What's the difference between piano and keyboard?

Question

I found an online piano lesson on youtube that really catches my interest. So,I am planning on learning to play piano but can't afford to buy one for now. Can I learn how to play piano using a digital keyboard? Will it be the same as piano? Any suggestion on what type and brand of keyboard that i can use? hoping to find a cheap one :)

Answer 1

Yes, you can learn to play the piano on a digital keyboard, but no it is not the same as a piano.

The major difference is when you press the keys down.  Playing a piano is like typing on a manual typewriter and on a keyboard it is like typing on an electric piano.  Why there is a difference is because you need to be able to press lightly or hard on the keys to change the sound of the piano and with most keyboards, you are not able to do this.

If you are a child taking piano lessons and have aspirations of taking lessons for the next 15 years, then you need a piano.  If you just want to play for fun then a keyboard is just fine.

A Yamaha piano for around $500.00 is a good choice for a middle of the road keyboard.  It should have around 75 keys.  

But, I have a suggestion.  Many people buy new keyboards to learn to play and after a month that get bored with it or run out of time to play and it sits in the corner.  

Check craigslist.com and type in Yamaha or Roland and you should find a keyboard that will fit your needs.  They should run around $250 and up.  Keyboards less than that will be like a toy.  

Answer 2

I think keyboard has less number of keys than piano. But you can play infinite number of sounds using combinations in a keyboard. It depends on the software.  Piano reading has its own way. I think you cannot learn by a digital keyboard but can play sounds. It will not be the same as piano.  

But one thing I am not sure is that is their any modern keyboard now available in the market?

The main difference is that a keyboard is to control the software in a computer, but a piano is for producing sounds only.

Answer 3

Pianos and Keyboards can be very different. I personally prefer a piano over a keyboard.

Yes, you can learn to play piano using a digital keyboard, but it will be different then playing on an actual piano.

Keyboards are electronic (of course) and are an "imitation" sound. Pianos are the "real" sound. Pianos actually have a harp inside them and when you hit a key, that is connected to a hammer, that strikes one of the harp's strings, making the sound. The sound of any keyboard isn't even comparable to the sound of a piano. Keyboards can sound nice, but pianos almost always sound better.

Keyboards commonly have "unweighted" keys or "light weight" keys. Pianos have "weighted" keyboards. In my opinion, you need a piano to build finger strength. A weighted keyboards usually have a lighter touch then a piano. Also, if you switch from a lightweight keyboard to a piano, the change is do-able, but it will take a little work.

Keyboards usually can not play dynamics. To get the dynamics on a piano, you either press harder (to sound louder) or lighter (to sound softer). Some weighted keyboards can show dynamics, but the feel of playing louder and softer is very different on a piano. Keyboards that play dynamics also can cost a lot more.

Sometimes keyboards don't come with pedals. Pedals are used to add "color" (color is kind of like the little things that make the music interesting). Many upright pianos have three pedals- the damper pedal, una corda pedal, and the sostenuto pedal. You can usually buy (if it doesn’t come with one) a damper (or sustaining) pedal for your keyboard to get the same effect as a piano's damper pedal.

You can buy keyboards that are the same size as a piano. Most pianos have 88 keys, but some have more and some have less.

Check your local classified adds in the newspaper. Sometimes, people who are moving will sell there nice pianos for $50 just because they don't want to deal with moving a piano. Also check out your local music store. They should let you try a piano and a keyboard so you can feel the difference for yourself.

I started playing piano at the age of five. I learned on a piano and I still play on the piano. About three years ago, my parents gave me a Casio CTK-491 because I began practicing into the late night, practicing a lot more during the day, and my parents wanted it to be quieter in the house for my baby brother. It doesn’t have a pedal, its light-key, and it can't play dynamics. It’s also smaller, and I sometimes run out of keys (but I play advanced music). I think it would be a nice beginner keyboard because it sounds nice, it doesn’t cost too much, and it has a play-along feature to help you learn songs. I don't think it’s manufactured anymore, but you can buy them off eBay.

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=...

Here are some similar models:

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/C...

http://www.casio.com/products/Musical_In...

There are also "digital pianos". They are keyboards, but really have a piano feel. They are nice, but also cost a lot.

http://www.casio.com/products/Musical_In...

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA/Cata...

My local music store sells nice digital pianos for about $100. You may want to check your local music store to see what they have in stock.

Casio and Yamaha are good keyboard brands. I own a Casio, but I have played on Yamahas and they are nice, too.

I hope this helps! Don't hesitate to e-mail me any other questions you have about keyboards or playing piano in general.

God Bless and I wish you great success in piano playing!

-Dani

[e-mail]

Answer 4

There is a small difference between a piano and a keyboard  . In a piano , there are more keys , and the keys themselves sound different when you press them . But a keyboard is still good if you can't afford a real piano , because it's pretty expensive .

Any brand of  a keyboard is good .

Hope I helped you !

(  o  :

x Arianna x