistic. Sounds totally different than the CFX on the P125 or P515. Cheers!
i think yamahas new sx line, doesnt fall in the same "tonal family" as the other lines tho. It appears to have a rather warm and rumbly tone, not reminiscent of the sound profile, that the other lines indeed share (imo ofc). the weird sensation of yamahas sounding bright yet not bright or at least not bright in a annoying/unpleasant way is something i noticed myself and its something very hard to put in words indeed ^^.
How would you rate this action weight and reponse to those of the RD700nx and RD2000 (I seem to recall that you own one) pianos? I have a $2500 RD700nx in a $450 case at home that stays packed up in a corner, because the action was simply too heavy, clumsy and sluggish for me to improvise leads at at the speeds that I needed - incredibly fatiguing. I'm a good, literate piano and organ player, with a very light physical playing style, have been playing out in paying gigs for Rock and Country bands since 1970; but after hours of failure to adjust the "sensitivity" of the RD700nx to a reasonable playability, was forced to admit that I would never ever be able to take that very expensive boat anchor to a public gig. It still sits in mint condition, having never left my home, with less than 24 hours of total playing time on it after all these years. I'm still quite burned and heart broken over the experience and gun shy to buy anything else via mail order since. There are no stores to physically evaluate instruments close to where I live. Most importantly, I'm tired of having to haul my easy action, but antiquated 88 key Fatar controller and rack sample unit out to gigs. No one ever complains about the sound I get, but I need a more realistic sound palette. I've wondered if either Kawaii ES series or Kurzweil would be a better match for me. I'm a great admirer of your playing and honest technical reviews. Please help/advise.
I have the Rd700 and shopping for new cause it’s starting to have a few issues. I still love it and will be hard to move on from it. I’m thinking the action is the same as the nx. I don’t find it hard to play. I’m not sure to buy a new Roland the rd88 or a Yamaha 515 cause I can’t find a store that even has one in stock.
What's the best, portable digital piano with built in speakers for a professional classical pianist? It must feel as real as possible as a concert piano ( concert piano action) as I've been playing 56 years...cost is not a problem. . I need it to go out and perform as part of my ministry.
At the now defunct Rainbow concert Venue in Seattle I got to talk with Mugrew Miller on tour with Tony Williams. He was playing a rented grand piano for that gig (it was not necessarily a jazz venue so no house piano) in response to my unconditional praise he told me he was frustrated with the heavy piano action and that it made the gig a bit of a struggle, not that I could notice. The point is you want a heavy action!! Especially on your practice instrument because someday you're gonna have to play a real bear. Maybe in the Studio so just saying. Digital pianos are not the same as Grand Pianos
I received my P515 but the sounds all sound pretty ‘digital’ to me, even the two primary piano sounds. Even my previous Casio PX160 sounds better. The sound in this video sounds very nice though so I’m wondering what could be the reason for the differences. Is there any setting that needs to be done here or just a line out vs speaker difference?
Did you keep or exchange for the Kawai ES920? Casio sucks…… I have a piano performance major degree and own a Kawai grand piano I got last month because of how much I loved the Kawai ES920 digital and wanted to have a real Kawai grand.
@@gustavopaulette3496 I ended up keeping it because ES920 is out of stock everywhere and I do want a heavy action (Yamaha is the best in that). I tried Kawaii CA49 the other day and it does sounds much better, but it is also not a fair comparison because the price is so different.
You know, I have a similar impression of the sound patches on the 515. I owned a 515 for about a week and then took it back. I just thought it was too much money. I bought a used PX160 instead for around $300. The mid-range and the octave above middle C were, in my opionion, the worst sounding. I'm tempted to try a P515 again after owning the Casio for over 2 years mainly because of the action.....
Sound is great, indeed, but action is really a little too heavy for my ageing hands (I used to play a 1/2 Bechstein grand from the year 1939, an incredibly good instrument with outstanding sound and a much softer touch; unfortunately, it suffered a lot from heat in summer a few years ago. I had to sell it and bought a Yamaha P120 (!) and was very happy for the sound, the nocturnal use with a headphone, and the absence of tuning problems. I would recommend the fixed triple pedal system because the single pedal system is gliding on tiles or wooden floors, which is very disturbing. I would like to add that the music stand seems too low for A4 formats or higher, and that its orientation is inappropriate (i.e. too horizontal), so the scores tend to fall on the ground. I wonder if this keyboard is suited for playing the NOIRE vst set, maybe through a computer and an appropriate USB cabling? Thanks for your wonderful review and very professional and very enjoyable playing.
I’m planning to buy this or other DPiano that you recommend and bringing lit with me to another country. Is this that portable? What do you think? Thank you for the review
You're very welcome! Thank you for tuning in! :) The P515 is relatively portable. I suppose "how" portable something is comes down to subjectivity. If you are looking for something extremely lightweight, the Casio PXS line are amongst the most portable and easily-transported digital pianos on the market. Thanks and hope this helps!
ive been playing on plastic keys on the dgx 660 for 7 years. Do you think the key action on the P515 is too big of a jump or am i going to get used to it quickly?
There is always a bit of a learning phase with any new piano. But, the heavier, more authentic touch will give you a greater sense of connectivity and control. :)
It amazes me how my music store sells the CLP735 for $2999.99 on sale and the P515 for half of that, wooden keys and all. Of course you need a cabinet which is around another $130 plus 1 or 3 pedals. And the P515 doesn't have all of the additional sounds once you exhaust the pianos. Is the sound equivalent to a CLP without the home cabinet?
It's funny how so many of the effects/voices sound absolutely mono while others were very much stereo. Some rebound from left to right and back at defined periods. I don't know if it's the mic and recording or if it's the piano. Great demo, though.
I just bought my p-515. And the action seems very close to my tutors acoustic upright piano. The escapement combined with setting the touch curve as “light 2” seems to overcome the weight issues. I saw another TH-cam video where the reviewer noted that the touch on newer manufactured models of the p-515 has evolved to be somewhat lighter and more responsive.
@@jpxh123 from one of the videos by pavel shawcross PianoForever channell.. he tried one at namm, and purchased one i think 8 months later, and found the action to be lighter than the one at namm.. so basically subjective. honestly I like the action. At first, my hands got tired, but over 18 months my hands/fingers have developed the strength and ability.. and the touch is definitely heaver at the low end and lighter at the top end.. exactly like a real acoustic
hello, I'm looking for a digital piano as a gift between ydp 164, clp 625 and P515. Due to the budget, ydp 164 is more preferable. My question is : since ydp 164 has only 192 polyphony, is it enough for a player who has Yamaha piano cert level 7? Thanks.
Thank you for the video. Great review. I have been playing the P515 for several months now. The keyboard is great and I do not find the action that heavy. Also, the Bösendorfer piano has terrific tone. And the speakers sound quite good. Have ordered a Kawai MP11SE and looking forward to playing it and comparing. I am sure it is on a different level altogether.
I WOULDLIKE TO KNOW IF THE P515 IS BETTER THAN THE YAMAHA CP88 BECAUSE I ORDERED IT AND IF I'MNOT REALLY HAPPY I COULD RETURN IT BACK AND GET THE P515 BUT I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE CP88 ARRIVE IN APRIL 11 AND THEN TAKE MY DECISION.
In or around this price, what would you say the most acoustic sounding/feeling keyboard on the market? I previously owned a cp300 and to my everlasting shame, sold it.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! At the end of the day, the musical experience a piano provides is highly subjective. Around the $2000 CAD price point, I am personally a fan of the Kawai ES520 and (if budget permits) ES920. The SKEX samples are extremely warm and nuanced. They are some of the most authentic sounding samples available at this price point. The RHIII action of the ES920 is also a fantastic touch. I'm sure Stu and other players from our community here will have their own preferences, but those are my personal favourites around this price point. :)
Hi all, I've bought this piano one month ago and I came across a default : To my ears, it seems that the notes are freezing ( for all tonalities ) : I had a P45 before and I never encountered this problem...Any idea or feedback ?
I think for it's intended market--home/casual player it's perfect. More than "good enough". Realistically, it's so much easier for most families/couples/single people to afford a $1500-2000 digital vs an acoustic upright/grand (which you can't control the volume of and get the same out of). Making the digitials/hybrids more practical for homes. Even if you have a detached home and a family. Realistically we can't play our pianos when we want and "keep the peace"....e.g. with neighbours. They might want peace when we want to play. With a digital we can go silent and play any time. Spending so much less. $1500 to 6500 (for a hybrid). Do so much more with them. Encouraging new players to spend more time on the piano. Ultimately...what would a digital not offer over "the real thing" acoustic grand? besides what might be obvious e.g. better action, more resonance...
In the video you say that you can connect the keyboard to a laptop (f.e.) and use VSTs to output the sound from the speakers of the keyboard, but is it also possible to basically "turn off" the speakers and have the sound output on the Laptop itself (or on Headphones that are connected to the Laptop)?
When running through an amp, do the on board speakers still sound? I currently use a YPG 625 and the only out is the headphone jack with kills the speakers. I want to consider the speakers my monitor knowing my amp is covering the room.
I don't want to sound stupid, but when I run a chord or chords to my amp will the on board speakers continue to sound as usual. When you say "you can still use" it implies I have to do something to make that happen. Simply put: are the onboard speakers always active? Thanks. @@MerriamPianos
How would this compare to the MP11SE for someone who wants to invest in a good digital piano for learning the piano to last well into the future? Thanks.
after a long time comparing models I bought an mp11se. I love it, the touch, the sound, it's a great practice instrument. It is very heavy though and, aside from a few pads, it only has piano sounds in it. So if you want an organ or other instruments you need to look elsewhere. Good luck!
While I don't believe Yamaha formally states that the NWX action is grade weighted in their literature, I am quite certain it is. Most current, high-end digital piano actions are. :)
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! It would come down to the touch and tonal preferences of the player. With that said, if you were primarily using the internal speakers of the piano, the FP90X is significantly more powerful than these other models. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
@@MerriamPianos Many thanks for your reply ! I was thinking this way as well , but after seeing your answer I am more sure about it . Many many compliments to You for your Great playing as well as for outstanding and very useful videos !
I own the p515, my first piano. I love it! I think the action is great. There's options to change the touch, so if it is too heavy you can adjust it. I have noticed that the sound I keep going to is the rock grand w/ dark pad. It sounds great together!
I currently have a cdp100 which needless to say screams for a replacement, i've been playing for 4 years and i'm pretty used to it's key Weight, i once read it's keys are heavier than a standard grand, but i haven't been able to confirm this info, can anybody guide me in which direction i could compare this 515 key weight (80g+) to my cdp 100 or how can i measure it myself? Thanks a lot
I would say you really need to condition and strengthen your hand muscles if you are having problems playing on this. By far the most superior and smooth piano in this price range. I have the Kawaii CE 220 and a Steinway nine and I played it twice as much as either one of those. I would definitely recommend strong finger exercises to build up your fingers right. You should have no problem playing those hours upon hours every day.
Good suggestions B Drones - this action is a bit of an enigma to me...it's substantially heavier than any acoustic, but that may be to compensate for a smaller speaker output and so the brain 'computes' it all as feeling balanced. I've got no issue with muscle conditioning myself, (well, maybe right NOW with Covid it may have gotten a bit weaker), but prior, I would play two or three 3 hr shows per week on acoustics or the Roland RD2000, which has a pretty beefy action - but I get your point...a weak musculature is going to make the playing experience on the P515 particularly difficult.
I couldnt decide between this and the Kawai CA49. I went with the Kawai because of the action and the clearance price. To buy the bench, stand, and pedals for the P515, it would have cost the same amount if not a bit more than the Kawai.
Congrats on your Kawai CA49! It is a fantastic choice. The all-wooden key action of the Grand Feel Compact action has a wonderfully-authentic feel and I am confident that you will enjoy it for many years to come! :)
@@MerriamPianos we bought one for the church I play at, used it this weekend for the first time and I was sold. Im not even a pianist, Im an organist! So go figure lol.
I'm a beginner and just returned an otherwise great sounding Kurzweil instrument because I couldn't get past the keyweight. Could you please suggest an instrument with lighter key action? I'd like to play rock organ style as well. I just subscribed but have appreciated your channel for several weeks now.
Well a year has gone by, but I'll comment for anybody still reading this. The recording facility on the P-515 includes 16-track MIDI! This is crossing over with an arranger piano, so, bravo Yamaha! I think the action may be so firm because the previous model (the P-255) has a slightly light action - the GH. Maybe some users complained. I play a P-255 and it seldom bothers me. I find the GH much better than the GHS featured on the P-45 and the P-125, but I might like the P-515's action more, having grown up with a very firm East German upright piano, which I adored. Now I have a very firm East German girlfriend instead, whom I also adore! The partially wooden keys would be less likely to warp than plastic ones, and this seems consistent with the decision to make the P-515 rugged. Sadly, that must make it hard to lift and carry, but at least the keys won't jam too easily after a fire door closes on it as you struggle through hotel corridors. Previously, I have criticised this piano for its heavy weight and heavy price, but the former may be justified and the latter is coming down. After lockdowns are over I might even try one!
@@Sloimer Buzzing on my P-255? No, except that for practice I use the optional scew-on stand. This has four screws to secure the instrument. Often, I use only two because I need to undo the scews quickly when I'm preparing for a gig. While only using two the slight looseness can cause a bit of noise. Also, a couple of notes are developing harsh sounds, irrespective of which key is used to play them. So, if I use the auto transpose, the same note and harshness moves to a new key stick. I presume that this is a hardening of the speakers, but I do need to experiment more. I have played my P-255 for many thousands of hours. I guess that something must show signs of wear. I don't own a P-515. I have finally tested one briely, but I didn't notice harshness on that. I didn't like the controls much. I think the P-255 has better EQ controls for gigs.
The best bet would be to test out the piano in person to get a sense of the various touch sensitivity settings. Keep in mind that the physical weight of the key action does not change when adjusting touch sensitivities. Instead, the sound is altered to simulate a softer or heavier touch.
There are a lot of comments that the key action is too heavy ..sure....but is it heavier than an actual Yamaha Grand piano action or....is it true to the heaviness of a real grand piano?
It is all relative to the tastes of the player of course. :) Some players prefer a heavy touch for the control and connectivity it provides, while others find heavy actions fatiguing and disengaging. Thankfully, there are a lot of options on the market to choose from.
I love the action and feel of the rd88 but the onboard samples on the p515 sound much warmer and better to me. How can I get the roland to play those yamaha sounds. Any help, suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Set the velocity curve to soft 2 and like magic the heaviness of the keys disapears and then its a dream to play! I always play with EQ on flat 1 and default reverb. It's a fantastic piano in every respect. The only downside is its weight it weighs nearly 50lbs so really its a 2 person lift. I've bought a sack barrow in case i need take it out my house. Recently tried out the upgraded P525 in a music shop . . the 515 is much better and nearly a £1000 cheaper!
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I just purchased this piano yesterday. I'd like to add my two cents worth about the weight of the keys if you don't mind. I am 80 years old with osteoarthritis in my hands. I'm what you might call an "advanced beginner" and I've been taking lessons on a Steinway grand and to tell you the truth when I sat down and tried this piano it felt just like the one at school, which is what I had been looking for. I am delighted!
Hi Gina! That is amazing! We are happy to hear that you have found a piano that you really resonate with and gives you a feeling of consistency between your at home practice and lessons. :)
Hey brother I'm a poor hard working jazz musician. If I don't have any gigs I drag my Yamaha digital piano to my neighbourhood train station here in Copenhagen (I moved) on my large bike trailer behind my cargo bike and play my tunes and standards for passing change. But I ended up somehow with all Yamaha gear most of its been dropped at least once over the many years I been doing this ; assiduously avoiding day gigs as Monk told us. The point is their shit is tough! and don't break! like one of my cracked mini P.A. speakers that still sounds great with zero distortion.
I like Stu's honesty and, as he is also an excellent keyboard player (who has also played a lot of different keyboards) it's an opinion you can respect. Thanks Stu, appreciated.
Yes the keys are physically heavy. But set the touch curve to Soft 1 and then the playing experience is excellent. Included FC4A pedal does NOT support half pedalling, you need to buy FC3A. I also recommend setting brightness to 7 in Piano Room for most piano tones. Great instrument.
Edit: brightness to 6 is enough
Seriously, since he's spending so much time talking about the heaviness of the action, why doesn't he know or at least talk about how you can adjust the touch!
@@linearjazz he's a Yamaha hater and Roland fanboy even though I know deep down he hates the tone
But his real love is for Kawai
@Cristian Arvizu Kawai Disciples 💪
@@michellemonet4358 soft 2 is softer
Soft 2 is aofter than soft 1 I believe
This is the most useful review of Yamaha P515 I have seen. Excellent presenter/reviewer.
Remarkable playing. You're well practiced on your instrument which is really important for a reviewer.
I received my P515 in white with the matching stand and 3 pedal unit!
It sounds and plays amazing!
It’s tone is so beautiful, especially on the lower notes, such richness and tonal quality up and down the whole keyboard
If your on the fence, buy it!
Where did you find it? I can’t find it anywhere and I want one :(
@@flarfschnikelman6780 zzsounds
Thank you
@@flarfschnikelman6780 on the thoman have my camrade
@@flarfschnikelman6780 I know I'm late but I was able to get a P515 from Kraft music today
Thank you for the great review. I bought this piano and I’m 75 and a rank beginner but it has everything I will ever need , best money I ever spent. So my observation. The key action is adjustable on the 515 but since I never knew what a real key action should be, I just ignored it and left it on default, or normal. I figured if I can play this piano with the heavier (normal setting/ default) action then a regular acoustic pianos key weight shouldn’t be a problem. Would you agree?
Stu, Yamaha should hire you to improve the design of their digital pianos. FYI, most of the piano players in H.K. love Yamaha because of the quality and durability. ^^
Simple, I tried Yamaha CLP-685 and its GrandTouch action keyboard, which is almost identical to P-515. It feels good. The action is not too heavy (lighter than GHS and GH3, much lighter than Roland's PHA4-Standard), able to play some skillful pieces and its wooden keys also better than some cheap entry-level upright pianos.
Interestingly, it still cannot play tremolo too fast because the key still not bounces quick enough.
But all in all, I think the latest Yamaha's piano sound and the NWX action is suitable for practicing. If you want to purchase a quality piano but don't want to bother the neighborhood, I think the P-515 or CLP series with NWX actions are good choices.
Hi friend, thanks for your helpful review, which key action is faster, more confortable and reliable between P515 and PHA4 in FP10/30, and why?.
Please tell me too, which is your first, second and third place for key action and connection between: Kawai ES8, Yamaha P515 and Roland FP90?. Thanks!.
There's something about the p series that always caught my attention, I own a yamaha montage 6 and I'm planning in selling it to buy the yamaha P515. Reason is having weighted keys like the ones on the P515 and the Acoustic piano presets are just on another league, i don't really need 1000 sounds funny thing is I only use acoustic piano and some DX 7 presets from the montage engine and some pads and basically thats it. I own a MacBook Aswell with komplete 10, Apollo twin mkII and Sunday Keys 2021 and I'm planning in buying Keyscape Aswell and there's some awsome FM sounds there, having the P515 as midi controller and internal sounds with aswome piano sound, awsome keybed action there's no need to spend 3000 or more for a keyboard.
I think you're right when you say Yamaha's users may just be accustomed to a heavier action. I bought the P515 in December after reading several reviews and watching a few videos. It's my first "real" digital piano, only owning cheap non-weighted arrangers, synths, etc. I have been playing acoustics my whole life and wanted to match that action as much as possible so when I heard "heavy graded action" I thought - perfect! Right away my first impression was "WOW - this is WAY too heavy". Now almost into August, I've spent a considerable amount of time with it - maybe 2-3 hours a day, every day. Even now, my forearm and wrist is just not strong enough to match the action. Small, light, slow pieces sure. But there are some I almost can't get through to the end (not to mention playing for many minutes/hours straight). At first I didn't even think it was the keyboard - I researched wrist injuries, tension relieving exercises, revisited finger positioning, etc because it seemed that no one was complaining about this in the forums. But after sitting down on an old upright and playing the same pieces without fatigue I realized - the P515 is just too heavy.
Given you are the only one that seems to notice this, do you think something like a Kawai ES8 could bring the action/play-ability back into a more comfortable range while still maintaining the nuances of a traditional acoustic? I would almost give up everything I like about the Yamaha (Sounds, features, etc - which are likely all customizable in other keyboards anyways) to get a more satisfying action.
Hi there Old Moustachio!! ES8 is going to be definitely better in this regard although Kawai is in the middle of replacing it with an upgraded model. Roland's PHA-50 is a nice in-between, slightly heavier than the RH3 action that the ES8 has...and unfortunately I don't have any info on whether the RH3 is being enhanced or changed for the ES8 replacement. If you're looking for portable and DON'T need internal speakers, I think most would agree the MP-11se from Kawai is just ridiculous in terms of how good it sounds and feels...like I've said on camera - if it were 10 pounds lighter, I'd be using that to gig with...as it is, the RD2000 Roland is a better all-round unit for what I need on stage...but for piano alone, pretty hard to beat. Anyways, I hope these thoughts help a bit! -stu
@@MerriamPianos
Hello Mr. Stu,
After stumbling across this comment, I was wondering if you knew where I could find more information on the next version of the ES-8, as I am thinking about purchasing a piano within the next few months. Is there an estimated time on the kawaii website?
You can just turn the action to soft on the menu, and then problem solved.
I am wondering, after two years, where you are, keyboard-wise? Do you still play the P-515 or did you sell it and change for another? I am thinking of buying my sister (who plays a "well-used" spinet) a digital. She likes it's light touch and I wonder if the P-125 wouldn't be a great choice as the 515 sounds too heavy for her. Your thoughts would be great.
I agree.my arms are physically worn out from this. Its a relief when I switch to my Roland Gopiano.
I’ve had the Yamaha P515 for just a couple of months and I absolutely love everything about it, I love using it for band gigs and I also play for solo gigs and theatre shows in an orchestra, it’s a joy to play and the piano samples in particular are outstanding,especially the CFX and Bosendorfer, also the ballad grand is such a versatile sound for more intimate settings and venues,the Rock and Bright Grand are great to cut through a pop or rock band ,all in all it’s a brilliant all round instrument with great electric piano sound,organs etc,and the rhythm accompaniment with bass backing accompaniment options to either use as split or to incorporate into solo piano style playing is great too🙂👍🎹
The P515 is quite the powerhouse with a very extensive offering of features. We're happy to hear that you've been enjoying everything it has to offer. Thanks for tuning in and happy playing! :)
@@MerriamPianos❤
Great review! I have to say that I'm actually like how Yamaha designed white key's surface on this keyboard. On other digital pianos in this price range I found key surfaces to be very slippy, so you have to be more aware of it and sometimes it causes unnecessary tension in hands. But this glossy surface on NWX is made just right - not too slippery, but not too grippy either, which allows for precise control when you need to slide your fingers up or down the keys. As for keys heaviness - you can change touch sensitivity to Soft 1, as already proposed in the comments here, and the keyboard will feel lighter. But I prefer the default Medium setting, feels right for this keyboard!
Underrated channel. this was a good showcase as i am trying to find a decent rental so i can compose music. Thank you and keep it up as I am looking forward to the next review
Thank you very much, Stu. I subscribed in appreciation of your thorough and balanced review of the P515 which we’re considering purchasing. (I also appreciate and envy your piano skills and ability to improvise!) My husband and I are decidedly amateur but serious piano players, and currently own a Yamaha C2 grand and want a second, more portable keyboard that can be used when both of us want to play piano at the same time, for 2 piano duets, and for playing outdoors. The key weight is something I’ll definitely check out, and I hope one of the commenters is correct in saying that Yamaha has made its P515 keys lighter now. I did see other online comments about the key weight, so this is definitely an important consideration, and something I will definitely check out on a demo P515. The P515 may not be your favorite piano, but it sounds like you agree the piano sound is excellent which is something we really care about since we play mostly classical music and have the Yamaha grand. Thanks again for your great review.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Thank you so much for subscribing and supporting our channel! We sincerely appreciate it. I will be sure to pass along your kind words and compliments to Stu on your behalf. Thanks again and happy playing! :)
Hi Stu
I bought this from a friend about a month ago coz it wasn't 100% what he was looking for.
I just wanted to learn a bit of piano.
I absolutely love the sound, the feel and the overall ease of using this piano.
I'm a 64 year old guitarist (took up guitar in 2015) who really just loves all musical instruments.
This piano and my trans-acoustic guitar will keep me happy for the remaining years.
I love the fact that I can pick a piano sound, put some strings under it, pick a rhythm, set the tempo and just play using my guitar song-sheets.
Great fun 👍😎🎹
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Congrats on picking up your friend's P515! It is a super solid instrument with a lot of fun features as you've discovered. It is great to hear you are enjoying many facets of musicmaking. Thanks for tuning in and happy playing! :)
Love your videos. So far you've covered a pretty complete range of digital pianos from different brands. But Korg stands out as the big 'absentee'. I would love to hear your take on Korg's top end keybed, the RH3 (not to be confused with Kawai's RHIII). This keybed seems to be implemented differently from one model to the next, f.e. the Grandstage feels differently from the D1, G1 Air, the new SV2 or even the almighty Kronos 88. I would particularly be interested to hear what you think of the new SV2(S) 88. It's geared a lot more toward the piano player, much more so than it's predecessor...
Edit : the P515 actually comes with the FC4A pedal, which doesn't support half-damping. The FC3A, however does, and that comes with the CP88 (which should also be on your review list ;-) )
I went from the P45 to the P515 great choice love my piano
We are very happy to hear that! Thanks so much for tuning in and supporting our channel! All the best and happy playing! :)
Is it worth to buy the p515 or should i get the clp-725, because the price is in the same range in my area?
What I wouldn't give to be able to play like this... and I've been playing for years. :)
I could listen to you play all night. You are a magnificent musician. tasty as hell !! respect sir!
That's awesome, thanks Mike! Really appreciate the compliment. -stu
The only thing missing is some facility for saving a configuration of settings. This piano resets to factory defaults when you power on, so if you like working with several personalized settings, or you're just in the process of experimenting, you're going to have to reset them every time you turn it on. Also, it would be nice for cases where multiple people (in a family, for example) practice on the same P-515 and they could each save their own favorite settings and just switch between profiles with the selection in a menu.
Having easily accessible stored settings is quite convenient and important for certain players. From this perspective, the Roland pianos are excellent options. Their tone engines allow for impressive adjustability and customization and storing/recalling settings is very easy and accessible. :)
You have to understand coming from using a concert grand piano to the P515 it was a benefit for me the weight of the keys. I would recommend definitely work on your stamina if you are having fatigue issues playing the instrument. It is about as close as you can come to a concert grand piano as far as weighted keys they are perfect.
B Drones thanks for the insights and comments. I need to strongly disagree here with the comment about this being as close to concert grand as you get - concert grands are weighted at 55 grams give or take. This is 80+ grams, making it 50% heavier. We can debate the pros and cons of that change in weighting, but it is measurably heavier. Yamaha stage digitals have always weighted the keys heavier than acoustics, I remember playing the CP300 for a Second City production for 2 full years, and it still gave my hand cramps after 2 hr shows 5 days a week. It could legitimately just be me on this one, no one else seems to be bugged by it at all 🤷♂️
@@MerriamPianos I think it's easy to conflate "heavy" with "authentic"; I know I tend to do that. And in this case I was thinking that having it be heavier is better for me who would use it mostly for practice. I don't really go gigging anywhere except for maybe church, where they already have an acoustic.
I tried a P515 yesterday, after playing a Roland piano with the PHA50 50 actiin.
The P515 felt like the keys were in sand/molasses, or like my joints were swollen. Now I know why.
I am using this P515 for 5 months now.. and it feels good..my only issue is thr weight of the keys it very heavy... The sounds are amazing...compared to the action keys of roland Digi piano, i prefer their action keys..but for the sound of the piano, i prefer yamaha...but may be in time i will go back to roland because i prefer the action keys of roland..my hands is aching really playing the piano on long term
Thanks for tuning in! It is difficult finding a piano that has a touch and tone that you like. With that said, when it comes to digital pianos, I tend to prioritize the action as the sound is a variable technically. You can access a plethora of sample libraries and piano sounds via MIDI and VST plugins. :)
I agree. The action is sooo heavy even when I put the action to softest.
It s possible to change the velocity on this keyboard, which help a lot. Many things can be done on this keyboard, just need times to get to know the board. It is not so heavy if you are a piano pplayer.
Thank you Stu Harrison for practicing and becoming so talented, because your doing so makes these reviews so much more enjoyable as you play so beautifully. You could sell cicklets on a 2x6 board you're so talented. Thank you!
Thank you for tuning in! I'll be happy to send the kind note to Stu for you. :)
Love my white P515 with stand, pedal kit and matching bench!! Great addition to my piano studio!
That's awesome! Glad to hear you're enjoying it! :)
Would like to see you do a comparison Kawaii ES 920.
Great Review, thanks for uploading.
As a P515 owner I have to say that sometimes the weight is a bit disturbing, especially if you want to play really fast passages, but at the same time it is really easy to hit the key at the right velocity.
I find that the escapement on my p-515 more than makes up for the weight. I went from a p-125 to the p-515 and trills are easier.
If anyone is deciding between this and the 125, the biggest difference is the action and the ‘acousticlike’ sound which the speakers can produce. In comparison the 125 sounds more like a traditional keyboard. I’m not sure if an amp could fix the digital quality the 125 has but that’s just my observation.
Ya this blows the 125 out of the water for sound.
Stu Harrison, thanks so much for your very thorough review of the Yamaha P515. I've been a Yamaha player for years and I was so delighted to find out from you that Yamaha had purchased Bösendorfer, the best acoustic grand piano in the world with its extra register on the bottom end of the keyboard. Having that unique sound on the P515 will be amazing! And as for the key weight, that works out fine for me. Thanks again for demoing and explaining point-by-point the P515.
René Swan
Hi René! Thanks so much for the kind words and for supporting our channel! We're glad to hear that you have been enjoying the videos. Thanks again and all the best! :)
Thank you for this outstanding review. I appreciate your thoroughness, thoughtful explanation, and reasonable reactions/response.
Sir I still don't understand how you can play all sorts of styles pretty much on the fly . Esp at 6:58 🙏. Does that sort of thing come after years of training or did you have training in specific styles of music?
Some people are just naturals. Yohan Kim and Jesus Molina are others you can find on TH-cam, but there are more.
@@JoeLinux2000 If you don't think this cat played from childhood and went to music school to study jazz then I got a bridge to sell ya
Years of practice and a lot of knowledge on music theory
Thanks for a new video!
You talk about the grippy surface - Stu, do you know a solution for slippery keys due to sweat? I'm having quite problems with it to a point where sometimes I have to wash my hands and clean the keys literally every 10 minutes. I would say I sweat normally though, there is no anomaly
I guess you're not reading this now, but maybe somebody is. For me the worst gigs are the outdoor ones. The wind dries my hands and makes it hard to control the surface contact. I use a tiny amount of any dense hand cream and work it over the finger tips. That seems to ensure both a satisfactory grip and a bit of slide. Don't use too much!
That's why I traded my Yamaha P-95 for a Casio CDP S350. I like "matte" keys better than glossy ones. Best feel I ever experienced was the real ivory of my teacher's vintage Steinway
Will you be reviewing the Yamaha P-525? I would love to see your thoughts on it compared to the P-515.
Yup! We are going to be tackling that video review very soon! :)
I own and loooooooooooooove this piano. As a matter of fact I am practicing Hanon on it this very minute 😎
Forget the Hannon and start learning as much Bach and Chopin as you can.
If you just take your most challenging Hannon ex and do it in (12 keys) with a metronome increasing tempo slowly over weeks you will see big difference in 3 months.
@@JoeLinux2000 why not both?????
@@paxwallacejazz interesting!!!!! Didn't even think about doing it in all 12 keys. Thank you for the tip!!!!
I consider to get this digital piano. Did I understand it right; is it possible to play music from other sources like the mobile and CD-player through the piano?
Hi Stu - before I start, thank you for these videos. Just starting to learn piano and the videos have been very helpful. My question (surprise surprise) relates to the weight of the action. I’ve read that the touch curves on digital pianos can help with heavier/lighter actions. Is this really the case? And for a newbie like myself, could these be used to compensate for a heavier action whilst I’m learning the ropes. Thanks
Hi Bryan, so yes the touch curves can help to compensate and/or accommodate a specific physical approach and better mate it to the sound generation on a digital. I'm all for it, provided that you aren't doing a lot of transitioning back and forth between digitals and acoustics. I've found that players who tweak the touch curve to make a key feel lighter (the P515 might be an exception here) wind up losing a lot of muscle tone and endurance when they get behind an acoustic. With regards to the P515, I think the touch curve is already on the light side to make up for the 80 gram keyweight. Of course it probably doesn't hurt to remind other readers that touch curves only simulate a change in weight, there aren't any digitals that actually change the geometry of the action. Thanks for the question and for watching! -stu
Thanks Stu. Really appreciate the response and help. I couldn’t get it through my head how a touch curve could improve it given that you are still physically pushing down the key weight which won’t change.
I love th way this guy reacts to his phenomenal playing! Hahahah, like it ain't no thing to play a mean honky-tonk, the's just listening to the sampling quality.
Stu is quite the monster talent to say the least! Thanks so much for tuning in! :)
Great video Stu and killing playing - I’m a jazz drummer and jazz pianist who plays a Yamaha C3 meaty action and have been looking for a heavy key (also have a p90, very light action imho) this seems perfect for me and what really works is the onboard drum grooves - it’s been a hard call but this seems perfect - thank you
I like the piano: for other sounds from an iPad: is it as easy as just putting an iPad on the piano, BT/MIDI/Audio, no cables, and the P515 controls the iPad? iPad audio is streamed to the P515 with no cables? no latency issues?
I love this channel! Although my english is very bad......the best informations you can find about pianos.
Stu, after having tried the Casio PX-1000, I tried out the P515 and I took it back after a week. The action just isn't for me. I couldn't justify it for the price. Some people seem to like it. The store was happy to get it back because demand remains high and supply tight for the P515s.
After having gone through a Casio PX-1000 (I sent it back after a week) and the P515 (also sent it back after a week), I can confirm that your analyses are spot-on. I shoulda listened to you to start off with.
I ended up going for a radical solution: I bought a used Casio PX 160 with stand and pedals for 360 euros. It's good enough for what I'm looking for. Your analysis on the PX 160's key action was also spot-on. The keys have that side-to-side movement. I actually find the action of the PX 160 reminiscent of an old Spaeth upright piano I recently tried out at a piano store. This action does have some advantages versus the PX-1000.
My biggest complaint with my CP300 is the weight of the keys too! After a bit my fingers are cramping and i don't feel like playing anymore. Sad to see its the same with the 515. I am probably going to upgrade to the es920 when they come available.
Did you get the ES920?
Stop being a wussy. Quit playing piano.
It's weird how Yamahas sound. People often use the term "bright" to describe them but I don't like that description because it's not complete. Technically, it's right but, the piano gives a different aural sensation to me. This one is based on the CFX, so CF, CX, SX, even though there are different levels of refinement they all have a similar type of tone. There's actually less brightness in the treble than some makes but more in the midrange and tenor then lower bass is quite deep but not boomy. There's also an interesting balance and clarity between the ranges--balanced yet separate. Yamaha can blend but they don't go for saturation as much as other pianos. So, they sound thinner but not thinner in a bad way, in my opinion. In this respect, I think it's expression is in articulation. Even the digital ones excel at that. (This is concerning the main voice, the CFX.)
Kawai and Roland are totally different beasts. Kawai has a deep and darker tone with moderate overtones and saturates. Roland has fullness and pronounced overtones.
Nice presentation.
Agree with your characterizations of the different brands, especially when listening to the direct line sound. In person though, it's a very mixed bag: I own a Yamaha N3X and the sampled CFX sound through the 12 speakers is breathtakingly realistic. Sounds totally different than the CFX on the P125 or P515. Cheers!
i think yamahas new sx line, doesnt fall in the same "tonal family" as the other lines tho. It appears to have a rather warm and rumbly tone, not reminiscent of the sound profile, that the other lines indeed share (imo ofc). the weird sensation of yamahas sounding bright yet not bright or at least not bright in a annoying/unpleasant way is something i noticed myself and its something very hard to put in words indeed ^^.
@@niklas2heat79 Yes, the SX is the darker tone of the family. I really like it and in some ways prefer it. The S7X is an amazing sounding piano.
this keyboard ifeel like its more for classical piano players and i love that
@@karenlee29 not really 🤥
How would you rate this action weight and reponse to those of the RD700nx and RD2000 (I seem to recall that you own one) pianos? I have a $2500 RD700nx in a $450 case at home that stays packed up in a corner, because the action was simply too heavy, clumsy and sluggish for me to improvise leads at at the speeds that I needed - incredibly fatiguing. I'm a good, literate piano and organ player, with a very light physical playing style, have been playing out in paying gigs for Rock and Country bands since 1970; but after hours of failure to adjust the "sensitivity" of the RD700nx to a reasonable playability, was forced to admit that I would never ever be able to take that very expensive boat anchor to a public gig. It still sits in mint condition, having never left my home, with less than 24 hours of total playing time on it after all these years. I'm still quite burned and heart broken over the experience and gun shy to buy anything else via mail order since. There are no stores to physically evaluate instruments close to where I live. Most importantly, I'm tired of having to haul my easy action, but antiquated 88 key Fatar controller and rack sample unit out to gigs. No one ever complains about the sound I get, but I need a more realistic sound palette. I've wondered if either Kawaii ES series or Kurzweil would be a better match for me. I'm a great admirer of your playing and honest technical reviews. Please help/advise.
I have the Rd700 and shopping for new cause it’s starting to have a few issues. I still love it and will be hard to move on from it. I’m thinking the action is the same as the nx. I don’t find it hard to play. I’m not sure to buy a new Roland the rd88 or a Yamaha 515 cause I can’t find a store that even has one in stock.
Thank you so much. I appreciate you talent. To me you fully demonstrated this piano. I’m a big Yamaha fan. Keep up the great reviews.
You're very welcome! Thank you so much for tuning in! We appreciate it. :)
What's the best, portable digital piano with built in speakers for a professional classical pianist? It must feel as real as possible as a concert piano ( concert piano action) as I've been playing 56 years...cost is not a problem. . I need it to go out and perform as part of my ministry.
Very good comparative analysis Stu!
Thanks for tuning in! We appreciate it! :)
At the now defunct Rainbow concert Venue in Seattle I got to talk with Mugrew Miller on tour with Tony Williams. He was playing a rented grand piano for that gig (it was not necessarily a jazz venue so no house piano) in response to my unconditional praise he told me he was frustrated with the heavy piano action and that it made the gig a bit of a struggle, not that I could notice. The point is you want a heavy action!! Especially on your practice instrument because someday you're gonna have to play a real bear. Maybe in the Studio so just saying. Digital pianos are not the same as Grand Pianos
I enjoy your reviews, you tell it like it is, it's not sugar coated.
maybe a silly question, but which sounds best to your ears, Roland Rd-2000 or Yamaha P-515?
Fantastic demo...thanks for the upload!
Peace be with you😌 Absolutely Beautiful Grand Piano sounds! Thank you😊
Try pressing the others button while holding down the function button. Then you'll get in to the XG sound set. There're almost 500 sounds in there.
Aksel Leo Christoffersen yessssss a ton of extra sounds. So nice 😁
Great video... Which camera do you use?
My goodness. Yamaha has the best sounds man. Might have to get this over the P125
Hi, this yamaha p515 can I use it as midi keyboard?? (to controll VST instruments in a DAW) Thanks
yep
I received my P515 but the sounds all sound pretty ‘digital’ to me, even the two primary piano sounds. Even my previous Casio PX160 sounds better. The sound in this video sounds very nice though so I’m wondering what could be the reason for the differences. Is there any setting that needs to be done here or just a line out vs speaker difference?
Did you keep or exchange for the Kawai ES920? Casio sucks…… I have a piano performance major degree and own a Kawai grand piano I got last month because of how much I loved the Kawai ES920 digital and wanted to have a real Kawai grand.
Reply
@@gustavopaulette3496 I ended up keeping it because ES920 is out of stock everywhere and I do want a heavy action (Yamaha is the best in that). I tried Kawaii CA49 the other day and it does sounds much better, but it is also not a fair comparison because the price is so different.
I hearya but maybe it sounds better because hes a better player.
Just sayin
You know, I have a similar impression of the sound patches on the 515. I owned a 515 for about a week and then took it back. I just thought it was too much money. I bought a used PX160 instead for around $300. The mid-range and the octave above middle C were, in my opionion, the worst sounding.
I'm tempted to try a P515 again after owning the Casio for over 2 years mainly because of the action.....
Sound is great, indeed, but action is really a little too heavy for my ageing hands (I used to play a 1/2 Bechstein grand from the year 1939, an incredibly good instrument with outstanding sound and a much softer touch; unfortunately, it suffered a lot from heat in summer a few years ago. I had to sell it and bought a Yamaha P120 (!) and was very happy for the sound, the nocturnal use with a headphone, and the absence of tuning problems. I would recommend the fixed triple pedal system because the single pedal system is gliding on tiles or wooden floors, which is very disturbing. I would like to add that the music stand seems too low for A4 formats or higher, and that its orientation is inappropriate (i.e. too horizontal), so the scores tend to fall on the ground. I wonder if this keyboard is suited for playing the NOIRE vst set, maybe through a computer and an appropriate USB cabling? Thanks for your wonderful review and very professional and very enjoyable playing.
I’m planning to buy this or other DPiano that you recommend and bringing lit with me to another country. Is this that portable? What do you think? Thank you for the review
You're very welcome! Thank you for tuning in! :)
The P515 is relatively portable. I suppose "how" portable something is comes down to subjectivity. If you are looking for something extremely lightweight, the Casio PXS line are amongst the most portable and easily-transported digital pianos on the market. Thanks and hope this helps!
@@MerriamPianos Thank you so much for your reply. I’ll check them out.
ive been playing on plastic keys on the dgx 660 for 7 years. Do you think the key action on the P515 is too big of a jump or am i going to get used to it quickly?
There is always a bit of a learning phase with any new piano. But, the heavier, more authentic touch will give you a greater sense of connectivity and control. :)
@@MerriamPianos Perfect! Thanks!
It amazes me how my music store sells the CLP735 for $2999.99 on sale and the P515 for half of that, wooden keys and all. Of course you need a cabinet which is around another $130 plus 1 or 3 pedals. And the P515 doesn't have all of the additional sounds once you exhaust the pianos. Is the sound equivalent to a CLP without the home cabinet?
It's funny how so many of the effects/voices sound absolutely mono while others were very much stereo. Some rebound from left to right and back at defined periods. I don't know if it's the mic and recording or if it's the piano. Great demo, though.
I just bought my p-515. And the action seems very close to my tutors acoustic upright piano. The escapement combined with setting the touch curve as “light 2” seems to overcome the weight issues. I saw another TH-cam video where the reviewer noted that the touch on newer manufactured models of the p-515 has evolved to be somewhat lighter and more responsive.
I read where the touch was designed to be heavier on the bottom "strings" and then lighter and lighter as you move up the register.
@@tedunguent156 it is.. exactly like a real acoustic piano
Are the keys actually lighter in new manufactured p515?
Where did you see a reference for it?
@@jpxh123 from one of the videos by pavel shawcross PianoForever channell.. he tried one at namm, and purchased one i think 8 months later, and found the action to be lighter than the one at namm.. so basically subjective. honestly I like the action. At first, my hands got tired, but over 18 months my hands/fingers have developed the strength and ability.. and the touch is definitely heaver at the low end and lighter at the top end.. exactly like a real acoustic
by the time you add the cost of the yamaha stand.....better pedal...it comes close to the cost of new clavinova...albeit without the portability...
hello, I'm looking for a digital piano as a gift between ydp 164, clp 625 and P515. Due to the budget, ydp 164 is more preferable. My question is : since ydp 164 has only 192 polyphony, is it enough for a player who has Yamaha piano cert level 7? Thanks.
Please Merriam Music, make a review for the CP88, love the demos and reviews from this channel .😃
Thank you for the video. Great review. I have been playing the P515 for several months now. The keyboard is great and I do not find the action that heavy. Also, the Bösendorfer piano has terrific tone. And the speakers sound quite good. Have ordered a Kawai MP11SE and looking forward to playing it and comparing. I am sure it is on a different level altogether.
are you an idiot? Why buy a secont piano only after a few months?
@@mktsp2 He has money maybe
@@mktsp2 he’s a bird. Singing bullshit
one concern: when using a strings patch via the sustain pedal, do the strings fade out too fast like the p45 and 125 ? hope my question makes sense !?
Now if Yamaha put the NWX from the 515 keys on the DGX-670 I would be a happier customer. 😁
I WOULDLIKE TO KNOW IF THE P515 IS BETTER THAN THE YAMAHA CP88 BECAUSE I ORDERED IT AND IF I'MNOT REALLY HAPPY I COULD RETURN IT BACK AND GET THE P515 BUT I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE CP88 ARRIVE IN APRIL 11 AND THEN TAKE MY DECISION.
In or around this price, what would you say the most acoustic sounding/feeling keyboard on the market? I previously owned a cp300 and to my everlasting shame, sold it.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! At the end of the day, the musical experience a piano provides is highly subjective. Around the $2000 CAD price point, I am personally a fan of the Kawai ES520 and (if budget permits) ES920. The SKEX samples are extremely warm and nuanced. They are some of the most authentic sounding samples available at this price point. The RHIII action of the ES920 is also a fantastic touch. I'm sure Stu and other players from our community here will have their own preferences, but those are my personal favourites around this price point. :)
@@MerriamPianos thank you for the suggestions
Hi all, I've bought this piano one month ago and I came across a default : To my ears, it seems that the notes are freezing ( for all tonalities ) : I had a P45 before and I never encountered this problem...Any idea or feedback ?
Did you notice any buzzing/rattling in the speakers at higher volumes?
I think for it's intended market--home/casual player it's perfect. More than "good enough". Realistically, it's so much easier for most families/couples/single people to afford a $1500-2000 digital vs an acoustic upright/grand (which you can't control the volume of and get the same out of). Making the digitials/hybrids more practical for homes. Even if you have a detached home and a family. Realistically we can't play our pianos when we want and "keep the peace"....e.g. with neighbours. They might want peace when we want to play. With a digital we can go silent and play any time.
Spending so much less. $1500 to 6500 (for a hybrid). Do so much more with them. Encouraging new players to spend more time on the piano.
Ultimately...what would a digital not offer over "the real thing" acoustic grand? besides what might be obvious e.g. better action, more resonance...
Doesn't even come close to an acoustic piano instant no digital piano can equal my Everett baby grand
Thanks for the review!
You describe the NWX piano action as heavy, what about the GH3 action on the YDP series?
Excellent review. Thank you.
In the video you say that you can connect the keyboard to a laptop (f.e.) and use VSTs to output the sound from the speakers of the keyboard, but is it also possible to basically "turn off" the speakers and have the sound output on the Laptop itself (or on Headphones that are connected to the Laptop)?
Beautiful playing
I enjoy the video thank you very much I love tha video I very much appreciate your review
When running through an amp, do the on board speakers still sound? I currently use a YPG 625 and the only out is the headphone jack with kills the speakers. I want to consider the speakers my monitor knowing my amp is covering the room.
Hi! Brent here! If you are using dedicated line outs, you can still use the onboard speakers to monitor your playing from the piano directly. :)
I don't want to sound stupid, but when I run a chord or chords to my amp will the on board speakers continue to sound as usual. When you say "you can still use" it implies I have to do something to make that happen. Simply put: are the onboard speakers always active? Thanks. @@MerriamPianos
How would this compare to the MP11SE for someone who wants to invest in a good digital piano for learning the piano to last well into the future? Thanks.
after a long time comparing models I bought an mp11se. I love it, the touch, the sound, it's a great practice instrument. It is very heavy though and, aside from a few pads, it only has piano sounds in it. So if you want an organ or other instruments you need to look elsewhere. Good luck!
Yep the MP11SE is geared more towards strictly pianists
It doesn't have on board speakers
Hi! Do you know if the NWX action has individually graded keys? (one by one)
While I don't believe Yamaha formally states that the NWX action is grade weighted in their literature, I am quite certain it is. Most current, high-end digital piano actions are. :)
@@MerriamPianos Grazie!
What is better for the orchestra outdoor concerts , Roland PF60X / 90x , or Yamaha P515?
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! It would come down to the touch and tonal preferences of the player. With that said, if you were primarily using the internal speakers of the piano, the FP90X is significantly more powerful than these other models. Thanks and hope this helps! :)
@@MerriamPianos Many thanks for your reply ! I was thinking this way as well , but after seeing your answer I am more sure about it . Many many compliments to You for your Great playing as well as for outstanding and very useful videos !
I would also like to ask Merriam Music what type of speakers would you recommend for the MP11SE. Thanks in advance.
Is the heavy action on the Yamaha P515 bad if this is my first keyboard and I'm learning to play piano ?, thank you
I own the p515, my first piano. I love it! I think the action is great. There's options to change the touch, so if it is too heavy you can adjust it. I have noticed that the sound I keep going to is the rock grand w/ dark pad. It sounds great together!
The P515 action is the same as my Steinway upright, so no problem. P.S. The Steinway cost less in 1964 than my new P515.
that playing wow
I currently have a cdp100 which needless to say screams for a replacement, i've been playing for 4 years and i'm pretty used to it's key Weight, i once read it's keys are heavier than a standard grand, but i haven't been able to confirm this info, can anybody guide me in which direction i could compare this 515 key weight (80g+) to my cdp 100 or how can i measure it myself? Thanks a lot
I would say you really need to condition and strengthen your hand muscles if you are having problems playing on this. By far the most superior and smooth piano in this price range. I have the Kawaii CE 220 and a Steinway nine and I played it twice as much as either one of those. I would definitely recommend strong finger exercises to build up your fingers right. You should have no problem playing those hours upon hours every day.
Good suggestions B Drones - this action is a bit of an enigma to me...it's substantially heavier than any acoustic, but that may be to compensate for a smaller speaker output and so the brain 'computes' it all as feeling balanced. I've got no issue with muscle conditioning myself, (well, maybe right NOW with Covid it may have gotten a bit weaker), but prior, I would play two or three 3 hr shows per week on acoustics or the Roland RD2000, which has a pretty beefy action - but I get your point...a weak musculature is going to make the playing experience on the P515 particularly difficult.
I couldnt decide between this and the Kawai CA49. I went with the Kawai because of the action and the clearance price. To buy the bench, stand, and pedals for the P515, it would have cost the same amount if not a bit more than the Kawai.
Congrats on your Kawai CA49! It is a fantastic choice. The all-wooden key action of the Grand Feel Compact action has a wonderfully-authentic feel and I am confident that you will enjoy it for many years to come! :)
@@MerriamPianos we bought one for the church I play at, used it this weekend for the first time and I was sold. Im not even a pianist, Im an organist! So go figure lol.
I'm a beginner and just returned an otherwise great sounding Kurzweil instrument because I couldn't get past the keyweight. Could you please suggest an instrument with lighter key action? I'd like to play rock organ style as well. I just subscribed but have appreciated your channel for several weeks now.
I'm not sure if you purchased any yet, but if you're still looking then the Kawai ES8 might be right up your alley!
thank you，and very beautiful!
ballad grand is definitely realllllly nice
Well a year has gone by, but I'll comment for anybody still reading this. The recording facility on the P-515 includes 16-track MIDI! This is crossing over with an arranger piano, so, bravo Yamaha! I think the action may be so firm because the previous model (the P-255) has a slightly light action - the GH. Maybe some users complained. I play a P-255 and it seldom bothers me. I find the GH much better than the GHS featured on the P-45 and the P-125, but I might like the P-515's action more, having grown up with a very firm East German upright piano, which I adored. Now I have a very firm East German girlfriend instead, whom I also adore!
The partially wooden keys would be less likely to warp than plastic ones, and this seems consistent with the decision to make the P-515 rugged. Sadly, that must make it hard to lift and carry, but at least the keys won't jam too easily after a fire door closes on it as you struggle through hotel corridors. Previously, I have criticised this piano for its heavy weight and heavy price, but the former may be justified and the latter is coming down. After lockdowns are over I might even try one!
Have you noticed any buzzing-rattling from the speakers at higher volumes?
@@Sloimer Buzzing on my P-255? No, except that for practice I use the optional scew-on stand. This has four screws to secure the instrument. Often, I use only two because I need to undo the scews quickly when I'm preparing for a gig. While only using two the slight looseness can cause a bit of noise.
Also, a couple of notes are developing harsh sounds, irrespective of which key is used to play them. So, if I use the auto transpose, the same note and harshness moves to a new key stick. I presume that this is a hardening of the speakers, but I do need to experiment more. I have played my P-255 for many thousands of hours. I guess that something must show signs of wear.
I don't own a P-515. I have finally tested one briely, but I didn't notice harshness on that. I didn't like the controls much. I think the P-255 has better EQ controls for gigs.
I'm very curious to know what the weight of the key action is in the various soft to hard settings.
The best bet would be to test out the piano in person to get a sense of the various touch sensitivity settings. Keep in mind that the physical weight of the key action does not change when adjusting touch sensitivities. Instead, the sound is altered to simulate a softer or heavier touch.
There are a lot of comments that the key action is too heavy ..sure....but is it heavier than an actual Yamaha Grand piano action or....is it true to the heaviness of a real grand piano?
It is all relative to the tastes of the player of course. :)
Some players prefer a heavy touch for the control and connectivity it provides, while others find heavy actions fatiguing and disengaging. Thankfully, there are a lot of options on the market to choose from.
I love the action and feel of the rd88 but the onboard samples on the p515 sound much warmer and better to me. How can I get the roland to play those yamaha sounds. Any help, suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
How does it play at soft velocity, soft touch?
Set the velocity curve to soft 2 and like magic the heaviness of the keys disapears and then its a dream to play!
I always play with EQ on flat 1 and default reverb.
It's a fantastic piano in every respect.
The only downside is its weight it weighs nearly 50lbs so really its a 2 person lift. I've bought a sack barrow in case i need take it out my house.
Recently tried out the upgraded P525 in a music shop . .
the 515 is much better and nearly a £1000 cheaper!
Thanks so much for the insights and suggestions! I know our Yamaha P515 users here in our community will appreciate it. :)
You know your stuff. Good job.. Thank you! 😁