What is a hybrid piano? In the broadest of terms, a hybrid piano consists of the keyboard and action of a traditional acoustic piano triggering digitally generated sounds. It’s an acoustic inside a digital.
The advantages of a hybrid piano are quite numerous:
- It delivers the authentic nuanced feel and response of a traditional piano
- It can be played silently using headphones
- It can offer a wider range of editable sounds
- It is usually smaller and lighter than an acoustic piano
- It requires less maintenance and doesn’t need tuning*
- It can connect to external devices (smartphones, tablets etc)
- And if you compare it to a concert grand piano it is considerably cheaper, but more expensive than a digital piano.
The expression “hybrid piano” seems to have first appeared in the late-2000s when Yamaha introduced its AvantGrand series, and Kawai its CA95 digital hybrid. However the concept could be said to date back to 1982 with the advent of MIDI, or possibly even back to 1972 and the Dubreq Pianomate!
The term is now more widely used to describe pianos with elements of both the digital and acoustic instruments.
At one end of the spectrum are hybrid digital pianos. These are digital instruments equipped with sophisticated keyboards that are meticulously engineered to emulate the nuanced feel of a traditional acoustic piano.
And at the other extreme you find true acoustic pianos that have been fitted with digital technology, including key sensors, digital sound generators, and a mechanism that stops the hammers from hitting the strings (often called a silent system). *These do need more maintenance.
So there’s no exact definition of a hybrid piano, if you are looking to buy one, do ensure that it is giving you the specific features you want.
Kawai Novus NV6 and NV12.
Coinciding with the recent Music China 2025 expo in Shanghai, Kawai has unveiled the latest additions to its high-end Novus series of hybrid pianos – the NV6 and NV12 (top photo). These new instruments respectively update the NV5S and NV10S models.
The Novus range features true hybrid pianos. These use Kawai’s Millennium III Hybrid piano actions. The precise movements of the hammers are analysed using high resolution optical sensors, and the information sent to the digital sound engine. There are no strings. Kawai however does employ soundboard speakers to give a more authentic acoustic sound.
The NV6 uses a multi-speaker system in conjunction with an enhanced soundboard speaker. The NV12, however, introduces Kawai’s revolutionary, PentaDrive soundboard speaker. This system removes conventional speakers entirely, instead using five carefully positioned transducers to transmit digitally generated tones directly to the soundboard. The soundboard then vibrates to project the sound. This essentially replaces the traditional bridge/string interaction with an electro-mechanical system for a natural 3D acoustic character.
Other upgrades these new models bring include:
- A new SK-EX Competition Grand piano sound
- Improved piano optimised sampling filter, dual DAC
- A matt anti-glare LCD touchscreen with new UI
- USB-C connectivity with built-in USB audio interface
Also, the NV12’s cabinet is more grand-piano like with a slightly curved back, so it looks better when freestanding (i.e. away from a wall).
More information is now available on the Kawai website.
Web links: Kawai NV6, Kawai NV12.