If you’re familiar with digital pianos, you may have heard the expression: “Graded Hammer Action.” Of course there are different variants of this expression (such as “scaled hammer action” and “progressive hammer action”) but they all mean the same thing.

They all refer to the way a digital piano’s keyboard works. To make things simple, let’s just stick to the term “Graded Hammer Action.” A digital piano that uses Graded Hammer Action has a “weighted feel” to it.

Basically, this means that the keys provide more resistance in the lower end than they do in the higher end. Or rather that the keys become progressively lighter as you move up the keyboard.

A good example of a digital piano with this feature is the Yamaha P95. Like an acoustic piano, the P95′s keys are “weighted.” Many people like this since it gives them the feeling that they’re playing the “real thing.”

There’s another advantage as well. If your digital piano has Graded Hammer Action and weighted keys, you’ll find it much easier to start playing an acoustic piano if the situation requires it. This is one of the reasons that piano teachers so often recommend digital pianos that have “Graded Hammer Action.”