To learn piano, you’ll need a few more things in addition to lessons. Below, I’ve listed some of my favorite tools to help you get started. I don’t have any affiliate links or get a commission off these. They are just my own honest opinions.
Pianos
While acoustic pianos are great for any home, digital pianos have progressed a lot in the past few years. I use a digital piano myself when teaching. Here are some pros and cons of choosing an acoustic or digital piano.
Acoustic
- Natural weight and action to keys
- Authentic resonant sound
- Need to be tuned once or twice a year
- Require a specific environment (humidity, heat, etc.)
Digital
- Versatility in sounds produced from strings to drums to sound effect
- Most are capable of recordings
- While digital pianos don’t need to be tuned, they may need maintenance for the computer parts
- Sufficient key action is lacking in many cheap digital keyboards. To get the same action as acoustic keys, you may have to spend much more.
- Not all digital keyboards provide more than the sustain pedal. There are two other pedals used more often in intermediate and advanced pieces that digital keyboards may not provide.
- Some pianos are not worth your money, no matter how cheap they are, so ensure things like weighted keys and having all 88 keys.
When choosing a piano, you first need to decide whether an acoustic or digital piano works best for your needs. Once you’ve determined that, decide on a budget for your piano. Some decide to buy a cheaper digital keyboard at the beginning and upgrade to a nicer acoustic piano a few years later. Others decide they only want to buy a piano once and start with a nicer one. Whatever you decide, here are some pianos I have found that work well. This is clearly not an exhaustive list, and what you have at home may work just as well.
Remember: when searching through digital keyboards, look for words like hammer-action or weighted keys. Touch sensitive is not the same. Keyboards with touch sensitive keys will not spring back like real keys. Weighted keys are great for an affordable price, and hammer-action keys are even better as they replicate closely actual piano keys.
Also, always ensure they include all 88 keys.
Digital Keyboard Recommendations
These are keyboards that work, but I can only list a few while many more are great. Look at Facebook Marketplace, garage sales, or apps like OfferUp.