What piano?

This is the first in a series of blogs discussing the equipment you'll need for piano tuition.

Piano

Of course, you need a piano if you're learning to play one. But it isn't quite as simple as that.

Many children get given an electronic keyboard as a present and turn up at their first piano lesson raring to go. That's fine if you want to learn to play a keyboard, but a piano is not the same, whatever similarities the two instruments share and even if the keyboard has a 'piano' option. Beware of a piano teacher that's happy to teach your child on a piano and have them practise on a keyboard at home. There are specific techniques required to play a piano so that it makes a beautiful sound. Without being able to practise these techniques at home your child won't be able to learn them. An electronic keyboard simply doesn't respond in the way an acoustic instrument does. If you've ever been to a live classical concert you'll know the difference between that and listening to a recording at home.

This isn't to say that there aren't lots of things you can still learn by playing a keyboard. In fact, there are many things that you can't learn by playing a piano. But please be clear that these are different instruments and if your goal is for your child to be able to play a piano, then you need to start with a piano from the beginning.

Here is our beautiful piano.

As well as using a keyboard, another option is to buy a cheap piano until you're sure your child is really committed to learning. I would advise against this, though. Children, especially young children, are creatures of the moment. They will almost certainly go along with lessons and practice for a little while then try to give up when the novelty wears off. The child prodigy who practices for hours for the love of it is a rare exception (and I'm always a little suspicious of just how much of the motivation to practice comes from the parent). It's best, in my opinion, to begin with your commitment. Your child will pick up on that. If you value the instrument your child is likely to as well. And if you buy a cheap thing 'just in case they give up', you're increasing the chances they will give up.

Also, there is a huge difference in sound between cheap, poorly tuned pianos and well-made, well-cared for ones. If you want your child to hear the difference between playing well and playing badly, they will hear it better on a good quality piano. Don't believe that children are too young to tell the difference. Children are very sensitive to sound, more so than adults. They pick up languages much faster than adults do. They may not be able to articulate what makes something sound bad or beautiful, but they can feel it at a deeper than conscious level. On a good quality piano they can practise to make the best sound they can.

Another drawback of buying a cheap piano is that you're likely to be buying secondhand. I'm not a piano expert but it stands to reason that this is a risky enterprise. How old is the piano you're buying? (Yes, they do have limited lifespans, unlike some other instruments.) Has it been regularly tuned? Do you know what to look for under the lid? Unless you know what you're doing it's wise to steer clear of this potentially dangerous area.

In short, take as much advice as you can, and spend as much as you can afford. It will give your child a great start and make them much more likely to succeed in their endeavours and enjoy making a beautiful sound. Our piano above is a Kawai, which cost us an eye-watering amount of money, but we're still going four years later and the sound of this piano lifts my heart.

Enjoy! Invest!