Do Electric Pianos Use a Lot of Electricity? [Explained]

On average, electric pianos use 10 to 60 watts of electricity, but this can vary depending on your chosen model.

Are you considering buying an electric piano? Great choice!

These instruments are becoming more and more popular for their versatility and portability.

One thing to remember when shopping for an electric piano is its power consumption. It’s a good idea to research the power consumption of the specific electric piano you’re interested in before making a purchase.

By reading this post, you’ll learn more about the electricity consumption of electric pianos and be able to make an informed decision when shopping for one.

You’ll be able to:

• Understand how electric piano uses electricity
• Calculate the electricity usage of an electric piano
• Find out whether an electric piano uses a lot of electricity

How Does an Electric Piano Use Electricity?

An electric piano works a bit differently than a traditional piano. Instead of creating sound through the vibrations of strings, an electric piano uses electronic signals.

When you press a key on an electric piano, the key sends a signal to the piano’s computer, directing the internal speakers to play a pre-recorded sample sound.

One of the key differences between an electric piano and a traditional piano is that an electric piano plays pre-recorded sample sounds rather than creating sound through the strings’ vibration.

So, when you press the keys on an electric piano, the instrument uses electric signals to produce the sound you hear through the internal speakers.

How to Calculate the Electricity Usage of an Electric Piano

To determine how much electricity your electric piano uses, you must first understand how the piano’s components work.

The best way to know about an electronic device’s electricity usage is by looking at the label. The electric ratings are primarily present in the form of voltage (V), watts (W), or amperage (A).

If you find these terms on the label of your piano, you can calculate the electricity usage using this formula:

Watts (W) = Volts (V) X Amps (A)

To calculate the electricity usage of a piano, you must also consider the number of minutes or hours you use it.

If the piano uses 46 watts of electricity per hour and is used for 1.5 hours, the total electricity consumption would be 46 watts * 1.5 hours = 69 watts.

Keep in mind that this is just an estimate, and the actual electricity consumption could be slightly different depending on various factors, such as the specific model of the piano, how it is used, and the efficiency of its internal components.

How to Save the Electricity Consumption of an Electric Piano

You can do a few things to reduce the amount of electricity your electric piano uses.

One simple tip is to remember to close the keyboard’s lid or switch to “sleep mode” when you’re not using the piano. This helps prevent unnecessary presses and can help extend the life of your electric piano by reducing the amount of current flowing through the keys.

Another way to save electricity with your electric piano is to use headphones instead of an amplifier when practicing. This can help reduce the electricity needed to produce sound, especially if you’re playing the piano alone.

When you allow the keys to cool down between uses, they maintain their temperature, which can also help reduce the piano’s power consumption.

What Are the Benefits of Using an Electric Piano?

Since an electric piano actively uses electricity, you’ll mostly have to plug it into a power source at the time of use.

However, some of these pianos also come with batteries, so you can use them without having to plug into a power source every time.

The following are the main benefits of using an electric piano:

Affordability

The fact that electric pianos are usually much cheaper than traditional acoustic pianos is a big plus.

A high-quality electric piano can cost as little as 1% of the price of a high-quality upright acoustic piano. While an electric piano may cost a few hundred dollars, an acoustic piano can easily cost thousands.

Additionally, electric pianos tend to have lower power consumption than acoustic pianos, so they won’t make up a significant portion of your electricity bills.

So, if you’re looking for a more affordable and energy-efficient alternative to an acoustic piano, an electric piano might be the right choice. 

Versatility

An electric keyboard is very versatile because of its variety of settings. These pianos have built-in features and tools that help users learn and practice more efficiently.

Many electric pianos use a ‘synthesizer’ and traditional piano settings that allow the user to play the piano differently.

These pianos’ sound settings may also include a library of electronic sounds, percussion, and band instruments that the user can play.

Compactness

Electric pianos are pretty similar to acoustic pianos in shape and design.

Most electric pianos are designed to resemble traditional acoustic pianos. They have white and black keys and have wooden cabinets too.

But they are still very portable and small because they take up less space than acoustic instruments. Due to their compactness, users can easily transport them from one place to another.

Silent Usage

The electric pianos allow you to play the piano in silence without disturbing others at your place. You can practice more efficiently using your headphones, so no one else is affected by the noise.

Just plug your headphones into your electric piano and practice your lessons in silence when you can. On the other hand, when you play a traditional piano, the volume depends on how hard you press the keys.

No Tuning

Another significant benefit of using an electric piano is that you don’t have to tune or maintain it.

The sounds in an electric piano are already programmed, so you won’t need a professional to adjust them. You can play the piano without thinking about the keys going out of tune.

Plus, there is no need to worry about the adverse effects of humidity and heat on your electric piano.

Wrap Up!

We’ve covered the basics of calculating the electricity usage of an electric piano. As we’ve seen, the power consumption of these instruments can vary depending on the brand and model, with most electric pianos using between 10 and 60 watts of electricity.

It’s essential to keep in mind that the electricity usage of an electric piano can vary, so it’s always a good idea to do your research and check the power consumption of the specific model you’re interested in. However, in general, electric pianos are relatively energy-efficient and don’t use a lot of electricity.