Piano for Beginners: Keyboard or Digital Piano?

Playing the keyboard and the digital piano for beginners might seem quite similar but are actually very different. Here's what you need to know to decide which instrument is right for you.

While a keyboard and piano may seem similar, there are, in fact, many differences between the two instruments. While a keyboard is based on a piano, the instruments take different skills to practice and learn. If you're a beginner, the learning curve for both instruments is steep, but mastering it is rewarding.

There are many benefits to learning both keyboard and piano, but most students choose to master one or the other. Before deciding which road to take, it's important to understand what these two instruments are made of and what you can gain from learning to play them.

Read on to find out the key differences between both instruments, and to determine whether it is best to learn keyboard lessons or piano lessons for beginners.

What's The Difference?

To understand the differences between keyboards and pianos, you must first understand their similarities. In truth, the keyboard was inspired by the piano and has a very similar design. The keys are played in order to create a certain musical sound. Both instruments have the same basic concept.
Their actual compositions, though, are very different. Keyboard keys are played in order to trigger a synthesizer, responding to the keys that are being played. While keyboards are a cost-effective option, they don't have the same vibe as a piano. This is mainly because of the way a piano is composed.
The piano, while it may not seem like it, is a string instrument. Every time you press down on a key, a small hammer hits a string in the back of the piano to produce sound. This means that even the best piano player must understand how to place pressure on the keys.

The different makeup of these instruments makes it so that each responds differently to pressure. A piano gives a player much more control based on the pressure he gives, especially in terms of dynamics and musicality.

The Benefits of a Keyboard

While the piano is definitely the more notorious instrument-some people even refer to keyboards as the junior pianos-the the keyboard has many benefits in itself. The first of these benefits is the most notorious-price.

The prices of most acoustic pianos start at the low thousands. This in itself can be a huge turn-off for many aspiring pianists. On the other hand, most keyboards will start around $150 and go up to $1000, making the keyboard a better option if you're not fully committed or don't have the budget for a digital piano.

The other benefit of the keyboard is the keys. For many younger children learning to play, piano keys are very heavy and adding pressure may be difficult for them. The keyboard is the solution to this. Having a keyboard, with very sensitive keys, allows for anyone of any age to learn to play!
The keyboard synthesizer is also a great opportunity to add different types of sounds to your performance. Many keyboards come jam-packed with different sounds, even jokey tracks, for musicians looking to develop an alternative vibe. It comes with a digital piano music stand which is fairly sturdy, but I had to purchase the adjustable keyboard stand separately for a keyboard piano.
On top of all of this, many modern keyboards are now coming with pressure sensors, so that the simulation of piano playing is even more accurate. This makes the instrument more realistic and harder to learn, thus more rewarding to master.

There are many shortcomings when comparing a keyboard to a piano, though. Because the pressure controls aren't fully developed, an artist can't fully control the music he/she creates with a keyboard. On top of that, the keyboard is not held in the same esteem as a piano.

Either way, the keyboard is a great stepping stone for many young pianists on the way to learning the piano. The key difference is, though, that the keyboard is also a great instrument in itself, and is beginning to command the respect it deserves.

The Benefits of Digital Piano

The piano is a legendary and beautiful instrument, and many experts argue that its impact could not be matched by a keyboard. No electronic sound, they say, will ever match the beauty of that hammer striking down on piano strings and creating wonderful sheet music that has been enjoyed by many generations.  Which basically composes simple 3-note piano songs set around Middle C; one for the left hand, and one for the right hand, that also includes scales, rhythmic concepts as well as tips on good piano technique like fingering and legato. Okay, we’ve talked about notes and keys on your piano. But unless you want to just plunk out popular songs one note at a time (hint: nobody wants this), you need to learn more about piano chord progressions and what piano chords are. Three popular piano chords – the A minor chord, F major chord, and G major chord.

Three interactive exercises are part of this lesson so that you learn and practice the chord fingering for each one, concluding in playing a famous pop song. And most traditional piano teachers teach you to play them by looking at sheet music, figuring out the notes within each chord as they appear, and playing them in your left hand or right hand depending on whether they are in the treble clef or bass clef.

My approach is all about helping my students learn to build chords – groups of notes that sound good together and add depth to your playing.

Whether you agree with this statement or not, there are too many benefits of learning piano to count. The piano is a well-respected and famous instrument amongst any social circle, and mastering it can truly improve your standing amongst your peers.

The piano is not just a social tool, though. Learning to play piano also does much in sharpening intellect. In fact, understanding music and the control that the piano requires also aids in other areas. For example, regular piano practice at a young age helps to develop the spatial-temporal ability, which aids in math and logic problems.

On top of intellect, the piano is also a physically demanding instrument. Playing it is a workout in itself! With the weight of the keys as well as the proper posture that piano players must master, piano players, are strengthening their bodies while they sharpen their minds with the instrument.

Of course, playing the piano isn't always easy. The biggest roadblock for aspiring pianists is often cost-pianos start at a high price and there's no way around it. On top of that, one must dedicate a lot of time and energy to mastering the piano, and there is truly no way around that.

There is nothing wrong with choosing the beginner pianos. If you can dedicate the time, effort, and money to it, the benefits that come with the digital piano are seemingly endless!

Should You Choose Keyboard or Piano for Beginners?

While both instruments may seem similar, the keyboard and the piano are both amazing choices because of their differences. When choosing whether to play a piano keyboard or piano for beginners, there are many things you should consider.

For some, a keyboard is a great option in itself. For others, it is a stepping stone to the piano. Yet, others choose to dive straight into piano-playing and never look back. Regardless of which option you want to choose for a piano beginner in your life, be sure to contact us for any and all your music needs!


The post Piano for Beginners: Keyboard or Digital Piano? first appeared on Merriam Pianos

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