Videos
I've been playing piano all my life. I took formal lessons as a child, but now just play for fun. With young kids around the house , the only time I can play is after they're asleep. So I wanted a digital piano I can play with headphones. I wanted the most inexpensive keyboard with 88 weighted keys, and the P45 was it. Now that the P145 is out, there are some good deals on a new P45! I really don't need any features beyond something that felt like a piano.
There are lots of discussions here from keyboard players wanting to upgrade to a piano. As I went from a real piano to digital, let me give my thoughts. Here are my feelings after a month of playing it.
Key Feel: The keys on the P45 feel good—while not exactly like a real piano, they’re actually more responsive and precise. I find I can control the dynamics (the quiet-to-loud range) much better than on my acoustic piano. In fact, the P45 is so sensitive that accidental light presses, which wouldn’t produce a sound on my real piano, often register a note here. It's a different playing experience, but in many ways, it's easier to play with more range and less effort. I find I can learn a song on it - but need to continue working on it on the piano, because getting dynamics just right takes a more nuanced touch.
I bought it online so didn't try the keys before buying. I'm happy with it, thought I did try a Roland afterwards at Costco and thought that it felt more like a real piano. The Yamaha action feels linear from top to bottom; with the Roland - like a real piano - you can feel a bit more weight near the middle of the downstroke followed by momentum at the bottom, as if the hammer is being wound up and then struck.
2. Sound Quality: The default grand piano voice is beautiful, though the speakers are a bit tinny, as expected at this price. This isn’t a big deal for me since I mostly play with headphones. I can't see myself using the other voices except as a novelty. Maybe you could play baroque music on the organ or harpsichord voices - but losing the dynamic variation isn't worth it.
3. Pedal: The included pedal is flimsy and moves around too easily. However, replacing it is simple enough. I suspect Yamaha includes a cheap pedal because entry-level players might not be using it much initially.
Even though the P45 is targeted at beginners, I'm more than happy with it, and I don't ever see myself at a point where I'd exceed its capabilities. As I'm not looking for more advanced features, I don't ever see myself getting a better keyboard. However, I wouldn't give up my piano either. Overall a very happy purchase, and something I'll definitely be using for years to come.