Piano lessons when we CAN'T AFFORD A PIANO???

Is this doable?? Is it possible to buy a cheap keyboard or something that can function enough like a piano, or should we forget it?

Gold Member Joined: Jun 01 2009 Posts: 2307

I don't see why not, as long as there is somewhere to practice.

Diamond Member Joined: Mar 29 2005 Posts: 3592

When I was a child I took piano lessons for a year before my parents agreed to buy me a piano. I practiced on a cardboard keyboard daily and twice a week at a facility where I could use a real piano.

Let your child start with an arrangement like this and see how it progresses. If the kid is talented, the teacher will probably help find a practice place.

Diamond Member Joined: May 10 2010 Posts: 3015

I did it for three years with a small keyboard until I got a piano. My parents didn't want to get a piano unless I was serious about it. (I continued to take lessons until I got married!) It was definitely worth it!

Senior Member Joined: Jun 14 2009 Posts: 108

I had a similar dilemma, and since I was taught to play on the real instrument, I do realize the difference. It depends on what you wish to achieve. If it is the piano per se, that is if you want to learn to play classical music in the proper, skillful, refined manner, than no, keyboard could never come close to the sound and feel of the real acoustic piano; but if it is just the taste/sense of music, not necessarily classical, that you�d like to instill, than, I guess, the keyboard could do just fine.

Also, bear in mind, for the proper hand development and command, the finger prowess, strength, dexterity, etc., there�s no substitute for the real piano. I bet there�s not a single accomplished concert pianist who was taught to play on the keyboard. Wink

For my family I�ve resolved this issue in favour of a different affordable instrument � the guitar (classical guitar). If one day we�ll be able to afford an acoustic piano, then I�d like to switch or add that too.

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 27 2005 Posts: 6747

You can practice on cardboard , a small keyboard , or a keyboard with weighted keys. You can buy them used too (except the cardboard). If it gets serious eventually you can save up for a piano.

Tons of people are giving away free older pianos. Check craigslist, in the free category , type in piano. You will have to find means to pick it up.

nyc craigslist

I would love to get a piano, but we have no room for it Sad

Gold Member Joined: Jan 12 2010 Posts: 2272 Location: US

I took lessons on a keyboard. I can play but wouldn't consider myself near being an expert. So in my unprofessional opinion, a keyboard should be fine for a beginner when they are simply learning their way around a keyboard.

I think it's important to get one with full-sized keys, and with a lot of keys - like 5 octaves. Touch sensitive keys is also a plus.

Posted: Wed, Nov 17 2010, 10:59 am Post subject:

We got DS a piano last year after he had been taking lessons on a keyboard for a few years. We found one (well the piano teacher did) in someone garage, all we had to do was remove it and it was ours.

Good luck
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NYM 6/11/2004 Music

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Gold Member Joined: Jul 31 2009 Posts: 1238

Seriously, you might be surprised at how many people are willing to give you a piano, as long as you transport it yourself. Like the others said, have it checked out first and see what it needs in terms of repairs and/or tuning.

If this would have been a year ago, I would have been begging you to come get the piano from my house!
I inherited it from a deceased relative quite some time ago and gave it the "affectionate" nickname of Albatross!
I used to joke that I was confused by this inheritance because although my dear old Aunt always seemed fond of me, I now wondered if she secretly disliked me! Laughing

I ended up giving it to a family much like yours, with a young aspiring pianist!

Best of luck to you!

(side note- Sort of off-topic but if you are thinking of leaving someone a piano, please ask if they want it first.)

I play the piano, and I can't stand keyboards.

However, I guess it should be fine for the beginning...as others have posted, at some point the posture, the position, the feel of the piano, the pedaling...is totally different and there is no substitute for the real thing.

Now I'm in the opposite position....I have a(n old) piano and my DD (age 9) is really talented B"AH....she can pick out any tune that she knows how to sing, and she's diligent and hard-working by nature. I wish I could afford lessons for her, but they are so expensive and we're on a shoe-string budget.

I've given her a few lessons myself but it's hard to find the time, and she really would benefit from lessons...I wish I could give them to her.
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Chayalle

Chayalle, maybe you can arrange a barter?

Lessons for home cooked meals? Lessons for babysitting? Piano lessons for craft lessons? Lessons for your daughter in exchange of you letting use your piano and room for teaching other students in your home (I know some start-out teachers, especially immigrants from former USSR, have neither an instrument nor room, but are highly qualified teachers who want to start their business!)

My parents sponsor part of the cost of my daughter's lessons - my dad pushed me into starting her so early by saying he'll pay for it (he has perfect pitch and plays many instruments, so he spotted her talent early on)

A digital keyboard such as the the Casio Previa, which has weighted keys, would work very well for piano lessons. I own a digital keyboard similar to this one and use it when I play for musical productions that don't have a good piano. It's not as light as the cheapie ones and doesn't have 3 zillion different sounds, but the full-size, 88 weighted keys make it feel like a real piano. See link:
Casio Previa
If you go this route, buy a decent pedal to go with it.

Posted: Wed, Dec 29 2010, 2:40 pm Post subject:

It took me 30 years until life allowed a real piano into my life... until then, I relied on the electronic ones, which are awful. I got this one free on craigslist. Someone wanted to get rid of it.

Gold Member Joined: May 11 2009 Posts: 1292

you'd be surprised at how many good pianos are on Craig's List. I know a few people who got pianos this way. You just have to have a good piano mover ASAP because they go fast. (and yes, to move a piano you need a piano mover and a good tuning afterwards. If you live in Long Island, Queens, or Brooklyn I can recommend a piano tuner.)
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"You can say this for ready-mixes - the next generation isn't going to have any trouble making pies exactly like mother used to make." ~Earl Wilson

Posted: Wed, Dec 29 2010, 2:54 pm Post subject:

I used pianony.com and was happy.