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# How to Select the Best Piano for a Beginner?

August 31, 2022

Congratulations on starting piano lessons! Now you just have to select the right piano. For someone new to this purchase, the term "best piano" can feel a lot like buying your first car — what is the "best" one?

Just as there are many cars, there are also many pianos. But just as a driver does not need the most expensive or fastest car to navigate the streets, the piano student does not need the top-tier instrument. However, some basics need to be in order so that the time spent practicing produces satisfying results.

Investing in a better piano walks hand-in-hand with the desire to get the best possible outcome from the time and money spent learning. Quality instruments — acoustic or digital — help form good habits, unlike "tinker" instruments that are for short-term use and can encourage bad habits such as improper note identification. Proper sound quality and basic features are important for instilling a lasting interest in piano.

## A full keyboard

Just as a car needs brakes, a piano needs a full keyboard. Anything smaller than 88 keys doesn't form an accurate visual correlation to the keyboard, limiting the beginner's ability to play "high" or "low." Contrary to popular belief, elementary piano repertoire uses the full keyboard — not just the middle register.

## Weighted keys

For proper "steering control," the piano needs weighted keys. A weighted keyboard is touch-sensitive, so a student can produce soft and loud sounds. Finger technique and aural development grow through the ability to manipulate sound this way. Without it, a student cannot play expressively — so the sooner a student moves to a weighted keyboard, the better.

## At least one pedal

A piano needs at least one pedal. A digital instrument can add one or more; a traditional acoustic already comes with three. The sustain pedal — a foot-controlled lever that lets the sound keep ringing after the keys are released — is the bare minimum for even the semi-serious pianist.

There are really just a few basic requirements for a quality instrument that will last a student for years: 88 keys, weighted keys, and at least one pedal. Meet those, and you can rest assured the student will get satisfaction from every practice session. So get out there on that road of musical adventures!

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