Is it better to learn Piano or Keyboard?
Learning piano and keyboard: I see this question come up a lot. I think the first thing to remember is that Piano is a type of Keyboard! It belongs to the keyboard family. However I do think there are a few things to consider when it comes to what you are going to practice, whether it be a keyboard or piano.
Generally when people are talking about a keyboard, they are talking about an electric piano, or a digital piano. Some of the newer digital pianos are very good, and they come with 88 keys and good weighted action. However generally keyboards don’t have the weighted key action that you will find with an acoustic piano.
So this question really comes down to what would be better for you. If you live in a small apartment, with neighbours who may not be as enthusiastic about the piano as you are, then maybe a keyboard would be your best option. This way it is more compact, and will likely have an option to plug in headphones. However if you have the space and privacy, there is going to be no substitute for an acoustic piano.
In the long-term, you will find it easier to switch from a piano to a keyboard than from a keyboard to a piano, due to the weighted key action.
Is it easier to learn keyboard than piano?
If you want to learn piano, but don’t have the space for an acoustic piano, a full size keyboard is probably your best bet. The reason is that the action of the keys is similar to what you will find on an acoustic piano. If you have a digital piano with weighted keys, it will be even better. If you are not sure what this means, there are lots of good tutorials online that can help you understand.
Learning piano on a keyboard or digital piano is definitely possible, and can be a lot of fun. But if you really want to learn piano properly, (and perhaps become a classical pianist), then an acoustic piano is still the best option. While there are some great digital pianos out there now, nothing compares to playing on a real grand.
On keyboards and digital pianos the sound is produced electronically, in real pianos the sound comes from the strings being hit by hammers. The feeling of playing an acoustic grand is completely different – especially when playing at high volumes or with more force – and will be much closer to how things feel when you play in concert halls or orchestras.
I grew up being taught piano in a very classical way, and was taught to play on an upright Steinway, so I know very well what you mean by “a real piano.” The feel of the keys, the touch sensitivity, the sound — these things are all different on a modern piano than they are on any keyboard or synthesizer I’ve come across.
I believe it is perfectly possible to learn keyboard/piano on a keyboard or digital piano.
How often and How long should I practice piano?
One of the best things you can do to learn piano is to practice regularly. Here are some tips to help you develop and maintain a good practicing schedule:
Practice a little bit every day. It’s better to practice for 30 minutes every day, than 3 hours once a week. I remember when I was younger there are times that I would only sit down at the piano for 10 minutes and practice something but I might do that 7 or 8 times in a day. All that time adds up. You would be surprised how much you can do in 10 mins!
Try and develop a routine. It might be helpful for some people to do the same thing in the same order every time you practice. For example, warm up with scales and arpeggios, then work on technique exercises, sight reading, etudes, and repertoire. However, this may not be the way in which some people wish to learn piano. You may only want to learn how to play chords or learn a certain song, that’s ok too. The most important thing is that you have fun and enjoy your time at the piano.
Set goals for each practice session. This could be to learn a specific part of your repertoire or memorize it, or it could be to improve your technique using an exercise or etude.
Set long-term goals for what you want to accomplish in your practicing over the course of several months or years. For example, playing at church every Sunday or learning how to play jazz piano.
Keep a record of your progress. You’ll want to keep track of what pieces you are working on and how far along you are in them; what exercises you are working on and how well you can play them; what techniques you want to master; etc. This will help you plan your next practice session and make sure you’re making progress toward your long-
Is Keyboard Lessons the same as piano lessons?
In short, yes.
You may not be learning exactly the same things. But the fundamentals will still be the same. You will still be learning about the structure of the music, the chords and how they relate to each other.
Summary
As you can see, it is quite important to be patient when it comes to learning to play the piano. However, it should not all be about learning but also about having fun, and that is where the goals will help you a lot.
Hopefully, this information will help you have fruitful and effective piano practice sessions and answer the question, how often should you practice piano? Let us know in the comments how often do you practice?