Recommend a keyboard

DMC

Hi all, first post over here.

I'm thinking about learning to play piano/keyboards, a complete beginner. I'm wondering what would be the best keyboard I could get, my budget is €200 or less.

Any help/opinions would be excellent.

Oeneus

For that price range you should look into the Yamaha PSR range.

But what sucks about learning on a keyboard like this is that the action of keyboards are made with these touch sensative keys that don't strengthen your fingers for playing at all.

Yamaha have a range of keyboards made with realistic grand piano graded action but there a bit more expensive. They're the "P" range. I plan to get one soon. I'm taking quite an interest in the "P80" model.

But one thing you might want to do is ask around the family if they've got a piano that you can have or something. There's usually always a case that someone in a family has previously tried playing piano and gave up. Its usually the best way of obtaining one.

robbie1876

Thats all good advice, oeneus, especially recommending the PSR range, you can't go wrong there.

Playing to strengthen your fingers is only of use really if you plan to migrate to the piano at some stage. Many players, including myself, have never played piano or had the need to play it. The keyboards I use are semi-weighted, so I have enough feel for the piano or rhodes tunes, and are light enough for the organ tunes.

So it all depends on what you want to play. Having said all that, I'm acquiring a piano for the house for the first time tomorrow, and can't wait!

DMC

Thanks for the advice lads, really a leap into the unknown. As for getting a piano, I dont know of anyone who'd have one like that. robbie1876 is lucky to be picking up that gem in the Bargain forum.

I have my eye on this. I may buy online, but are there any stockists in Ireland anyone recommends? (I think this model is in the Argos book too, but its dear in it.)

Oeneus

I still think you should save up another couple a' hundred dough so you can get a P80.

But I'm just a fussy git who's also icredibly pished right nah!

shabbyroad

You need to decide whether you want to play piano or "keyboards".
Piano technique transfers well to non-weighted keyboards but unfortunately the converse isn't true. You can, with good lessons or some raw talent, sound pretty good using keyboards pretty quickly but the same can't always be said for piano.

The long term rewards from becoming a good piano player are, IMHO, much greater and you can use an electronic keyboard at any time.

(electronic) Keyboards are a good way to get introduced to the chords, scales and will give you some quick satisfaction which is pretty important for anyone learning a new instrument.

If you've decided to start on electronic keyboards then get something that plays basic piano sounds so you won't be distracted by the gizmos and auto-accompaniments. Get your teacher to work with you on some classic tunes that you'll enjoy playing (lots of bood Beatles sheet music out there) and away you go.

Enjoy every damn minute of it - stick with it and you'll thank yourself :-)