# Recommendations for good electronic beginner's keyboard?



## Robert Gamble

Hi all,

So, I'm probably going to splurge a bit with my tax refund this year. I'm already learning recorder, slowly... but I want to add 'piano' to my explorations. As such, I want to pick up a relatively good/cheap electronic keyboard combo that's good enough to not put me off learning, but not so expensive as to be a complete waste of money if it's just not for me.

I've narrowed it down to two Yamahas which are very different:

The Yamaha NP32 and the Yamaha PSREW300.

The former is a pretty basic but high quality (from various reviews) for the price electronic piano.

The latter is the successor to the YPG-235, and has a lot of extras (but from the sounds of it, sounds as good as the former).

There's one main 'benefit' of each that I'm having a hard time deciding between:

1) NP32: 48 voice polyphony vs 32 voice polyphony on the PSREW300.. I'm pretty sure it would take me awhile to come up against the limit on either, and I also know that both of those are quite low when it comes to true 'classical' type music, so I'm not sure the extra 16 makes a huge difference.

2) PSREW300: The ability to play 8 different 'instruments' to combine for playback. While I primarily want to learn to play, I also have vague compositional aspirations which this would help to explore.

Thoughts on the above two? Any others I should really look at in the sub $300 range?


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## Majed Al Shamsi

I'm not sure about the ones you've listed above, but if you're playing the electronic keyboard as a start to ultimately learn how to play the piano, make sure the keyboards come with (or at least allow the plugging in) of pedals. Otherwise, it's not going to be terribly helpful.

As for composition, if you know how to read sheet music (which you should,) you might as well put that money into getting a music-writing software, download a piano app on your phone for reference, and compose directly on the computer software.


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## eugeneonagain

Sounds are one thing, but whatever you get it needs hammer-action keys, or it's just a waste of time.


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## IpadComposer

eugeneonagain said:


> Sounds are one thing, but whatever you get it needs hammer-action keys, or it's just a waste of time.


I am afraid there are no good "cheap" hammer action keyboards. If you are truly interested in playing the piano and not having a synth, then forgo the many voices and get a used hammer action piano controller like the Roland A88. You will, of course, need speakers. For a compromise check out Casio Priva series. Casio is underrated and less expensive but gives great value for the money.

I am a huge fan of the iOS iPad platform. Perhaps you have an iPad. If not You can buy a used one for around $150 ( a used iPad4 with 32 gb memory will serve you well). Then all you need is the Apple Camera Connection kit ($50 but worth every penny) and you can plug your piano (it must have some form of midi out (check YouTube for how to connect any midi keyboard to an iPad) into your iPad. Now you can download any instrument you want, many for free. A synth app like Thor has a 1000 presets, with the ability to make your own customized patches and costs $15. There are two great notation apps, Symphony Pro and Notion, each $15 and easy to learn ( they come with a selection of instruments to play your compositions). A totally amazing recording app Cubasis costs $50, but there are usable ones that cost $10 or less. A magnificent sampled piano is the Ravenscroft275, ($36) based on a $275,000 Ravenscroft custom 9' concert grand. Check out the soundtestroom on YouTube for demos and reviews of almost every music app. Believe me you will have a fantastic time playing with stuff on a relatively inexpensive Casio keyboard with a hammer action. Also, visit and join the audiob.us forum. A very generous forum where all questions, even the most basic on iOS are answered thoroughly. Good luck!


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## JasonHolloway

Most of the beginners prefer to learn playing the keyboard or piano. Once they become good enough in playing keyboards, then they won't find any difficulties in playing other musical instruments. So, for the beginners while choosing the keyboard it is better to concentrate on the comfort-ability of the user and the better features of playing ability of the instrument, so that the learner shouldn't get frustrated with the usage. Many electronic keyboards are available online for the better prices. My advice is, it is good if you own the keyboard at home so that it will ease your way of practice.


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