Music Keyboards

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Rajaah

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I've got a question for the musically-inclined here. I've been wanting to get a real music keyboard since I was a kid playing on a mini-casio. It just sorta left my mind for a long time until recently when I was taking a look at some Masterclass videos on keyboard-playing and the urge struck again. I don't know much about keyboard brands so I could use some input on which one to get. I want something beginner-friendly that also has upward mobility if I git gud. Here are the specific ones I was looking at:

Amazon.com: The ONE Music Group Smart Lighted Keys, Electronic Piano Keyboard, Onyx Black, 61 Portable (TOK1B): Musical Instruments - This one seems to be the best out of the group, and also the most expensive. My main concern is whether a different one will be better for a beginner. The price doesn't bother me, but if the added cost is going into features that I might never use, then it might be better to go with a different one. Has apps for learning, plus light-up keys to help me get the hang of it.

Amazon.com: Best Choice Products 61-Key Beginners Complete Electronic Keyboard Piano Set w/Lighted Keys, LCD Screen, Headphones, Stand, Bench, Teaching Modes, Note Stickers, Built-In Speakers: Musical Instruments - This one comes with a stand, which is nice. It's also the # best-seller on Amazon which probably means something. Not as many features as the previous one, could be an adequate mid-range alternative.

Amazon.com: Hamzer 61-Key Digital Music Piano Keyboard - Portable Electronic Musical Instrument - with Microphone and Sticker Sheet: Musical Instruments - The lowest-priced one, also geared towards beginners but may not have as much upward mobility.

I'm heavily leaning towards the first, but I could use some input before I get it. Maybe one of the others would be more than adequate, or maybe there's an even better one that isn't on the list. My budget for this is about $250 tops at the moment.
 
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Identikit

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the first one is the best out of what you linked. has a great deal of functionality. On top of it, it has midi which allows you to turn it into a synth, or attach it to PC instrumentation if you want to do other musical things with it in the future.

I think the only other thing you could consider is that you might in the future want semi weighted, or weighted keys, but that is not at all required for the learning process, just something that offers a better feel when it comes to expressive performance. If you are looking for something like that I would say find a used casio privia locally, that is a great entry level keyboard that has a weighted feel that sells for under 300 used. It does not however have lighted keys, or any educational functionality like the keyboards you list.
 

Lanx

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Amazon.com: The ONE Music Group Smart Lighted Keys, Electronic Piano Keyboard, Onyx Black, 61 Portable (TOK1B): Musical Instruments - This one seems to be the best out of the group, and also the most expensive. My main concern is whether a different one will be better for a beginner. The price doesn't bother me, but if the added cost is going into features that I might never use, then it might be better to go with a different one. Has apps for learning, plus light-up keys to help me get the hang of it.
lulz these ppl are dirt bags
afd257a5040ea6dd732544df76a54289.png


tldr, the regular price is 220, and they x3 the price for xmas and have slowly been bringing it down
 

Identikit

Redneck Pornographer
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lulz these ppl are dirt bags
afd257a5040ea6dd732544df76a54289.png


tldr, the regular price is 220, and they x3 the price for xmas and have slowly been bringing it down
welcome to amazon selling during the holidays, with the covid effect added to it?

literally every seller on amazon does this shit.

Hell, I sell on amazon and I do it.
 

Alex

Still a Music Elitist
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Yeah looking those over the only missing thing I see as well is weighted keys. When I started learning keys it was with a non-weighted keyboard and the move to a proper piano was a bit of an adjustment.
 

jooka

marco esquandolas
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Looking at them, the one definitely seems like the choice as a learning tool. If you keep with it you are going to want to upgrade to something with more keys(76/88) and weighted or at least semi weighted like Alex Alex is saying but you also need a bit more of a budget for that.


EDIT I learned on an old upright piano that came free provided I moved it
 
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Alex

Still a Music Elitist
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Looking at them, the one definitely seems like the choice as a learning tool. If you keep with it you are going to want to upgrade to something with more keys(76/88) and weighted or at least semi weighted like Alex Alex is saying but you also need a bit more of a budget for that.


EDIT I learned on an old upright piano that came free provided I moved it

This too. You're going to run into songs where you're going to need a wider register. Although my main synth is a 61 key Yamaha MM6. Mostly because the Motif patches are pretty legit. Piano sounds really good - especially considering the price point.
 
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Rajaah

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I've got about 20-30 things to sell around here and haven't gotten around to listing any of them on Amazon. This thread has reminded me that I totally could have gotten a lot more overall if I'd gotten all of the selling done a month ago.

As for the keyboard, my only worry with the first one here is that it doesn't have a bunch of buttons on it to change what kind of sound it's making, like my old Casio did. If all of those controls are done via an app on a tablet, it won't have that element of nostalgia.

In any case, I got the first one and also got a basic $50 tablet to run the app on (not gonna do that on a measily phone). We'll see how it goes, will report back.
 
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