Piano perspective

[Macdad]

we bought our youngest a cheap keyboard 13 months ago for Christmas. She loved it and has began tinkling the plastic ‘ivories’ on and off until she started proper lessons with a piano teacher in Sept. Since she started lessons she has really taken to the piano and whilst I have encouraged her and often sit with her whilst she practices, she’s really good at practicing without much encouragement from us.
Her piano teacher has said a few times that she’s one of the most naturally talented students she’s ever had and in five months has progressed to where students often are after 2+ years, so obviously we’re keen to support this. We recently bought her a fairly new but second hand electric piano (Yamaha Clavinova) after I spent a long while looking. We both agreed on the purchase because it was such a good price, and it’s now hidden in the garage. So far so good. Our conundrum though is that my wife is of the view that a piano is a very big present and she’s worried that our kids get things ‘too easily’ and that our youngest should have to earn this gift by showing commitment to the piano. Her thoughts therefore are that it should be a gift for Christmas 2023. On the other hand, I am impatient for her to have such a beautiful thing because I know it will help to encourage her and I worry that having a cheap keyboard to practice on will hold her back (fewer keys and not weighted keys). It’s her 9th birthday next week but we have already spent enough, however, she has her first grading in just over a month (only grade 1), so my thoughts were that if (when) she passes, this piano would be a great gift to celebrate with.
Am I wrong to think that her current, cheap keyboard will be too limiting and that she needs the piano asap?

I agree with you-if you can afford to, give it to her after her exam. Explain to her that it's an investment and that you've made it because she's working so hard.

I'd let her have it asap to help with practise and call it an early birthday present. I agree that children shouldn't generally get lots of 'stuff' but this is a bit different. Will your daughter really be spoiled by this one exception to your usual rules? What a waste to leave it in the garage!

A cheap keyboard will definitely hold her back, it feels completely different and as she progresses will limit what pieces she can play.

As an ex piano teacher please give her the clavinova ASAP.
It's hard to unlearn bad technique, and the cheap keyboard won't have weighted keys. This is key in piano - the instruments name comes from pianoforte - meaning soft loud - the first keyboard instrument where you could play quieter or louder by applying less or more force (prior to that it was a harpsichord which can't do that).

I would just let her have the keyboard now as it will help her practice. What happens if by next Christmas she has lost interest (& however talented she is, something else might take her fancy due to her age).

I wouldn’t make it as a gift to her though. Her siblings might also want to play on a better keyboard at some stage and then you have the problem of her not wanting to share potentially. If she looses interest or your other children don’t want to play then you can sell it in the future. My dc have various instruments - very few have been gifts but we see them more like needing a laptop or calculator for school, or ballet shoes for dance lessons etc.

Oh goodness yes, bring it out and put it where it belongs. It doesn't have to be "hers" - it's "the piano".

I echo PPs that it's just an additional household object for everyone's use, like a new TV. It's not a gift, she's learning the piano therefore she needs a piano..
Learning on a cheap keyboard will do way more harm than good and she'll find it really difficult to unlearn how to play it and relearn again...

II think it is wonderfull that you have been able to source and buy a piano.
I would bring it out as a family item - this piano does have volume control and an earphone plug.
using a keyboard is like playing football in wellies and for any learning in the informative period they really do need the weighted keys and spacing of a piano.
As someone who learnt piano at a young age, on a family piano, it can be a wonderfull thing throughout your life- it is not just the piano it is the understanding of music which can also lead to to other interests in life such as appreciating music, singing, other instruments, music groups, de stressing time etc.
if you had a child who was mad into football, you wouldn’t wait - 10 months to buy football boots.

Thank you all for your thoughts! We have a solution and the piano will be coming out of its hibernation shortly after her birthday (yay!). As suggested, not as a gift for her, but as a gift for the whole family. 🤗