Keyboards, Digital Pianos and Pianos for your home
Updated: Sep 14
Finding a Good Starting Keyboard or Piano
There isn’t one “best” first piano or keyboard.
The right choice is the one that fits the player, the household, the budget and where their playing may go next.
First: what type of instrument do you need?
Keyboard Usually lighter, more portable and often smaller, with lots of sounds and features. Great for beginners, general music learning, songwriting and families who need flexibility.
Digital piano Designed to feel and sound more like an acoustic piano. Usually has weighted or hammer-action keys, while also giving you volume control, headphones and no tuning.
Acoustic piano A traditional piano with strings and hammers. It gives you the natural sound and feel of a piano, but needs more space, regular tuning and ongoing care.
Once you have an idea of the type of instrument that might suit, consider these 8 things:
1. Size & number of keys
Think about both the physical size of the instrument and the number of keys.
A full-size piano has 88 keys, while keyboards commonly come with 61, 76 or 88 keys.
A smaller keyboard may suit a beginner, younger player, smaller home or someone who needs portability.
Also check whether the keys themselves are full-size. A keyboard can have fewer than 88 keys while still having standard-sized keys.
Think about what fits now — but also how long the instrument will support the player as they progress.
2. Price & budget
Consider the purchase price as well as any extras, such as:
stand or cabinet
stool or bench
pedal
headphones
delivery
tuning or servicing
You don’t necessarily need the most expensive instrument to begin well.
3. Feel & action
How the keys feel matters. Play the instrument before you buy is important here.
Look at things such as:
weighted or unweighted keys
graded weighting
hammer action
touch sensitivity and responsiveness
pedal feel
Hammer action is designed to imitate the mechanical feel of an acoustic piano and can make moving between different pianos easier.
4. Sound & functionality
Think about which features the player will actually use.
These might include:
quality of the piano sound
built-in speakers
volume control
headphones
Bluetooth
USB or MIDI connectivity
recording
additional instrument sounds and effects
More features are not automatically better.
5. Tuning, servicing & climate
An acoustic piano needs regular tuning and may also need servicing.
Think about:
tuning and servicing costs
availability of a good technician
humidity and temperature
where the instrument will sit in the home
how well it copes with the climate you live in
Digital pianos and keyboards do not need tuning, although keys, pedals and electronics can eventually require servicing.
6. Quality & longevity
Choose a reputable brand and look at:
build quality
warranty
availability of servicing and replacement parts
reviews
how well the instrument lasts in your climate
A very cheap instrument that needs replacing quickly may not be the cheapest option in the long run.
7. Household match
The instrument needs to work for the player and the household.
Think about:
how it sounds in the room
how much space it takes up
whether it needs to move
neighbours or shared walls
headphones versus speakers
whether other family members will use it
whether the player actually enjoys how it feels and sounds
An instrument that is easy and enjoyable to access is much more likely to be played.
8. Play → Practice → Perform
Finally, think about where the player’s music may take them.
Will their instrument allow them to move comfortably between:
playing at home → lessons → practice rooms → exams → rehearsals → performances?
Someone who practises only on very light, unweighted keys may find a weighted or acoustic piano surprisingly different.
An instrument with a reasonably realistic key size, weighting and response can make moving between different keyboards and pianos much easier as the player develops.
The bottom line
The best first piano isn’t necessarily the biggest or most expensive one.
It’s the instrument that fits the player, the home and the budget — while giving them enough room to grow.
*An excellent review on current on market Keyboards by Dave Clews - see below.
This review is updated regularly for the new releases on the market.
Considering Pianos?
Considering Digital Pianos? Some well informed options:
*Hammer Action: The difference between hammer action and weighted keys is the amount of resistance. Keyboards with hammer action replicate the same playing characteristics of acoustic pianos. Like an acoustic piano, the bass keys are heavier while the treble keys have a lighter touch. Weighted keys are completely balanced with the same heaviness from top to bottom of the keyboard.
Contact us if you have any further questions. contact@musicworkssg.com
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