A Guide To Buying Your Child’s First Piano

For beginners, we recommend purchasing an inexpensive digital piano or keyboard. Once the child demonstrates serious interest & skill, then families may consider transitioning to a standard upright to further develop their training. 

When purchasing your child’s first digital piano or keyboard, we recommend looking for the following 4 features: 

1.  Full Range: You want to make sure that the model contains 88 keys.  You’ll find that many models offer only 37, 44 or 61 keys. These are inadequate because we teach our students to play the entire range of their digital piano and/or keyboard.

2. Weighted Keys: Make sure your selected model comes with weighted keys.  They replicate the touch and feel of a standard upright piano. This is important because it helps students develop their finger strength, dexterity & performance technique. 

3. Sustain Pedal: Often, sustain pedals must be purchased separately. OC Piano Program students learn to play using the sustain pedal to enrich the sound of their music performance. 

4.  Adjustable Stand & Piano Bench: When adjusting the keyboard height, check to ensure the child can touch the keys with his/her arms in parallel with the floor. In addition, their sheet music should be at eye-level to avoid tightening of their shoulders. For their seat, check that their knees can be slightly beneath the hips. If the child’s feet do not touch the floor, simply place a small stool to ensure stability and proper sitting position.