How much should I spend on a keyboard?
Today’s post is a response to a question I got on YouTube, asking me how much a person should expect to spend on a new keyboard.
I totally understand how the world of electric pianos can be overwhelming — I feel it, too! But over the years I’ve noticed there are some basic considerations you can keep in mind to help you make a decision that’s right for you.
Priority features
Before we get started talking about prices, it’s really important to get a clear sense of the features you should prioritize when selecting a keyboard. You can read more about my recommendations in this blog post or view it as a YouTube video, but here’s a summary of the features I think are the most important to focus on:
minimum 76 keys
weighted keys
touch sensitivity
a sustain pedal,
selected from a brand name you trust.
Now that you know about the features you should be prioritizing, let’s talk about how to make our pricing decision.
What to expect at three price points
It may not be the most scientific method, but when I think about new keyboards I typically tend to group them in three different price ranges:
$0-500USD
$500-1000USD
$1000USD and up.
These days, it is possible to find a keyboard that has all the features I mentioned above at each of these price ranges. This means that you can stay within any of these price ranges and be able to learn how to play piano.
But, as with most things, the more money you can invest, the higher quality instrument you’re going to get.
What does higher quality mean in terms of a keyboard?
Higher quality basically means the amount of research and development (R&D) that each company has put into the features I list above. For example, companies may put a lot or a little R&D into figuring out the most precise touch sensitivity or most satisfying weighted key. Or, sometimes companies put R&D into the quality of their sound bank, a feature I didn’t list above but may be important to people.
So let’s talk about this at each of the three price points.
$0-500 USD
As I mentioned above, it is possible to find a keyboard that has all the features I mentioned above at this price range, but not all do. Some keyboards at this price range do not include a sustain pedal, and some do not have weighted keys. So, it’s going to be up to you to ensure the keyboard does in fact have all the features you want before you purchase it. (Or, if you don’t really care about all these features and just want to play, then you’ll find lots of options in this category. Test a bunch out and bring home the one that you enjoy playing the most!)
Even if you find a keyboard with all the recommended features in this price point, it’s important to know that because of the limited R&D that went into these features, a keyboard less than $500 won’t give you much capacity to grow. At some point, you’re going to want to upgrade as your skills improve. Your fingers are going to get stronger and they’ve crave a more heavily weighted key. You’re going to gain more dexterity and eventually wish to have a key with greater touch sensitivity so that you can more fully express yourself on piano.
One thing I find myself wishing pretty often is that beginner players would stop choosing this price point because they want to see “if” they improve at piano before making a purchase. Your success is inevitable. I wish people would stop wondering about that part. The only thing you need to wonder about is how long you’ll be happy with a keyboard with limited R&D. I know it’s tough to gauge at the beginning. The good news is that if you took my advice and went with a reputable brand name for your purchase, the keyboard will retain high resale value (if you take care of it) when you’re eventually ready to graduate to your next keyboard!
$500-1000USD
At this price range, each brand will invest more R&D into their instruments, but they will have to make a decision about which of their features they’re going to put more of their R&D dollars into. Keyboards in this price point are higher quality instruments in general, but each company is going to have to prioritize one quality as its selling feature.
For example, keyboards in this price range might have really sensitive touch sensitivity (e.g., more degrees of sensitivity) but the weight of the key might be a little unsophisticated (a little too light or heavy for your preference). Or in other cases, the weight of the key has been really highly researched and they’ve mapped out the physics of your hand and determined how to make the key feel like a real piano, but then they haven’t given as much attention to the degrees of touch sensitivity.
If you’ve been playing for a few years, you’re probably ready for an instrument in this price point. But you’re going to need an understanding of your preferences as a player to know which features are a priority to you. If you’re not sure what you prefer, I recommend trying out a bunch of instruments at this price point and notice which keyboard is enjoyable to you. Which keyboard invites you to keep playing? I’ve seen a lot of people think that a keyboard will be better because it costs more, but if it’s not actually enjoyable to play, no amount of willpower is going to bring you back to your instrument. You really want to find an instrument that’s right for you.
$1000USD and up
Keyboards in this price range have had enough R&D put into them that they have a pretty nicely balanced and well-rounded combination of the features I listed above. They typically have pretty good quality touch sensitivity, a high quality sustain pedal, and weighted keys that are really nicely balanced and more fully resemble a piano.
At this price point you might also notice that they start marketing extra features such as a really high quality sound bank, auxiliary capabilities like plugging into sound systems, or having particularly good speakers.
It’s really difficult for me to make further recommendations in this category. Since the R&D in general is so high at this price point, the ultimate choice really comes down to which instrument you enjoy playing the most. You really need a keen sense of what you value most in an instrument, which only comes with experience playing.
If this price point is a stretch for you and you’re not sure what your preferences in an instrument are, you might consider starting with a lower priced instrument and selling it after you have some time in and know what you’re looking for next. Or, my favourite option, try renting a range of keyboards first so you get some time into each one, and then pick your favourite. I know a lot of people consider renting to be throwing your money away, but I don’t see it like that at all. Renting allows you to make a better informed decision in the end. Consider it like a little insurance fee.
After trying out multiple instruments, don’t be surprised if you find yourself drawn to a less expensive keyboard. This happens sometimes! Just because a keyboard has gone beyond the $1000 mark doesn’t guarantee it's going to be more enjoyable for you to play. Enjoyment emerges from the combination of many factors and features, and you really can’t know what price point that will mean until you explore.
Finding a compromise
I thought it might help if I shared my own experience purchasing my first electric piano to help you understand how compromise can be necessary, and even beneficial!
I grew up playing an acoustic piano. When I moved away to university, I needed something smaller and more portable that could fit in my room at residence. As a cash-strapped student, I needed to make a decision about how I was going to spend my money. What did I want out of an instrument, and what did I need to prioritize in order to find an instrument that could help me continue to grow as a musician?
I knew I was looking for all the features I mentioned earlier — weighted keys, touch sensitivity, a sustain pedal, etc. But I found that at the price point I was comfortable paying, I couldn’t get all three.
What I ended up doing was compromising on key weight because to me it was more important to have a keyboard that was really sensitive to the dynamics I wanted to play. Having a keyboard with super realistic, heavy keys ended up not being that important to me when the cost became a deciding factor. I ended up buying a Yamaha Portable Grand second-hand for about $500 and I played that keyboard for the next 15 years! It seemed ridiculous at the time, because I was playing at the ARCT level and at 76 keys, this instrument wasn’t even full size. But I didn’t need it to be. I just needed an instrument that felt good when I wanted to play.
Although past me probably would’ve liked a few more dollars to spend on a keyboard, I’m glad for the financial constraint I had because it helped me narrow my focus to the features that were most important to me. I hope this story provides you a little hope and encouragement as you decide which instrument is best for you.
Good luck!