Stage pianos are ideal for budding pianists for many reasons.

Firstly, there are many affordable options which are great if you want to get straight into playing the piano. Their portability and low weight also make it easy to bring your piano with you to lessons, rehearsals, or gigs, and their range of sounds is excellent for experimenting with.

At Gear4music, we sell many stage pianos. So, let’s get stuck in and show you some of our best offerings for beginner stage pianos, all for under £500!

SDP-2 Stage Piano

The SDP-2 is the most affordable piano we sell, but it still contains all the features you need to get started.

It presents a full 88-key layout so you can play all the music you would be able to on a traditional piano.

The weighted keys provide a good amount of resistance to your fingers without adding too much weight to the overall piano.

Plus, there are eight voices included, giving you basic piano sounds and some other sounds to explore and play with.

The SDP-2 also includes reverb and chorus effects for adding depth and movement to your piano sound. Reverb, in particular, is a great feature to have as it can bring the atmosphere and feeling of a concert hall or other expansive space to the comfort of your own home.

Shop now | SDP-2 by Gear4music

SDP-3 Stage Piano

The next piano is the SDP-3. This has a few more advanced features than the SDP-2, most notably the hammer-weighted keys.

Hammer weighting simulates the weight and action of real piano keys, so you get an authentic piano experience.

The SDP-3 also has 64-note polyphony (the number of keys and notes that can be played at the same time). A total of 64 notes may seem like overkill for 10 fingers, but it allows you to play realistic long chords with the sustain pedal pressed and notes played over the top.

Split mode functionality enables you to split the keyboard into two halves that are the same pitch. This is especially useful during lessons when you want to play a piece alongside your teacher.

An EQ effect is also added to the SDP-3, allowing you to dial in your piano’s timbre more precisely and mix it with other instruments you’re playing with.

Shop now | SDP-3 by Gear4music

SDP-4 Stage Piano

The SDP-4 Piano is our top-range piano, boasting 88 hammer action keys and 64-note polyphony. It includes more sounds for you to play with, including two grand piano sounds, three electric pianos, five organs, guitar, bass, and strings.

Not only can you explore an array of sounds, but the in-built songs also help to expand your repertoire, demonstrating how famous pieces should be played and providing a backing track to play or improvise alongside.

The SDP-4 includes 50 preset “styles”. These are rhythm tracks that will lay down a groove or beat for you to jam to. There are countless genres, including waltzes, marches, blues, bossa nova, and ballads.

You can even press the “fill” button and the drums will provide a fill for the next section.

These features are similar to those of an arranger keyboard, and if they interest you then so will our guide to arranger and workstation keyboards.

The SDP-4 also has more effects. There are now five reverbs, with different styles depending on what you want.

The hall and church reverbs add a lot more space to your piano, simulating a large concert space, whilst the room reverb creates a more intimate sound, making the piano feel like it’s in a smaller performance space. The final two reverb settings are delays; this is useful if you play in electronic ensembles.

There are also extra choruses and EQ settings that cater to a wider variety of musical styles and backgrounds than the SDP-2 and SDP-3 pianos.

Shop now | SDP-4 by Gear4music

Final thoughts

The Gear4music SDP range of stage pianos offers a great option for anyone starting piano. Regardless of your starting level, we have a piano for you.

The SDP-2 is best for absolute beginners and younger learners who don’t have the budget for a higher-end piano. It’s also lighter than the other two pianos, which means it’s easier to carry around if you’re gigging.

Our SDP-3 is a good option for players who are currently learning and want more features to play with. The main upgrade is the hammer action key, making it feel more like an actual piano.

Finally, the SDP-4 is the piano for you if you want the absolute best features to get you started. The hammer action keys, a wider variety of sounds, and more effects and split modes are all great reasons to go for the SDP-4 first.

As well as solo pianos, at Gear4music we have SDP bundles available. These include things such as stands, stools, and headphones – everything you need.