Due to their size, they often need to be moved by teams of professionals. Pianos tend to be large and are designed to stay in place most of the time. Unlike pianos, keyboards can be made loud or quiet by using their volume knob. Since they’re electronic, often require amplification to produce sound, although some models come with speakers built in. In comparison, keyboards are electronic instruments with a variety of volume options, and often can produce sounds like piano, horns, strings, organs, synthesizers, and more.

The piano is an acoustic instrument, meaning its sound is produced and amplified physically. Sound options vary depending on if you choose a piano versus a keyboard. For this reason, some parents may want to consider renting a piano or keyboard until their child is certain they want to play. For keyboards, you can usually purchase a model for less than a hundred dollars, but some models may cost more depending on the features. The cost of a piano may be high depending on the manufacturer, the material, and the design, but you can find them being sold second-hand for relatively less. In general, keyboards tend to be more affordable than pianos. The number of keys differs depending on the model you choose for your kid, but if you’re learning piano on a keyboard, you’ll want at least 72 keys in order to play the majority of popular piano compositions. However, some keyboards have less than 88 keys. The standard piano has 88 keys, as do many electric keyboards. This slight change in width won’t take too much getting used to if you’re going to switch back and forth from one size of keys to another. Pianos all use the same width keys, and many keyboard keys are identical or slightly narrower in width. The arrangement of the keys on a keyboard is identical to the arrangement of the keys on a piano, and your hand and finger movements will be identical from one instrument to the other. A keyboard with weighted keys is a good option for students who want a similar feel to the piano. As an acoustic instrument, pianos tend to have more action, and have a weighted feel when playing. The “action” of a keyboard or piano describes how well the keys respond when pushed down. However, there are subtle differences between the two instruments that are worth noting. Since the two instruments share many similarities, the concepts you learn and practice on a piano will transfer directly to playing on a keyboard, and vice versa.

DECIDING BETWEEN A PIANO VERSUS A KEYBOARD

Tiny player piano