Hybrid Pianos: Your Complete 2023 Guide

In July 2020, we visited the showroom at Cunningham Piano intending to purchase a Yamaha Clavinova CVP-809GP or a CLP-795GP, both fantastic digital pianos in their own right. We live in the city, and we have to be mindful of noise.

The salesperson recommended that we try out the new Yamaha digital hybrid grand, the AvantGrand N3X, before we made up our minds. We chalked this up to dutiful salesmanship, so we obliged.

Then we played it.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that we were shocked. It was one of the best playing experiences we’ve had (aurally and tactilely), and that includes concert Bosendorfers, Steinways, etc. This piano was spectacular, and we bought one. It was one of the best decisions we’ve made.

The following guide will walk you through the hybrid technology, reasons you may want a hybrid instead of an acoustic piano, and various makes and models by different brands. If you know of a new option on the market, do send us an email. And of course, if you need piano lessons in Philadelphia or online, we’d love to hear from you.

*Header image courtesy of Yamaha.

What Is a Hybrid Piano?

A hybrid piano uses acoustic mechanisms and digital sound production - it’s the perfect combination of a traditional acoustic piano and an electric keyboard. Hybrid pianos have authentic hammer action, authentic pedal resistance, and use high end sampling and speakers to produce sound. This sound production method is different from electronic keyboards, but we’ll talk more about sound production below.
Keep in mind that a hybrid piano is not a silent piano, electronic keyboard, nor a “digital piano.”

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What’s a Silent Piano?

A silent piano is an acoustic piano that has been retrofit with a mechanism that stops the hammers from striking the strings and producing a sound. If you own a Steinway, for instance, you can pay a technician to “silence” it. Sensors pick up on the hammer action, send an electric signal, and produce a midi sound that you can hear through headphones.

What’s an Electric Keyboard or Digital Piano?

Electric keyboards, truthfully, are synthesizers. The sound is not produced through authentic sampling (recording), and when you depress a key, electronic signals produce sounds that closely resemble those of a piano, organ, choir, brass instrument, or any number of other instruments.

Digital pianos generally add weighted action to the keys, have better sound quality, and offer a cabinet that looks more like a traditional upright piano (think of the Yamaha Clavinova brand).

How Do Hybrid Pianos Work?

How Do Hybrid Pianos Produce Sound?

As mentioned above, digital hybrids use sampling rather than midi functionality. Different brands sample different instruments; Yamaha records the sound of its own CFIIIS concert grand piano. So when you depress a key, you are hearing that piano. Casio’s piano hybrid samples the magnificent Bechstein D-282.

Digital hybrids also have a built-in acoustic piano soundboard as well - this amplifies the sound in the same manner as a traditional acoustic piano.

Lastly, digital hybrid pianos project the sampled sound with high end speakers - the small speakers of electronic keyboards wouldn’t do it justice. Yamaha’s AvantGrand N3X has 12 total speakers to spatially project the sound in a natural way, and each speaker has its own amplifier. If you ever get the opportunity to play one of these instruments, you will be absolutely blown away by the richness of the sound. In fact, you can feel it - but more on that in a bit.

The Action On a Digital Hybrid Piano

Digital hybrid pianos have traditional hammers and escapements, but no strings of course. The keys feel like an acoustic piano but they interact with the piano’s computer to produce a recording of a digitally sampled sound. But how is this different from the weighted keys on a digital piano?

From one pianist to another, let me tell you - it feels exactly like a high end concert grand piano. Digital pianos can’t replicate the feel of a key with actual hammers behind the scenes.

The Pedals On a Hybrid Piano

If you’ve played enough digital pianos or electric keyboards, you know that the pedals either have no resistance whatsoever, or they have a one-dimensional and artificial kind of resistance that prohibits you from half-pedaling or feeling the mechanism.

The damper pedal on a Yamaha AvantGrand N3X hybrid piano actually mimics the resistance one feels in the pedals of an acoustic piano, and as a result, the pianist can half-pedal and exert more control over the pedaling mechanism (Kawai’s acclaimed digital hybrid piano also allows for half pedaling). This is not the case in a standard digital piano, with which you will notice a simple spring action in the pedal.

Additional Feel Considerations

Yamaha’s proprietary Tactile Response System (TRS) uses transducers to send reverberations through the whole piano into the pedals and keys. If the subwoofer isn’t enough to allow you to feel the sound - the TRS system will take care of it. You can also adjust the intensity of the TRS system, so you can experience more or less reverb. The subtle vibrations genuinely mimc the feel of an acoustic grand piano.

Other Digital Features Not Available On Acoustic Pianos

Since the piano is, in fact, digital, you will enjoy various features like a built-in metronome, different voices (Kawai has 27, Yamaha has about seven), reverb adjustment, recording, MIDI, aux-in, Aux-out, USB, and more.

Quick Recap: Key Benefits Of a Digital Hybrid Piano

You may have lost track. Here’s what you get:

1. A beautiful, rich sound sampled from the world’s leading concert pianos and projected through a spatial speaker system

2. No need to tune the instrument

3. It can be used outdoors

4. A far superior look to an electric keyboard or digital piano

5. Genuine acoustic piano action

6. Genuine acoustic piano pedaling

7. Quiet or silent practice

8. Reverberations to mimic the feedback you get from an acoustic instrument

9. Authentic, full sized keys

Should You Get a Hybrid Piano?

Yes, you should get a digital hybrid piano - the technology is amazing, the sound is incredibly high end, they look stunning, and they feel like a word class piano. But here are some questions to ask if you are debating between acoustic and digital pianos.

Do You Need To Practice Silently Or Quietly?

Urban dwellers should certainly consider a digital hybrid piano. The practice and playing experience is just as good as an acoustic piano, and you can either turn down the volume or put headphones on and enjoy your piano silently. You don’t have to stop playing piano at 9PM anymore.

Do You Need a Professional Piano That Can Be Used Outside?

The Philly Pops are known to use a Yamaha AvantGrand N3X for outdoor concerts, and if you are buying on behalf of an organization, you should consider a digital hybrid. The sound has incredible projection, so you might not even need additional amps.

Are You Hoping To Avoid Maintenance?

Obviously, you don’t have to tune a digital hybrid piano. You don’t have to voice it or do anything else either. You’ll have to dust it to preserve the sheen, and that’s about it.

Is a Digital Hybrid Piano Worth It?

Yes, for a serious pianist who plans to use the instrument often and understands the value of a grand piano experience, a high end digital hybrid is absolutely worth the investment. When you compare a digital hybrid to even the nicest electric piano, you won’t be able to say no to a digital hybrid.

How Much is a Digital Hybrid Piano?

You can get a hybrid piano in an upright cabinet for around $6,000, and the action, sound, and experience are still wonderful. If you want the show-stopping digital hybrid grand pianos from Yamaha (AvantGrand N3X) or Kawai (Novus NV10), you’ll have to spend $15,000 - $17,000, depending on the retailer. If you’re looking for the very top of the market, look into the Kawai GL30-ATX2 Hybrid Classic Grand Piano - they retail in the ballpark of $30,000.

This is where it gets tricky - if you are going to spend $15K+ on a hybrid piano, why not just purchase a used Steinway model S for the same amount of money? Or a Baldwin grand for around  $7,000? It’s an easy decision if you need to practice quietly, use the piano outdoors, take advantage of the digital hookups, or simply love new tech. But if those conditions do not apply, you’re probably better off investing in a pre owned acoustic grand.

Note - brand new acoustic grand pianos are far more expensive than a new digital hybrid grand. 

How Long Do Digital Hybrid Pianos Last?

The verdict is out on this one! However, we already know that they won’t appreciate with age like a Bosendorfer or Steinway, and like hybrid cars or iPhones, they will probably be eclipsed sooner or later. Yamaha’s reputation is about as good as it gets though, so if you go with the AvantGrand series, you’ll have many years of enjoyment ahead.

Clavinovas, by the way, will last for decades without missing a step. So again, the value is good.

What is the Best Hybrid Piano?

The best hybrid piano is one that makes you excited to play it every day - and that’s not just an empty statement. Let’s say you exceed your budget by $4,000 when you buy a hybrid - if you love the instrument and play it often, you won’t even remember that $4K in a year or two.

Spending $5,000 on an instrument that you feel “meh” about is a waste of money. Spending $10,000 on something that excites you and makes you love playing is an excellent investment.

That said:

Your Hybrid Piano Choices

Kawai NOVUS NV10

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