Keyboard for a beginner?

regulus

regulus

regulus

Soldato
Joined
18 Aug 2006
Posts
10,053
Location
ChCh, NZ
Hey there. So I'm interested in learning to play the keyboard and have been looking around at various starter keyboards. However, the choice is overwhelming. What would you guys recommend for someone who can just about play Twinkle twinkle litter star with one finger?

Don't really have a budget but wouldn't want to pay too much either.

Thanks.
 
Are you looking for a Synthesizer or just an electronic piano?

Also do you want it to be stand alone or to use it with a PC / Laptop / Ipad?
 
MookJong said:
Are you looking for a Synthesizer or just an electronic piano?
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This. If you want to play piano music you really want a digital piano as they tend to be more piano like such as weighted keys, have pedals, better piano sounds amongst a few things. A typical digital piano won't have many sounds though other than piano ones so bear that in mind too if you aren't sure.

I did a bit of research a few months ago and the Yahama P95 came up trumps for beginners a lot which is what I went for in the end. You could go cheaper with one of their older models second hand if you are looking for a lower price.
 
The clue about what he wants is in the OP -

Looking around at various starter keyboards
Just about play Twinkle twinkle litter star with one finger?
But wouldn't want to pay too much either.
 
Can't go (too) wrong with a Yamaha NP30 either :) Bought one for my brother and he went quite a long way with it before graduating up to a 'proper' digital piano. Also not too big, heavy or expensive if playing the piano isn't for you.

Dimple said:
It's many years since I bought my last synth which cost £2000 and now better technology is going into keyboards costing £150.
It's a buyers market.
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I totally agree. The quality of synths you can get now for £250 is absolutely extraordinary. I was expecting them to die off a bit as soft synths became more and more popular, but if anything they are doing better than ever :cool:

OT: How's the band going?

arty
 
arty said:
OT: How's the band going?

arty
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I'm with two:
Disturbin The Peace which is basically an ACDC tribute band
Mistreated which I play guitar in and that's more along the lines of Deep Purple, Led Zep, Black Sabbath and so on.
I also guest for a 3rd band called Warlock when I can (not the German band).

You still gigging?
 
Dimple said:
I'm with two:
Disturbin The Peace which is basically an ACDC tribute band
Mistreated which I play guitar in and that's more along the lines of Deep Purple, Led Zep, Black Sabbath and so on.
I also guest for a 3rd band called Warlock when I can (not the German band).
Click to expand...

Nice - I did some Led Zep cover duties in a great gig in December. I have to say, their stuff stands up to covers really well as long as you don't have an audience of beard-stroking obsessives. It was great fun playing Mellotron, clav etc. :)

You still gigging?
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I'm having a break for January and have recently left several bands, but yes - I'm expecting to be pretty busy from Feb onwards with my own band, a new jazz group and a ton of (hopefully) good dep work. Looking for some decent non-function stuff if you know any going down south :p

The gig scene seems to be really picking up again after a few slightly ropey years when music venues seemed to be shutting down left, right and centre. Might just be down here though.

arty
 
arty said:
Nice - I did some Led Zep cover duties in a great gig in December. I have to say, their stuff stands up to covers really well as long as you don't have an audience of beard-stroking obsessives.
Click to expand...
There are, sadly, loads of them. "Ooh, he didn't get that solo quite right." Well, excuse me for not quite managing to duplicate one of the all-time greatest guitarists playing the greatest guitar solo ever.

Grr.
 
arty said:
It was great fun playing Mellotron, clav etc. :)
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Clav obviously for Trampled Underfoot but didn't John Paul Jones only have a 2 note polyphonic Mellotron?
That's why on Kashmir he plays a root D and goes up the notes one at a time.
I also read that it took ages to tune properly.
 
Snograt said:
There are, sadly, loads of them. "Ooh, he didn't get that solo quite right." Well, excuse me for not quite managing to duplicate one of the all-time greatest guitarists playing the greatest guitar solo ever.

Grr.
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Well quite. Fortunately we didn't have any of those sorts of comments - not sure how we managed that, though :p

Dimple said:
Clav obviously for Trampled Underfoot but didn't John Paul Jones only have a 2 note polyphonic Mellotron?
That's why on Kashmir he plays a root D and goes up the notes one at a time.
I also read that it took ages to tune properly.
Click to expand...

I was thinking of Rain Song which I thought was a 4-note one? Might have been double-tracked though. I didn't have to do any tuning because I was using Nord's rather good Mellotron samples. Never played the real thing sadly.

Trampled was pretty epic :)

arty
 
arty said:
I was thinking of Rain Song which I thought was a 4-note one? Might have been double-tracked though. I didn't have to do any tuning because I was using Nord's rather good Mellotron samples. Never played the real thing sadly.
Click to expand...

Amazing how technology comes through now.
My new guitar can be put straight into a Danelectro guitar sound and into DADGAD tuning at the touch of a button which is what Page used on Kashmir.
 
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