Laptop/ipad for lessons

The best setup for lessons is a laptop plugged into ethernet. I think that children concentrate better when the picture of the teacher is larger so I like the bigger screen of laptops, but ipads/tablets or even a phone can work too. Ethernet provides the most reliable internet connection but many people use wifi and this usually works fine too.

Set the laptop up at one end of the piano, looking along the line of the keyboard. Ideally try to get the child's face in the view as well as the keyboard but if you can only get one of the other, get the keyboard.

Accoustic and digital pianos

To learn piano properly, students need an instrument that responds like a real piano. This means either:

• an acoustic piano, (tuned to concert pitch), or
• a full-sized digital piano with 88 hammer-action keys.

In Suzuki lessons especially, beautiful tone and natural movement are important from the very beginning, so a good quality instrument is essential.

If you are unsure what to get, just contact Katie or your teacher for advice.

Accoustic pianos

Concert pitch is important for accoustic pianos because it helps your child to develop an accurate ear for music and also for when your child plays along with the mp3s. Accoustic pianos generally need tuning every year or two.

Many minor issues can be fixed by a piano tuner but it will be disappointing to buy a cheap second-hand piano only to find that the problems with it are not fixable. If you are considering buying second-hand, 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

Hammer-action keys are important for a digital piano because they 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.

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.