An acoustic piano is an instrument that produces sound by means of a hammer striking strings. It generally doesn't require electricity to function (though some modern acoustics could have electronic components included that do, such as newer player pianos.) A keyboard is a catchall term for a non-acoustic instrument with piano-like keys. It will produce sounds electronically, often from sound samples taken from an acoustic piano. A digital piano is a keyboard with fully-weighted, hammer action keys that is designed to emulate the feel and response of an acoustic piano. Almost any keyboard (including digital pianos) can be played with headphones -- that's a pretty standard feature even on the really cheap ones. Answer from Tyrnis on reddit.com
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Costco
costco.ca › home › electronics › musical instruments
Digital Pianos & Electric Keyboards | Costco
Use Smart Pianist a Free Tool Allowing Users to Control Various Features on Their Digital Keyboard which Offers a Range of Music Related Functions · Pure CF Sound Engine Faithfully Reproducing Yamaha's Renowned CFIIIS Concert Grand Piano
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OnlinePianist
onlinepianist.com › virtual-piano
Virtual Piano - Online Piano Keyboard | OnlinePianist
The online piano keyboard simulates a real piano keyboard with 7 1/4 octaves of 88 keys (only five octaves for mobile devices), a sustain pedal, ABC or DoReMe letter notes representation, a Metronome, zoom-in, and a full-screen mode.
Discussions

What’s the difference between a digital piano and a keyboard?
An acoustic piano is an instrument that produces sound by means of a hammer striking strings. It generally doesn't require electricity to function (though some modern acoustics could have electronic components included that do, such as newer player pianos.) A keyboard is a catchall term for a non-acoustic instrument with piano-like keys. It will produce sounds electronically, often from sound samples taken from an acoustic piano. A digital piano is a keyboard with fully-weighted, hammer action keys that is designed to emulate the feel and response of an acoustic piano. Almost any keyboard (including digital pianos) can be played with headphones -- that's a pretty standard feature even on the really cheap ones. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/piano
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February 6, 2024
Digital Piano/Keyboard Discussion: Yamaha CP88 vs. Clavinova : piano
Hello pianists. I'm hoping to get some opinions from those who may know these instruments (and instrument families) well. I'm replacing an aging... More on old.reddit.com
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What is the best digital piano/keyboard I should buy (budget 1k) : piano
So lately I have gotten invested in pianos and I would like to know what is for YOU the best digital piano/keyboard. I don't have a lot of space... More on old.reddit.com
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Anyone have a Casio CDP220 Digital keyboard? Any good? Worth it?
I have a CDP-120 which is like the 220 but stripped of any features. I am extremely satisfied with it. I had never used a keyboard before and was very sceptical, but life really doesn't provide the opportunity to own a real piano now. It's a full sized piano, it sounds pretty good, the keys are weighted so it doesn't feel fake. It is not a real piano, but it also has advantages, like that you can plug in headphones. Finally, if you are interested in better sound, you can connect if via USB to your laptop and select from different sound libraries online. The guy at the store told me that the keyboard mechanism is the same in all Casio pianos. The difference is the other options if comes with, as well as the fact that the new super fancy pianos have a different texture on the keys that is less plasticky. I have no expectations from my keyboard except that I can play all the music I want on it, not feel like I am dealing with a toy, and be able to keep quiet. I am super satisfied with all of that. If you are looking for something more, then maybe it's not good enough. More on reddit.com
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February 9, 2013
People also ask

How to use the Virtual Piano keyboard?

Use your computer mouse or keyboard to play the virtual piano keyboard (or the device touch screen for mobile devices). You can view the corresponding computer keyboard letters by activating the “Real Keys“ feature. For the entire keyboard spectrum, click it twice.

If you got the hang of it and are interested in playing your favorite songs using the virtual piano keyboard, use the OnlinePianist piano lessons or mobile app (iOS app, Android app).

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onlinepianist.com
onlinepianist.com › virtual-piano
Virtual Piano - Online Piano Keyboard | OnlinePianist
What is the Virtual Piano?
A virtual piano keyboard is perfect when there isn't a real piano or a keyboard at home or when your piano or keyboard isn't next to a computer. The online piano keyboard simulates a real piano keyboard with 7 1/4 octaves of 88 keys (only five octaves for mobile devices), a sustain pedal, ABC or DoReMe letter notes representation, a Metronome, zoom-in, and a full-screen mode.
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onlinepianist.com
onlinepianist.com › virtual-piano
Virtual Piano - Online Piano Keyboard | OnlinePianist
What features does the Virtual Piano include?

Real Keys   Indicate the corresponding computer keys for the middle octaves & piano keys of a real piano. (turned on by default)

Max Keys  Indicate the corresponding computer keys for the entire spectrum of a piano keyboard. (Tap once on the “Real Keys” feature to activate it.

Sustain   Simulates a piano's sustain pedal. Use the sustaining feature to let the sounds freely continue
until they naturally cease.(turned on by default)

Letter Notes   Use the letter notes feature to display ABC or DoReMi letter notes on the piano keyboard keys.

Metronome   The Metronome feature enables you to play at a regular tempo. Use it to improve your timing.
You can adjust the Metronome based on BPM (beats per minute) or time signature.

Zoom in / out   Switch between five octaves & 60 keyboard keys (turned on by default) and a full piano
keyboard display of 7 1/4 octaves & 88 keys

Full Screen   You should know what this one does ;)

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onlinepianist.com
onlinepianist.com › virtual-piano
Virtual Piano - Online Piano Keyboard | OnlinePianist
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Long & McQuade
long-mcquade.com › departments › 27 › Keyboards › Digital_Pianos.htm
Digital Pianos & Portable Keyboards - Long & McQuade
For beginners and pros alike, choosing a digital piano depends heavily on personal preferences. The faithful reproduction of an acoustic or electric piano, as well as feel and action, are the most important considerations - but size, sound choices, and looks aren’t far behind. From lightweight, portable keyboards to beautifully crafted reproductions of the real thing, Long & McQuade has an extensive selection of digital pianos and keyboards for sale and rental to fit any budget and skill level.
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Amazon
amazon.ca › Digital-Pianos-Keyboards-Portable › b
Digital Pianos & Keyboards: Musical Instruments, Stage ...
Online shopping for Musical Instruments, Stage & Studio from a great selection of Portable Electronic Keyboards, Home Digital Pianos, Stage Digital Pianos & more at everyday low prices.
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Kawai
kawaius.com › pianos › digital-pianos
Kawai Digital Pianos
September 24, 2025 - This beautifully-designed mechanism allows pianists to express a wealth of feeling and emotion in their music as they create and respond to the tactile nuances transmitted through the keyboard. Translating the piano action’s intricate movements to a digital instrument, while retaining these ...
Find elsewhere
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/piano › what’s the difference between a digital piano and a keyboard?
r/piano on Reddit: What’s the difference between a digital piano and a keyboard?
February 6, 2024 -

I want to be able to play with headphones so I can play at any hour, can you do that on a digital piano? What is the difference between a digital piano and acoustic one?

Top answer
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An acoustic piano is an instrument that produces sound by means of a hammer striking strings. It generally doesn't require electricity to function (though some modern acoustics could have electronic components included that do, such as newer player pianos.) A keyboard is a catchall term for a non-acoustic instrument with piano-like keys. It will produce sounds electronically, often from sound samples taken from an acoustic piano. A digital piano is a keyboard with fully-weighted, hammer action keys that is designed to emulate the feel and response of an acoustic piano. Almost any keyboard (including digital pianos) can be played with headphones -- that's a pretty standard feature even on the really cheap ones.
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tl;dr: People have answered your question about the difference between a digital and acoustic piano, which is your second question in the body text. I'll answer the question in your title What is the difference between a digital piano and a keyboard? acoustic one? Marketing. And some functionality. I want to be able to play with headphones so I can play at any hour, can you do that on a digital piano? Yes, subject to the caveat that some digital pianos have keys that are pretty "clicky" or have other sound that's projected when you're playing them. So you'll want to check the particular model depending on how quiet you need it to be. The long answer: Electronics manufacturers generally market digital pianos as substitutes for acoustic pianos. They generally have 88, full-sized keys that are to some degree weighted to make them have a touch that more closely resembles a piano. (The best ones have heavier weights on the bass keys, and lighter weights on the top high keys, known as "graduated weighting.") They generally have fewer built-in sounds than a synth or keyboard (discussed below). They generally have built-in speakers, and more expensive digital pianos will have better built-in speakers. Some will be more furniture-like, with a built-in stand and sometimes even built-in pedals. There will be generally fewer "electronic fiddling" options (see below) -- but I don't know of any digital pianos without a headphone jack. Most will have a few other tech options, like MIDI in and out, easy transposition options, and sound mixing. They can get very expensive, especially if they acts furniture and an instrument and have really high quality sounds in them. A "keyboard" is a more generic term for any keyboard instrument. Most of the time, very cheap piano substitutes are called "electronic keyboards." The quality, features, feel, and cost of these instruments vary WILDLY. Technically, a keyboard with built-in sounds is called a "synthesizer," and one without any sounds, but that relies on an external source to provide sounds, is called a "controller." Unless you're in a music production studio, you generally don't want a controller. Basic keyboards will generally not be 88 keys, and they'll be weighted very differently from a piano, with a springy, fast moving feel. Even high-end synth keyboards may not have weighted keys or only semi-weighted keys, because professionals playing those instruments are more likely to play them like an electronic organ (which has different fingering, technique, and style than piano playing). Keyboards / synths that are touch sensitive may not have as sophisticated of electronics to measure the velocity/pressure/aftertouch (don't worry about these concepts) as a digital piano. Keyboards/synths often have way more on-board sounds (though often the quality of the actual sounds will be lower, see below), and way more on-board methods of playing with the sounds, with things like pitch wheels (to make the pitch of a note go up or down) mod wheels (to add things like reverb or tremolo), mixing options, and the like. Cheap keyboards also often have cheap "shortcuts" on them-- rhythm backgrounds, shortcut ways to play chords, and the like. Have you ever seen the funny "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" skit from Saturday Night Live where Jimmy Fallon plays the keyboard? That's a relatively cheap keyboard that comes with onboard "one-finger" chord changes, rhythm backgrounds, and multiple sounds. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDdSQlCbJ90 But it doesn't sound very good. That's the point of the joke. They keys also don't react like a piano. It wouldn't be very satisfying to play a piano piece on. On the other hand, digital pianos are often more expensive (comparing equivalent levels of quality), heavier, harder to transport, with fewer of those creative options. ONE MORE THING -- I mentioned the quality of the "actual sounds" above. So keyboards generate music in one of three ways. The first is by using mathematical computations (or, in the real old school, switches, diodes, transistors, and other semiconductor devices) to create particular types of sound waves. Then, a computer (or another old school switch) adjusts the frequency of the wave when you press a key. Most of the time the sounds produced using this method sound like "synth" sounds -- imagine the beginning of "The Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats, or "Jump" by Van Halen. The second way is that the keyboard/piano has a memory card that stores recorded sounds from an analog instrument (called "samples") and replays them when you press the key--every note is sampled from the original instrument and simply recalled at the right volume when you play. The quality of the instrument, then, really depends upon the quality of the recording of those sounds and the ability of the instrument to reproduce them. The best digital pianos, and very expensive "stage pianos" (keyboards that are more portable but whose job is to replicate a piano on stage, like in a rock band), do this. The third way is a hybrid--the keyboard/piano has a memory card that stores just a few "samples" from the instrument and then uses math to adjust the pitch when you press different keys. So, for example, for a piano sound, the manufacturer might store a sample of a note below low c (c3), a note in the normal bass range (maybe g3), then middle c (c4), then maybe high g (g4). Then they keyboard will just use that sample but "transpose" it when you play a note that wasn't sampled. This is by far the most common method for "real" sounds on cheap keyboards because you don't need as much memory to store the sounds that way -- or you can save that memory for the other features discussed above.
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Music City Canada
musiccitycanada.com › collections › live-keyboards-pianos
Digital Pianos – Music City Canada
Music City Canada is the country's best musical instrument, live sound, AV, DJ and recording equipment store. Most orders over $99 ship for free! Shop confidently with our easy 30-day return policy. We offer a large selection of used and vintage guitars and drums.
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Best Buy Canada
bestbuy.ca › en-ca › category › electric-pianos-keyboards › 29339
Keyboard Pianos & Digital Pianos | Best Buy Canada
Looking for a keyboard piano and not sure what kind to get? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. A digital piano is a modern alternative to the traditional piano. It sounds and feels just like a real piano, but is considerably lighter and has no strings.
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Piano Dreamers
pianodreamers.com › best-digital-pianos-and-keyboards
Best Digital Pianos & Keyboards 2025 (All Price Points)
May 17, 2025 - Less than ideal conditions will stifle the learning process, and sub-$300 keyboards aren’t ideal for mastering correct piano technique. Thankfully, you don’t need to spend an arm and leg to get a good keyboard. For less than $500, you can get a solid digital piano with weighted keys and realistic sounds.
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Nord
nordkeyboards.com
Nord Keyboards | Nord
The latest generation of the Nord Piano series features a new panel design with LED faders, dual layers for Piano and Synth with independent effects and a premium Triple Sensor keybed. Combined with excellent portability and our world-class sounds, the Nord Piano 6 offers great flexibility ...
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Onlinepiano
onlinepiano.io
Online Piano Keyboard - Virtual Piano | OnlinePiano.io
Our online piano is an excellent tool for beginners to learn the basics of music theory, finger placement, and scales. Use it to master the fundamentals before transitioning to a physical piano keyboard. Visualize key relationships and practice simple melodies easily with our online piano.
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Roland
roland.com › global › categories › keyboards
Roland - Keyboards
Keyboards: Synthesizers, accordions, arrangers, controllers and more.
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Donner Music
ca.donnermusic.com › home › keyboards & pianos
Keyboard Pianos | Donner Music Canada
Donner Music Canada provides a variety of keyboard pianos for beginners including digital pianos and electronic keyboards. Explore and buy now!
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Virtual Piano
virtualpiano.net
Virtual Piano - Play The Best Online Piano Keyboard
This online tool helps you learn to play a variety of virtual music instruments, become an online pianist and create your own extraordinary music! VirtualPiano.net is the original online piano platform, played by more than 19 million people a year.
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Sweetwater
sweetwater.com › home › keyboards & synthesizers › pianos › digital pianos
Digital Pianos - Sweetwater
Today, Sweetwater carries the finest digital pianos from Yamaha, Roland, Kawai, Casio, Korg, Kurzweil, Nord, and Alesis. But what kind of piano do you need? If you're a gigging keyboardist, you may want a portable stage piano that doubles as a MIDI controller.
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Guitar Center
guitarcenter.com › home › keyboards & midi › pianos › digital pianos
Digital Pianos & Electronic Keyboards
Generally, a digital piano aims to replicate the acoustic piano experience with 88 weighted keys and high-quality piano sounds as its primary focus. A portable keyboard (sometimes also called a keyboard piano by users) usually has fewer keys (e.g., 61 or 76), typically unweighted or semi-weighted keys, a wider variety of sounds beyond piano, built-in rhythms, and is designed for portability and often beginner use.
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Virtualpiano
virtualpiano.online
Virtual Piano Online
You can start the virtual piano from a customized range like this: ... The main section of the computer keyboard is configured to play three octaves from C2 to C5. The Tab-QWERTY row plays the white keys from C3 to B4, the C5 being available ...
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Tapestry Music
tapestrymusic.com › c-126-keyboards-digital-pianos.aspx
Tapestry Music Ltd. - Keyboards & Digital Pianos
Keyboards & Digital Pianos · Tapestry Music has been a BC family owned business since 1996. With 3 locations in White Rock, Vancouver and Victoria, Tapestry offers in store & online shopping, music lessons and repair services. As a music education specialist, Tapestry is respected and recommended by music educators across Canada.
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CASIO
casio.com › home › electronic musical instruments
Electronic Musical Instruments | CASIO CANADA
Stage Piano Console Piano Portable Keyboard · Clear · Close · Brand · Casiotone Privia CELVIANO CT-X · Clear · Close · Color · Black Black White White Red Red Mustard Mustard Brown Brown Blue Blue · Clear · Close · Skip listing · 84 items · Digital Piano ·
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Yamaha
ca.yamaha.com › en › products › musical_instruments › keyboards › index.html
Keyboard Instruments - Musical Instruments - Products - Yamaha - Canada - English
Standard Portable Keyboards · Yamaha's "compact and stylish digital piano" Yamaha Synthesizers offer unlimited creative potential for any style of music. Piano-Focused Keyboards · Introducing the new standard in stage keyboards - the YC and CP. The acclaimed Yamaha grand piano action brings an unheralded level of creative flexibility to the unique musical character of the celesta.