Because I've played piano for ages and hope someday to earn extra bucks playing venues other than churches, I asked Santa for a Kurzweil keyboard for Christmas and she complied (several weeks before the holiday, as we found a great deal at a store nearby.) I did research before asking for such an expensive gift, and went around to various stores trying out everything from Yamahas, Korgs and Rolands to my favorite: the Kurzweil SP 88 Stage Piano.

Because I'm not technologically savvy, the larger workstations made me nervous. Friends and adults in the music world extolled the benefits of workstations to me, but I couldn't see how the advanced capabilities would benefit me much at the present time. I was basically looking for a portable piano with a wide array of sounds, that felt and sounded like a high-quality instrument and not like a tinny little replica. I also wanted something that was MIDI-capable, so that I could eventually hook it up to a computer program like Sibelius or Finale and make my own jazz lead sheets or choral scores. After trying out the Kurzweil SP 88, I added it to my Christmas wish list for several reasons:

The SP 88 feels and sounds just like a real piano. Not only does this keyboard have weighted keys that feel like any good grand piano, the SP 88 is capable of sounding like five or six different 'real' pianos.
The SP 88 has a wide array of different sounds. Once you're done exploring the first wave of general and crazy sounds, hit a key like the 'shift' button on a keyboard and listen to a bunch more. Sounds range from peaceful church organ tones to perfectly tuned strings and everything in the middle.
The SP 88 isn't complicated. This keyboard is aesthetically pleasing because of its simplicity. The instrument is simply a long panel of keys in a dark violet casing with a small panel of buttons. Check out the selection of keyboards in any reputable music store and you'll agree that the Kurzweil SP 88 doesn't appear as complex as most others. Not only does it not baffle visually, it is easy to manipulate from the get-go without even reading the instruction book. The book, however, is easy to navigate and understand and helped me figure out facets of the keyboard that I wouldn't have even known existed.

Here's what zzounds.com has to say about Kurzweil's SP Series of pianos:

The new SP Series Stage Pianos are the performance keyboards you've been waiting for. Well-constructed and affordable, these stage pianos have everything you need. The SP Series comes in lightweight 76- and 88-key semi-weighted action models, plus an 88-note fully weighted action model. The Stage Pianos have the award-winning Kurzweil sounds and transmit on 2 user-selectable, independent MIDI channels. Put your music on stage with this new model of performance piano from Kurzweil, the leader in sound technology.

32 programs and 32 factory setups are provided which offer a variety of splits and layered combinations with useful controller assignments. Grand Piano offers stretched and non-stretched tuned versions, and programs with different EQ. Dual-Hardness Tine Electric Piano offers soft and hard strike samples arranged in many program variations, FM Electric Piano is provided in a variety of programs. Programs based on the Ensemble Strings include selections with different EQs and envelope response. Tone Wheel Organ programs include organ with percussion, ballad organ, jazzy organ, and more.

The SP Series keyboards also offer many MIDI controller features. Two Ribbons (used instead of traditional wheels) provide flexible control. The Pitch ribbon has user programmable software "spring," allowing the pitch to jump back to center or remain at the value where the finger lifts off the surface. The Mod Ribbon also has the programmable "spring," and in addition, allows for different functions (software destinations) to be programmed for the 'up' position separately from the 'down' position.

This keyboard, with three MIDI zones - two external and one internal - is a steal nowadays at many music stores because it came out several years ago. Don't be fooled by the lower price these days - I think it's one of the absolute best keyboards on the market, and many adults and store reps I've spoken to agree. I know that this piano will last me years and years, long enough to become more confident with all genres of music.

Recommended: Yes