Beginners guide to buying a (cheap) keyboard (piano)
Discussion
Hi all
Seen various threads on here about learning to play the piano and it is something I have always wanted to do.
So I want to buy a cheap keyboard that I can learn on (self teaching at first - I can read music) with a few lessons in a bit and see if I like it.
What do the resident experts on PH recommend? The only criteria are, fairly cheap (secondhand probably ideal), put awayable, must have headphone socket - have to preserve Judas' sanity (what little there is left :hehe:) and I suppose be near enough the number of keys of a 'proper' piano (not bothered about fancy boom-tish-boom type synth stuff). Judas says it needs decent action too (doesn't he get enough already? ;))
Any recommendations on good books or web sites would be appreciated too.
Cheers
Ace-T :)
Seen various threads on here about learning to play the piano and it is something I have always wanted to do.
So I want to buy a cheap keyboard that I can learn on (self teaching at first - I can read music) with a few lessons in a bit and see if I like it.
What do the resident experts on PH recommend? The only criteria are, fairly cheap (secondhand probably ideal), put awayable, must have headphone socket - have to preserve Judas' sanity (what little there is left :hehe:) and I suppose be near enough the number of keys of a 'proper' piano (not bothered about fancy boom-tish-boom type synth stuff). Judas says it needs decent action too (doesn't he get enough already? ;))
Any recommendations on good books or web sites would be appreciated too.
Cheers
Ace-T :)
We have one of these in the studio that isn't being used anymore, gathering dust;
http://namm.harmony-central.com/Newp/WNAMM96/Kurzweil/K2500.html
Ours is the K2500X which has fully weighted 88 keys. Still one of the best actions of any weighted keyboard we've come across and, in its day, its piano sounds were considered some of the best around from a digital instrument. It's a synth/sampler so comes with a glut of other sounds (covering pretty much any instrument or percussion you can think of, orchestral stuff being its forte).
However, its a behemoth and not really put-away-able. And second-hand prices are not cheap. So apart from the action and the fact that its got a headphone socket....erm.....i'll go back under my rock now....
http://namm.harmony-central.com/Newp/WNAMM96/Kurzweil/K2500.html
Ours is the K2500X which has fully weighted 88 keys. Still one of the best actions of any weighted keyboard we've come across and, in its day, its piano sounds were considered some of the best around from a digital instrument. It's a synth/sampler so comes with a glut of other sounds (covering pretty much any instrument or percussion you can think of, orchestral stuff being its forte).
However, its a behemoth and not really put-away-able. And second-hand prices are not cheap. So apart from the action and the fact that its got a headphone socket....erm.....i'll go back under my rock now....
Playing the piano and playing the keyboard are actually very different things.
To learn to play the piano (with headphones) you would really need a digital piano which can be fairly expensive even 2nd hand from loot or ebay (£200-300 seems to be the going ebay rate).
Keyboards are ok if you want to just teach yourself the notes etc but they are geared more towards basic tunes with background beats/noise which is quite a different skill. Generally speaking they have far fewer notes than a proper piano which makes anything more than basic tunes impossible to play.
>> Edited by blindswelledrat on Friday 7th October 09:53
To learn to play the piano (with headphones) you would really need a digital piano which can be fairly expensive even 2nd hand from loot or ebay (£200-300 seems to be the going ebay rate).
Keyboards are ok if you want to just teach yourself the notes etc but they are geared more towards basic tunes with background beats/noise which is quite a different skill. Generally speaking they have far fewer notes than a proper piano which makes anything more than basic tunes impossible to play.
>> Edited by blindswelledrat on Friday 7th October 09:53
which makes learning easy. For £150 you can get a very good piano sound (relatiely speaking).There are many 'cheap' pianos you can buy second hand. Roland, Korg, Yamaha and Technics make lightweight, full size pianos, with graded hammer action (heavier keys on bass end) and touch sensitivity (both a must if you are serious about learning). Examples are the Korg SP200 and Technics P50 - both are about £300 second hand.
Most modern electric pianos are pretty good - don't be tempted by a much older model because it's cheap - the sounds have progressed at the same rate as computers have ie you can get a state of the art laptop for ~£400 new these days - much the same in the piano world.
If you buy new, expect to pay around £600 for a decent one. Check out turnkey.co.uk - they have b-stock sales quite often
Most modern electric pianos are pretty good - don't be tempted by a much older model because it's cheap - the sounds have progressed at the same rate as computers have ie you can get a state of the art laptop for ~£400 new these days - much the same in the piano world.
If you buy new, expect to pay around £600 for a decent one. Check out turnkey.co.uk - they have b-stock sales quite often
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