Recommendation on which keyboard for newbie wanting to learn how to play?

[mofat]

I don't have ANY music reading background. But I want to learn. I want a weighted key...not sure if I need 88 keys. A MIDI keyboard would be ok too as I do have several interfaces with midi In/Out.
As far as learning goes...what's the best way to learn? I'm 38 and working fulltime. Harder for old dog to learn new tricks
Thanks all.

 

[pegger]

...what's the best way to learn? I'm 38 and working fulltime. Harder for old dog to learn new tricks
Thanks all.

Age is a terrible excuse. If you want to learn, then you will find a way to make it happen. I Learned to play a guitar ("play" is used loosely.. ) when I was 20. I'm now forty, and started taking lessons to figure out how much I never learned. It's fascinating how much we can fool ourselves into thinking we know enough, until we figure out how much we've been missing. And the best part about it, is that I'm 40! I have a solid career, I have some disposable income, my family life is less hectic...It's a perfect time to dive into something and be excited about learning!

Ok...enough patronizing...sorry about that.

If you want to learn, then go sign up for an introductory session or 2 or 3 with a real music school. They'll have the keys for you to use in the class, and will likely be able to rent you one for a good discount if you are a student. After a few sessions (usually 1/2 hour at a time) you will know of you like it enough to actually buy a keyboard. You'll know if you are serious because you will be practicing. Otherwise you are just throwing away good money on a key board because you are suffering from a momentary case of G.A.S.

My personal recommendation is DON'T buy one now. Wait till you actually prove to yourself that you want to do it.

 

[wannaknow]

Go for it man. I don't know the best way to learn. I've just graduated university with a degree, majoring in music technology and minor in visual arts (painting, sculpture, etc.) at the age of 61. I bought a Roland RP 301R digital piano three weeks ago. I can almost play Mary had a little lamb now. My goal is to be able to play "The in Crowd" by Ramsey Lewis and "Mercy Mercy Mercy" by Cannonball Adderley. Will I ever get there??? Who cares, I'm having a blast. I'm learning to play congas as well. At the moment I just use you tube tutorials. I want to be able play a little bit before I spend the money for lessons. This forum and a few others like it made it soo much easier to understand what they were talking about in recording, mixing, and music production class. I'll be 62 in a few months. I just now went outside and did 3 one handed chin ups; something that my 3 sons can't do. (aged 22 - 17 - 16 yr,) Excuse me if I'm rambling, back to keyboards.. I went to several music stores and tried a lot of different brands and models. I read extensively in this site Piano World Piano & Digital Piano Forums | Forums powered by UBB.threads™ in order to make an informed decision in my choice of keyboard. Have fun dude... "You are only as old as you feel"... or is it you are only as old as "the woman you feel"

 

[mark1971a]

Roland keyboards were pretty successful, in the early 00's they had a good advantage over Yamaha.

The Roland FA series are strong performers.

Get something with USB midi. There are a lot of good workstations with real feel keys. I try to get my music gear used, you save a bunch of money.

 

[DM60]

I purchased the Scott Houston "How to Play Piano" and I like his approach. His focus is on the fundamentals so you can play verses becoming a concert pianist. I am not endorsing the course so much as I am endorsing the approach. Learn how to read lead sheet music, understand how chords are formed and go. It is the perfect approach for someone who just wants to play.

88 Keys if you are really going to play, short keys (controller type) if you are only going to add melodies and work with VST's. As everyone has stated, age is no reason for not learning. I don't understand how you stop, but I guess some people do.

Used is the best way to go. I have been a fan of Roland since I think they have the best sounds, but that really is personal taste.

 

[mjbphotos]

Set a budget for your keyboard first, realizing that if you give it up are unlikely to get more than 50% of the intitial expense back unless you find a great used deal.
An introductory lesson at a music school is definitely a good idea, as well as youtube lessons.

 

[BroKen_H]

Play on a few regular pianos and get a feel and ear for what you want. Go to your local pawns. Sit down and work with what's there. Look for something that feels and sounds good to YOU.
If you are learning general theory, get something with at least 49 keys to learn on. You can learn scales and theory and learn to play on few keys.
If you are learning classical piano theory and playing or jazz, you will want at least 76 (the last octave you get split on both ends is not really necessary to 90% of what you'll need to learn).
My 2c. And I'll give you a 2c discount.

 

[mofat]

Music school...u mean community college or something? There's one near me but I'm not sure if they do hands on or just music theories.

 

[Chili]

I tried a Yamaha digital piano not too long ago. I really liked the grand piano sound out of it. I mean really liked it. I almost bought it. It was $500 which I thought was reasonable.

For learning, I suggest getting a standalone piano like the Yamaha. A midi controller is okay and will be very useful in the future once you get into recording. But with midi controllers, there's the setup, drivers, VSTi's, softsynths, host software, latency issues... A lot of distractions from the learning process if you just want to learn piano.

I think this is the unit I saw...

Yamaha P-35 | Sweetwater.com

But if not, a midi controller can work well w=once you get past a few technical hurdles.

good luck!

 

[pegger]

Music school...u mean community college or something? There's one near me but I'm not sure if they do hands on or just music theories.

No no... not college! I meant like a music lesson type of school. I don't know what it's like where you are, but here, every major music equipment store has a lesson center as well.

I'm just thinking you should try it out first. Maybe rent a key board for awhile. Heck, rent a different one each week if you can get away with it! Might be a great way to discover if piano playing is your thing, while getting to test drive some different piano/keyboards.

 

[Armistice]

I tried a Yamaha digital piano not too long ago. I really liked the grand piano sound out of it. I mean really liked it. I almost bought it. It was $500 which I thought was reasonable.

For learning, I suggest getting a standalone piano like the Yamaha. A midi controller is okay and will be very useful in the future once you get into recording. But with midi controllers, there's the setup, drivers, VSTi's, softsynths, host software, latency issues... A lot of distractions from the learning process if you just want to learn piano.

I think this is the unit I saw...

Yamaha P-35 | Sweetwater.com

But if not, a midi controller can work well w=once you get past a few technical hurdles.

good luck!

LOL - they must have changed the samples over the years - I have a P80 from, I don't know, 15 years ago, and I hate, hate, hate the piano sounds... dull as... and the A above middle C is particularly awful - but it works just fine as a MIDI piano because of the good weighted keys, and I'm considering getting Pianoteq to do something about the samples..

OP - As for playing and learning to play - what you'd do depends upon your musical background and what your objectives are. I can't really play much at all, but the next album I make is going to have piano all over it and you won't be able to tell I'm pretty much a gumby player but not a bad programmer...

If you play another instrument and understand the notes and theory, it shouldn't be too hard to pick up on your own, to a reasonable level. Depends if you want to go the formal, learn-to-read-music road, or not.

 

[BroKen_H]

LOL - they must have changed the samples over the years - I have a P80 from, I don't know, 15 years ago, and I hate, hate, hate the piano sounds... dull as... and the A above middle C is particularly awful - but it works just fine as a MIDI piano because of the good weighted keys, and I'm considering getting Pianoteq to do something about the samples..

I had a P80 back when I played live. Dreadful sounding thing. The only decent sound in it was the semi Wurlitzer/semi Rhodes sound it had. Worked well for 80s rock. The modern YDPs and U series have a very nice sample of an 8' Yamaha (imagine they'd use a Yamaha) in a Tokyo studio. Yamahas and Rolands have the best feel (unless your dropping $5k on a Nord). Crisp, great decay. I love mine.

 

[RJrules64]

Anything in the cheap Yamaha range is great, try and buy "weighted keys" though... it will make it far more enjoyable, but a bit more expensive

 

[ZikO]

I don't have ANY music reading background. But I want to learn. I want a weighted key...not sure if I need 88 keys. A MIDI keyboard would be ok too as I do have several interfaces with midi In/Out.
As far as learning goes...what's the best way to learn? I'm 38 and working fulltime. Harder for old dog to learn new tricks
Thanks all.

I bought a stage piano a few months ago. I tried to learn by myself but I quickly realised it did not work for me. Perhaps this is because of the music I want to be able to play. So I decided to go to school and have 1 to 1 lessons with piano teacher.

Having said that, I can assure you you can do learning music in any age!!! As to the instrument, If a piano is to be your main instrument, you definitely should go for something with full 88 action weighted keys. Make sure a piano can work as a MIDI controller, have MIDI in/out sockets--some of modern instruments are connected via USB HOST. This is ok as long as you don't need to connect your instrument to another MIDI device, etc.

If you want to start from something cheap, I'd go perhaps for Yamaha P105 but it lacks of MIDI. It can work as MIDI but with computer via USB. The cheaper than that is e.g. Yamaha P-35 with the same number of keys and action weighting but the sound could be worse--sounds are re-sampled under different keys. In UK, P105 costs £500 whereas the other ~£300. If you really want something better, you need to spent at least £1100 or more.

Hope it helps.