Piano Guide: Types, Sizes & Brands
This page provides a fact-based overview of the four common piano types and well-known manufacturers. The information is intentionally neutral and serves as orientation for buyers and sellers.
Piano Types Compared
The four common piano types differ fundamentally in mechanism, sound production, and intended use.
| Type | Mechanism | Strings | Typical price range | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand piano | Horizontal hammer action | Yes | € 3,000 – € 200,000+ | Concert, performance, serious home playing |
| Upright piano | Vertical hammer action | Yes | € 500 – € 25,000+ | Private practice, teaching, smaller stages |
| Digital piano | Weighted key simulation | No (sampling or modelling) | € 300 – € 5,000 | Apartment, beginners, stage, studio |
| Hybrid piano | Acoustic hammer action + digital sound | No | € 3,500 – € 12,000+ | Realistic touch without tuning requirement |
Notes
- Grand vs. upright: The horizontal action of a grand piano allows faster key repetition than the vertical action of an upright. This is the mechanical reason why professional pianists prefer grand pianos.
- Digital piano: Digital pianos require no tuning because sound is produced from samples or modelling. They are well suited for apartments and for players with a limited maintenance budget.
- Hybrid piano: Hybrid pianos combine a real acoustic hammer action with digital sound output via headphones or external speakers. The tactile playing feel matches that of an acoustic piano.
Grand Piano Sizes
Grand pianos are classified by length. Longer instruments have longer strings, greater resonance, and a more responsive key action due to longer key levers.
- Baby grand (under 155 cm): Compact format for home use. Sound is more limited compared to larger instruments. Suitable when space is the primary constraint.
- Parlor / medium grand (155–190 cm): Good balance of size and sound quality. Standard choice for private studios and serious home players.
- Semi-concert grand (190–230 cm): Used in recital halls and professional teaching institutions. Noticeably more resonant bass and more precise action than smaller instruments.
- Concert grand (230–308+ cm): Designed for concert halls. Well-known examples include the Steinway Model D (274 cm), Bösendorfer Imperial (290 cm, 97 keys), and Fazioli F308 (308 cm).
Upright Piano Heights
Upright pianos are classified by height. Taller instruments have longer strings and a larger soundboard, which generally results in a fuller, more resonant tone.
- Console / studio upright (85–108 cm): Compact format, often used in smaller homes or teaching studios. Shorter strings limit bass resonance and dynamic range.
- Professional upright (108–120 cm): The most common category for quality home and teaching instruments. Brands such as Yamaha, Kawai, Schimmel, and Blüthner offer models in this range.
- Full-size upright (> 120 cm): Historically the standard before the grand became widely available. Instruments from Bösendorfer, Bechstein, and Steinway in this category can exceed € 20,000 and offer tone and touch approaching that of a small grand.
Well-Known Piano Brands
The following overview lists established brands by segment. Segment assignment is based on typical price and quality level.
Concert and premium brands
- Bechstein (Germany, est. 1853)
- Bösendorfer (Austria, est. 1828)
- Fazioli (Italy, est. 1981)
- Steinway & Sons (USA / Germany, est. 1853)
Professional brands
- Blüthner (Germany, est. 1853)
- Grotrian-Steinweg (Germany, est. 1835)
- Kawai (Japan, est. 1927)
- Sauter (Germany, est. 1819)
- Schimmel (Germany, est. 1885)
- Seiler (Germany, est. 1849)
- Steingraeber & Söhne (Germany, est. 1852)
- Yamaha (Japan, est. 1887)
Digital piano brands
- Casio (Japan)
- Kawai (Japan)
- Korg (Japan)
- Roland (Japan)
- Yamaha (Japan)
Digital Piano Brands in Detail
The following established manufacturers offer dedicated digital piano lines. Both acoustic piano makers and specialist electronics brands are represented.
Casio
Casio covers the entry to mid-range with the Privia PX series (slim, portable) and Celviano AP series (furniture-style home pianos). The Grand Hybrid GP series uses a real acoustic action mechanism from Bechstein.
Kawai
Kawai digital pianos are known for the Responsive Hammer Compact (RHC) and Grand Feel (GF) actions. The ES series is portable, CN and KDP series are home instruments, and the CA Concert Artist series is the flagship line. Higher models sample the Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand.
Korg
Korg digital pianos include the B2 and B2SP (entry level), LP-380 (slim furniture design), SV-2 Stage Vintage (stage use with vintage sounds), and the Concert C1 Air as a premium home model.
Roland
Roland uses PureAcoustic Piano Modelling (physical modelling) alongside sampling. Key lines: FP series (portable), RP series (entry home), HP and LX series (premium home with speaker systems).
Yamaha
The Yamaha Clavinova CLP series targets home players, the P-series and stage-focused CP series offer portable options. Higher-end models use samples of the Yamaha CFX and Bösendorfer Imperial concert grands. Key actions: GH (Graded Hammer) and GH3X with escapement simulation.
Key Factors When Buying a Piano
The following criteria are worth considering before purchase.
- Key action: For acoustic pianos: the quality and regulation state of the hammer action determines playability. For digital pianos: weighted and graded keys (heavier in bass, lighter in treble) most closely replicate acoustic feel. Entry-level digital pianos often use semi-weighted or unweighted keys, which are not suitable for serious technique development.
- Polyphony (digital pianos): Polyphony is the number of simultaneous notes a digital piano can produce internally. 64 voices is a common minimum; 256 or more is recommended for advanced playing with the sustain pedal and layered sounds.
- Sound quality: High-quality digital pianos use multi-layer sampling (separate samples for different key velocities) and physical modelling for string resonance, sympathetic vibration, and damper resonance. Binaural sampling — available on Yamaha CLP and Kawai CA models — creates a spatial impression when using headphones.
- Maintenance requirements: Acoustic pianos should be tuned 1–2 times per year by a qualified piano technician. Regulation and voicing are additional services typically required every 5–10 years for home instruments. Digital pianos require no tuning and have minimal mechanical maintenance.
This overview makes no claim to completeness. The piano market includes numerous additional manufacturers and brands.
Find current listings for grand pianos, uprights, and digital pianos directly here on PianoHub.