Wilna Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Hi, I'm interested in getting a keyboard as a Christmas present. I plan on teaching myself how to play as I have no experience and it will purely be something to do as a hobby - I've no idea what I shold be looking for in a keyboard so will some research but have often found that forums offer the best advice hence posting here. I have a couple of young kids so it'd be nice for them to be able to use it in the future. My plan is to be able to play a few songs on it once I've learned the basics and done some practice, so nothing too advanced. My budget isn't huge - probably £150 or so (c.$250). If anyone can give me some pointers that would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Horne Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Wilna, welcome to the forum. We're not rude but you must understand that this question gets asked with some frequency. You're probably not going to find anything new at that price that anyone here would recommend. I suggest going to your local music store (not a department store) and browse. Have you thought of renting an acoustic through your dealer? This isn't much help but you've not given us much money to work with. No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message. In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilna Posted December 12, 2009 Author Share Posted December 12, 2009 ok, appreciate the response. I tried to search for 'keyboard beginner' but got a whole load of listings for a Facebook page which wasn't much help! I've done a bit of research into it and have found a couple of Yamaha models - PSR E213 and EZ200 - which look decent, so I will probably pop into a music shop and see what they have to say. If anyone has any thoughts on these or anything similar that would be great although I appreciate this is very much the bottom of the market and probably not what you normally discuss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 If anyone has any thoughts on these or anything similar that would be great although I appreciate this is very much the bottom of the market and probably not what you normally discuss. Oh, we talk about EVERYTHING here, Wilna. Yours is a good question. Dave Horne is correct - there are many reasons that renting a good acoustic piano is the best way to go. Developing proper fingering technique is one of them. If you don't have the room for an acoustic piano, then a keyboard with 88 hammer-action weighted keys is probably the next best alternative. Look for models from Yamaha, Casio, and Roland. Here is an excellent starting point. For portability, I purchased a Casio WK-200 not too long ago. Although it doesn't have weighted keys, it does have useable piano sounds, as well as many others. Because it's battery powered with internal speakers - and a headphone jack for private practice - it may be worth considering. You can find many keyboards in your price range on eBay and Craigslist. Review this information and post again with additional questions. We are happy to help you. Welcome to The Keyboard Corner! Tom "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilna Posted December 12, 2009 Author Share Posted December 12, 2009 Thanks for the comments Tom. I'll have a look around and get back with any thoughts. One initial question that springs to mind regards the number of keys. Most of the models I've looked at have 61 keys rather than 88. Whilst I appreciate that in an ideal world, a grand piano with the full compliment would be the choice, for someone who wants to learn how to play, is having 61 keys a significant issue? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 ...for someone who wants to learn how to play, is having 61 keys a significant issue? Thanks. Wilna, the biggest hurdle for many people is to get a good start and receive positive reinforcement/feedback. It is for me anyway. One of the best ways to achieve this is with the help of a good teacher. However, you also don't want to put a lot of money into an instrument until you feel reasonably certain that you actually enjoy learning, practicing, and performing the tunes you learn. This is why, at first, it can be better to rent an acoustic piano, or purchase something used. For some, getting a start with a 61-key model will be all it takes to move forward from there. However, these keyboards won't help you at all with fingering techniques - they all have unweighted keys. When you move up to a 73/76/88 - note keyboard, your chances of finding an action that is similar to an acoustic piano are much better. Go to the stores. Try to find an instrument within your budget that has a piano sound you like and an action that is as close to an acoustic piano as possible. Everyone has their preferences. You may decide that you must have a real piano and not a keyboard. If this is the case, then the rental option is the way to go. Tom "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilna Posted December 12, 2009 Author Share Posted December 12, 2009 ok, I will go and have a chat with someone in a store locally. Many thanks for your help, much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VLH Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Wilna, if you can nudge your price up just a bit, you may be able to find a casio cdp100 for about $350 US. This doesn't show up in the Sweetwater link provided above. The action feels fairly close to a real piano, and the built in sounds are serviceable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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