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?

We bought a Yamaha digital piano for the girls, it was one of the best investments ever. Headphones mean the neighbours needn't be annoyed, it's light enough for two people to move no problem - in fact light enough for one person to lift easily, just too long and awkward to manoeuvre single handed, and therefore when dd1 decided to move it to her university second year flat she and I were able to do it together... I just checked and discovered the particular model is still selling on ebay for about the same price as we paid, it's been fantastic.

You can probably pick up an older digital piano fairly cheaply. I gave my old Clavinova away, as it wasn't really worth much. But it would have been perfect for your boy. No bells and whistles, just a weighted keyboard and a real piano sound.

Check for second hand ones.

buying a weighted keyboard or a piano fora 6 year old that has JUST STARTED lessons, is akin to buying them a Huge Technic Lego set when they have just started taking an interest in Lego..

It really isn't. Ex piano teacher here, who wouldn't encourage the parent of a six year old to spend a lot, but the trumpet/saxophone comparison isn't far off. Weighted keys are vital even at the earliest stage of learning.

I have an electronic piano and it can be used with earphones. I wouldn’t buy a keyboard.

Digital piano is fine, but a keyboard is not the same. If you can borrow a keyboard for the first year or so to see if he sticks at it fine but don't buy one, standard pianos are easily picked up for free, you just pay to collect it

buying a weighted keyboard or a piano fora 6 year old that has JUST STARTED lessons, is akin to buying them a Huge Technic Lego set when they have just started taking an interest in Lego

No, it's more like taking them to a swimming pool to learn to swim rather than just showing them pictures of water.

Ps I'm detached so actual piano is fine - my dd is autistic and diploma level piano, perhaps an idea for your asd ds op (they don't all take to music but a significant proportion of)

I'd say getting a digital piano is more than fine. You don't know how long he'll stick it out, but PP are right that a keyboard is not the same. Weighted keys, and proper size keys, matter.

I've had a digital piano since I was 15 (and had a tiny keyboard that attached to my computer beforehand ) and it suits me fine. It has its limitations, but for home is absolutely fine.

My only thought is that your 6yo is "adamant". Not sure if this is the mood you wanted to portray, but it might be that he too doesn't understand the difference. Is there a music shop near you that you might go to for a day trip so he can "try out" the pianos? If you tell the sales person what your budget is, they can be incredibly helpful.

I've read all these posts with interest and as I have some expertise in this area I'd like to add my thoughts. I agree with those who say that a digital piano is a poor substitute for a real one. Even a beginner needs to play the piano using arm weight, and a real piano gives back something against which the arm weight can work. No digital instrument can do this, even those with so-called ’weighted keys’, with the exception of something like the Yamaha N1, which has a real piano action inside, though no actual strings (it’s not cheap). Even the smallest child appreciates this difference, and your ds, given that this is something he appears fired up about, certainly will. Then there’s the question of the sustaining pedal and sympathetic vibrations, which are not only beautiful in themselves, but stimulate the aural imagination and inspire the player. Children especially love this aspect of the piano. Living in a terraced house should not be a problem, unless you have implacable neighbours, as beginners don’t tend to practise for hours on end; your neighbours might even like it! Have you considered renting a piano? This can be done relatively cheaply, and if your ds does reach the stage of wanting to practise for hours, and the neighbours are complaining, you could always move to the N1, which has headphones and volume control, at this later date. Whatever you decide to do it’s really important to find your ds the best possible teacher, as a sound foundation means that the child will progress quickly and love practising, rather than find it a chore, which sadly happens too often. IMO it’s not a good idea to push children through 'the grades' too fast, otherwise they won’t have a solid technique, but will become discouraged and eventually give up. They need to acquire a repertoire. Whatever you do, I wish you all the best.

My dd has keyboard lessons - we specifically chose keyboard as we could accomodate one. She has a full size Yamaha. It was £100 for the keyboard, stand, stool and headphones. We got it from Gear 4 Music Her keyboard teacher approved it before we bought it. Dd is doing the Trinity exams, took her about 10 months before she took her first exam (aged 7).

My "point" is just that he's six. This time next month he might have given it up. Mm and decides he doesn't like it anymore.

I understand that practice in a proper instrument makes the difference. But there has to be some sort of compromise until it's established whether he's going to keep up the hobby?

You can't learn the piano on a keyboard for longer than a few months IMO. A keyboard is nothing like a piano. Many good teachers won't even take students who dont have a piano to practice on.

The P45 is fine, we have the P125 as a portable for gigs, we also have a digital upright which is mega heavy.

I learnt up to grade 6 on a digital (for practice, lessons were at the teachers house on a gorgeous baby grand).

We have a portable stand for the P125, we have the piano packed in the gig bag and just get it out when we need it so it shouldn't be a massive issue if you are short of space, as long as you can store it somewhere, it doesn't take up loads of room.

Do you mean a keyboard, or a digital piano? I assume the latter? A keyboard does not have weighted keys and as such, DS will not get a "feel" for what a piano is really like to play. Which will mean he may not be able to transfer performance skills to an piano (be it digital or acoustic). A good digital piano is almost the same as an acoustic one... you're not meant to say that because folk are very snobby, but it is true.

Also what are your goals for DS music education?

If you literally want him to be a concert pianist, I suppose an acoustic piano is slightly better than a bog standard digital piano - but it's like the difference between bf and bottle fed, it's a 0.5% sort of difference... not worth the spend at all.

If you want him to have a general education in music, then there is no need to get him an acoustic piano. I would stick with said digital piano with weighted keys.

Acoustic pianos are a pain to move, get out of tune without you realizing it which can compromise his ear over time, are expensive, can be fucked up by a kid dropping something into one etc. Digital pianos are great.

Source: I was educated in music using an acoustic piano. My DC use a digital piano which, imo, is nicer to play than the acoustic I learned on, with more clarity of sound and evenly weighted keys etc.

I did piano lessons and got a keyboard to practice on. I was a similar age to your ds. And we didn't have the room for piano and it was perfectly adequate and wasn't as much of a sod to get rid of when a couple of years later on I jacked it in

Slightly hi jacking, but does anyone have a particular recommendation for a digital piano? I would love to learn but we also live in a small terraced house and space is at a premium!

I just wanted to add (piano teacher here!) that as well as weighted keys, anyone learning ‘piano’ on a keyboard should have a sustain pedal too. I think all of my pupils have either an upright piano or a digital piano but I’ve definitely had beginners start out on a keyboard, which is less than ideal.
I’d always recommend Yamaha digital pianos, or Roland, for anyone thinking of buying digital.

DH wanted an upright piano, we ended up with a Roland digital one - it's not the same but it is close enough for him - be warned although they play using headphone they are not silent by any means. There is the sounds of the keys going down and the pedals etc etc. If you are in the same room it is annoying, in a different room and can not be heard.

This is one of those that had a separate metal stand so it's easier to move around - would defn recommend it.

Keyboards and digital piano are very different beasts.

Op I'm no expert so please double check with the music shop. That was a stage piano you linked to.
I believe stage pianos differ from digital home pianos in that stage pianos don't have built in speakers they require an external amplifier.

Home digital pianos have speakers built in so you don't require an external amplifier.

Probably an old model now, but can really recommend the Casio CDP-120 digital piano. Got it for DH's birthday, as no room for an upright acoustic.
It was recommended to me by the head of music at the school I work, and is the piano that her DD took with her to study music at Uni.
We've got it on an X stand, but you can get upright stands for it. It had a speaker, or can be plugged into headphones. It comes with the sustain pedal, but there is also a complete pedal unit that can be got at as upgrade.
I've even been having some piano lessons now!

YABU if he’s having a piano lessons then a keyboard is no good at all. Buy an electric piano. You need one with weighted keys. I have one and doesn’t take up nearly as much space as a full
Size piano. Some are even more compact than the one I have.

The feel of a keyboard is completely different to a piano. Not sure why you would start piano lessons if you don’t have room for a piano though?

My 3 all started off on a keyboard as instructed by their piano teacher then got an electric piano. Def don’t buy a real piano for a 6 year old just starting.

I have a P45 for gigging which lives in DD’s room. It has speakers although I use an amp for performance as it’s not loud enough against a choir. DD can practise at night and only disturb whoever is in the lounge below due to the percussive key hitting. We also have an upright which doesn’t have enough dynamic range for the level DD is at. Both are great and DD uses both for different purposes.

We have a Yamaha Clavinova digital piano. It’s great. Had it for 12 years now and gone to grade 8 on it.

I agree with the majority; you should get a good quality digital piano with weighted keys.

I think you have two options:

1. Buy one, this could be new or second hand - I'd be looking at good second hand ones to get a better one for the budget. Then if you eventually want to replace it with an acoustic piano you could sell it on.
2. Rent a digital piano in the short term and buy an acoustic piano sooner rather than later.

On balance I'd probably go for option 1 based on what you said about limited space for an acoustic in your house.

This thread has reminded me that when I first started learning the piano, I had a crappy keyboard to practise on at home. I did use it because I was a diligent sort, and it was better than nothing in the early stages. As I progressed it really wasn't sufficient - and digital pianos were nowhere near as good then - so my parents got me an acoustic, which I loved. If your child continues to enjoy playing the piano and gets to a decent standard (grade 5 and above) they will definitely appreciate an acoustic at that point, if space allows.