Any new pianist has to face this famous question when it comes to buying the right instrument. The choice between a traditional piano and an electric keyboard will be affected by a certain number of conditions and criteria. Making this kind of decision is no easy task! The investment required to purchase a good instrument is quite high, so the final choice cannot be made lightheartedly. Ideally, it should also be a life-long investment, especially if you opt for a massive grand piano. On the other hand, the number of brands and products out there is quite intimidating: it could be a nightmare to juggle from one description or review to another, without a clear vision of your demands. So, where to start? This article should help you focus on the right questions to ask yourself when considering these two different instruments. It will also describe and review some of the most common piano and keyboard brands and models.

The right questions

A good starting point is asking yourself the right questions. The first thing you will wonder, while facing your potential new instrument, is: how much? Don’t be deceived, though. The price label in itself doesn’t say much about the instrument you’re about to buy. Of course, you should always consider whether you can afford the investment or not, but, even if you had all the money in the world, you wouldn’t want to throw it away into something that doesn’t fit your requirements. Remember to check the quality of the instrument. Whether you go for a piano or an electric keyboard, make sure the sound is good and that the keys are weighted. Unless you are looking for a temporary solution, don’t compromise on quality. You will play your instrument a lot, so make sure the keys are solid. You will also need a full and precise sound, so ask the seller to test the instrument before buying it and don’t proceed with the purchase if you feel it doesn’t sound right. Newbies often forget that buying a good quality piano could be a real investment, overlooking the importance of the re-sell value of their instrument. Good quality often equals a higher re-sell value. While electric keyboards, like any other electrical device, tend to lose value and could more easily break, traditional pianos are meant to last potentially forever. Some could even gain value, as a piece of antique furniture would. Price and quality aside, there are some other things to consider. How about the size, for instance? You could have enough money to buy a grand piano, but no room to fit it. Pianos are a bulky and heavy piece of furniture, so you should also consider transport and logistics. For example: is your apartment on the 30th floor? Is the elevator in the building too small to fit your piano? Will your floor sustain the burden? As a general piece of advice, if you live in a small apartment on one of the top floors of the building, you should opt for an electric keyboard, lighter and more maneuverable than an acoustic piano. You could go for an upright acoustic after making sure the instrument is safely transportable to the chosen site. Grand pianos are the best in terms of sound (and they are a pretty cool piece of furniture too), but they require a lot of space, plus they are pretty heavy. Once you’ve found the right piano at the right cost, don’t forget to consider maintenance and associated costs. Like you would do with a car, consider that pianos need to be checked regularly to maintain their quality. From this point of view, electric keyboards are more flexible. First of all, they don’t need to be tuned, while traditional pianos will require a tune-up once in a while. Furthermore, being electrical devices, they don’t need a specific environment to function properly. Traditional pianos, instead, need a certain degree of humidity and constant temperature to keep their qualities.

The best piano brands

If you have enough money to invest, you can’t go wrong with a Steinway & Sons piano. This American brand is so popular that its name almost became a synonym for high-quality pianos. This company offers both upright and grand pianos, of undeniable excellent quality. If your budget is a bit lower, but you don’t want to compromise on the quality and the life of your instrument, you could go for a Baldwin, another famous, high-end American piano company. Baldwin pianos bear an excellent sound and they could literally last forever. Another popular and high-quality brand to consider is Yamaha. Their instruments are often used in music schools, due to their precise and clear sound. They might be a great choice for you too.

The best electric keyboards

If your budget is under $2000 and you are not willing to go for a used acoustic piano, you should consider an electric keyboard. While in the past electric keyboards were considered a sort of second class product, there are now a bunch of excellent instruments on the market. Yamaha produces two excellent keyboards: the P45 and the DGX-660. Due to the weighted keys, they will both feel as an acoustic grand, but at a smaller price and size. If you don’t have much room in your house, the P45 is probably the best solution, as the DGX-660 is a bit bigger. The P45 has also a great price, super-affordable for any budget. If you can afford something a bit more expensive and you are willing to go for a professional instrument, but with the maneuverability of an electric keyboard, you could go for a Nord Piano 88. While if you are simply looking for a piano sound for your recordings, without needing a ‘real’ piano feel, the easiest solution would be an M-audio midi controller plugged to a laptop with Logic Pro or Mainstage. This solution will keep your costs down and it will give you the freedom of using different sounds.

As I hope this article clarified, there is no ‘one size fit all’ option when it comes to considering what instrument to buy. Consider your needs and your budget, and have fun researching the best instrument for you!