If you are looking to play piano or keyboard, a keyboard or digital piano that teaches you how to play is an excellent option for beginners. If you don’t have the time or a schedule that accommodates traditional piano lessons, these types of keyboards can really help you on your way to learning and playing songs that you love. But how do you find the best one for you?
In this article, we’ll talk about the best keyboard pianos that teach you how to play. We’ll go over the pros and cons of each one and give you some guidelines that we used to choose the best of the best. And of course, we’ll tell you about our favorite keyboard pianos that teach you how to play.
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With The ONE Smart piano, you can learn your first song in just minutes by following the light-up keys. Just start with the introductory course to learn your first song or select game mode and get scored on your ability to follow along as the LED lights work alongside the included apps. The LEDs will tell you which note to play, and the app will wait until you find the right one to move on to the following note. After that, songs get progressively more challenging as you learn.
Use the free mobile apps for iOS and Android to access games, sheet music, and video lessons. You can use the MIDI connectivity to access other apps, as well.
This electric piano features hammer action keys and an elegant look. You’ll find headphone jacks and built-in speakers, as well.
The Casio LK-S250 is a compact keyboard that lets you make music on the go. The light-up keys make it easy to learn new songs, and the voice-guided step-up lesson system helps you learn quickly and easily. There are plenty of sounds and rhythms to enjoy, as well as drum loops and tracks to play with. There is a line in for your favorite mic so you can sing along and a USB line out to connect with your tablet or smartphone. You can power up this keyboard with batteries or the included power adapter.
The Hamzer 61 key electronic keyboard is an inexpensive option for those looking for a teaching keyboard. It includes plenty of sounds and rhythms to explore and enjoy, with stereo outputs, headphone jacks, and audio input so you can sing along. Create your own songs with the ability to record and playback to listen to your progress. The integrated learning features will get you playing songs and chords as you follow the notes and play the matching lights on the keyboard.
The JIKADA keyboard is a typical 61 key keyboard that includes an LCD display and three teaching modes for beginners through more advanced pianists. It includes plenty of sounds and demos to choose from, and includes stand, stool, microphone, and of course, the power adapter.
You can sue the onboard record and playback function to listen to your own music. USB-MIDI helps you connect yoru keyboard to the teaching apps so you can follow along with the LED-lit keys.
The ONE Music Group 88 Key Keyboard gives you a great playing experience and helps you learn songs quickly and easily. The light-up keys show you what notes to play so you can learn your favorite songs. The 88 full-sized hammer action keys have an adjustable response so that you can tailor them to your playing style and ability. Use the USB-MIDI output to connect to your tablet or smartphone for integrated apps and games.
A typical acoustic piano has 88 keys. If you are looking to learn classical music, you’ll probably want to invest in a keyboard that has all 88. If you are just beginning or just want to dabble in music to see if you like it, a smaller keyboard, such as one that has 61 keys, will work just fine until you advance.
The fewer keys a keyboard has, the smaller, lighter, and more portable it is. Also, a keyboard that has fewer keys is more likely to be able to run off of battery power if that is important to you. This list includes keyboards that have 88 and 61 keys.
Key action refers to how the keys feel when you play them, or more specifically, how they work. For example, if you consider how an acoustic piano works, you’ll find that the keys have a feeling of resistance when you push down and that resistance is what springs them back into place due to the action of the hammers on the inside of the piano. That’s why it's called hammer action.
If you want a keyboard or digital piano that feels like an acoustic piano, you’ll want to look for one that has a hammer action feel. This gives you the most realistic feeling while you play. The ONE Music keyboard and digital pianos on this list have a hammer action feel, which means they have more resistance when you play them.
The other keyboards, on the other hand, have a synth-action feel. Synth-action is easier to play than hammer action – as in, it doesn’t take as much effort to push down the key. The key will have a little bit of resistance, and typically a spring inside the key will make it return to its resting position. These keyboards also are velocity-sensitive – meaning that the faster you push down the key, the louder it sounds.
Generally, keyboards that have hammer action are more expensive and weigh more than keyboards that have synth-action. Hammer action can help students develop hand strength, musical expression, and nuance. However, keyboards that use synth-action keys can also develop dexterity and musical expression.
However, suppose your pianist will be going back and forth between the keyboard and acoustic piano. In that case, you might want to purchase a keyboard that has hammer action to make these transitions easier.
The ONE Music Keyboard and Digital piano are the only ones on this list that have hammer action to make them feel more like an acoustic piano. The other keyboards have synth-action, which makes them easier to play and lighter and less expensive.
A good keyboard will also have good sound quality. So imagine you are playing a beautiful song, but the speakers are bad – it won’t be a gratifying experience no matter how good the pianist is. The keyboards on this list have built-in speakers that will give you a good quality of sound,e specially the keyboards that have stero-speakers. However, the more expensive instruments will have higher quality built-in speakers and even a line out, so you can add additional speakers if you choose.
You can use the headphone jack or, better yet, a line out to add additional speakers or amplifiers. This will give you an even better musical experience.
These are keyboards intended to teach you how to play the piano. So what can you learn from them? First, of course, you’ll want a keyboard that teaches you how to play songs, how to play chords, and when to play the notes. It should help you gain skills and learn theory. While this isn’t a substitute for a teacher that can help you with technique and hand position, it will go a long way towards learning music and how to play keyboard and piano.
The keyboards in this list connect to free apps that have sheet music. When you use the sheet music in the accompanying app, the corresponding notes on the keyboard will light up, showing you which ones to play. In time, you’ll be able to make the association on your own, and you won’t need the lights on the keyboard.
Some of the keyboards have step-up lessons, so you can start with a beginner lesson and then advance as you are ready. Some also have piano games to test your accuracy and ability, so you know that you’re getting better!
Keyboards can be fairly complicated to use. However, most of the keyboards on this list have a simple LED screen that makes it easy to see what you are doing. It will tell you the corresponding number of the sound you are hearing so you can select it quickly and easily.
If a keyboard is too complicated to set up, you’ll probably get tired of using it. So instead, look for a keyboard that is simple to use and has an intuitive interface.
You’ll also want apps that are easy to download and connect to your keyboard. These keyboards all come with accompanying apps that are easy to install on your tablet.
Keyboards can be very lightweight – often under 25 pounds. Digital pianos, on the other hand, can weigh a little more, up to 25 to 40 pounds (or more). Also, larger keyboards with 88 keys are a little harder to transport than the smaller keyboards that have 61 keys.
The smaller keyboards also run off of battery power, making them even more portable so you can play them on the go without having to plug in. If portability is important to you, you might want to consider one of the smaller keyboards with just 61 keys. They’ll be easier to carry and weigh less.
Some of the keyboards on this list come with a bundle of accessories, such as a stand, stool, microphone, and even headphones. You’ll want to look and see if these are important to you. You’ll also want to make sure your keyboard comes with a sustain pedal. If not, you’ll need to purchase one separately because sustain pedals are a key function in making keyboard or piano music.
Carry bags or gig bags are not usually included, but you can purchase them separately. Here are a few you might love.
In order to use the teaching functions of these keyboards, you’ll need to be able to connect them to a table or smartphone. The apps are free to use, but you’ll need to supply your own tablet. In addition, they typically connect using USB-MIDI, so that you might need an adapter for your smartphone.
This is a worthwhile investment since connecting to your tablet will give you options for apps, games, and lots of free sheet music.
Typically, these keyboards are intended for the beginner pianist who has not yet started lessons. But they also work well for intermediate pianists looking to sharpen their skills by playing keyboard games and having access to lots of different kinds of sheet music.
Although these are good-quality keyboards, they aren’t really professional models. If you need a professional keyboard, you might want to consider a digital piano like these.
There’s a clear winner here, and we think you’ll agree! While all of the keyboards on this list are fun, easy to use, and will help you learn to play piano, we think The ONE Music Group 88 Key Keyboard will give you the best all-around learning experience for the best price.
This isn’t the cheapest keyboard on the list by far, but their learning system is certainly the most advanced. First of all, you’ll get a full, 88-key keyboard with hammer-action keys. So this won’t feel exactly like an acoustic piano, but it will help you develop the hand strength and skill so that you can easily play one.
Second, the integrated apps with the light-up keyboard make it easy for you to learn how to play your favorite songs quickly and easily. Finally, aside from the hammer action keys, one of the best features of this keyboard is the arcade-style keyboard games to make learning fun. If you balk at practice, this can give you a fun way to improve your skills to make learning go faster.
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