AIBU to buy ds keyboard instead of a piano?

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My youngest son has started piano lessons and he wants a piano. We dont have the space and live in a terrace. Trying to persuade him a keyboard would be just as good but he is adamant. He is only 6 so not like a music genius. AIBU that keyboard is perfect to practise on?

YANBU

he is 6 os doesn't get to be adamant about it...

No sorry - unless you are looking at buying one of those keyboards which mimics the feel of a piano.
And I bet it's the teacher who has put this in his head!

I’m learning and bought a digital piano in order to play and not disturb the neighbours. Significantly smaller than a piano but still looks like a piano. Another friend is learning on a keyboard.

Just get one that has weighted keys to feel like a piano. I adore mine and love using my headphones. If he becomes a child prodigy you can reconsider. In the meantime there might be a limit as to how many times you need to hear him plonk his way through his grade one pieces.

If you mean a digital piano then YANBU if you mean a keyboard then YABU.

I played piano a child. A keyboard is not the same.

Depends if it's just a phase or not, if it is a proper hobby that you think he will stick at, proper piano is the way to go.

A keyboard is fine. If you can, have a private word with the piano teacher and ask them to tell him how a key board is a good starting point. This is what my daughter's piano teacher says - he says no point in investing to start with.

I find things are more acceptable if they come from the teacher rather than from me....

Hmm keyboard with weighted keys - is that the same feel as a piano/digital piano? Such a minefield? Tried contacting his teacher but its through school who contract a music centre so no luck there. I havnt a clue.

Depends whether you want him to keep learning long term. If so, he should have an instrument that feels like a piano which means weighted, touch sensitive keys. A keyboard will not let him build up the right strength in his fingers and will give him rubbish technique. And if his teacher's any good, they'll be able to tell.

But then he's only six, so if you're still finding out if he likes it, I could understand starting with something cheaper/smaller.

Start with a cheaper keyboard and see if he sticks with it. We got rid of our piano and went for a digital piano. Easier to move and takes up less visual space. But I wouldn’t fork out for one if child decides to give it up in 6mths

Digital piano would be fine. Keyboard would not. At the very least, you need the full 7+ octave span of a piano, the sustaining pedal, and keys which play loud or soft according to how hard you hit them.

Fine at this age if just trying it out. Six is pretty young. Upgrade to a digital piano with weighted keys later on. There’s a lot of advantages to having a digital piano.

There is a difference between a "keyboard" and a "digital piano". Digital pianos have weighted keys which simulate the feel of an acoustic piano, they also respond with different volumes depending on how hard you hit the keys, whereas a keyboard has only one volume.

If he goes onto to take exams etc, both can apparently be studied up to masters degree level. For keyboard exams (with ABRSM anyway) you take your own instrument, but if doing piano exams you will do the exam on theirs.

A keyboard is OK for a beginner to start learning on, especially age 6, but if he does stick with it and intends to go for piano (not keyboard) exams, you would have to upgrade to digital piano at the latest several months before his first exam.

DD now has a digital piano, but for a few years she only did piano in after-school clubs, where they only have access to keyboards. The she got a piano tutor, and even at that stage, tutor said it was OK to carry on using a keyboard (that we'd borrowed.) It was only about six months before her first exam that tutor said it was time to get a piano.

My digital one was about £300 it's great to have at home as we have neighbours and no space for a real piano plus I always like to play late at night.

Don't get a keyboard, it feels and acts like a different instrument.

A Yamaha P-45 or a Yamaha YPD-162 both have weighted keys and are excellent

Bloody he'll he is 6 years old. When mine were 6 they wanted the moon fgs. How about 'no'!

He may well stick at piano and in a few years time it would be worth considering, but for a 6 year old I wouldn't even have given it a second thought after simply saying no.
M

www.dawsons.co.uk/yamaha-p-45-stage-piano-bundle?gclid=Cj0KCQjwjOrtBRCcARIsAEq4rW4xnN8OY7fuy104pRaAVns1iGxXzP6g7zePiyB_3e6TjakogH0YVaoaAo2UEALw_wcB

I'm so glad I asked. Would something like above be suitable? Tbh I do fancy trying to learn myself too

runawaywithusthissummer

I don't see the point in wasting a £100 or so on a keyboard that will need replaced in 6 months. He needs something to practise on so he will be getting some form.of instrument

If you are pushed for space, when the time comes for a digital piano, Yamaha do a 73-key digital piano which is apparently very popular, especially with performers who need a portable piano.

That Yamaha is great OP.

Bloody he'll he is 6 years old. When mine were 6 they wanted the moon fgs. How about 'no'!

He may well stick at piano and in a few years time it would be worth considering, but for a 6 year old I wouldn't even have given it a second thought after simply saying no

If the OP is paying for lessons then the child needs a suitable instrument to practise on. Buying him a keyboard is like asking a trumpet player to play a saxophone because they sort of look the same imo.

Thank you. Iv been reading and googling since this came up. It's the first thing he has really enjoyed and will happily do (he has additional needs). He asked for very little and doesnt really do any activities or like to play out so I'm happy to take the plunge and splash the cash a bit

Definitely get a digital. We live in a semi detached with a normal piano (inherited from much loved relative, can't bring myself to get rid). I don't dare play it after 7 pm for fear of annoying the neighbours (they don't mind doing DIY at 9.30 pm but that's another thread...) With a digital your DS can plug in headphones and bash away to his heart's content. Also, it won't need tuning.

And you can get lessons too (if you don't play already) and play after everyone else has gone to bed... (I would love to be able to do this)

Sorry but yes, YABU. A keyboard will "do" but will make so many aspects of piano playing impossible. Digital pianos are good, but very expensive if you want full key responsiveness, correctly acting pedals etc.
I think you'd be surprised how easy it is to fit a piano, when I lived in a tiny house it squeezed into the living room and was amazingly unobtrusive when not in use - and they're often available for free if you can move them.
Not to be goady, but why is he having piano lessons if you refuse to get a piano? Why not keyboard lessons instead? As someone who's parents always refused to get me the correct equipment for hobbies making everything 10x harder to do, I sympathise with him.
I too learned piano with only a keyboard to practice, when I was finally given a piano to practice on by a family friend, my technique and skill improved dramatically. I know to a layman they seem the same, but theres no comparison, sorry. Not having the correct equipment just slows learning proper technique and wastes everyone's time and tuition money ultimately!

I started learning to play the piano when I was 8. I stopped when I was 15 due to having to change my music teacher.
That keyboard looks awesome, it's got enough octaves and as long as the keys are the same size as a piano it should be ok. If not its difficult to go from one size to another.