Traditional Piano VS Keyboard for beginning piano

So we get this question a lot..."I have a baby grand (etc.) piano. Is this appropriate to start by 5 yr old on for lessons?"

OK - so here's the skinny on this subject. Keyboards are actually an excellent start for young students beginning piano lessons. There are keyboards that are sized for their small fingers and there is no resistance on the keys which allows for greater ease in pressing down those first notes.

As they grow, there are keyboards that are slightly larger with bigger keys and even touch sensitivity (not hammer action) which allow for the teaching of dynamics (loud and soft) with out the difficulty still of pressing down traditional keys.

Finally, there are full size keyboards or digital pianos that have 88 full size keys with-out and with hammer action which then gives the much desired "feel" of a traditional piano.

My normal suggestion for parents is to go digital. The sound is better, they are smaller, less cumbersome, lighter, and need virtually NO upkeep as "traditional" pianos need a lot of care. We suggest, for the health of the instrument and your investment, 4 tunings a year with perhaps a few having a pitch raise and some minimum maintenance, as well.

Hope this helps in your decision making!

Happy Practicing!

The Music Momma