So I've been wanting to learn to play piano for a long time now, and I finally decided to take the leap and buy a keyboard. I used to own a piano growing up (but I mever learned to play it) so I know acoustic pianos have weighted keys and the vast majority of keyboards don't, and the ones that do are often semi-weighted or just trash weighted.

I'm obviously looking to learn, and I found these keyboard that have an app for sheet music that plugs in via USB and lights up the right keys to help you play it right, and it looks like it can at least get me on the right path before I start paying for lessons, but I don't know if they're worth the added price (usually 100-300 dollars more) or if it would be about as useful as Guitar Hero is at teaching guitar, OR if they have any light ups woth properly weighted keys.

What are all of your thoughts?

if they have black and white keys on them? they are good for beggining! just start,dont hesitate,just go,play and learn! it doesnt matter in the beggining what keys you use,in perfect conditions I would advice heavy weight keys or real piano but I dont know what prices are in your hometown or your country...music is fun,and must be fun I use midi keyboards 88 keys and i am very pleased,so in your price range find couple of examples what you want to buy and post here,we can help you deicide...

I don't even have a very large musical creative drive, so "just playing" would only turn me off. My interest in the piano is mimicry, rather than innovation, although that may change eventually. I want to learn how to play the songs that i like, partially because having another challenge would be nice, but really, it's simply because playing it seems more eenjoyable than just sitting and listening.

Because of that, it matters to me what keys I play and how they sound, which is why I asked for opinions. Your idea is excellent in theory, and my motivation is pretty stilted, but I do know (roughly) what i want IN a keyboard, I just haven't done any looking around yet before asking opinions.

Is there a reason you say heavy weighted keys? Is that the "normal" weight, or personal preference? Unfortunately, a real piano isn't an option yet, but do you recommend a MIDI versus just a normal keyboard? Or, for a more poignantly directed question; is a MIDI required to use the digital sheet music for the illuminating keyboard idea I had?

heavy keys are better for technique...I dont want to writte long post here to describe what is problem with alternative you can google it but lets put it like this,it is much easier to turn from heavy keys to soft then turn from soft to heavy,both have adventages but classical music is made for piano which is heavy keys and that is main reason for me to use it. but I need to add that I finished classical academy for clarinet and not for piano,in the beggining soft keys are better for obvious reason but in the long run you might change to classical music or jazz then you will have some problems...I might be wrong for your case and you can play both classical and pop music on soft keys,it still up to you

Awesome thanks for all of your advice. When I finally get a few ideas about which keyboards I have in mind, Ill post them here. It'll be today or tomorrow because Black Friday is in 5 days

So I did some digging, and the piano that I've pretty much settled on is the Yamaha P-45. It doesn't have the ability to have
follow along songs with light up keys like I was hoping for but it has full size properly weighted keys, and the real piano feeling
is more important than seeing the pretty lights lol. If nothing else, it will force me to learn proper form and posture opposed
to learning how to follow along.

Here's a link.

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Yamaha/P-45-88-Key-Weighted-Action-Digital-Piano.gc

This post was edited by Disturbed*One on Nov 19 2018 04:34pm

Very good choice for a beginner!

How’s it coming along?

Im curious on this as well. Please share your experience!

As someone who would be a complete beginner, I've been looking into the Roland series. Mainly an FP30, though the 120 is supppsively really great. I'm considering just renting one for a few months to see how I like it!


It looks like a lot of fun, with learning the different chords, to read music and learn rhythm.
Been watching videos of people playing piano all day.

This post was edited by GLYC123 on Apr 21 2019 10:26pm

If you’re going to rent, I would just do a payment plan through Sam ash or some sort.


What’s your budget?? The fp30 would be a pretty great do to learn on

Don’t hesitate to buy used. At least for a do. I found a ydp 223 for 200 bucks on LetGo. The piano released at a 2100 price tag and still goes for ~1k used

This post was edited by Archer on Apr 26 2019 11:06pm