Guide to Buying Your First Piano
Choosing your first piano is an exciting and important step! A good instrument will make practicing more enjoyable and effective, helping you build proper technique from day one. It can be confusing with so many options available, so I've created this guide to focus on what truly matters for a developing pianist.
Skip to the RecommendationsWhat to Look For in a Digital Piano
Full-Sized Keyboard (88 keys)
What it is: This is the standard number of keys on a traditional acoustic piano.
Why it matters: All piano music is written for a full 88-key keyboard. Starting with fewer keys will quickly become limiting and will hinder your ability to play a wide range of repertoire as you progress.
Weighted Keys
What it is: This feature mimics the feel of an acoustic piano, where pressing a key requires some effort. Graded hammer action and other similar features fall into this category.
Why it matters: This is arguably the most important feature for building proper finger strength, dexterity, and control. An unweighted "keyboard" with springy keys will not allow you to develop the correct technique and will makes it difficult to transition to an acoustic piano.
Sound Quality
What it is: The sound engine of the piano should produce a rich, realistic, and inspiring tone. A key technical term here is polyphony, which is the number of notes the piano can produce at once. Another thing to consider is the sample library used to create the sound of each key. Samples are very complex recordings that allow you to create beautiful music, rather than just turn each key on or off.
Why it matters: A beautiful sound inspires you to play more. Low polyphony can cause notes to "drop out" when you use the sustain pedal or play complex passages, which is very frustrating. Aim for at least 128 note polyphony. The sample library is even more important, but very difficult to directly compare between pianos.
Digital Piano Recommendations
Select the option that best fits your price range to see my recommendations. I suggest that you buy the highest quality instrument that is in your price range, because having a beautiful instrument inspires students of all ages to practice more.
If you make a purchase after clicking on a link on this page, Connections Piano Academy may receive a portion of the proceeds from your transaction. Prices naturally fluctuate, and Connections Piano Academy makes no guarantees about the availability or price of any linked products.
Budget option: $700
| Item | Purchase Link | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Piano | Roland FP-10 | $500 |
| Bench | RockJam KB100 Bench | $40 |
| Stand | RockJam Z Style Stand | $60 |
| Pedal | M-Audio SP-2 | $25 |
Mid-range option: $1300
| Item | Purchase Link | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Piano | Casio Privia PX-870 | $1200 |
| Bench | Adjustable Bench | $80 |
| Pedal | — | Included |
| Stand | — | Included |
High-end option: $1800
| Item | Purchase Link | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Piano | Yamaha YDP-165 | $1800 |
| Bench | — | Included |
| Stand | — | Included |
| Pedal | — | Included |
Acoustic Piano Recommendations
Beyond the $1800 price point, it makes more sense to invest in an acoustic piano. Not even the best digital pianos are better than the real thing. Real strings, real hammers, and a real sound. If you want to go this route, I recommend that you do not buy a used piano from Facebook, OfferUp, Craigslists, etc, and above all else, never accept a free piano. There's always a reason it's free, and it's not good!
Pianos are complicated machines and you probably don't know what to look for. An instrument may look perfectly fine to you but have significant issues that you can't see. Instead, I recommend you buy from a reputable piano dealer. These pianos are typically backed up by a warranty and your money will be much better spent here.
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