14 Best Keyboards & Pianos For Worship & Church Use

When you're looking for the best pianos for worship and church use, you're going to need a performance machine that won't let you down. Thankfully we've got you covered here at PMT as we have helped many church and worship musicians get the best sound possible and know exactly what you need when it comes to keyboards and pianos for church use. For this list, we've included digital pianos and workstations that we think are best suited for church use. But what makes a good piano for worship and church use? Well, in our opinion you may need to consider features like:

• Sonic versatility - plenty of sounds
• Cost-effective - get the best option for your budget
• Weighted keys - some options mimic acoustic piano keys
• Dual voices - to split key and string sounds, for example
• Portability - you may need to transport it to the studio and back
• Connectivity - do you need to use it in conjunction with a laptop?

These are just a few of the key features you may want to consider. Things like MIDI connectivity may be of no use to you, but weighted keys may be essential - we suggest trying some out for yourself or speaking to our experts.

In summary, we believe the following keyboards and pianos are the best options for worship and church musicians. These pianos offer versatility and incredible playability as well as useful functionality for recording.

• Yamaha Genos Digital Workstation Keyboard
• Nord Stage 3 88 Digital Piano
• Korg Grandstage 73 Stage Piano
• Yamaha Montage 6 Synthesizer 61 Key
• Nord Piano 4 Stage Piano
• Korg SV-2 Stage Vintage 88 Key Stage Piano
• Roland RD-2000 Stage Piano
• VOX Continental Keyboard, 61 Keys
• Roland Fantom FA-06 Music Synthesizer Workstation
• Korg Krome 61 EX Music Workstation
• Roland FP-30 Digital Piano
• Yamaha P45 Digital Piano Keyboard
• Yamaha PSR-E463 Digital Keyboard
• Roland Go:Piano GO-61P Digital Piano

So which is the best keyboard for church and worship use? Here are our best options in price descending order.

First up we have the Yamaha Genos Digital Workstation Keyboard. This is easily one of the best pianos for worship and by far one of the best workstation keyboards on the market today thanks to the sheer amount of sounds, effects and functionality for live musicians. So why is it one of the best pianos for worship and church musicians? In a nutshell, you get 1,652 voices built-in, as well as 58 Drum/SFX kits, a beautifully sampled C7 Grand Piano & CFX pianos and the incredibly realistic Revo!Drums. It's like having a full studio at your fingertips. You also have world-class2 studio effects such as Reverb, Chorus, DSP, Master Compressor, Master EQ, Part EQ, Vocal Harmony and Synth Vocoder options to choose from. We could talk all day about this, but we recommend checking it out for yourself.

 We love the Nord Stage 3 88 Digital Piano as it features three completely different sound sections; Piano, Organ and Synthesizer. Best of all you can use all three sounds at the same time, opening up a world of sonic textures. You have a vast amount of expertly sampled Piano sounds, Organ sounds including Tonewheel modulation and Synth sounds that also include oscillator functionality. If there's a specific sound you're after - this will have it! If you're a live musician, you may have a range of different textures and effects that need to be used depending on the song. The Nord stage 3 allows you to create Song Lists and assign specific sounds and effects to each track - ideal for performance. You also have 3 Split Zones and can dictate where you want that split to start and end, and even make those changes to programs via a foot pedal. There's also a beautifully responsive fully weighted hammer action piano keybed for added playability. Also available with a case as part of a bundle deal.

The Korg Grandstage 73 Stage Piano has been designed for pro-level musicians with a more modest budget than the previous two options, but it's still incredibly powerful. We think this is one of the best pianos for worship musicians as you have 7 sound engines built-in. You have the SGX-2 with its 6 Acoustic Pianos and the EP-1 with 6 Vintage Electric Pianos - more than enough for stage and studio. However, you also get the CX-3, VOX and Compact sounds which includes 3 Organs and the AL-1 and HD-1 sounds which provides all the reed, brass and wind instruments you could ever need. You can also split or layer these sounds too. You have a range of effects to choose from, the ability to recall favourites and an extremely comfortable Real Weighted Hammer Action 3 (RH3) keybed that is super-responsive.

Ok, the Yamaha Montage 6 is technically a synthesizer, but it has a selection of incredible piano sounds that will fit in beautifully with any worship band and worship live setup. We think this is one of the best pianos for worship as it offers a huge amount of sounds and dynamic control. You have two sound engines built-in, including AWM2 and FM-X. The AWM2 takes features from Yamaha's MotifX workstation, whereas the FM-X handles all the synth sounds you need including 80's synths to modern EDM instruments. One of the major features in the Super Knob - this lets you make dynamic changes to modulation that can range from subtle nuances to big changes like adding drastic effects at the push of the knob. A great option for those who want piano sounds, but need a range of synthesis to record or perform with. One of the greatest worship keyboard players of our generation Cory Henry has been seen using these Yamaha Montage keyboards, so you know it's

If you can't quite stretch to the budget of the Stage 3, the Nord Piano 4 Stage Piano is still an incredible option and one of the best pianos for worship musicians who perform live. First of all, you'll love the 88-Note Grand Weighted Hammer Action keybed with triple sensor technology. All sounds respond beautifully to your playing including the range of Grands, Uprights, Electric Pianos and Digital Pianos from the exclusive Nord Piano Library. You also have a huge selection of synths with extended voice polyphony and a studio's worth of effects including modulation, delay and more, some of which have been modelled on classic stompbox pedals. A fun, useful and powerful piano for worship musicians.

Next in our list we have the Korg SV-2 Stage Vintage 88 Key Stage Piano. You have 72 sounds built in, which include everything from vintage organs, a range of classic Grand and Upright pianos from around the world, electric pianos, strings and so much more. One of the major reasons we think this is one of the best pianos for worship is down to the Korg Valve Reactor. This is ideal for the tone snobs out there. This Valve Reactor works in conjunction with a range of built-in effects, adding a snarl and grit that only a 12AX7A vacuum tube can provide. This allows you to run your piano or organ sounds through the likes of a driven amp model for example, and enjoy all the subtle nuances that tubes can offer. An awesome digital piano that also includes the KORG RH3 graded-hammer action keybed for added nuance to your playing. This is one of the best keyboards for worship, by far in terms of price and sound. Also available as a 73 key version

 Next up we have the Roland RD-2000 Stage Piano, which is quickly becoming an industry standard for players in need of a, particularly expressive Grand piano sound. Using an acoustic piano is not always possible, especially if you're performing live. This is where the Roland RD-2000 Stage Piano really shines. Roland’s PHA-50 keybed features an advanced sensor mechanism and hammer-action design which almost completely mimics the feel and response of an acoustic piano. Thanks to the two sound engines, the acoustic piano sounds sound as good as an acoustic too! They're actually modelled on Roland's flagship V-Piano modeling technology and include sounds from the RD-1000 and the MKS-20 sound module. You also have over 1000 other sounds including digital pianos, effects and more. There's even a comprehensive control interface for changing parameters, effects and more. Cory Henry has been known to use the Roland RD series too - so you're in good company.

 Next up we have the Roland RD-2000 Stage Piano, which is quickly becoming an industry standard for players in need of a, particularly expressive Grand piano sound. Using an acoustic piano is not always possible, especially if you're performing live. This is where the Roland RD-2000 Stage Piano really shines. Roland’s PHA-50 keybed features an advanced sensor mechanism and hammer-action design which almost completely mimics the feel and response of an acoustic piano. Thanks to the two sound engines, the acoustic piano sounds sound as good as an acoustic too! They're actually modelled on Roland's flagship V-Piano modeling technology and include sounds from the RD-1000 and the MKS-20 sound module. You also have over 1000 other sounds including digital pianos, effects and more. There's even a comprehensive control interface for changing parameters, effects and more. Cory Henry has been known to use the Roland RD series too - so you're in good company.

Again, if you love the sound of a tube-driven organ, then you're not going to find much better than the VOX Continental Keyboard, 61 Keys. This has 4 very distinct voices including Organ, E. Piano, Piano, and Key/Layer, so you're all set with a range of different sounds. Each sound, including the effects section and 9-band EQ are powered by an analog valve drive that utilises NuTube technology. This gives you valve-like grit, warmth and response, without the somewhat unreliable nature of a regular valve. You also have Scene Memories which allows you to store your sounds for faster recall depending on what you need for the song. One of the best pianos for worship musicians who appreciate a vintage sound.

The Roland Fantom FA-06 Music Synthesizer Workstation is a very powerful keyboard piano that is perfect for church and worship musicians. We think this is one of the best pianos for worship as it contains 2000 sounds taken from the flagship INTEGRA-7 sound module. This includes SuperNATURAL synth and acoustic tones as well as a comprehensive drums section. You could essentially pretend there's a whole band playing with you! You can add a cool element to your sound via the 16-track sequencer, utilise the 16 independent MFX engines and even trigger MIDI devices from the keyboard. There's even a mic input for use with vocoder effects and vocals. Streamlined workflow, instantly recallable settings and beautifully sampled sounds makes the Roland FA-06 a great live perfomance partner.

Next up we have the Korg Krome 61 EX Music Workstation. This is an ideal option for worship musicians who need a wide range of sounds spanning different genres, and those who need something for recording tracks in the home studio. The impressive piano section features a new sampled Grand Piano recorded by Seigen Ono which has been meticulously sampled from a 'German D Grand'. Thanks to a much bigger PCM sample size, you also have more expressive and dynamic sounds. The 61 key semi-weighted keyboard provides a great feel and response, a 16 -track sequencer is great for songwriting and the selection of vintage amps, cabinets and classic effects are really useful for sculpting your tone. You also have 2,500 professionally sampled drum samples and the ability to change character and ambience. Probably one of the cheapest keyboard workstations available and ideal piano for worship.

We love the Roland FP-30 digital piano as it features 35 expertly sampled tones to choose from. Straight out of the box you have access to 6 pianos, 7 electric pianos and 22 “other” sounds including organs and strings etc.

The key feature here is the main piano sound, which utilises Roland’s awesome-sounding SuperNATURAL engine. This sound used in conjunction with Roland's PHA-4 88 full size, weighted keys provide an almost identical playing experience to that of an acoustic piano. You can even adjust the ambience and brilliance settings depending on what type of timbre you require.

There's a headphones input for practice, onboard stereo speakers, Bluetooth connectivity for use with streaming backing tracks and digital sheet music and dual/split modes for layering sounds.

Also available with a stand in Black and White.

The Yamaha P45 Digital Piano Keyboard is one of the most affordable digital pianos on this list. But don't let the price tag fool you as this is an expressive piano for players of all levels.

This piano takes a no frills approach, which is ideal for those who need a streamlined piano for worship. You have 10 tones to choose from, including a lovely sounding selection of pianos, organs, strings, a harpsichord and a vibraphone. You can also layer 2 of these sounds together, which is perfect for filling out your sound.

For just over £300 you also get a realistic Hammer Action 88-note keybed, built-in metronome, USB connectivity and full 64-note polyphony. A great piano for those with a limited budget and a smaller sonic requirement.

At just over £200, the Yamaha PSR-E463 Digital Keyboard is one of the most budget-friendly pianos for worship.

We think it's one of the best keyboards for worship musicians as it's packed with 758 high-quality voices and 61-key touch responsive keyboard. The on-board piano sounds are responsive and rich whilst the selection of extra voices such as electric pianos gives you plenty of options.

This is aimed at beginners owing to the streamlined features, but it's still loaded with powerful on-board speakers and easy-to-use professional features like assignable Live Control knobs, Quick Sampling, Groove Creator and USB Audio Recorder which provides 80 minutes of record time!

Finally, we have the Roland Go:Piano GO-61P Digital Piano. This is the cheapest piano for worship on our list, but make no mistake; it's packed full to the brim with amazing features.

You have 61 full-size keys with authentic touch response, 10 pianos, 7 electric pianos, 7 organs, and 16 other tones including a drum kit and sound effects set. It also has 128 note polyphony which is ideal for pro players.

There's also a range of great functionality for small studios such as Bluetooth audio/MIDI support for connecting with your smartphone or tablet. You can also practice wherever you want thanks to built-in speakers and headphones output.

Shop a full range of pianos over at PMT Online today or call in to your local PMT store to speak to our experts about worship pianos and keyboards. We have dedicated team members experienced in providing church and praise musicians with the gear they need.