Specifications
-
- Keys: 61 Piano Style Keys
- Touch Sensitivity: Soft, Medium, Hard, Fixed
- Speaker System: 2 x 4.72″, 5W amp
- Pedal: 1/4″ Input for Sustain Pedal
- Presets: 10 tones
- Effects: 4 Reverb Types
- Polyphony: 64 Notes
- Functions: Dual, MIDI, Metronome, Tempo, Transpose
- Audio Output: 1 x 1/4″ (Headphones / Out)
- MIDI I/O: USB Type B
- Power: 12V DC adapter (not included) or 6 x AA batteries
- Stand: Not included
- Color: Black, White
- Dimensions: 4.12″ x 40.81″ x 10.18″
- Weight: 9.94 lbs
Gearank Recommendation
The Piaggero NP-32 appeared on our recommended list for Portable Keyboards from April 2021 until July 2022 when it had been out-ranked by other models.
Overview
The Yamaha Piaggero NP-12 is a digital piano that focuses on portability. It gives you the simplicity and traditional sound quality of a digital piano, while having a slim and lightweight profile. It can even run for up to 5 hours on six AA batteries.
Part of having a portable profile is stripping down the keybed to basics, so it does not come with full-size weighted keys. This means that while the keys have the traditional block shape, they don’t have the usual heavier feel expected from digital pianos. They are still a bit heavier than synth keys, but not heavy enough to appease acoustic piano players.
The NP-12 has touch sensitivity that gives it good playing feel even without weighted keys. It has soft, medium, hard and fixed touch response settings. This touch sensitivity works nicely with Yamaha’s Advanced Wave Memory stereo sampling technology, resulting in a more lively and responsive sound.
Speaking of sound, it only has a total of 10, which includes two variations of Piano, E. Piano, Organ, Strings and Harpsichord. While few in number, the included sounds cover the usual voices needed for traditional piano playing. More importantly, most of them sound quite good considering the unit’s price and portability. The piano sound in particular sounds rich and full, which is quite surprising given the unit’s small profile. The organ sound is also quite good.
The control interface is also streamlined, with just a few buttons that allow for voice selection and layering, along with a Demo and Metronome button. It also has a nifty record and play button. Other features like reverb depth, reverb type, transpose and octave are accessible via complex button + piano key presses. This can be problematic, because you’ll need to either memorize the combinations, or have the manual in front of you.
For a portable keyboard, the NP-12 does feel solid, but it does need proper handling care to prevent any unwanted damage. Also note that the speaker system is not very loud, and is not meant to be driven too hard.
All in all, the Piaggero NP-12 is a great entry starter piano keyboard to have, and can be a good portable 66-key instrument that you can bring with you to more places.
Pros
- Compact and portable
- Can run on batteries
- Good sounding traditional voices
- Good touch sensitivity
Cons
- Keys are not weighted
- Limited control options
| Website | Source | *Rating Value |
| Piano Dreamers | Lucas Welter | 92/100 |
| Youtube | Merriam Music | 90/100 |
