Yamaha YDP-121 Review

Author:

Published:

Updated:

Yamaha YDP-121 Review

Affiliate Disclaimer

As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. We get commissions for purchases made through links on this website from Amazon and other third parties.

The Yamaha YDP-121 is a superb 88-key weighted hammer action piano with a lovely appearance. The Yamaha YDP-121 digital piano is an improved version of the wildly popular YDP-101, with features like good weighted hammer-type action that most teachers look for in a beginner instrument. Yamaha has long been known for having excellent digital piano touch, and the YDP-121’s new low price makes it an attractive piano.

Specifications

The YDP121 is suitable for players looking for an entry-level digital piano featuring Yamaha’s 88-key Effect action keyboard, a wonderful new stereo piano sample, and a small cabinet.

The Yamaha YDP121 digital piano comes with a stool and, of course, a headphone jack for playing in full silence. The cabinet is attractive and comes with a lid. Other specifications are:

  • Keyboard 88 Keys (A- I – C7)
  • Polyphony 32 notes max.
  • Voice selectors 5 voices + Variation for each voice
  • Reverb room. Hall 1. Hall 2. Stage
  • Touch sensitivity hard. Medium, soft.
  • Fixed recorder 1, 2, start/stop, rec
  • Pedal controls soft, sostenuto. Damper
  • Other controls master volume, demo, transpose, metronome.  Tempo function, song, song select
  • Led display
  • Jacks/connectors phones x 2, pedal
  • Main amplifiers 2ow x 2
  • Speakers 16 cm x 2
  • Dimensions music stand down 1384 x 468 x 829 mm (54-1/2\” x 18-1/2\” x 32-5/8\”) (w x d x h) music stand up 1384 x 468 x 1001 mm (54-1/2\” x 18-1/2\” x 39-3/8\”)
  • 46 kg (101 lbs., 7 oz)

Features

The YDP features 32-note polyphony, three pedals, three reverb types, regular and dual play modes, a built-in metronome with speeds ranging from 32 to 280 bpm, and time signatures including 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, and 6/4 are all included on the YDP-121.

It also has a transposition feature and four touch sensitivity settings. It also includes,

  • Key cover with a woodgrain pattern built-in
  • 3 fully functional pedals, one of which is a bass sostenuto
  • The finish is in the manner of Rosewood.
  • Each voice has a variation: grand piano, electric piano, harpsichord, organ, and strings.
  • There are some nice built-in reverb effects.
  • Playback and recording sequencer with two tracks
  • Internal piano teaching songs library with left and right-hand practice functions
  • Built-in amplifiers, speakers, and power supply produce excellent sound.
  • 55 3/16″ wide x 20 7/8″ deep x 33 3/16″ high
  • A stereo sampling of the acoustic piano voices offers unmatched realism and expressive power, while the AWM (Advanced Wave Memory) tone generator system offers rich, realistic reproductions of all other voices.
  • Piano-like touch response — adjustable in 4 stages — provides extensive expressive control and outstanding playability.
  • Dual-mode allows 2 voices to be played simultaneously.
  • Metronome feature with variable tempo facilitates practice.
  • 2-track digital recorder lets you record and playback anything you play on the key-board

Design/Portability

The Yamaha YDP-121 is a small, portable digital piano that offers excellent piano performance and a simple, basic design.

The YDP-121 is a portable and user-friendly piano that allows you to enjoy the delight of playing on your terms.

It produces a dynamic, high-quality sound with the natural piano touch response you’d expect from a Yamaha piano, all while maintaining a slim and sleek profile. Every feature of the YDP-121 is designed to help you concentrate on your game.

The continuous surface’s minimum light reflection and the subtle speaker design all work together to create a lovely and elegant finish.

Pricing and Budget

A Yamaha YDP 121 costs less than a thousand dollars. The real grand piano-like product is cost-effective when compared to its enormous functions.

Keyboard

The Yamaha YDP 121 keyboard has 88 keys with 32 polyphony notes which are selectively designed to give a top-notch performance of instrumentals.

Yamaha YDP-121 Keyboard

Sound Quality and Speakers

Yamaha YDP 121 has a great-sounding built-in amplifier and speakers which produce sounds that are real and perfect.

Due to the quality production of its sound, players and users can use Yamaha YDP 121 as a master keyboard.

Connectivity

The connectivity of Yamaha YDP 121 has been simplified with the following steps.

  • Connect the pedal cord. The pedal cord from the pedal box must be plugged into the PEDAL connector located at the rear of the main unit’s underside. Once connected, attach the cord holders to the rear panel.
  • Connect the MIDI or USB to your YDP 121 keyboard
  • The other end of the cable is connected to the audio interface
  • It also possesses different other options available such as output Jacks (L(Mono)/R), Headphone jack, Fixed Output Jack (L/R)

Space Consideration

Yamaha YDP 121 is considered space-effective because it requires minimal space for setup and use.

YDP 121 is designed in a way that it could be used in the corner of a room, on an open stage, in the studio, on fields, parks, and many other places as it doesn’t take too much space.

Pros and Cons

The advantages and disadvantages of the digital Yamaha YDP 121 are as follows:

Pros

  • The Yamaha YDP 121 pianos are nearly maintenance-free, they’re constantly in tune, and they’re ready to go as soon as you switch them on!
  • The flexibility to connect in headphones and control the volume is a big benefit of using a Yamaha YDP 121. This is perfect in a shared apartment or in a family where other people’s sleep and work routines must be taken into account.
  • Yamaha YDP 121 often includes unique features like recording choices, various instrumental sounds, built-in accompaniments to play along with, and more. By just plugging them in and playing, they may be utilized with any recording software.
  • Take up less space.

Cons

  • Finding a trained technician to work on a Yamaha YDP 121 piano can be challenging, and in many situations, the piano will need to be replaced entirely.
  • Features on digital YDP 121 pianos can quickly become obsolete as technology advances.

Conclusion

If you are looking for an almost maintenance-free keyboard, the digital Yamaha YDP 121 is undoubtedly a good option. With its enticing features, and pocket-friendly price, no doubt, users will enjoy using more than the quality of what they’ve bought! You should check out the Yamaha EZ-220 as well.

About the author

Latest posts

  • What Piano Does Youtuber Rousseau Use?

    What Piano Does Youtuber Rousseau Use?

    Rousseau is one of the best pianists you can find on Youtube. The classical pianist delivers mind-blowing videos with a massive following of more than 4 million subscribers. This American pianist has covers of pop and classical songs, which he plays with a reactive visualizer. Rousseau launched his channel in 2018, and he has taken…

    Read more

  • James Pavel Shawcross (All You Need To Know)

    James Pavel Shawcross (All You Need To Know)

    Many pianists have existed in history. While some of them became legendary at old age, James Pavel Shawcross started as a young boy. In this article, we focus on the pianist – James Pavel Shawcross. Who Is James Pavel Shawcross  James Pavel Shawcross is a pianist and drummer in Pen Valley, California. He has sung…

    Read more

  • How Difficult Is Clair De Lune? (The Truth)

    How Difficult Is Clair De Lune? (The Truth)

    Clair de lune is a beautiful and complex piece of music. Claude Debussy wrote it in 1903. He wrote it for voice and piano, but many composers have adapted it to other instruments. Clair de lune has three acts. The first two are calm and tranquil, while the third act is more dynamic. The song…

    Read more