Keyboards for Your Piano Lessons
Guide to purchasing a keyboard.
Hopefully this will prove helpful if you are thinking about taking piano lessons or currently take piano lessons.
WHAT FEATURES ARE THERE TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A KEYBOARD?
Usually the features that it has in common with the acoustic piano are the primary considerations for students interested in taking piano lessons.
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Number of Keys. Most teachers like students to have keyboards with at least 61 “full-size” keys. 88 is the number an acoustic piano has so the closer you can afford to 88, the better.
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Touch Sensitive. This means that the sound varies in loudness depending upon how quickly you depress the key (much like in an acoustic piano).
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Pedal Attachment. While most beginning piano students don’t use the sustaining pedal right away, students do usually play pieces requiring this pedal within the first year or two of lessons. Some keyboards have a quarter-inch “female” plug in the back of the keyboard where a “pedal attachment” can be plugged in (usually purchased separately).
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Weighted Keys. Keyboards with this option have greater resistance when depressing the key – similar to an acoustic piano. These keyboards are also usually much more expensive than keyboards without weighted keys.
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MIDI. MIDI stands for “Musical Instrument Digital Interface”. Keyboards with this capability can be plugged into peripheral equipment and computers that can do a myriad of alterations to the electronic signal from the keyboard. Few piano teachers really look for this option in their students’ keyboards.
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Voices. While selecting a keyboard with many cool sounds can be fun, it is rarely necessary for piano lessons.
DallasFortWorthPianoLessons.com has provided you with a list of keyboards that can be bought at Amazon.com. These keyboards are sorted below so you don’t have to search for them at their site. DallasFortWorthPianoLessons.com is not responsible for any transactions made at Amazon.com.
KEYBOARDS WITHOUT TOUCH SENSITIVE KEYS
(arranged in order from least to greatest number of keys).
Casio SA-75 Starter Musical Keyboard
Casio CTK-496 Electronic Keyboard with 61 Full-Size Keys and Singalong Capability
Casio LK-92TV 61-Key Lighted Keyboard with TV Outputs, Stand, and Power Adapter
Yamaha PSR-175 Music Keyboard with DJ Voices
KEYBOARDS WITH TOUCH SENSITIVE KEYS
(arranged in order from least to greatest number of keys).
Casio CTK900 61 Full-Size Key MIDI Keyboard
Yamaha YPT-300AD Full-Size 61-Key Touch-Sensitive Keyboard
Yamaha EZ250iAD 61-Note Portable Keyboard (with AC Adapter)
Casio WK3200AD 76 Full-Size Key Performance Keyboard with Power Supply
Yamaha DGX-200AD 76-Note Touch-Sensitive Portable Electronic Keyboard with AC Adapter
Yamaha DGX-305AD Portable Electronic Keyboard (with AC Adapter)
Casio WK3700AD 76 Full-Size Key Performance Keyboard with Power Supply
KEYBOARDS WITH WEIGHTED KEYS
(all of these are full-size keyboards and are arranged by brand name).
Casio AP24 Digital Home Piano
Casio AP45 Digital Piano (88 Keys with Weighted Action)
Casio AP80 Digital Piano with USB (88 Keys)
Yamaha DGX620AD Electronic Keyboard w/ 88 Full size keys with graded hammer action
Yamaha YDP131C Digital Piano w/ 88 Graded Hamer Note weighted action with realistic piano feel
