In these times of the internet, it's never been a better time to learn how to play the piano. Why is that? I hear you ask, because, information on virtually any subject you can think of is available, with a little research on the internet, and learning to play the piano, is no different than any other subject you might wish to learn.

Do I need a piano?

Obviously, if you want to learn to play the piano, then a piano keyboard of some sort is essential. While advanced piano playing would require a full size piano keyboard, normally eighty-eight notes. To start learning, all you would need is any type of keyboard, such as a Yamaha PSR keyboard, which have forty-nine and sixty-one note versions or an electric piano, which are available in seventy-six notes versions. You could even start learning with an accordion or a roll up piano, as long as you have a keyboard, you can start to learn.

Should you buy a new piano keyboard?

If you don't have a piano or keyboard then you do need to buy one, but you defiantly don't need to buy a new keyboard. Again, the internet comes to the rescue. There are thousands of auction listings offering second hand electronic keyboards, electric pianos, in fact all kinds of keyboards. For a beginner, there really is no point in buying an expensive keyboard because when starting to learn to play the piano you will only use a fraction of a piano keyboards features including the keyboard. From a beginner's point of view, you only need between five and eight notes on the keyboard to start learning.

What's the best make of keyboard to buy?

I am asked this question a lot, and from a beginners point of view there really is no worst and best because it's the actual keyboard, the black and white notes that are important to start learning to play. Yes, as you become more advanced in your playing ability, you will need a better quality keyboard but not at the beginning. The best advice I can give to anybody wanting to buy there first keyboard, is to first, set you budget and second try to stick with the more popular makes of keyboards, for beginners these are Yamaha and Casio. Both of these companies have been making electronic keyboards for many years and they know what they are doing. This of course is just my opinion and it's the same advice I give to my pupils.

So to recap, if you don't have a keyboard, then borrow one or buy one second hand. It doesn't have to be a traditional piano with a full size keyboard, as a beginner you will only use up to eight notes. It's a fact, that not everybody will take to learning to play the piano, so why spend a fortune on a keyboard when you don't need to. If you don't take to it you haven't lost a fortune, if you do take to it, buy a better keyboard.