So, Which is better.. A Piano or a Keyboard?

Real pianos are great but the one big drawback is that there is no volume control. So, with a piano you tend to end up playing for the neighbours, if you know what I mean. With a keyboard you can stick on some headphones and play whatever turns you on – you can experiment, make mistakes and sound silly while playing something a thousand times without driving other people completely nuts. :)

So...Which is the better one to purchase; A Piano or a Keyboard?.. Ideally - BOTH.

If you are buying a piano it is preferable to purchase an overstrung piano and not a straight strung! How to tell: Lift the top lid of the piano up and you should see the tuning pins around the top of the piano. If the tuning pins are evenly spaced along the pin block and the strings are all parallel and vertical - this is a straight strung piano. If there is a group of tuning pins on the left side and a separate group on the right side, and the strings cross over in an X shape - this is an overstrung piano.

Also, definitely get a tuner to check it out. I bought a piano once that needed to have some of the wood treated due to all the pins (that tighten the strings) coming loose very quickly after being tuned – A Disaster!



Ok, Let's Stick with a Keyboard...Which One Should you Choose?

Really, a lot depends on what you want. Do you want a keyboard that sounds and feels like a Piano? If so, then you should be looking for a keyboard or Digital Piano which has WEIGHTED keys. Listen carefully to the pianos sound, and don’t be bamboozled by all the other buttons. If you want something portable then you are looking for a keyboard. Personally though, I would still look for one with weighted keys (I can't stand the feel of light plastic keys).


Get a keyboard with at least 61 keys because anything less and you will be craving more keys after a few days. Also, make sure you get a sustain pedal because a keyboard is absolutely a dead object without one. Without a sustain pedal as soon as you lift your finger off a key the sound stops dead! With a piano at least the strings vibrate for a second or two, the difference is very noticeable.