Q for PIANISTS

[sdbc]

My husband really wants to learn to play piano with our DD. She loves her toy keyboard. (DH has wanted to learn to play his whole life, but his parents were too poor, so he played trumpet).

We don't have space in our house for a piano right now, not even an upright, so I'm thinking of getting DH a keyboard for his birthday. Is there a specific kind you would recommend that would be good for someone who later wanted to play piano (or who might simultaneously take piano lessons, but practice on the keyboard at home)? Can you give some possibilities in a range of prices? I'd love to keep it under $200, but if there is a great one, I would look for it used (or might splurge a little more). I really have no idea of the price ranges yet.

Sue, mommy to Aurora (Rory) born 5/13/04

[Sopamanda]

If you get a keyboard, when it's set up, 88 keys horizontally is 88 keys, so you may want to re-think the keyboard vs. piano issue. DO NOT GET ANYTHING WITH MID-SIZED KEYS. You want anyone who -might- take lessons later on to get used to the standard sized keys. I learned on a upright from a garage sale for $100 dollars, many keys didn't even have the ivory (yes it was an old upright, it was ivory) on them and it was fine, and it allowed my parents to wait until they knew I was serious to make an investment on a good piano.

That said, if you must get electronic, again, get full sized keys and get them weighted if you can afford it. On weighted keys, if you hit them hard, the note sounds louder. On non-weighted keys, it just sounds. On most of the nonweighted keys, if you hit the note it sounds until you let go of the key, a weighted key will allow the sound to decay.

On an electronic instrument, if it breaks it's usually dead. Yes, you have to tune a piano occasionally, but if you spill juice on a keyboard, it's usually dead. :)

No advice on brands, can't help you there. I'd be happy to help you if you have other questions.

Amanda

[sdbc]

Hi Amanda,

Thanks for the info! I'd love to get a real piano (used), but we don't currently have the space in our house. Husband has a home office, so our dining room is out of commission. In a few years, he may get an office outside of our home (or we may move to a bigger home), and then we'd be able to fit a piano, but right now, it just isn't an option because of space. I would be willing to make an investment in a real piano when we have the space for it, though.

That said, I'm not sure how well we'd be able to fit an 88 key keyboard right now. I agree about the full-sized keys, completely. Do you think a 61 key keyboard would be appropriate for beginners? I know you'd need the high and low keys for playing classical later...

Thanks,

Sue
Sue, mommy to Aurora (Rory) born 5/13/04

[Sopamanda]

If this helps:
My piano (88 keys) is 60 inches across.

61 full sized keys would run you about 34 inches, plus something on the sides, plastic, whatever...

How old is the child? Is this for Rory?

How long do you see yourself in this house?

Amanda

[sdbc]

Those measurements do help. I'm going to pull out a tape measure tomorrow. The depth matters, too...

The keyboard/piano will be for my husband and for Rory (who is 26 months).

I imagine we will try to stay in our house for 8 more years or so (depending if our careers move us before then). But DH might move his office out of the house earlier. Also, we *could* fit a piano if we got rid of our guest room. If they got really into it, we'd make the sacrifice, but it's not something I'd be willing to do just yet, before I know if they'll be committed, KWIM?

So, my DH is 38 (will be 39 this year!) and he says he wanted to learn piano his whole life, but his family was poor and couldn't afford one. He is naturally musically gifted (he was first chair trumpet in high school and can play anything on Rory's Fisher Price xylophone, etc). He would really, really like to learn and teach Rory (or learn together). So, the keyboard will technically be for his birthday, with a promise of lessons, unless he wants to teach himself. Rory is still young to develop anything other than the appreciation, I think. When do lessons usually start? 3 or 4?

Sue, mommy to Aurora (Rory) born 5/13/04

[Sopamanda]

22 inches on depth for piano. I imagine keyboard would be around 10. Don't forget about the bench.

I don't think I'll start DS on piano until he's at least 6. Not a piano pedagogue here, but... 3 or 4 seems very young. I would wait until she can read so she can better adapt to the staff. Of course she could always play around. I think I was like 10, which was pretty late. HTH

Amanda

[sdbc]

Thanks so much for your insight. So I guess my plan will be a keyboard for DH to mess with, and then once Rory is 6 or so, we can nix the guestroom and get a piano if they are both into it. That would work. By then, Rory would be old enough to camp out on the floor if we had guests, anyway...

Sue, mommy to Aurora (Rory) born 5/13/04