How to Buy/Rent a Piano/Keyboard for a Beginning Student

Some new piano students ask their teacher if it is mandatory that they have a piano or keyboard at home on which to practice. The short answer is a resounding Yes! While you may make some very slight progress just from whatever you learn and do at your lessons, it will be just that--slight. To learn an instrument, you need to put in at least 30 minutes of very solid, efficient practice every single day on the actual instrument, and that is a bare minimum. This article offers some steps to obtaining a piano or keyboard on which you can practice.

Instructions

1. An actual piano can be an expensive proposition. It also requires additional money and effort for moving and transportation, and requires an appropriate space in your home. Additionally, it requires professional tuning and maintenance once or twice per year. Because of this, many people consider purchasing an electronic keyboard to use for practice.

2. If you are going to buy an electronic keyboard, understand that the only way to rationalize it is by saying that you want to have something for you or your child to use until you are certain that lessons will continue. Ultimately you will need to transition to an actual piano if you want to attain true musicianship.

3. If you are going to buy a keyboard, it is 100% essential that it have full-size piano keys. Anything is else an absolute toy. It is essential that you have an appropriate keyboard stand and bench that will allow you to sit at the proper height, which your teacher will show you. It is pretty much essential that you have a sustain pedal that plugs into the keyboard, otherwise it will be hard to progress past the very basics. Even with a pedal for your keyboard, at best it only emulates a pedal on a real piano.

4. If you want to take your keyboard purchase to the next level, consider getting a Yamaha Clavinova Digital Piano. It has weighted keys, two or three pedals, and is quite substantial. It also produces much better sound, and a much wider range of dynamics (sound volumes) as does a $100 keyboard. You might be able to find a used one on Craigslist for $500-$1000, but check it very carefully to make sure that it works perfectly. Don't let the seller say, "Well how many times are you really going to play the low G# anyway?"

5. Ideally, you want to have a real piano. Anything else is really just a simulation. With that said, there is nothing wrong with also having an electronic keyboard that you can transport to friends' houses, or use late at night with headphones. Still, almost all of your practice should be done on a real piano.

6. New music students, and parents of young children should consider renting a piano. Find a reputable music store in your area, and talk to them. Make sure that you are not getting involved with any long-term contracts. Ideally you should also ensure that there is an option to buy the piano that you are renting. Often this is an option, and of course you save the cost of transport.

7. If you are going to buy a piano, you have many things to think about. Most music teachers advise buying the best piano that you can afford. If it is properly maintained, it is really an investment. If you are buying a piano from a dealer, make sure that the dealer really has an impeccable reputation. Research the company as much as you can online, and ask around. If you are buying a piano privately from an individual, consider hiring a registered piano technician (RPT) from the Piano Technicians Guild (PTG) to inspect it. S/he may charge $50-$100 for this service, but it is worth it if you are going to spend thousands of dollars for a piano.

8. Note that the advice to buy the best piano you can afford is not intended for extravagance. What are you looking for is a piano that will produce the best possible sound, have the best possible tactile response, and offer the greatest range of dynamics (sound volumes). This will allow you to progress to higher levels of musicianship. In fact, most professional pianists will say that they simply cannot progress on an upright piano, since they need the full richness and dynamic range that is only offered by a grand piano. ♫ Enjoy! ♫

Resources

• Piano Technicians Guild
• How to Find and Choose a Music Teacher