Choose Keyboard or Piano?
Your commitment for learning Piano
Your piano tutor might suggest you to go for a full piano. It is true that keyboard cannot be replaced by real piano for its quality of sound. These days you can also easily find free online piano lessons. However, you need to find out how committed you are towards your piano lessons. Otherwise, it will turn out to be a big investment for you, if you neglect your lessons afterwards. Full piano requires lot of money investment as well as require lot of space.
Piano Musical StyleYou can play various styles on a digital piano. You can play traditional styles like classical, jazz piano or blues and also the modern electronic music. However, this option is normally chosen by person who wants to learn lots of styles or the one who do not have discovered any special preferences. Many classical pianists choose acoustic piano. You may not find the quality of keyboard is good unless it has proper quality recording equipment & mixing software.
Piano and Weighted keys
You would love to have a keyboard with weighted keys, and many digital pianos may have that feature. However, if you practice on keyboards with light keys, you may find it difficult switching to acoustic piano. Full piano has eighty eight keys whereas you may find that your keyboard is with fewer keys. So size and weight of the keys are equally important while deciding whether to go for piano or keyboard.
Piano / Keyboard PracticeIf you are a beginner at playing Piano, and taking beginner’s piano lessons, it can cause a disturbance to your family and neighbors. You might disturb your neighbors or even your family, if you are practicing with acoustic piano. Whereas digital keyboards mostly have headphone jacks, which will allow you to practice quietly. This will help you while practicing early mornings or late nights.
Price of Piano/Keyboard
Whether you go for the new one or used real piano, both will be costly for you. However, you can get portable keyboards or digital pianos at reasonable prices. 76-key models are cost effective as well as offer a wide variety of notes. The price of digital piano may go up along with how many additional features you chose like special effects, USB drive etc.
Maintenance of Piano Vs Keyboard
Normally, a piano needs to be tuned two times in a year. An in-tune piano certainly gives you a great satisfaction of playing piano lessons. However, the cost of this maintenance varies depending on the condition of your piano as well as the area where you stay.
Living ArrangementsThe option of choosing keyboard or piano also depends on your current and future living arrangements. If you move often to new places, then moving a piano to new place can be a huge hassle. Getting the piano into the building is itself a great hassle. Moving piano through stairwells and doorways might damage walls or door frames. It might cause damage to piano itself in few cases. In such situations keyboard is preferred. In many apartments landlord may not allow your piano. One reason is it disturbs other residents and it also causes damage to building structure through its sound transmissions. Here, the option of headphones is best.
Buying a piano is a great investment for a true musician. But there is nothing wrong in going for keyboard too. It does all depend on the various situations whether to choose keyboard or acoustic piano. Consider all these points while selecting a right instrument for you.