About Pianos
I teach students with both acoustic and digital pianos. You do not need to buy a new instrument — a good-quality second-hand piano is often an excellent option.
Weighted keys are essential
To learn piano properly, students need an instrument that responds like a real piano. This means either:
- an acoustic piano, or
- a full-sized digital piano with 88 hammer-action keys.
Weighted keys help develop correct technique, hand strength, control, and tone. Unweighted keyboards may feel easier to play at first, but they do not provide the resistance and responsiveness needed for proper piano technique, and students often struggle later when playing on an acoustic piano.
In Suzuki piano especially, beautiful tone and natural movement are important from the very beginning, so a weighted instrument is essential.
Acoustic vs digital pianos
Both acoustic and digital pianos can work well for lessons, though I personally prefer acoustic pianos for their touch, responsiveness, and expressive sound.
Digital pianos do have practical advantages, particularly portability and lower maintenance. If choosing a digital piano, it is important that it has 88 hammer-action keys and (for book 3 onwards) it will also need a proper graduated sustain pedal.
A good acoustic piano will generally hold its value better over time, while digital pianos tend to depreciate more quickly as technology changes.
Acoustic Pianos
I suggest you have a piano where, all the notes work properly (no double striking, no sticking keys etc.), the piano should be tuned up to concert pitch (so you can play along with the mp3s). Pianos usually need tuning about once a year. Many minor issues can be fixed by a piano tuner but it will be disappointing to buy a very cheap second-hand piano only to find that the problems with it are not fixable. If you are considering buying through a private sale, consider paying a piano tuner to check out the piano for you first. Alternatively buy a reconditioned second-hand piano from a shop.
Digital pianos
Although I have a personal preference for acoustic pianos, electric pianos will be fine for lessons if they have "hammer action" keys. 5 octaves is sufficient for the first few books but as you progress, 7 octaves will become necessary.
Some good options for a beginner-to-intermediate digital piano are the Yamaha P-225, Roland FP-30X, or Kawai ES120. The Yamaha P-125, Roland FP-30, and Kawai ES110 are the previous models and are excellent if you can find one second-hand. The Roland FP-10 is a good current entry-level option.
A second choice — still adequate for the first few years — is the Yamaha P-145, or the older Yamaha P-45 / P-71 second-hand. The main difference between these and the models above is the quality of the sound.
I suggest that you get the best quality instrument you can afford. As a thinking exercise imagine that you want to take up sewing as a hobby. Consider the difference in your enthusiasm level if you got a good condition sewing machine, capable of producing quality items, compared to if you got a poor-quality machine where the needle kept jamming or pulling holes in your fabric. Which would you be more likely to want to continue with?
You will be trying to reproduce the sound on the CD, recorded with a beautiful tone on a quality instrument. The nicer the sound your piano makes, the more you or your child will enjoy playing it, hopefully wanting to continue. Buy the best quality of sound you can afford. With smaller instruments like violins you get the chance to upgrade the quality each time your child gets a larger instrument but with a piano, you will probably not upgrade it for many years.
Getting your piano, getting it tuned and footstools for children
Getting a piano
You can get either an acoustic or a digital piano. The information above on this page can help you decide which kind to get.
Pianos can be bought new or second-hand, from various shops around New Zealand:
Lewis Eady in Auckland (sells new and second-hand acoustic and digital pianos)
Hoekstra Pianos in Christchurch (acoustic pianos, sales, tuning and rentals)
The Music Warehouse in Lower Hutt (acoustic and digital piano sales and rentals)
Piano Works in New Plymouth (acoustic and digital piano sales, rentals and tuning)
Mr Music (Neville Claughton) - showroom of reconditioned second hand acoustic pianos at 33 Selwyn Place, Nelson
Many nationwide music shops like Music Works, RockShop, Music Planet and KBB music also sell a range of acoustic and digital pianos.
Second-hand pianos are also available on Trademe. If you are considering buying an acoustic piano off trade-me, I suggest paying a piano tuner to go and check the piano before you buy it.
Getting your piano tuned
Two options for tuning and repairs in the Nelson area and upper South Island are:
