Kurzweil KP30 Review

It’s obvious that a tiny, under-$200 instrument isn’t going to be popular among pros- But should it be?! 

While I admit that was more impressed than I expected to be, the KP30 still didn’t take the cake when it comes to economical lap-sized MIDI controllers. 

As far as selling points, this 49-key instrument has over 100 sounds and accompaniment tracks. It acts as either a MIDI controller or an introductory learning instrument. On a similar note…

4 points were taken off in total because we weren’t quite sure who the target audience was here, and the key action really leaves something to be desired.  The KP30 is interesting, because the instrument is not quite good enough for pros, yet too complicated for young children to navigate, in some respects. 

That being said, there are some niche audiences that will both facets of the instrument. The Kurzweil KP30 makes for a fine desktop instrument controller for budding producers. The KP30 can also double as a learning tool for the curious child. Perhaps the best audience for this economical space-saver is an intermediate producer who has a child interested in learning piano someday.

Kurzweil KP30: Overview

In this Kurzweil KP30 review, we’re going to be taking a peek at an under-$200 keyboard. Can a $179 digital piano be any good?! We’re about to delve into all the details. 

The KP30 is a small, 49-key portable arranger capable of connecting to external devices. 

Features

Onboard Lessons and More

If you’re not sure if you want to get a full-sized piano and a proper lesson teacher, the KP30 can be a good way to test-drive the experience. This instrument has a chord dictionary, lesson mode, and a built-in grading system. 

1-Track Internal Recorder

The 1-track recorder allows you to check in on your practice and see what you actually sound like: It’s hard to catch mistakes when you’re playing, but this little tool can help. 

100 Auto Accompaniment Tracks

This maker is great at providing loads of tones and left-hand accompaniment tracks in a plethora of genres. No matter the size of the Kurzweil, you still get all the goodies. 

132 Sounds

Though it may be small, the KP30 has some pretty powerful keyboard sounds. I enjoy the piano tones the most. Fair warning, though some of the woodwinds and winds are a bit iffy. 

5 Custom Patches

Users can save 5 of their favorite sounds in a special patch bank on the KP30. This makes it so it’s easier and quicker to find what you need.

Other Features:

• Modulation
• DSP
• Optional battery-power
• LCD screen 
• Transpose
• Reverb/FX

Specifications

Sourced from Sweetwater.com

• Weight: 4.9 pounds
• Dimensions:
• Height: 3.2″

• Width: 26.3″
• Depth:9.6″
• Audio Output: Yes
• Audio Input: No

Who is it suitable for?

The Kurzweil KP30 suits kids, adult beginners, and those looking for a tiny desktop piano. You can use the KP30 as a MIDI controller for your DAW.

Even though I said it’s suitable for kids and adult beginners, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this as the only instrument you have on hand. If you learn on a 49-key keyboard with smaller keys than standard, you may be setting yourself up for a bad time later down the road…Especially if you’re studying seriously. 

The Kurzweil KP30 is best suited to hobbyists. This model isn’t ideal for studious musicians. And if you’re not a pro or intermediate- No worries! It’s ok to play music casually! 

KP30 In Action

Check out this brief video by Marian I.C. which shows an example of the KP30’s auto accompaniment feature. 

Pros and Cons

Pros

• It’s even more portable than the KP100!
• It’s super affordable 
• It has over 100 interactive patterns and over 100 total voices
• It’s a cute lap instrument 
• It has more than a few legitimate features, like lessons, DSP, and a mini onboard recorder
• It has transpose and FX

Cons

• It’s toy-ish
• Some people purchase it not realizing it doesn’t have full-sized keys 
• In some ways, the price is a bit high for the size
• There aren’t many notes, so there isn’t much range or polyphony
• The internal song recorder only holds 1 song
• The keys aren’t good
• It doesn’t have triple-strike like some of the upper models
• No split and layer
• No audio input

One Amazon reviewer described the keys as ‘floppy and noisy’, two adjectives you never want to hear describe a keyboard instrument… 

The other, smaller cons such as the lack of split, and layer and the lack of space on the recorder are to be expected for the price. 

Comparable Instruments

• For a smaller keyboard with more styles: KP10
• For a bigger keyboard with more tones: KP70
• For better polyphony and loads of options: KP100 model up to KP300X

The KP100 models and up the cost significantly more than the model we looked at today ($465+). To be honest, entry-level Kurzweils aren’t my personal favorite. As you go up in the models, the action gets better. 

If you’d like to look at other brands with economical models that have bigger keybeds, check out these two models that we previously reviewed: 

• The Yamaha PSR F51
• Casio CTL 1500AD

Kurzweil KP30 Quick View 

Kurzweil KP30: Conclusion

In conclusion, the KP30 is a super cute instrument for those who are looking to make a bit of music on the go without the price or commitment of a large or acoustic keyboard. While it’s no Imperial Bosendorfter (and never will be), it’s not too bad for what it is!  

Music quote of the week: 

“The important thing is never to let oneself be guided by the opinion of one’s contemporaries; to continue steadfastly on one’s way without

letting oneself be either defeated by failure or diverted by applause.”

― Gustav Mahler