Kawai ES-120 Digital Piano

The latest addition to the highly respected ES range, the ultra-portable ES120 features an improved Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action, beautiful Shigeru Kawai grand piano sounds, and built-in Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio connectivity, delivering gig-friendly grand piano touch and tone at a remarkably affordable price.

■  Improved Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action
■  SK-EX and EX concert grand piano sounds, 88-key sampling
■  25 sounds, Dual & Split playing modes, 100 drum rhythms
■  Dual headphone connectors, dedicated stereo Line Out jacks

■  Integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio wireless technology
■  Support for PianoRemote control app for iOS/Android
■  Stylish appearance, sturdy chassis weighing just 12.5 kg
■  Designer stand and triple pedal board accessories available

At home, on stage, your music.

The Kawai ES Series has been designed to deliver the finest playing experience possible within a portable piano.  These stylish instruments are ideally suited to musicians seeking a piano that provides an authentic keyboard action and a selection of inspiring sounds, yet can still be moved easily, or placed on an attractive furniture stand without occupying too much space.

The latest ES Series models are also an excellent choice for gigging musicians, academic institutions, and places of worship, thanks to their lightweight body, powerful speaker systems, and great audio connectivity.  And with a slew of customisable settings, Bluetooth MIDI and audio, and engaging apps, the ES Series instruments  are also extremely personal pianos, that players of all ages and abilities can take pride in owning.

The Touch of a Grand Piano: Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action

The ES120’s Responsive Hammer Compact keyboard action has been specially developed to allow portable instruments to reproduce the distinctive touch of an acoustic grand piano.  Based on the highly-regarded RH action design, its spring-less technology and sturdy construction delivers consistent upward and downward motion, while improved cushioning material helps to reduce keyboard noise, resulting in a smooth, natural, and highly authentic piano playing experience.

Acoustic piano key weighting

Just as acoustic pianos utilise heavier bass hammers and lighter treble hammers, the RH Compact keyboard action also employs different hammer weights, appropriately graded for each playing range.

Such details provide greater stability during fortissimo passages, while preserving delicate pianissimo control, to satisfy the demands of even the most discerning pianist.

The Sound of a Grand Piano: Two world-class instruments

Earning a reputation as the ‘premier pianos of Japan’, Shigeru Kawai instruments grace the stages of concert halls and musical institutions throughout the world, and are prized for their outstanding tonal clarity and exceptional dynamic range.

The ES120 captures the magnificent tone of the flagship Shigeru Kawai SK-EX concert grand piano.  This peerless instrument is hand-built by Master Piano Artisans at the Shigeru Kawai Piano Research Laboratory in Ryuyo, Japan, and widely regarded as one of the finest instruments in its class.

In addition, the ES120 also features the distinctive sound of Kawai’s highly acclaimed EX concert grand piano, which has been selected by professional pianists in such prestigious events as the Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Rubinstein international piano competitions, among others.

Both the SK-EX and EX are faithfully reproduced with full 88-key sampling using advanced Harmonic Imaging™ sound technology, to establish a new standard in digital piano tonal quality, and allow musicians to appreciate the contrasting properties of each.

True character in every note

The rich, expressive sound of the SK-EX and EX concert grand pianos is at the heart of the ES120, with all eighty-eight keys of these world-class instruments painstakingly recorded, meticulously analysed, and accurately reproduced as high-fidelity digital waveforms.

Recording each key individually in this way – as opposed to stretching the same tone over several different notes – preserves the grand pianos’ unique harmonic character, and guarantees that the sound heard when playing any one of the ES120's weighted keys is a faithful representation of the original acoustic source.

Rich, dynamic, expressive

When playing a fine piano, the amount of pressure applied to the keyboard affects not only the volume of the sound produced, but also the unique tonal character of each note.  Therefore, in order to construct a realistic acoustic portrait of each grand piano, not only is each key recorded individually, but also at a wide variety of different volumes, ranging from gentle pianissimo to thunderous fortissimo.

The ES120 offers a highly detailed acoustic portrait, employing Kawai’s proprietary Harmonic Imaging sampling technology to ensure smooth tonal transitions across the keyboard and throughout the entire dynamic range.

Variety beneath your fingertips

Alongside the classically voiced SK-EX and EX grand piano sounds, the ES120 also showcases a selection of Jazz, Pop, and Modern variations suitable for a range of musical genres.  A traditional Kawai upright piano sound is also included, for pieces that suggest a feeling of nostalgia, or call for a slightly more intimate tonal character.

Realistic reverberation

The ES120’s powerful digital effects engine further enhances the instrument’s core sounds, applying reverberation effects that simulate the acoustics of a recital room, live stage, concert hall, and other environments, bringing performances to life.

The result is a rich, vibrant piano tone that delivers exceptional realism and authenticity, to inspire musicians of all abilities.

Impressive speaker system
(with Low Volume Balance feature)

The ES120’s stereo speaker system delivers an impressive 20W of output, providing enough power to fill a medium-sized room with it's beautiful Shigeru Kawai grand piano sounds.

Moreover, when playing through speakers at a reduced volume setting (so as not to disturb family members), the ES120’s Low Volume Balance feature intelligently adjusts keyboard touch and piano tone characteristics, allowing pianissimo passages to be played smoothly and more naturally.

The Variety of a Digital Piano: Convenience & Flexibility

The impressive ES120 offers a variety of features to complement its authentic keyboard touch and rich grand piano sounds.  The adjustable metronome and song recorder are invaluable tools for aspiring pianists wishing to improve the technique, while additional instrument voices, Dual and Split playing modes, and 100 drum rhythms allow players of all levels to indulge their creative spirit.

Live players will appreciate Registration memories and dedicated Line Out jacks for sound reinforcement, while integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio, and a standard USB-MIDI port provide flexibility for connecting to smart devices and computers – either with, or without cables.

Integrated Bluetooth® connectivity

In addition to a standard USB-MIDI port for connecting to computers, the ES120 also features integrated Bluetooth® MIDI and Audio technologies that allow the instrument to communicate with supported smart devices wirelessly.

Once paired with a phone, tablet, or laptop, ES120 owners can enjoy a wide variety of exciting music-related apps that enhance their learning and playing experience, or stream audio from songs and videos directly through the instrument’s impressive speaker system without the need to connect additional cables.