[First Blush]

Hey everyone I wasn't sure where to post this but I want to start learning how to play piano, I can't afford lessons but I was hoping to buy a keyboard and use this program I saw at the library... Only thing is, I don't know anything about keyboards and which one is going to be 'worth' its price? Do you have any suggestions what to look for or any general/specific advice?

[JDMz]

I think you can learn without lessons. I have been only playing piano for one year and i am decent haha. If you want to get serious, then you will want lessons. But if you want to play just for fun intermediate level, you can learn without any lessons. You should go to Guitar Center to buy a keyboard. I started out with a cheap $100 one but I quickly changed to a more expensive keyboard. The more expensive ones have weighted keys, so you can play with more emotion. I guess you can start by gettiing a cheap one like I did. But if you really want to learn, I suggest you just save up because you will want one with weighted hammer keys later on. Check out my vids youtube.com/driftx2.

The cheapest hammer key keyboard is probably the casio CDP-100. Get one with a pedal!! trust me. It sounds so much better. And you can learn to use it without lessons.

[RiderKamen]

well since you just want to learn how to play a keyboard, get a cheap Yamaha with the learning system in there (CTK & YPT series). I think they run 50 and up.

I would suggest something different if you wanted a keyboard to create music on (workstation as they call it).

[First Blush]

JDMz: thanks for the advice I will get one with a pedal! Thanks I'm going to read about the casio right now! =P

RiderKamen thank you, I was thinking of getting a yamaha too b/c I heard it was the best to buy? but then I'm looking into the weighted keys and pedal advice from JDMz. =)

[JDMz]

The first keyboard I got was the Yamaha ypt-300. And the second keyboard I got was the Yamaha p-120.. so yea! Yamaha is pretty good. I bought a used p-120 because new it would cost like 1000+ lol. I got mine for like 600 bux on craigslist. Most of the cheap keyboards have pedal inputs too.. so you can buy a pedal and just plug it in. But it doesn't sound anywhere near as good as one of the more expensive keyboards. (i have pedals for both my keyboards)

More on learning: I have never used any of those tutorials included with the keyboard or "lighted keys". You should just learn to read the notes (if you haven't) and start playing. You can look up tutorials on google and stuff if you want to learn proper techniques but blahh i just play for fun lol.

[sigh991]

I started piano about 4 months ago and got the Casio PX110. It had really good reviews on Amazon, plus it has weighted keys.

[RiderKamen]

more like 100 and up my bad lol

[vernness]

Hie guys. I have no knowledge at all in keyboards .
Just wanna ask, izit really possible to learn keyboard by oneself?? It's coz I really would like to learn the keyboard but the fees in music schools is abit too much for me. I'd just like to learn to play the songs that I like..sort of like playing by ear. And I'm not interested in the theory part I went around askin music schools in my area and they said better to take up classes and learn from scratch the theory and practical. I'm seriously considering to get a keyboard.

Hope u guys can gimme some feedback~~~

Thank You!!!

[McCartney]

It is possible, but you might want to learn music theory to better understand music and maybe even compose something yourself. I suggest you get a keyboard with weighted keys. I don't think you'll improve much without it. A keyboad without weighted keys sounds dead to me.

[ramenhero]

hey once you get real pro get a roland phantom ! or a yamaha motif ;] lol

[JDMz]

Hie guys. I have no knowledge at all in keyboards .
Just wanna ask, izit really possible to learn keyboard by oneself?? It's coz I really would like to learn the keyboard but the fees in music schools is abit too much for me. I'd just like to learn to play the songs that I like..sort of like playing by ear. And I'm not interested in the theory part I went around askin music schools in my area and they said better to take up classes and learn from scratch the theory and practical. I'm seriously considering to get a keyboard.

Hope u guys can gimme some feedback~~~

Thank You!!!

read second post

[RiderKamen]

Hie guys. I have no knowledge at all in keyboards .
Just wanna ask, izit really possible to learn keyboard by oneself?? It's coz I really would like to learn the keyboard but the fees in music schools is abit too much for me. I'd just like to learn to play the songs that I like..sort of like playing by ear. And I'm not interested in the theory part I went around askin music schools in my area and they said better to take up classes and learn from scratch the theory and practical. I'm seriously considering to get a keyboard.

Hope u guys can gimme some feedback~~~

Thank You!!!

Yep. Whether you can or cannot afford schooling, go to music stores or city libraries to pick up some books.

Buy records from 80's and all the way back to ancient times and start listening to them and mimic them.

Watch TV and listen to the music in the background and try to mimic those notes.

Or go to the internet where its pretty much your best resource.


Mimic to learn, study your music theory.

[vernness]

Thank you very much, guys

[[MeiMei ♡]]

i've been playing piano for eight + years.
so i've had my fair share of going through piano's and keyboards. at the moment, i'm playing the proper piano, but when i started i played on a yamaha keyboard.
if you want to know the model you can ask me.. but that one doesn't have weighted keys. and then i changed to a piano then upgraded. it'll be better to just head down to different music stores and ask for prices, discounts and info. i've only noted a few for you here, but they're the main ones you want to look out for.

well, first of all you definitely want one which has a good sound and touch to it if you want to be serious. that means, that when you press harder it'll be louder etc. i think you should already know that about the weighted keys like a real piano. a good keyboard should be able to make a synthesized sound of a normal piano (coz you don't want something tonky ) you also want a pedal/

it really depends on how serious you want to play.. well, to your 'learning piano by yourself' i heard a guy play piano really well. he learnt piano up to grade three through lessons and then dropped and continued learning the stuff himself. like so practically, those grades teach you about quavers, key signatures and how to read music. well those are basics anyway.
of course, you can train yourself but it takes A LOT of patience and tolerance with yourself. if you learn things fast it'll be easier as well. playing by ear can be hard to train. because usually those people who play by ear have perfect pitch.
that means that you can tell what note it is by just listening to it. unless, you're just going to sit in front of the keyboard and just try to figure out chords and notes etc.

i started when i was young. and my interest started when i began playing songs myself by ear and making songs up myself after knowing some crotchets, quavers etc... then i continued by lessons and became good if i say so myself. so hey, i guess i'm proof. sort of.

anyway, i'm planning to go profesh for this. maybe. but if you need any more.. information just pm me or comment my profile.

[boa808]

For a beginner, I'd recommend looking into the Casio Privia series of digital pianos. They offer a lot of bang for your buck at relatively low prices. I got a casio px-200 about half a year ago for $400 at music123.com . The reviews on it were great and it is one of the lower prices I've seen on a digital piano with the features I wanted- mainly weighted keys and decent sound quality. Along with those features, they also have a bunch of additional features which I have no idea how to use, but it's good that it's there in case I ever need it lol. One thing it has is a SD card slot so you can record songs onto a sd card and upload it to your computer or something. My friend's yamaha p-70 which cost him like $600 like 2-3 years ago has barely any features on it, however the sound on that is pretty good.

Consider looking around online for a keyboard. There are sites that offer discounts every now and then. Like when I got my piano from music123, it was $500 - $100 coupon.

Also, you may want to check out this piano forum. http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimate...p?/forum/6.html
I'm sure you can find some good info there about digital pianos.

[Melitus]

For a beginner, I'd recommend looking into the Casio Privia series of digital pianos. They offer a lot of bang for your buck at relatively low prices. I got a casio px-200 about half a year ago for $400 at music123.com . The reviews on it were great and it is one of the lower prices I've seen on a digital piano with the features I wanted- mainly weighted keys and decent sound quality. Along with those features, they also have a bunch of additional features which I have no idea how to use, but it's good that it's there in case I ever need it lol. One thing it has is a SD card slot so you can record songs onto a sd card and upload it to your computer or something. My friend's yamaha p-70 which cost him like $600 like 2-3 years ago has barely any features on it, however the sound on that is pretty good.

Consider looking around online for a keyboard. There are sites that offer discounts every now and then. Like when I got my piano from music123, it was $500 - $100 coupon.

Also, you may want to check out this piano forum. http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimate...p?/forum/6.html
I'm sure you can find some good info there about digital pianos.

I also got a privia, however i paid bout 500$ + 55$ for the piano bag. I love it, its weighted. However it is still unlike the REAL thing, learning piano on weighted keys is very crucial. If you learn from a reg keyboard and tries to convert to piano it will be very awkward.
I even tried to play some songs on a keyboard, it was horrible. Invest some money in a weighted keys. It has like 6 different tones and you can combine these 6 tones to make a unique tone, it has a metronnome for beats, and a recorder..and more. I'm still figuring it out. btw i got the 88 keys one..love it.