Ultimate Keyboard and Piano Buying Guide
Digital pianos! Keyboards! MIDI controllers! If you find the array of choices out there a bit confusing, you’re not alone. And that’s why you’ve found your way to my Piano Buying Guide.
(Please Note: There are links on this page where you can purchase the pianos and keyboards I recommend. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Need some new keys? You came to the right place
Whatever happened to the good old-fashioned piano? As it turns out, technology happened – and that means you have more instrument options than ever before. Whether it’s looking for a simpler approach to learning piano, or figuring out what on earth you’re going to practice on, there’s something out there for everyone and I’ll explain it all in this piano buyer’s guide.
In my Ultimate Piano Buying Guide video, I took you through your four main options. Let’s review!
Acoustic Pianos
This is the first thing you thought of when you read the word “piano,” right? That’s because the acoustic piano has been around the longest. Acoustic pianos are a popular and traditional option for piano buyers, for some very good reasons:
- Acoustic pianos can be beautiful, with a variety of finishes and styles to match your personal aesthetic.
- Acoustic pianos can be a focal point for your home, serving as a piece of furniture in their own right.
- Acoustic pianos have really nice key feel, plus a certain richness in their tone that is hard to replicate with other options.
But as you’ve probably guessed, there are some downsides to owning an acoustic piano.
- Acoustic pianos can be beautiful, with a variety of finishes and styles to match your personal aesthetic.
- Acoustic pianos can be a focal point for your home, serving as a piece of furniture in their own right.
- Acoustic pianos have really nice key feel, plus a certain richness in their tone that is hard to replicate with other options.
Digital Pianos
What’s a digital piano? Simply put, it’s a streamlined and souped-up version of an acoustic piano. Digital pianos bear a pretty close resemblance to acoustic versions, but they need to be plugged in to produce sound. They’re cool because:
- Acoustic pianos can be beautiful, with a variety of finishes and styles to match your personal aesthetic.
- Acoustic pianos can be a focal point for your home, serving as a piece of furniture in their own right.
- Acoustic pianos have really nice key feel, plus a certain richness in their tone that is hard to replicate with other options.
There are, of course, some negatives as well:
- Acoustic pianos can be beautiful, with a variety of finishes and styles to match your personal aesthetic.
- Acoustic pianos can be a focal point for your home, serving as a piece of furniture in their own right.
- Acoustic pianos have really nice key feel, plus a certain richness in their tone that is hard to replicate with other options.
Keyboards
You may very well have one of these tucked in your closet or basement! That’s because keyboards have become pretty common over the years. There are a couple of features keyboards offer that can make them a good choice:
- Acoustic pianos can be beautiful, with a variety of finishes and styles to match your personal aesthetic.
- Acoustic pianos can be a focal point for your home, serving as a piece of furniture in their own right.
- Acoustic pianos have really nice key feel, plus a certain richness in their tone that is hard to replicate with other options.
But as you’ve probably guessed, there are some downsides to owning an acoustic piano.
- Acoustic pianos can be beautiful, with a variety of finishes and styles to match your personal aesthetic.
- Acoustic pianos can be a focal point for your home, serving as a piece of furniture in their own right.
- Acoustic pianos have really nice key feel, plus a certain richness in their tone that is hard to replicate with other options.
MIDI Controllers
What’s a digital piano? Simply put, it’s a streamlined and souped-up version of an acoustic piano. Digital pianos bear a pretty close resemblance to acoustic versions, but they need to be plugged in to produce sound. They’re cool because:
- Acoustic pianos can be beautiful, with a variety of finishes and styles to match your personal aesthetic.
- Acoustic pianos can be a focal point for your home, serving as a piece of furniture in their own right.
- Acoustic pianos have really nice key feel, plus a certain richness in their tone that is hard to replicate with other options.
There are, of course, some negatives as well:
- Acoustic pianos can be beautiful, with a variety of finishes and styles to match your personal aesthetic.
- Acoustic pianos can be a focal point for your home, serving as a piece of furniture in their own right.
- Acoustic pianos have really nice key feel, plus a certain richness in their tone that is hard to replicate with other options.
Taking My Own Advice from My Piano Buying Guide
I’ve set up two different options in two different areas of my home – one for play and one for work.
My living room is where I chose to put our digital piano, simply because that’s where I can play for my family and let my kids join in, too. As you could see in the buying guide video, my girls enjoy piano time.
In my home office, I’ve got a MIDI controller set up near my computer and camera. This lets me record videos and show exactly how I play in each lesson for my Piano in 21 Days course.
What I’ve set up in my home may not be what’s best for you. Different people have different needs. Consider your space requirements, whether portability is important to you, and how technical or simple you want to get with your setup. Then you can shop!
My Specific Recommendations With Links
Acoustic Piano:
In this piano guide, I suggest looking online at Craigslist and similar local listing sites. You can often find cheap or even free acoustic pianos this way. Just keep in mind that you’ll probably need a tuner to come tweak some things once you get the piano to your house.
Digital Piano:
In this buying guide for piano/keyboard, I recommend this Yamaha P45 set. It includes the stand, bench and pedal that you’ll need. That means there’s no guesswork involved in setup. I love the weighted keys on this model.
Keyboard:
The Alesis Recital 88-key model is something I highly recommend in this buying guide for anyone in the market for a keyboard. I got my first Alesis over 15 years ago!
MIDI Controller:
I love my M-Audio Keystation 88-key MIDI controller. The keys are semi-weighted. This gives it fairly good key feel, especially compared to non-weighted models.
In Canada? Use this link.
Wrapping Up My Piano Buyer’s Guide
Ultimately, the most important thing isn’t which piano option you choose – it’s all about starting to play. Just make sure that you have 49+ keys and a sustain pedal, and you can begin.
Take some time to get comfortable playing. See how much you can accomplish with my chord-based approach. Then, once you’re playing songs you love and having fun, you can reward yourself with an instrument upgrade.
So… what are you currently playing on? And are you planning on getting a newer instrument in the future? Drop me a line and let me know!
