An aspiring pianist needs advice!
November 5, 2007 11:53 AM   Subscribe

What are some good tips for choosing a used keyboard for an aspiring pianist?

Hi. We're looking for a used keyboard to learn how to play the piano. Owing to size restrictions of my rather...tiny... apartment, a piano is impossible. A keyboard seems like a good place for beginners, anyway. Well, there are a variety of different brands, types, and styles of keyboards. Maybe some of you have some good tips/suggestions/advice on choosing one? How much should we expect to spend? What sort of key-layout best mimics an actual piano? Any advice is really appreciated! Total novices here... THANKS!
posted by mateuslee to Media & Arts (6 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: This or its or the larger version would be a good starter 'piano'.

What you need to look for are:
Full sized keys
Min 61 keys
Simulated weighted keys

You'd be best going into a music store so you can try out different keyboards, pick the one that feels best to you (and sounds the best)
posted by missmagenta at 1:02 PM on November 5, 2007


The key words to look for are full or standard size keys and hammer action. Spring loaded action is completely different, and will not properly develop your muscles to play with expressive dynamics (or really, at all, on a normal piano - you're hand and forearm won't be strong enough).

I'm a novice pianist (I'm lucky enough to have access to piano's through my college, but for summer/winter break and music making purposes I'm looking to buy a keyboard). I'm currently lusting after this, which I think is probably the best looking keyboard for computer-based work. I haven't had a chance to try out the action first hand, otherwise I'd have already bought it. If you're not interested in recording, producing, synthesizer twiddling, this is probably not the keyboard for you.

If that's the case, look for "stage pianos". I don't have any recommendations in that regard - I'd recommend just going down to a guitar center or your local equivalent and trying them all out, noting the ones that feel and sound like a real piano, and then buying the cheapest one.
posted by phrontist at 1:42 PM on November 5, 2007


Theres also this if you have the budget for it. Its an electric piano rather than a keyboard.
posted by missmagenta at 3:18 PM on November 5, 2007


phrontist: do the keyboards recommended by missmagenta have "hammer action"?

(I'm also looking for a keyboard. The long-term goal is a real piano but until I can afford one I want to make sure I get something that will let me develop good technique.)
posted by phliar at 7:22 PM on November 5, 2007


The advice above is good, but I would not get a keyboard that has fewer than 88 keys. Much of the classical piano repertoire requires the full range of the piano, so trying to play that stuff on a 61-key keyboard would be frustrating. Also, if you get used to a 61-key keyboard, trying to play a real piano might be a little disorienting at first.

As for particular keyboards, I've been looking for a new one myself, and in recent weeks I've spent hours at music stores, playing every keyboard I could find. Here's my conclusion, the closest thing you can get to a real piano for under $800 is a Cassio Privia (as in missmagenta's last link). Those keyboards feel very solid, sound good, and have good action (yes, it's "hammer action"). You can get one new for somewhere between $400 and $1000, depending on the model. (For instance, Amazon is selling the PX-110 for $416.) Of course, if you're willing to spend more, you can get something better. My own favorite stage piano at the moment is the Roland FP-7. (But, one of those will set you back $1600.)

One final note, the keyboards I mentioned above are all digital pianos, as opposed to synthesizers or MIDI controllers. (Synthesizers give you more ways to manipulate sound and feel less like acoustic pianos. Controllers are meant to be used with computers.)
posted by epimorph at 1:29 AM on November 6, 2007


If you have music sequencing software, even Garage Band (Mac), you might be able to start out on the USB-powered Keystation Pro 88 from M-Audio. It's targeted at studio musicians and electronic music producers, but it's got 88 keys that are weighted like a real piano. I paid $399 for mine.
posted by phoebus at 12:43 PM on November 6, 2007


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