Home Page

Digital Pianos

 

Low Cost Rental Plan

 

Right Equipment

 

Used

 


Portable Keyboards 

To arrive at this page you clicked on “keyboards”, but we have to ask: “are you actually looking for a keyboard or are you looking for a ‘low cost piano like instrument’ to use to play and practice like a piano?”

 

The Right Instrument = Successful Start!

 

Top 10 things to think about when selecting an instrument to practice on

 

1. Are you taking PIANO lessons or KEYBOARD lessons?  If you are taking piano lessons, getting an electronic keyboard doesn't make sense.  Keyboards have 61 or 76 keys, they have a plastic non-weighted touch that are designed to mimic an organ or a synth, they typically don't come with a pedal.  A Roland digital piano will have 88 keys like a piano has.

2. Touch Sensitive/Responsive?  The question to ask here is “How many levels of sensitivity?”  A keyboard may only be touch sensitive on a scale of 1 to 7, while an acoustic piano has a touch sensitivity of 1 to infinity.  A Roland HP or KR digital piano has a touch sensitive scale of 1 to 128, which a human will not detect a limit of.

3. Why 88 keys?  Students will have music in the first few lessons where they need the full 88 key range of a piano.  Also, even if you are only playing in the middle of the piano, your peripheral vision will see all 88 keys, if you practice on less, then go to your teachers piano, it can be confusing and disorienting to the student

4. Weighted touch?  It is extremely important to have a fully weighted hammer action to teach proper technique from lesson NUMBER ONE.  Good habits are formed from day one.

5. What about a hand me down piano or a piano advertised “Beautiful” or “Antique” or “Free”?  A piano might look beautiful on the outside but might need hundreds or thousands of dollars spent on the inside to make it a decent piano.

6. What is the maintenance?  An acoustic piano should be tuned 2 to 4 times a year.  It also has over 12,000 moving parts which include leather straps and felt that all wear out and deteriorate over time.  Most acoustic pianos need to be rebuilt every 20 to 30 years.  Even the best piano in the world, Steinway, says this.  A digital piano never needs tuning and is maintenance free.

7. Is silent practicing important? It may be if you have younger children with naps, early bedtimes, or if mom or dad had a stressful workday.  Some children are self conscious about practicing.  A digital piano with headphones allows students to practice any time.

8. Can it interface with a computer?  A digital piano connects to a computer to take advantage of the vast array of music programs to help beginning piano students.

9. Does it have a Music Tutor?  Since a typical piano lesson occurs once weekly, the Music Tutor offers an essential between-lesson practice partner.” It interactively helps students play correct notes and rhythms, allows them to adjust tempo, and focus on “mess-up spots.” This Tutor is so effective, in fact, most piano teachers want their students to use Roland Music Tutors for daily practice—because students learn faster and enjoy playing more.

10. Should piano lessons be fun?  ABSOLUTELY!  If you’re not having fun, why bother.  A digital piano and Music Tutor can make piano lessons a whole lot more fun!

 

All the above lead to the best solution:  A Roland Digital Piano!  Capital Music Center offers the best Roland pianos for sale or rent.

 

 

What Piano Students CANNOT Learn

on a Portable Keyboard

 

·         The foundation of piano technique

·         Posture & Seating position and optimal hand/arm alignment

·         Musical expression and sensitivity

·         Learning how to produce a beautiful tone

·         The concept of weight using hands, arms and shoulders

·         Arm drops and cushioning with the wrists

·         Approach and release of chords

·         Legato, staccato and portato touch

·         Finger dexterity and evenness of touch

·         Finger muscle development and large muscle motions

·         Finger, hand and arm strength to develop dexterity, endurance and stamina

·         Balance between melody and accompaniment using finger pressure

·         Dynamics of sound

·         Phrasing and voicing

·         Pedaling: una corda (soft), sostenuto (bass sustain), & damper (sustain)

·         Effective practice habits

·         Performance confidence and competence

 

Much of the practice of younger students is devoted to

learning proper piano technique, which cannot be

practiced and developed on a portable keyboard.

 

Studies show that children who practice on portable keyboards do not progress and develop as fast as those students who practice on acoustic or high quality digital pianos. Because practice is the foundation to the development of any skill, it is important that we equip our children for success by providing them with a quality instrument for learning. The end depends on the beginning. Playing the piano should be fun and exciting…creative and expressive, giving the player feelings of musical joy and deep satisfaction. It’s difficult to become excited about playing a toy piano if they enjoy the piano that they are playing and the music they are studying. Having a quality piano at home for practice will help your child develop to their full potential and enjoy a much richer musical experience.

 

“I can think of no better way to make a child quit piano lessons than by having him/her practice on an old and out of tune, poor quality upright piano or portable keyboard.”

- Josh Harper, piano tuner and pianist