NEWS

While there are many fine-sounding digital pianos in the market, gigging keyboardists ultimately require one that is affordable, portable, and has 88 keys— not just 49, 61, or 73— just like a real piano for maximum range.

The new Kawai ES-120 has all that and more including sounds from Kawai’s flagship Shigeru Kawai grand piano.

The ES-120 replaces the popular ES-110 and has improved Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action.  According to the Kawai website, “The ES120’s Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action has been specially developed to allow portable instruments to reproduce the distinctive touch of an acoustic grand piano. Based on the highly-regarded RH action design, its spring-less technology and sturdy construction delivers consistent upward and downward motion, while improved cushioning material helps to reduce keyboard noise, resulting in a smooth, natural, and highly authentic piano playing experience.” To replicate the feel of an acoustic piano which has heavier hammers for the bass and lighter hammers for the treble, the ES-120 “RH Compact keyboard action employs different hammer weights, appropriately graded for each playing range. The rich, expressive sound of the SK-EX and EX concert grand pianos is at the heart of the ES120, with all eighty-eight keys of these world-class instruments painstakingly recorded, meticulously analysed, and accurately reproduced as high-fidelity digital waveforms.”

The ES-120 has a total of 25 sounds (strings, organs, electric pianos among them) and 100 drum rhythms but perhaps its most fascinating sonic attribute is capturing the tone of the flagship Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano.  Kawai states that the SK-EX is a “…peerless instrument hand-built by Master Piano Artisans at the Shigeru Kawai Piano Research Laboratory in Ryuyo, Japan, and widely regarded as one of the finest instruments in its class. In addition, the ES120 also features the distinctive sound of Kawai’s highly acclaimed EX concert grand piano, which has been selected by professional pianists in such prestigious events as the Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Rubinstein international piano competitions, among others.”

In short, the ES-120 is a powerful yet portable (12.5 kg) modern piano capable of delivering concert-class piano sounds and feel in any venue. Dual headphone connectors, and dedicated stereo Line Out jacks make amplification easy; the instrument has powerful onboard 20W speakers as well. 

In addition, Integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio wireless technology and support for PianoRemote control app for iOS/Android opens up extra features such as selecting sounds with a finger swipe on a tablet.

The Kawai ES-120 is available at Lyric stores. Lyric is the Official Philippine Distributor for Kawai digital and acoustic pianos.