88 key keyboard for beginners reddit - Brave Search

Beginner 88 Keyboard Piano?

reddit.com › r › piano › comments › 1eulvp8 › beginner_88_keyboard_piano

For that budget I don't think you could get a reliable new 88- key digital piano. I've never bought a used digital piano, but most people on this sub recommend looking into the second-hand market, as you may find some Casios, Yamahas, Roland, and other used 88-key fully-weighted digital pianos brands for around $300 (sometimes a little bit more, depending on the level of usage of the digital piano). That being said, I recommend you get a new Casio CT-S1. Which you can get on Amazon for around US $270. Check for all the different offers and stores you can, so you'll get the best deal possible. The CT-S1 features 61 light weighted keys (still they feel a little bit like semi-weighted, I believe) with touch sensitivity, which is crucial for advancing as a beginner. All the other features are cool, but the most important thing is that it has a "recent" sound card which sounds very good for its price. Perhaps it's major disadvantage is that it doesn't feature an LCD panel for the controls (unlike my CT-S300 lmao), you have to check for command combinations on the user guide to change the settings. I know this because I own a Casio CT-S-300, which you could say is an older version of the CT-S1. I got it for $200, and to be honest I couldn't be happier with it (considering its price range). So if you tell me you can get an improved and updated version of the CT-S300, for $270 I'd say go for it. Of course I'd recommend you go to the store and check and play-test any keyboard or digital piano before you buy it. Also always ask for the warranty and the refund policy. It will save you a lot of possible headaches. Answer from NoDragon3009 on reddit.com

reddit.com › r/piano › 61 or 88 keys for a beginner

r/piano on Reddit: 61 or 88 keys for a beginner

July 22, 2023 -

Im looking to start playing piano; I'm a total beginner but have always wanted to learn.

The main question is the keyboard size as I'm torn between 61 or 88 keys.

I've done a bit of research and there really isn't much price difference. I'm looking for anything 200 or under. For the sake of 50/60 I might as well just buy the 88 keys.

Though I'm thinking this might be more difficult for me to learn straight away.

Is there a big jump in terms of learning between 61 and 88 keys. If I buy a smaller one will I have to learn again etc when transferring on to another keyboard?

What shall I get to start out?

When you’re an intermediate you will not be able to play certain pieces because you’re missing those extra keys. Best get the 88 key now because you’ll want it later anyway.

I would prioritize weighted keys over number of keys. Ideally you would have 88 weighted keys.

reddit.com › r/piano › beginner 88 keyboard piano?

r/piano on Reddit: Beginner 88 Keyboard Piano?

June 24, 2024 -

hey everyone. looking to gift an 88 key keyboard to a complete beginner who is a tween. not looking to spend more than $300. what do u guys recommend? do they really have to jump straight to a yamaha or roland if they're a beginner? thanks!

For that budget I don't think you could get a reliable new 88- key digital piano. I've never bought a used digital piano, but most people on this sub recommend looking into the second-hand market, as you may find some Casios, Yamahas, Roland, and other used 88-key fully-weighted digital pianos brands for around $300 (sometimes a little bit more, depending on the level of usage of the digital piano). That being said, I recommend you get a new Casio CT-S1. Which you can get on Amazon for around US $270. Check for all the different offers and stores you can, so you'll get the best deal possible. The CT-S1 features 61 light weighted keys (still they feel a little bit like semi-weighted, I believe) with touch sensitivity, which is crucial for advancing as a beginner. All the other features are cool, but the most important thing is that it has a "recent" sound card which sounds very good for its price. Perhaps it's major disadvantage is that it doesn't feature an LCD panel for the controls (unlike my CT-S300 lmao), you have to check for command combinations on the user guide to change the settings. I know this because I own a Casio CT-S-300, which you could say is an older version of the CT-S1. I got it for $200, and to be honest I couldn't be happier with it (considering its price range). So if you tell me you can get an improved and updated version of the CT-S300, for $270 I'd say go for it. Of course I'd recommend you go to the store and check and play-test any keyboard or digital piano before you buy it. Also always ask for the warranty and the refund policy. It will save you a lot of possible headaches.

Yamaha p45 is $400 new. That's about as cheap as I could recommend an 88 key weighted instrument. What kind of music are they interested in? Nothing wrong with a hobbyist-level 76 or even 61 key instrument with fun sounds to play around with. Manufacturers have to strip everything to the absolute bare minimum functionality to get an 89 key weighted board down to $400. You can get a very fun unweighted hobbyist instrument for $200-$300 that might be more what they would enjoy anyway.

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reddit.com › r/pianolearning › do i need 88 keys on a keyboard?

r/pianolearning on Reddit: Do I need 88 keys on a keyboard?

October 27, 2021 -

I’m looking to buy a keyboard soon and was looking at the PSR-E373 which has 61 keys. I know absolutely nothing about keyboards or the piano but want to learn to play some songs that I like. Nothing classical or overly complicated. Something along the lines of Billy Joel. Do I need 88 keys?

You don't need 88 to begin with but I've been learning for 6 months and I wish I had 88 keys now There will be an octave button which means you can change the keys sound an octave higher or lower so you will still be able to cover all the range of an 88 key instrument but you won't have the spread of low to high. It's okay for simpler pieces but more advanced songs often will need the full 88 keys

I would just get 88 keys unless the price difference is prohibitive

reddit.com › r/piano › which 88 key midi controller should i buy as a beginner?

r/piano on Reddit: Which 88 Key MIDI controller should I buy as a beginner?

November 13, 2022 -

Hi, I want to start learning piano and was looking to buy my first 88-key MIDI controller.

I first wanted the Arturia 88 Key Essential, but I called the piano store and they told me the SL88 was a lot better than the Arturia. t made me question my choices and now I'm not sure about which one to buy. The Arturia seems to have great quality and are alot of functionality with great plugins and comes 70€ cheaper than the SL88.

So please tell me, should I spend more to get the SL88 like the piano store told me, or is the Arturia 88 Key Essential a good choice? Feel free to suggest other Keyboards!

Read the FAQ first

Dont burn money on that. You can find a used Yamaha or Roland digital piano with USB midi for fairly cheap. Then just add a used controlled. If you are starting out new there is no reason to spend a lot of money on this stuff brand new. It depreciates hugely in value, and you almost certainly will end up getting rid of it.

reddit.com › r/musicproduction › is a 88 key keyboard good for beginners?

r/musicproduction on Reddit: Is a 88 key keyboard good for beginners?

September 29, 2021 -

I’m trying to learn a new instrument, the keyboard. But there different amounts of keys . 49, 66, 72, 88, which is best for beginners.

if you want to learn how to play piano, you want an 88 key board with weighted keys. if you just want a midi controller for music production than anything will work really

If you’re young just learn to play piano on that 88 key.

Cause… why not?

reddit.com › r/pianolearning › genuinely confused why people recommend 88 keys for beginners

r/pianolearning on Reddit: Genuinely confused why people recommend 88 keys for beginners

June 22, 2025 -

I am sure I will eat my words once I get more experience but I really don't get. it. I have been practicing with a 49 key keyboard for months now and I never felt like I needed more keys. In fact I am glad I did not start with 88 as that would have been overwhelming.

Some songs need higher or lower octaves? You can shift them!

I am sure there are some songs you can't play comfortably by shifting octaves but these are probably not going to be songs I can play as a beginner anyway. And not like there is lack of piano pieces anyway so not sure what the big deal is I miss out on some.

I guess if you want to be a concert pianist getting 88keys is great so you have the exact same layout as an acoustic piano but I don't think this is a big deal. Plus I am realistically never going to touch an acoustic piano anyway.

I am not saying 49keys is the best size, I am definitely looking to upgrade one day. Though I am really not sure I will ever need 88keys, probably going for 61 or 73 keys.

Sorry, it's not about the size of the keyboard, it's about the weighted keys that give you the official piano action - which is SOOOO much better than a touch-sensitive keyboard. If it's just about playing the right notes, sure, go with a smaller keyboard, but you are ripping yourself off if you think a 49-key keyboard is the end of the journey. Sure you can play the notes just fine, but you're missing all of the action...

Who would ever need 5 strings on a guitar, I'm happy with 2 vibes...

reddit.com › r/pianolearning › good cheap keyboard suggestions? (<$250)

r/pianolearning on Reddit: Good cheap keyboard suggestions? (<$250)

April 5, 2024 -

Hey everyone. I'm looking to buy a cheap 88 key, weighted keyboard so I can get practice whenever I come home from college. I saw a few options on Amazon for less than $250, but either there were very few reviews or there were bad reviews. I don't need anything fancy with hundreds of instruments/tones, preferably sust something simple if that's possible. Can anyone vouch for any of them? I'm not looking to spend more than $250

Under $250 is hard. I spoke to a Sweetwater rep and basically the best “entry level” decent keyboard is alesis recital pro and alesis prestige and those are 379/399 dollars. If you can splurge for more get a roland fp10 or yamaha for 450-550.

The answer you seek is a used CASIO PRIVIA Was about $500 ten years ago. You can get one online for about $250. I recommend this because I own one and it is still holding up. It is pretty easy to pop open and replace parts of need be. It has no bells or whistles….no usb. but it has 88 keys and midi out/in https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Casio/PX100A-Privia-Limited-Edition-Digital-Piano.gc?cntry=us&source=4WWMWXGP&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxeyxBhC7ARIsAC7dS3_Y-dNzBCWmBHM5BGKGleszCXhSFszOUQowDRmR7006y1jqjCIEvZQaAoBbEALw_wcB

reddit.com › r/piano › i really want to learn piano, should i get a “88 key digital piano keyboard with semi weighted keys” ?

r/piano on Reddit: I really want to learn piano, should I get a “88 key digital piano keyboard with semi weighted keys” ?

August 2, 2025 -

My mom suggested I get a keyboard that’s as close to a piano as you can get, to see if I’m really interested in it. Found one on amazon that fits that. Is this a good idea? Or is it better to find a teacher and play with them? Or something else? I have no music experience, 22.

(Also if you know a great starter keyboard pls lmk)

Edit: Thank you to everyone who took the time to comment, and to everyone who is still commenting. I’ve read all of them and have a lot to consider. This is a really nice community.

The best keyboard to start with is an 88 key fully weighted and graded keyboard as that covers all the bases; the full range and real feeling. This helps with technique and finger strength and dynamics and all that good stuff because it is mimicking a real piano. A good starter keyboard is something like the yamaha p-145 or p-225 personally I have a roland fp-30x and I think it has a much better action and feel than the yamahas, so you could also check out the roland fp-10x. Some other well known names are Kawai and Casio but I dont have any personal experience with them so I cant give much advice on them. Look out for Yamaha and Roland, these are pretty much the best of the best. However lets not kid ourselves these all still cost a fair bit of money, so if you dont want to spend this much then you can find some keyboard that have touch sensitive keys as you can still somewhat get a feel for dynamics (but this is nowhere near the same level as with a fully weighted keyboard) It also depends on what youd like to play, if you just want to play some of your favorite pop songs and play around with different voices then id recommend something like the yamaha psr e373. If you want to get into classical or jazz or want to really become a good pianist then id strongly recommend getting a good keyboard from the get go. The best advice I can give you is to go into some music stores and try things out, this is CRUCIAL! maybe you will watch videos or read reviews but you really cant know for sure unless you go in person and try it out. Sorry for the essay, but TL;DR is: Go to a music shop in person and try out their instruments.

Yamaha p125, full 88 keys, weighted, and extra modes (epiano, strings, voices(3 variations per)). I personally love this keyboard and it’s around $700

Find elsewhere

Google Bing Mojeek

reddit.com › r/piano › beginner here. space is tight. would <88-keys be a huge mistake?

r/piano on Reddit: Beginner here. Space is tight. Would <88-keys be a huge mistake?

February 17, 2016 -

Complete beginner here, planning to purchase my first keyboard over the summer. My only issue is that space is quite tight (living in student accommodation).

Will a <88-key keyboard be a huge mistake? Could I learn with a 61-key keyboard and, if not, will 76 keys be a good enough compromise?

Keyboards I'm looking at:

61 keys - Yamaha NP-12
76 keys - Yamaha NP-32
88 keys - Yamaha P-45 (weighted)
88 keys - Casio CDP-130 (weighted)

Type of music I want to play (eventually):

Erik Satie - Gymnopédie No.1
Maxence Cyrin - Where Is My Mind
Yiruma - River Flows In You
Ludovico Einaudi - Una Mattina

I'm aware of the importance of key weighting (which I won't get with smaller keyboards), but space really is a premium. Will I regret getting a smaller keyboard?

76 might be fine - I don't know where they cut. 61 is not fine.

I've had a 61 key, before I got my Yamaha P-35. Yes you'll regret having less keys. The low keys in Maxence Cyrin for example are in the lowest octave. It's also very convenient not to have to switch to a lower octave setting. My advice: buy an 88-key, weighted piano.

reddit.com › r/piano › best 88 key piano for beginner?

r/piano on Reddit: Best 88 Key Piano for Beginner?

August 24, 2015 -

I'm gonna buy it used so any brand reccomendations?

Yamaha p45 or p105

I like the Casio CDP-130, but at the end of the day it's a matter of opinion. Head down to a place in your local area that sells keyboards and find one that you like, because you'll likely own it for a long time.

reddit.com › r/piano › which would you pick? - budget keyboard for adult beginner

r/piano on Reddit: Which would you pick? - Budget keyboard for adult beginner

January 4, 2023 -

Call it a new years resolution or whatever you will, I have decided to attempt to learn piano

I am 30 and have very little experience with music or playing instruments other than a little bit of guitar in high school.

Because of this and not looking to ever be amazing, play an acoustic piano, perform or anything like that, I want to find a very basic, budget keyboard that does just enough to allow me to try and learn the basics and a few songs and just have fun with it. I don't want to spend a lot as it could end up not being for me.

From looking around, it seems 88keys is a must? As are some sort of weighted keys.

So out of these two keyboard are either a viable option and if so which would you go for? (I know they are only semi-weighted)

RockJam 88 Key Digital Piano Keyboard Piano with Full Size Semi-Weighted Keys, Power Supply, Sheet Music Stand, Piano Note Stickers & Simply Piano Lessons : Amazon.co.uk: Musical Instruments & DJ

Alesis Recital 88 Key Digital Piano Keyboard for Beginners with Semi Weighted Keys, Built-In Speakers and Piano Lessons : Amazon.co.uk: Musical Instruments & DJ

Any information epecially if anyone has used / owns either of these would be great.

*EDIT*

I appreciate people's suggestions but £400 - £500+ isn't 'budget' to me unfortunately, looking at sub £200 really, if at all possible, whether that be new or used, although my local used market seems pretty scarce (Manchester, UK)

The cheapest digital piano I would recommend is Yamaha P45.

Something you could look into is renting. I looked into it and almost went for it but decided to just pull the trigger and outright buy a Roland F701 instead. Some piano shops (in the UK at least) offer a rental service so that after 4 months you can decide if you want to keep the piano and if so, the rental money you already paid them is taken off the final price, otherwise you hand it back and all you've paid is a small amount.

reddit.com › r/pianolearning › best beginner keyboard with weighted keys?

r/pianolearning on Reddit: Best beginner keyboard with weighted keys?

March 23, 2023 -

I’m going to begin learning piano (technically keyboard) soon, and I’m wondering what the best beginner one is to buy?

Also, how many keys should it have? I plan to keep it for around 3 years before I move abroad.

Thanks

Beginner here after a year playing and picked up Roland Fp30x. Highly recommend!

Yamaha p125, Roland fp10, Casio px-160 These are the best entry level options imo

reddit.com › r/piano › 88 or 61 keys?

r/piano on Reddit: 88 or 61 keys?

August 10, 2024 -

Hi, I'm looking to start learning the piano and I want to know which is better for learning, the 88 keys or the 61 keys?

88 weighted keys

88 keys. Weighted keys, if possible, is the best way to go.

reddit.com › r/piano › should i get a 61 key or 88 key keyboard?

r/piano on Reddit: Should I get a 61 key or 88 key keyboard?

June 11, 2018 -

I’ve tried to see as many awnsers as possible, and most are like this “61 is for beginners and 88 for real pros” or “88 is good for classical music while 61 is good for simpler tunes” To that I have to say, I love classical, but also video game music, plus I wouldn’t say this is a hobby nor a job, somewhere in the middle, but I would like to learn a new instrument and hopefully master it one day and be a “pro” as mentioned before (I’ve been playing flute for 5+ years now). Which kinda fuels both sides on which to pick (plus I don’t have a good budget, so I can only pick one for life basically)

With all that information, does anyone know which is the better option?

88 - even if it means you have to go second hand, there's nothing more frustrating than realising you literally don't have enough keys for what you want to be doing.

If you want to play piano at all seriously, even as a hobby, 88 weighted keys is not optional. If you hope to play classical music and have mastery over the instrument, there's no way around it, you have to spend at least a few hundred dollars on a quality keyboard. A used Yamaha P35 or something similar will serve you well. If you just want to play a few catchy tunes (and there's nothing wrong with that), a 61 key keyboard will serve just fine, and you don't need weighted keys.

reddit.com › r/piano › 88 key electric piano for beginner - new or second hand?

r/piano on Reddit: 88 key electric piano for beginner - New or Second Hand?

October 2, 2025 -

I'd like to start learning, and from what I've read, I may as well start with an 88 key piano.

With that said, shall I go for a cheaper new keyboard, or try to find something second-hand? I really don't have a great deal available to spend. I wouldn't want to spend more than £150, ideally less.

ooh good question! what does the faq section say?

I’m very confused by these comments because I see digital pianos second hand for anything from free to £250 online literally all the time. You can get new digital pianos with weighted keys for like £250-£600 that would do you for practicing for a few years as a beginner, and those same pianos sell for half that price second hand. Facebook marketplace and eBay have loads if you have transport.

reddit.com › r/piano › good beginner 88 digital piano in 2021?

r/piano on Reddit: Good beginner 88 digital piano in 2021?

August 21, 2020 -

I know this question has been asked multiple times but I'd like to see if anything has changed in 2021. I live in the UK and would like to start learning to play piano but I can't decide which digital piano to buy.

Check the FAQ. There are many like the Roland FP 10, Yamaha P 45,...

Roland released the new FP30X (and 60X,90X) this year. but for beginner might want to check if there are good deals on the older FP10 and FP30 clearance. Also I feel like Yamaha should look at releasing new models as their entry level P45, P115 have been out for several years already.

reddit.com › r/pianolearning › cheap 88 key keyboard

r/pianolearning on Reddit: Cheap 88 Key Keyboard

October 25, 2024 -

Does anyone have suggestions for a good but budget friendly keyboard, I was thinking of spending between 2-300$

I just bought a Roland fp10 used with a stand and bench for 300 on Facebook. I saw a lot of these and entry level Yamahas for sale. Basically just picked the one that was the cleanest and newest.

I'm learning on a Yamaha P45 which I bought used for $300, which I saw many people online saying was the cheapest option that was still good enough to grow into.

reddit.com › r/piano › is it necessary to get a weighted keyboard as a beginner?

r/piano on Reddit: Is it necessary to get a weighted keyboard as a beginner?

August 21, 2021 -

I've been playing and practicing every day consistently for about 30 minutes to an hour and I'm seeing improvement. It's only been about 1 week though, and I'm now on the g position in the Alfred all in one book. I'm able to read the sheet music and not look down.

Regardless, I want a strong foundation. For that reason, is it necessary to buy a weighted keyboard? I have the Yamaha YPG-235 and I'm looking at the Yamaha P-45

A weighted keyboard is essential for playing piano repertoire. Its great that you’re considering getting one early in your piano journey!

Yamaha P-45 is excellent. There’s also the P-125 but I think the former is more than enough.

reddit.com › r/piano › 88 key digital piano recommendation

r/piano on Reddit: 88 Key Digital Piano Recommendation

April 22, 2024 -

Hello, I am not sure if this is the proper subreddit or not, but here goes. I'm still a novice player but the band that I am in does a lot of songs with both organ and piano. Allman Brothers, Doors, Derek and The Dominoes, Grateful Dead, etc. I currently have a Roland VR09 which is great for the organ parts but lacks in both piano and electric pianos (to me anyways) and I don't really love the action and just having 61 keys. I'm thinking of getting a full size 88 key digital piano, such as the Roland RD 88 or FP-30FX for pianos and have the VR09 up top for organ. Is anyone familiar with these pianos or have a similar setup that they use? Any insight or recommendations are truly appreciated, thanks!

Just bought a PX560 from Casio, and are amazed at what it can do. It has a lot of Piano tones, 88 weighted keys, and a full Synth workstation with recording abilities. It first came out in 2015 and is still ahead of it's time. Bought it cheap, lightly used, as few people can figure the thing out, as it is a complex beast. It has nice built in speakers, and a full set of connections for stage use. Definitely a Pro quality Keyboard, that can stay with you a long time, and something you can grow into.

Definitely some advantages to having multiple boards. If you would prefer to have everything in a single board, a yamaha ck88 or yc88 would meet all your needs pretty well (organ drawbars, EPA, piano sounds, full 88 weighted keys). The YC has a much better action/key feel but at a much higher cost. I don't think an fp30 would have what you need. An rd88 or rd08 would be serviceable. They lack the customization/onboard controls of more robust stage pianos but they have decent preset patches. I don't love their piano sounds, though.

reddit.com › r/piano › which keyboard to buy for a beginner?

r/piano on Reddit: Which keyboard to buy for a beginner?

June 22, 2021 -

Hi, I am interested in learning to play piano. I don't have any experience so I will learn for the first time. Since I am a student, I don't have a huge budget and I don't wanna spend too much money on it until I am sure that I want to keep improving and playing it seriously.

Pianos are pretty expensive but I saw lots people on internet saying that keyboard are absouletly fine for a beginner.

Do you have any recommendations for which keyboard to buy? I have a budget of around $300. Also, is it better if it has 88 keys and they are weighted?

Thanks

Have you checked the FAQ ?

I'm a professional musician and I would highly recommend the Yamaha Piaggero NP-32. It's a 76 key weighted keyboard, but being a beginner you won't miss the six missing keys on the high and low end octaves. And the sound is sampled from one of their high-end grand pianos so it sounds beautiful. The keyboard retails for $300 at sweetwater.com, but you can get a bundle for $350 from them that includes a keyboard stand, a bench, an expression pedal that you need and have to pay extra for when you buy the keyboard alone, and a few other accessories. It's out of stock right now because it's so popular, but they will let you reserve one if you call and leave a credit card number with them. They won't charge the card until it's in stock and they ship it. And they are very reputable store. I buy most of my musical gear from them. Just so you know, I don't work for them or know anyone who's affiliated with them at all.