Want to learn the piano? Why not pick up a small keyboard on sale at your local big box store.
There’s a reason why that may not be your best course of action.
Inexpensive keyboards, toy pianos, and other electronic pianos that aren’t designed with actual playing in mind are missing one important detail that can harm your learning skills: weighted keys.
What are weighted keys?
Weighted keys are created in digital pianos to mimic the playable action used in an acoustic piano. If you’ve ever sat down and played an acoustic piano, you may have noticed the way the keys feel as you press down and lift them back up. This is caused by the way a piano is created.
The keys are connected to hammers, which snap against piano strings to create sound. There’s a slight tension in the action, and it enhances your playability, your overall technique, and increases your playing habits. Touch a key lightly, you’ll hear a faint sound. Add more force, and you have more voice in the outcome.
If you continue to grow in your piano abilities, you will move to acoustic pianos. Uprights, grands, and concert pianos will all use weighted keys. If you learn on a keyboard without weighted keys, it changes the dynamics of how you learn to play.
Do you need weighted keys to learn?
In short, the answer is: Yes. While you can learn the keys and where they are located, you can’t pick up the complete structure of making music. The basics will be there, but the in-depth instruction can’t be learned.
Transferring your skills to a keyboard with weighted keys will feel different from the beginning. You’ll notice the tension there each time you press down on a key.
Weighted keys give you the ability to add more depth to your music. It’s what makes you a better player.
Is it time you invested in an acoustic piano? We can help you find the right piano to suit your needs.
