Acoustic vs Digital- Why Acoustics Always Come First for Me

I had three customers today ask me the same question:

“Should I buy a digital piano or an acoustic piano?”

Every time I get this question I catch myself trying to answer in a neutral, balanced way because I never want to push someone into something that isn’t right for their home, budget, or lifestyle- but it is very hard.

Teachers will go immediately to the nuanced touch and tone. The ability of a great acoustic to create extensive dynamics and tones, responding to your touch. One family who asked me this question today had their teacher with them. She's also a friend of mine. She explained it beautifully, she said, "Imagine painting with only 3 colors. Now imagine you had thousands of colors at your disposal, what more you could create."

While acoustic pianos being better for student development is a well known fact, I actually find the argument of feeling more compelling because it is true regardless of skill level. Let me explain...

If we’re talking joy — pure personal fulfillment — the answer for me will always, without hesitation, be acoustic.

People forget to consider something huge when shopping for a piano:

Does this instrument actually make you happy?

We get caught up in the logic:

• “Digital pianos never need tuning.”

• “I can plug in headphones.”

• “It fits in my apartment.”

• “It’s cheaper.”

  
  

And listen, those are all true and totally valid. Digital pianos are incredibly helpful learning tools today. The technology is finally good enough that students can start lessons, practice technique, learn theory, dynamics, and actually progress without needing the financial commitment of an acoustic. That’s amazing. There’s a reason digital pianos have exploded in popularity in a world full of condos, townhomes, busy families, and unpredictable schedules.

But convenience alone doesn’t answer the real question:

Which piano do you actually love to play?

I have 3 beautiful pianos at home- a grand, upright, and I also have a high-quality digital at my DAW for composing and recording. I could easily sit down at any of these 3 pianos.

But I don’t.

I always go to my grand first.

My inspiration lives there. My best ideas happen there. When I an inspired to write or practice, or I want to feel good, emotionally, spiritually, I go to my acoustic.

An acoustic piano is alive. It vibrates. The sound fills the room and it fills you. The tone is intoxicating. The resonance is healing. You feel the energy. It’s not just sound, it’s the authentic and distinct harmonic frequencies of acoustics that interact with your mind, body and soul.

I'm sure by now you can see why it is difficult to answer this question in person without being afraid of judgement. But the truth is, that's how I feel- and not just myself, but all my colleagues and friends. That experience simply cannot be replicated digitally - and it’s not because digital isn’t “good enough.” It's because it’s a different experience altogether. Digital pianos are tools for learning to play music. Pianos are inspiration + sensation + emotion. It is like learning any other language. Yes, you can learn italian on duolingo, but it cannot recreate the experience of spending 3 months in Firenze learning italian, submerged in it.

Even if someone doesn’t know how to play, even if they just sit down and repeat four simple notes over and over, something happens on an acoustic. You feel wrapped up in it. You feel connected to the instrument. It resonates with you in a very real, undeniable way.

Put an acoustic and a digital side-by-side and remove every barrier -

• No budget concerns

• No space concerns

• No maintenance concerns

• No noise concerns

  
  

I don’t believe many people would choose the digital. Not because digital isn’t good. It is. It’s practical, it’s modern, it’s incredibly useful and for many people it is absolutely the right choice. The reason I don't believe many people would choose it is because I believe most people play not just to learn music, but because it feels good. And playing an acoustic just feels better.

So I ask you...

Which instrument makes you happy?

For me, I will always say an acoustic - even an older, less expensive one - over the most advanced digital hybrids on the market. Because I don’t just play piano to learn which keys to press. I play because even the simplest melodies are magical through an acoustic.

So yes — digital vs. acoustic is a question I answer every day. And I’ll keep helping families choose the right piano for their needs taking budget, living space and volume constraints into consideration. But every once in a while, I hope someone says "forget the neighbors!"

“Which piano do I really love?”

Because that, more than specs, price, or features - is the question that really matters.