The Piano Versus the Keyboard 4 Helpful ideas to guide you to a good purchase!

For beginning piano students, or those looking to upgrade, there can be many questions about what kind of instrument to buy. There are various pros and cons that go into purchasing a keyboard or piano that every parent and student should be aware of. Here are a few helpful ideas to guide you to a good purchase.

1. Keyboards come in different sizes: The standard size for pianos and keyboards are 88 keys. Other keyboards can come in 76, 61 and 49 keys. A beginning student may get away with a smaller keyboard for a few months to a year, but as they progress an 88 key instrument is a necessity.

2. Keyboards can be weighted or unweighted: What this means is that the keys are made to simulate the actual weight and feel of a real piano. More advanced keyboards will have ‘graded’ weighted keys; as the keys get higher in pitch, the actual weight gets lighter, as in a real piano. Weighted keyboards tend to run higher in price, but are very helpful in the development of students’ fingers. Very much like lifting weights at the gym, no person would lift a weight so light that it wouldn’t benefit their health. Unless you’re looking to upgrade very soon, it is highly encouraged that students purchase at least a weighted keyboard!

3. Synthesizers/Digital Pianos/Stage Keyboards: There are many ‘styles’ of electric keyboards. Knowing which one is best for you will help you make a smart, economical purchase. Synthesizers give the performer many tonal options and the ability to create new sounds. While they are very fun to explore, they are not very necessary for a beginning student. Digital pianos are what one is most likely to see at home. They have a piano sound, and sometimes (although not necessarily) have a few other instrument sounds. These keyboards are good for beginners because there are not too many options to get distracted with. Stage keyboards tend to have a few more sounds, perhaps even some synthesizer options. They tend to be a little more expensive because they are built more rugged for professional touring musicians. In addition many tend to be higher in quality.

4. Upright/Spinet/Grand Pianos: Upright pianos are the most commonly found pianos in the house setting. The strings run somewhat vertically from the bottom of the piano to the top, saving space, but also compromising tone. Spinet pianos are even shorter than uprights, again saving more space, but resulting in a ‘weaker’ sounding tone. Grand pianos are anywhere from 5’2” and upwards, representing the best possible option for a performer, especially in regards to tone and action. Action, for a short definition, is essentially just how weighted the keys are. Grand pianos tend to have a heavier action, while uprights and spinets have a lighter one. It is the heavier action that will aid a student in developing proper hand technique.

Keyboards make playing the piano a very cheap and accessible option for every student. It’s a great way to dive head first into a world of music that one would have never experienced otherwise. BUT, if a student continues to progress and develops a disciplined practice regimen, it is always encouraged to buy a real piano. Obviously it is not a cheap purchase, but the rewards from practicing on a piano will pay dividends when it comes to proper technique. Now that you’ve seen what kind of keyboard instruments are out there, get out and start playing!

Are you looking to buy a keyboard/piano or do you already own one and have a specific question or comment? Please feel free to post on our Facebook page (click on the link above) and we will gladly answer to any of your questions or comments.