Amazon keyboards that would be best to learn to play piano?

Question

Hi! So I know this question has basically already been asked multiple times on yahoo, but I'm currently looking online on Amazon for a keyboard to teach myself piano on. I'm a bit of a late bloomer on the whole learning to play an instrument task, but I really want to learn so I was wondering what type of keyboard would be the best and the cheapest? I know that's probably a difficult combination. Also, what other accessories would I need to buy? I've read mainly that I would need to buy a pedal, but I'm also looking for either some beginner websites or beginner books that I can learn to read notes from, as well as play the piano. Thanks so much for the help!

Answer 1

I second touch sensitive. I got a Casio wk-6500 and electric pedal (also important ). I can't play all the lower notes sometimes as it's a 61 key. It's not really inhibiting though. For the cost around $150 it's been really great to learn. I teach myself. If I may I recommend the book "more easy classics to moderns" by amsco music publications. If you like classical music it's a good starting book. Have fun learning!!



EDIT: Ok I respect other's opinions but Malcom that was a good keyboard you recommended but you should only speak for yourself when you call something else a toy (to me, my keyboard is no toy) or say others can't learn be self taught. For those who need more, youtube has many piano tutorials.



I play intermediate to advanced now after a little over 6 months of teaching myself. What I can play consists of: Bach's Air on the G string, Mozart's Sonata in C major, Chopin's prelude in E minor, Chopin's Raindrop, Chopins prelude in C minor, All of Bach's two part inventions, Schubert's Serenade, Pavane by Faure, Moonlight sonata by Beethoven, Elgar's Nimrod, in the process of learning Brahms' Symphony N. 3 third movement and First Arabesque by Debussy.



I use the Big Book of Classical music by Hal Leonard, and The Piano Bench of Classical Music Piano solo by Hal Leonard also. Plus 8notes.com to download free music.



AND TO SHEA: DON'T RECONSIDER THIS! I almost didn't begin...have so many other expenses that a keyboard didn't seem a necessity but I can't say how glad I am that I bought it and teach myself.



Oh and a scales, chords, arpeggios, and cadences book would be helpful to get also. I've used freecycle.org to get free lesson books.

Answer 2

Many people who want to learn to play the piano are put off by the idea of spending long, boring hours learning music notes. If you are serious about learning to play the piano, the first thing you will need to do is put those negative thoughts behind and start with an open mind. Read here https://tr.im/howtoplaypiano

It does take time and yes, you have to learn the music notes, but it does not have to be boring, and it certainly does not have to take forever before you learn to play on your own. Follow these seven steps carefully, and you’ll be playing your first songs independently in a very short time.

Answer 3

K i had a similiar situation now if your finance is flexible (have more money) get an 88 key TOUCH SENSITIVE make sure its touch sensitive basically means the note is played as hard u press it and to learn u can start from sheet music which is long but profitable or do wat i did use synthesia is a synthetic musical learning program where u track notes and play them i started in march 2012 and by july i could alredy play grade 7 with no prior experience so yeah 88 or 61 keys touch sensitive and maybe multiple modes or even midi compatability best luck to you

Answer 4

The first thing you need to realize is that almost NO pianists are self taught (at least ways not accomplished ones). Secondly, a cheap keyboard with un-weighted keys and less than 88 keys is most likely a toy and not suitable for an extensive undertaking such as learning the piano.



You might want to reconsider this.



The minimum standard that you will require is something like this:



http://www.amazon.com/Casio-Privia-PX-130-88-Key-Digital/dp/B002IVK0FE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1357684854&sr=8-2&keywords=digital+piano+88+key+weighted

Answer 5

Como me gusta la música y tengo algunas nociones, se apreciar la excelente oferta de sitios web, aunque ha sido muy difícil a la hora de elegir uno, a su llegado, he sabido que he elegido lo mejor. Un precio excelente para un excelente instrumento ha hecho que esta compra sea una perfecta.

Answer 6

I'm 56 now, but I can still remember pulling myself up at the age of 2 and touching my first piano keys. Knowing even then that I wanted to learn how to play that "thing" one day. A rough life prevented me from ever getting near a piano again, but I did manage to teach myself some guitar over the years. In the 80's I managed to take two semesters of piano at a community college. But they only focused on music theory with little to no time actually playing a piano. I didn't remember a thing and still can't read sheet music without a major struggle. Last year I got a good ebay deal ($35) on a new Casio CTK-5000 keyboard, thinking, "Now, at last, I will learn how to play." I got frustrated soon and set it aside, with only having myself to teach myself, as has been my whole life. (Disabled, can't afford lessons. Buying that keyboard was even a stretch.) Last week I picked it up again and thought, maybe there's a better way. So I just tinkered around on it, picking out tunes by ear, entertaining myself with all that these new keyboards can do. Then I stumbled on two short e-books I found online in some binary newsgroups. "How to Play Popular Piano In 10 Easy Lessons" by Norman Monath, and "Play Piano in a Flash" by Scott Houston. I read the second one because I had seen him do a pledge-drive show on PBS, and lights went off. All the chords were just simple repeating geometric patterns! A thousand times easier than learning all those complex guitar chords. Then I read about half of the first one "Popular Piano In 10 Easy Lessons" and it explained the patterns to all the chords that the "Piano in a Flash" book didn't cover. That was 2 days ago. Last night I thought I'd put what I had read to a test. I got out one of my guitar cheat-sheets (I've played guitar by ear for ages). My cheat-sheets are just chord names and words, no notes, no other notation. From that alone and what I learned from those two small books I was able to play "Vincent - Starry, Starry Night" by Don McLean on a keyboard from start to finish. Not fast, not without mistakes, but recognizable, and it still sounded really nice even when played that slow my first time. Here it is over half a century later since first wanting to play piano/keyboard and it only took TWO DAYS to figure out how to play one! If only someone would have told me so long ago what I just learned in only two days. Get those two small books, read them.