Is It Ok To Practice Piano On a Digital Keyboard?
Yes, you can practice on a digital keyboard - something is better than nothing. You can learn the basics of the piano on a digital keyboard, and people do it all the time. In fact, some modern digital keyboards are quite good!
When it comes to practicing the actual piano (the upright or grand style), the answer is a little bit more complicated than a simple yes or no. You should be aware of what makes the most sense for you, how you can make wise choices, and how you can avoid gaps in your practice routine that might be created by a digital keyboard.
As you read, do not be discouraged if all you have is a digital keyboard. You might, however, want to find something a little bit more robust (and we’ll discuss that in a moment.) Signing up for piano lessons in Westchester County commits you to the piano, but you can still use a digital keyboard if necessary.
Digital Keyboard Are Fine, With Some Caveats
You can use a digital keyboard, but it does not give you all the things you need. A digital keyboard is missing:
Some keys—many do not have 88 keys
Weighted keys
The proper height of a normal piano
A proper bench
Acoustic resonance
Remember that you usually do not get 88 keys on a digital keyboard, and that is why they might not help you practice piano. Keys are weighted on a piano, but many digital pianos have non-weighted keys. This isn’t bad necessarily, but it would be better if you had weighted weighted action on your keyboard.
A keyboard is often not the right height, and that can make practicing difficult. When the keyboard is too high or low, you are not playing the way you will in your lessons when your teacher sits you down at their piano.
Furthermore, your digital keyboard may not have come with an adjustable bench - and bench height has a lot to do with playing with proper posture, hand position, and other technique considerations.
Lastly, the acoustic resonance coming out of a piano often sounds completely different than a digital keyboard. They make the same notes, but they resonate completely differently. The change in sound can be confusing to the ear.
What Are Weighted Keys?
Weighted keys refers to the action of the piano, not necessarily the literal weight of the key. Acoustic pianos, in contrast to some electric keyboards, have escapements and counterweights, and this allows you to color the sound of the notes you are playing in more detail. Cheaper digital piano models may not have weighted keys, and this will influence the way you play on an actual piano.
The good news is that you can find a digital keyboard with weighted keys fairly easily these days - even a $500 Casio model will come with weighted keys. Teachers highly recommend that you get a keyboard with weighted keys.
Why 88 Keys?
If you don’t have 88 keys, you do not have access to all the notes you need. There is nothing else to it. You either have 88 keys or you don’t. Now, a lot of music will sit in the middle of the keyboard, but piano music tends to spread out and use low notes you will not find on a digital keyboard. It is difficult to practice when you do not have all the notes available to you.
Also your lateral perception of the keyboard will be out of whack if you practice on a 66 key keyboard or something smaller. Your repertoire may only demand three octaves of range, but when you sit down at an 88-key piano, you may feel lost looking at all the keys! In sum, you don’t want to hurt your technique by practicing on a digital keyboard.
It Sounds Different
Acoustic resonance comes to you a little bit slower than the computer-generated ping you get from a digital keyboard. That difference in response can be confusing to a young musician. Someone with experience can hear the difference and might be annoyed because the keyboard does not sound like a real piano. Again, a digital keyboard is better than nothing, but it does have its drawbacks.
What About the Music Stand?
The music stand on a digital keyboard is typically taller, higher, and leans back more than the stand on a piano. Yes, a lot of pianists play from memory, but you don’t memorize everything, and it is difficult to practice page turns if you are reaching higher, farther, and at a different angle on a digital keyboard.
Many pianists have experienced the horror of practicing on one piano and performing on another where the music stand is situated much higher or lower than they are used to - it changes the feel of the piano entirely, and if your music stand is situated too high, you won’t be able to use your peripheral vision to see your hands while you play.
Where do You Find a Piano or Keyboard?
Some people might be thinking, “and where do you expect me to find a piano? Is it going to fall out of the sky?”
You’re right to think that. You would be surprised how many people are giving away old pianos on Craigslist and Facebook marketplace. You might get an upright piano for free or very little money. That does not mean they are everywhere all the time, but a little searching will yield a piano you can keep in your home for a lifetime. All you need to do is pay for a tuner to come out every so often. You can also see our guide to piano movers in Westchester County if you need to have one delivered.
If you are looking at digital keyboards to keep in the house, you need to step up to models that cost more money, have weighted keys, proper stands that are the right height, and even come with nice benches. You can find one of these for $500, and Yamahas and Casios are a great place to start looking.
It Does Prepare You for Piano Lessons
Even if you are not in the best situation, a digital keyboard helps you prepare for piano lessons. Learning your notes and scales on an electric piano is far better than tapping out notes on a table (or worse, not practicing at all!), and you can always start with a digital piano before moving on to a better acoustic model. If you have questions about which digital or acoustic piano you can buy, don’t hesitate to get in touch! I also teach piano lessons in White Plains, NY, so of course, let me know if you would like to get started with a trial lesson.