An digital piano, also referred to as an electronic piano, is an electronic keyboard instrument that is intended mainly for use as a more compact, lighter, more portable, and more versatile alternative to conventional, acoustic pianos. Digital pianos are designed to resemble acoustic pianos in terms of how it feels to play them, including the use of weighted keys, in terms of their their sound output, and also sometimes in appearance. Sound is produced either using built-in synthesizer circuitry or through the use of recorded samples from acoustic pianos, both of which consume vastly less space than the heavy steel frames and hundreds of steel strings of acoustic pianos. Another advantage of digital pianos is that they allow players to listen with headphones while practicing, thereby avoiding disturbing other people nearby. Moreover, some models can also emulate a harpsichord and/or an organ.
Digital pianos differ from electric pianos, which are mechanical devices similar to a conventional piano but have their sound converted to electrical signals by a pickup and then amplified through an internal or external amplifier. Digital pianos differ from electronic keyboards in that the latter are designed with an emphasis on portability, usually have fewer keys, and have simpler mechanisms that have less resemblance to the feel of acoustic piano keys. Moreover, many models of electronic keyboards are capable of reproducing the sounds of numerous instruments in addition to just pianos and they often have additional built-in functions, including automatic rhythm generation.