# Any recommendations for an inexpensive digital keyboard for a beginner?



## JaOsBry

I am a beginner with a desire to learn an instrument, a keyboard in particular. I am looking to purchase a digital keyboard to start out on. I am under the impression that Yamaha sets the quality standards for such keyboards.
Does anyone have any recommendations?


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## Klavierspieler

Amended...


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## Ukko

Maybe I can get the experts incited to respond by a display of rank ignorance...

1) Any digital keyboard must be your practice-at-home substitute for a piano, and piano lessons. I don't know how long you can expect to need the lessons, but you need them to get started right, just to be competent.

2) the keyboard needs to have 88 keys, and have loudness controlled by your touch (they have a term for that). My impression is that if the keyboard has those features, it will be high-end enough to serve your purpose. That quality of board will have a pedal option, the immediate need for which I don't know.

[There, that ought to be sufficiently incorrect to draw attention]

:tiphat:


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## Lunasong

Keyboard expression.
Wiki: Keyboard expression types include velocity sensitivity, which responds to how hard or fast the keys are pressed; pressure sensitivity, which responds to the force with which a key is held down after the initial impact; and displacement sensitivity, which responds to how far down a key is depressed.
I am going to assume that you want to learn keyboard for the digital effects available and not as a compact/inexpensive substitute for the piano, as you never said you wanted to learn "piano."


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## Ukko

Lunasong said:


> Keyboard expression.
> Wiki: Keyboard expression types include velocity sensitivity, which responds to how hard or fast the keys are pressed; pressure sensitivity, which responds to the force with which a key is held down after the initial impact; and displacement sensitivity, which responds to how far down a key is depressed.
> I am going to assume that you want to learn keyboard for the digital effects available and not as a compact/inexpensive substitute for the piano, as you never said you wanted to learn "piano."


That was my assumption too, but I chose to ignore it (for Talk Classical reasons). I can be annoying.


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## Zauberberg

I bought recently a M-Audio keystation 88ES, midi controller, for 160 Euros. I don't know if it's the best that I could have, but for that money, I don't care. Bad thing is that you need a PC/Mac, but I'm interested in the recording and production side as well, so no prob.


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## kv466

I would have normally come on here and totally supported the keyboard substitute but after having played a crumby, old upright for about a week at the rehab while my dad recovered from hip surgery I determined then how I would rather play the worse and most out-of-tune piano ever than play a keyboard where you don't feel the notes bounce back at you and those keys that feel so strange. That being said, I do still acknowledge that some folks simply don't have enough space for even an upright so yeah,...if you must, you must. Happy playing!


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## JaOsBry

*Good to know...*



Lunasong said:


> Keyboard expression.
> Wiki: Keyboard expression types include velocity sensitivity, which responds to how hard or fast the keys are pressed; pressure sensitivity, which responds to the force with which a key is held down after the initial impact; and displacement sensitivity, which responds to how far down a key is depressed.
> I am going to assume that you want to learn keyboard for the digital effects available and not as a compact/inexpensive substitute for the piano, as you never said you wanted to learn "piano."


Actually, I do want to eventually play piano (however modestly) but it is interesting to learn about these features of an electronic keyboard. I would enjoy learning to employ such effects. Thanks for the info.


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