What’s the best piano for beginners?

Before embarking on your musical journey, you’ll need some equipment. The right equipment. Which means you’re likely wondering what’s the best piano for beginners?

Learning a new instrument is an exciting prospect. We fantasize about the beautiful music we’ll play, the people we’ll impress, and the rewarding feeling we’ll get from our hard work. However, there are countless steps to take before reaching your goal. 

And choosing the right instrument is the first big decision.

Buying your first piano can be a tough decision and there are plenty of options to choose from.  This guide will help you figure out which piano is the best to buy for a beginner.

What’s a digital piano?

A fine choice for any piano student, the digital piano is the electronic descendant of the traditional piano. Though this variation is much smaller, they’re designed to feel like and produce similar sounds to an acoustic piano. 

They typically come with 88 keys with weighted synthetic ivory to add that exquisite and less slippery touch. Digital pianos come in various designs, including upright to mimic an upright acoustic, cabinet format, or set on a keyboard stand. And many of them come with pedals too.

While replicating an organic sound with an electronic system is a tall order, sound technology has come a long way. Modern digital pianos offer quality sounds that only the sharpest ears can distinguish. 

Lastly, digital pianos generally cost less and take up less space than their acoustic cousin.

What’s a keyboard? 

To an untrained eye, a keyboard looks just like a digital piano. However, if you zoom in a little, you’ll find that the two are not the same.  

Keyboards are smaller than a digital or acoustic piano and typically only have 61 or 78 semi-weighted or unweighted keys. 

Everything from the way the instrument feels to the sounds it makes is different from the traditional and digital pianos. In other words, if you’re looking for a quality sound that replicates an acoustic piano, the keyboard is not for you. 

This instrument offers a range of sounds (hundreds in some cases) that are not available with a digital piano. They’re also much easier to carry around – making them ideal for jam sessions with your friends. 

Acoustic piano for beginners? 

An acoustic piano is a graceful instrument with a rich history – a timeless masterpiece that comes with an allure of elegance and prestige. At the hands of skilled musicians, they can create powerful sounds that elicit profound auditory sensations. 

Buying the majestic acoustic piano is an ambitious first choice. It’s the equivalent of buying a Ferrari as your first car. As a beginner, you simply can’t appreciate the qualities of a premium instrument.

While these instruments are a work of art, they’re not the best piano to buy for beginners. Acoustic pianos are far more expensive and take up more space. As far as instruments go, it’s a BIG investment, and if you’re just starting, you won’t be able to make the most of an acoustic piano. 

An acoustic piano isn’t the best instrument to buy as a beginner, but it can serve as a reward for hard work and practice. 

Keyboard piano for beginners?

A keyboard is an excellent choice for beginners! This instrument offers a fun and dynamic approach to learning the piano at an affordable price. The various sound templates allow you to explore different playing styles, and to some extent, you can even emulate an acoustic or digital piano. 

Keyboards are easy to carry around because they’re smaller. This means that you can get your practice session wherever you go. 

Additionally, keyboards are generally cheaper and can be set up on any flat surface, making them a more casual and stress-free way to immerse in your musical pursuits. 

Choosing a piano.

Ultimately, choosing the right piano depends on what you’re looking for. 

When making your decision, you need to consider a few things. For instance, buying the right piano as a beginner will partially depend on your budget. Digital pianos and keyboards range from around a hundred to several thousand dollars. 

Deciding how much to spend on a keyboard, digital piano, or acoustic piano depends on what you want out of your instrument. You need to consider your piano’s qualities – like its portability, where you’ll store it, the number of keys you want, and the kind of music you want to play. 

The best home piano for beginners.

Once you figure out what qualities your instrument wants, you can start shopping around. But for now, here are a few of our top picks for the best piano for beginners. We also talk about the best digital piano in another blog post.

Let the showcase begin!

Casio CDP-S150

If you’re looking for an instrument that emulates an acoustic piano, the Casio CDP-S150 is slimmer in size and reasonably priced at around $600. With 88 keys and ten different sound options, this digital piano provides a similar feel to an acoustic piano. 

The synthetic keys mimic the sensation of ebony and ivory keys – giving your fingers a less slippery surface to play on. While the Casio CDP-S150 doesn’t perfectly recreate the sounds of an acoustic piano, the sound is rich.

Lastly, this piano comes with a stand and is relatively easy to store, making it a great piano to buy for beginners.

Alesis Melody 61 MKII Music Keyboard

Next up, we have the Alesis Melody 61 MKII Music Keyboard. This keyboard comes as a complete set -a stand, bench, microphone, headphones, and 300 different sounds. You’ll have an endless source of entertainment on your hands.

Typically this keyboard comes with 61 keys, but it’s also available with 54 or 32 keys. On top of that, it’s easy to pack up and carry around. 

The Alesis Melody 61 MKII Music Keyboard is an excellent piano for beginners because of its portability, low cost, and versatile perks.

Roland FP-10 

Last but certainly not least, the Roland FP-10 is a full-size digital piano that mimics the aesthetics and sounds of an acoustic piano. It looks great and provides a similar feel to a traditional piano. 

This digital piano has a PHA4 keybed and a quality SuperNatural sound engine. The 88 keys use synthetic ivory and are weighted individually. The low notes are heavier and gradually become lighter as you move up the scale.

The Roland FP-10 is slim and easy to store. The cost, size, and sound quality combination make this digital piano ideal for beginners.

Ultimately, the best piano for a beginner depends on various factors. For starters, you need to know what music you want to play. 

You also need to consider where you’ll be playing most of the time – are you traveling around or more sedentary? 

And of course, there’s the question of how much money you can spend on an instrument. Choosing the right instrument can have a big impact on your musical hobby. 


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