9 Responses for "I’m going to take piano lessons, but will it be harder to learn if i only practice on a keyboard?"

1. guitarpicker56 August 19th, 2009 at 12:39 pm 1

   I’m no pianist, but I’ve known plenty of guitarists who learned on the most cheapest of instruments having a fretboard and six strings.

   I would think that a keyboard, having the 88 keys, would be advantageous for you to start out. The only things missing would be the foot pedals. Pianos aren’t cheap and not every pianist can afford one, so go for the keyboard in the interim and learn all you can. When you sit before a real piano everything should click into place.

   So, pianists out there–am I right in this advice?
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2. M N August 19th, 2009 at 1:00 pm 2

   For the first year it is fine to use a keyboard, but you will definitely need piano lessons. Group lessons are inexpensive and my work charges $10 dollars for an hour lesson. There are disadvantages to group lessons, but you will learn the basics and lessons are fun. You can learn a lot with 2 years of study but to be really proficient you’ll need at least 7 years of study (private lessons). If you are serious about learning the piano you will need to invest in one after about a year because that is when you start learning proper technique and pedal usage. You can rent a piano or buy a used one for less expense.
   References :
   I’m a piano teacher

3. universitymongoose August 19th, 2009 at 1:48 pm 3

   The main difference between a keyboard other than the fact that there are more octaves, is the feeling of weight and resistance when you strike the keys. Keyboards, unless they are fairly expensive, have a spongy feeling. But I believe that if you are serious in your practice, that should not be a serious problem.

   My first guitar was pretty dinky,with a narrow small neck. But learning to play the chords on that cramped neck gave me real focus… and made me really appreciate the first good guitar I ever got.
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4. emmapeel66 August 19th, 2009 at 2:33 pm 4

   I’ve been playing piano most of my life. I’d say depending on your ability and willingness to practice you could probably become pretty good in 3 to 5 years. The advantage of private lessons is in the one on one personalized instruction. A program can’t help you with tone or finger position. It also can’t assess your strengths and weaknesses and help you accordingly. As far as a keyboard goes, if you can get a full-sized one with weighted full-sized keys, or at least one with full-sized keys, you should have a problem transitioning to an actual piano. If you know anyone who owns a piano, you might be able to talk them into letting you practice there sometimes. That way you could practice on your keyboard and the real thing. Good luck.
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5. tydlywnks August 19th, 2009 at 3:22 pm 5

   My main issue while taking lessons but only being able to practice on the keyboard was when I needed to use the pedal. My keyboard doesn’t have one, and I didn’t want to buy one at that time. The sound is different, but you can overcome the timing thing (when to pedal, when to let up) while using a keyboard by having something under your foot and pressing it like a pedal - a small pillow works well for me…or a sewing machine pedal.

   For the basic concept of playing, unless you need the extra octaves right away, you should be fine on a keyboard.

   Good luck!
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6. RG August 19th, 2009 at 3:54 pm 6

   As a beginner, a keyboard will be fine. If you can buy a full 88 key keyboard, that’s even better, and you can become really good, if you try.
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7. Justin August 19th, 2009 at 4:03 pm 7

   You can learn to play basic piano music on any keyboard instrument but to learn the dynamics, sustain and other features of piano, you need to play one.

   I am a self-taught pianist and I think lessons are only necessary if you’re looking to play exactly like someone. If you want to play classical, you’ll learn from a classical piano instructor. If you want to learn jazz, you look for a jazz pianist. However, piano is not so complicated that you can’t do it without a teacher. Just listen and imitate and then create.
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8. TheFatIdiot August 19th, 2009 at 4:10 pm 8

   Keyboards simply can not duplicate the touch of a real piano, you must play and practise on the real thing to the the dymaics and touch right. The damper pedal on a keyboard also is nothing like the real thing. Having lessons helps because your teacher can pick out your bad habits and teach you how to play properly, bad habits are hard to undo once you get used to doing it wrong.
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9. mom2savi August 19th, 2009 at 4:24 pm 9

   It really depends on what your goals are. Before you make your purchase, consider how good you want to get and what you want to be able to play.

   If you want to play Beethoven Piano Concertos, invest in the best piano you can buy and take lessons. Lessons on a keyboard can teach you notes and rhythm, but cannot help with your technique. It is always easier to acquire good technique in the first place than to correct bad technique once you have practiced it in. Bad technique can work for a particular situation, but will become limiting as your pieces become more difficult.

   If you are going to buy a piano and cost is an important consideration, used can be a good way to go. However, with old pianos, it is worthwhile paying a tuner to check it out before buying. A piano that isn’t sound is good firewood or a very expensive project.

   For many adults looking to learn to play the piano for recreation, a high quality keyboard is fine. I find that weighted keys are very helpful. For most people, keys that aren’t weighted don’t give you enough tactile feedback to allow you play accurately without looking at your hands. Another good feature to have are touch sensitive keys (notes are louder or softer depending on how you strike the key). A pedal is also a good feature to have.

   If your goals are recreational, group lessons are probably the best compromise for learning the basics. You get some of the advantages of private lessons at a lower cost.

   There is nothing really wrong with programs that teach piano. The problem is that most people using them develop technique that limits them beyond a certain point. But if you’re doing this mainly for your own recreation, this is a fine way to go.
   References :
   33 years experience as a pianist
   BA in Music
   8 years experience as a piano teacher