So, you’re looking to buy a piano? Here is a quick read on what to look for!
Keyboard, Digital or String?
Regardless what you are buying, the Piano is a investment, that you want to make sure you get it right, the first time! How do you figure out what kind to invest in?
Traditional String Piano:
Brands that are top rated: Yamaha, Steinway, Kawai, Baldwin, Bechstein
- Consoles, Studios and Uprights are probably the most space friendly. They conveniently can be placed against a wall, to leave room for other furniture. A good rule of thumb is – the taller the back, the better the sound quality. However, when purchasing a String piano, buy what is in your budget. Touch and feel the piano, if possible. When I bought my current piano, I wanted something with a smooth touch and a rich sound. I played quite a few, until I found exactly what I wanted, in the budget that I was shopping. So, figure out how much you want to spend, shop and play until you find something that feels good. Make sure that the strings, hammers, pedals, etc. look healthy, No rust, broken parts and the keys are all in working condition!
A Digital Piano:
Brands to look for: Yamaha, Kawai, Casio, Roland.
Things to look for:
- 88 weighted keys
- Pedals that are embedded into the unit. Pedals that are free standing, tend to be harder to use. When the pedal is a plug in, it is more finicky to use. Therefore, it can take away from the accuracy when playing it.
- Bench. Having the proper distance and height from the piano, helps encourage correct posture.
- A bonus is having a Metronome programmed into the digital system!
- Another bonus for the player, is having a recording feature. This helps a couple things: Creating the musicians’ own compositions is fun! The other is having the hindsight of what areas to work on! I find it most useful when preparing a piece, to record yourself, listen, and work on areas that you heard need more practice.
Keyboards:
Brands: Yamaha, Kawai, Casio, Roland
- A big pro of starting with keyboard is it tends to be more economical and portable! This is the best entry level option, to find out if the Piano is something that might be a long term instrument for you.
- Similarly, to a digital piano, 88 weighted keys are optimal, for the mostly realistic sound. When the keys are not weighted, it can create difficulty playing the intended keys, efficiently and accurately.
- Adjustable stand is an awesome benefit. Especially if the pianist is younger, the stand can be lowered, so they can develop correct habits, from an early age. Contrary if the player is taller, it can lifted, so they can remain sitting up and still comfortably reaching the keys.