Choosing a Piano

Acoustic piano and bench

An essential part of every piano student’s musical journey is making sure that they have an adequate instrument to practice on. I realize that the price tag on a piano or keyboard is quite an investment, so I’ve compiled a bit of information to help facilitate the research process. Please let me know if you have any questions or would like me to give my thoughts on a particular model of piano. I’m not an expert as I do not have a background in piano tuning or sales, but I have reached out to friends who are and incorporated their guidance into these recommendations together with my own experience as a pianist and teacher. 

As stated in my studio policy, students need a quality instrument to practice on at home. Toy keyboards are fun for initial music exposure, but will not suffice for home practice. This would be like signing up your child for soccer and having them practice with a bouncy ball! Not only is it discouraging to practice on an instrument that doesn’t meet their needs as s budding pianist, but it can create bad technical habits and encourage incorrect posture leading to injury. Students need to have a weighted 88-key piano (either acoustic or digital) to practice on at home.

The first step to finding a good piano for your family's needs is to understand what your options are. This article has a pretty good explanation of keyboards vs. digital vs. acoustic pianos.

 If you have an acoustic piano, it should be in proper working condition and tuned at least once a year. This is essential, as it is very discouraging to play on an out-of-tune or broken instrument. It can be tempting to get a free piano from Facebook or a friend, but usually these pianos need a significant amount of work to be reliable. This guide explains what to know if you're planning on getting a free or inexpensive secondhand piano. If you go the route of getting an acoustic piano, I recommend having a piano technician tune it and recommend any necessary repairs. Heather Fullenkamp is an excellent piano technician in the Dayton area, she is the technician who tunes my piano and I highly recommend her!

If you have a digital piano, it should have the following:

○ Have 88 keys (full-sized). This is essential! Some keyboards will only have 61 or 76 keys, make sure that it is listed as having 88.

○ Be touch sensitive with weighted keys

○ Have a sustain/damper pedal (the right pedal if it has two or three)

○ Have a bench of an appropriate height

○ Be entirely self-contained or on a keyboard stand (not a table or desk)

Many families choose to purchase a digital piano due to its size and volume control abilities. My advice for finding a digital piano that won't break the bank is to look on Facebook Marketplace or similar for a secondhand piano from a reputable brand. Yamaha, Kawai, Casio, and Roland are all reliable piano brands. Make sure if you're buying a used keyboard that you also obtain the other essentials of a keyboard stand, pedal, and bench. You're welcome to send me the link and I can help you determine if it would be a good investment. 

If you would like to buy a new digital piano, there are many options at a huge range of prices. The higher cost is usually a higher quality piano. Here are a few links (Amazon links are associate links) to pianos that I would consider in a variety of budgets:

$279- Hexant weighted keyboard set from Amazon. This isn't a brand I've used before and the tone and feel will likely mean that it needs to be replaced in a few years as your pianist advances in level, but it would work as a starter keyboard. Any of the color options under that keyboard should have the same qualifications and be okay.

$319- Aodsk weighted keyboard set from Amazon. Like the previous piano, this isn't a brand I've used before and the tone and feel will likely mean that it needs to be replaced in a few years as your pianist advances in level, but it would work as a starter keyboard. Any of the color or bundle options under that keyboard should have the same qualifications and be okay.

$450-Roland GO-88-PX from Amazon. Rolands are great quality pianos (that's what I learned to play on!) and this set gets you a lot for your money. The adjustable height of the stand and bench is perfect for younger children as well and can grow with them.

$580- Yamaha P71 set from Amazon. This is the most widely recommended piano for beginning and intermediate pianists. The feel of the keys and quality of sound are wonderful. If you purchase this option make sure to get a bench as well.

If you're in the Dayton Ohio area and you’d like to shop local, BHA Piano Center in Dayton has a selection of acoustic and digital pianos between $1000-$2000 that would be good options. 

As you get into the higher price ranges, you'll find great keyboards from brands such as Yamaha, Roland, and Casio on Amazon and from other retailers such as Costco (who usually has a great Black Friday sale on a sleek Roland package for around $500). Of course there are wonderful pianos from these brands and others that are in a higher price range, which is absolutely fine! I tried to keep the recommendations at the lower price range. I know that buying a piano is a big up-front investment, and I am grateful for piano families who purchase a quality instrument to encourage success in piano lessons.  Please feel free to text or email me any links you’d like me to take a look at and give you honest feedback!