GETTING AN INSTRUMENT
Just because you choose piano, that does not mean that you actually have to buy an acoustic piano for your living room. In the beginning (approximately the first 9 months of study), a digital keyboard works fine. If you are not sure your child is going to commit to learning an instrument in the long term, then minimum investment with a keyboard is the way to go.
How do you select a keyboard or digital piano? First of all, it must have touch-sensitive or weighted keys. This means that the weight of your fingers, soft or hard, determines whether the sound is loud or soft. For example, the harder the strike, the louder the volume of the sound. This is essential!
Second, the keyboard needs to have at least 61 full-size keys; 78 are better. Digital pianos come with two pedals which will become necessary after about 9 months of study. (A full keyboard on an acoustic piano will have 88 keys and three pedals.)
Full-size keys, number of keys and touch-sensitive keys are a minimum requirement; and will get you through the first few months of study with little initial investment. All the other “bells and whistles” are fun but not important. The digital advantage is that you do not have to call the piano tuner. The disadvantage is that the touch is not as responsive as on an acoustic piano.
Some reliable names in keyboards or digital pianos are Casio, Yamaha, Alesis, Roland and Kurtzweil. You can also find good prices at Costco, Walmart and Sam’s Club. Other places in Austin, TX are Capital Music and Guitar Center.
Often, your local music store will match a price you find online. I have had a long-standing relationship with Capital Music here in Austin, TX. They go out of their way to see that my students are satisfied and get what they need. This is something to consider when shopping for a piano teacher.
Capital Music offers digital and acoustic piano rentals with exceptional prices and terms.
CHILDREN -- PIANO SHOPPING LIST*
Exercise Book – such as A Dozen A Day Preparatory Book by Edna Burnam or A Dozen A Day Anthology. Short easy exercises that teach a new technique with each exercise.
Method Book – The Progressive Piano Method Book for Young Beginners by Andrew Scott and Gary Turner. A very colorful and imaginative book that makes practicing easy.
Solo Books – Any two of the Pretime level, Faber and Faber Playtime Books such as Favorites, Popular, Classics, or Disney (the Disney book is the most difficult of the PreTime Level. I do not recommend starting with it). These books reinforce what is presented in the exercise and method books.
OR Faber and Faber Playtime Level 1 Books such as Popular, Classics, or Disney and Rock ‘n Roll. These books reinforce what is presented in the exercise and method books.
*You could get the Tuner/Metronome combo right away (eg.,Korg or Seiko). But for young children, I recommend this tuner COMBO after 6 months or a year because it is just one more thing for them to have to listen to. However, you can apply it to voice and all other instruments.