I live in Canada… and hockey here is huge. It’s not uncommon for a 5-year-old to be a member of a hockey team. Parents willingly drag themselves out of bed at 4:00 am on a cold November morning to make an early ice time. And sales of hockey gear must make our local economy go ’round.
So, with the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the verge of wrapping up, it seems like a good time to explore why an un-weighted 61 key keyboard with no stand from Best Buy is like sending your child to the hockey arena wearing figure skates.
To be fair, they both “do the job”; one makes piano-like sounds when you push the keys… and one gets your child from A to B in a skating fashion… but neither will help your child learn the appropriate technique or skills, and neither will result in a child who is proficient at their chosen activity.
It makes no sense to spend hundreds of dollars on hockey equipment and skating lessons and then not provide proper skates. Likewise, it makes little sense to invest in piano lessons without providing a decent home instrument.
Educating Piano Parents On Home Piano Choices
While some teachers refuse students who do not own a good quality acoustic piano, other piano teachers with different circumstances, economic areas, or varying philosophical views do accept students with keyboards or digital pianos.
Regardless of your personal decision as a piano teacher, here are 5 tips to help your piano parents choose the best instrument within their means.
1. Partner with a piano store
Approach your local music or piano store to see if they would be willing to partner with you in a “piano education” relationship. Your new (or upgrading) piano students can make an appointment with a knowledgeable staff member at the store who can personally show them each of their options. Make sure this staff member knows what you as the teacher will and will not accept and why. See if you can negotiate a discount on behalf of your families in exchange for the business you will provide (or even a monthly payment plan option). For parents who do not play the piano themselves, it will be much clearer to feel, hear and see the difference in instruments vs. having someone simply tell them “an un-weighted keyboard is no good”. It makes more of an impact when they can see and hear why this is so.
2. Keep your expert eyes online
I keep regular tabs on my local online classified website. The moment I see what I deem to be a “good deal” I post the link on my studio Facebook page or email the link to students who will soon be starting or who need to upgrade. Parents who are making this big of a purchase like to have some guidance, as shopping for a piano can seem overwhelming to anyone who has never played one before. Purchasing used is a great option for many families and can often make instruments much more accessible. Purchasing used without guidance can sometimes be a disaster (remind me to tell you the wood bugs in the piano story…)
3. Relate in a relate-able way
Just as I explain home piano choices to my piano parents using a “hockey on figure skates” analogy, find an analogy that will work for your part of the world. Educating parents on the importance of a home piano often just comes down to having them understand, in a simple way, that the home piano is the second most important part of piano lessons (the first being yours truly!). A simple and relevant analogy can often turn on that light bulb of “Oh, I get it!” and result in parents really stepping up to provide their children with good quality “equipment”.
4. Consider offering a short-term keyboard use option
If keyboards have always made you shudder, consider letting beginning piano students start out on a less-than-ideal instrument for an agreed-upon amount of time (say, 6 months). During this time your student can get a feel for the piano, for you, and for piano lessons in general. If your student is hooked and wants to continue, then your piano family can upgrade to an appropriate instrument at that time.
Parents are often much more comfortable making a large purchase when they have all of the facts… and one of the questions they want the answer to is “Will she use it?!” By offering this short-term use option you make it clear that keyboards are not a great long-term option but you also give your clients with young children a fair chance to make the right choice.
Good Education = Good Decisions
If piano parents are properly informed as to why an appropriate home piano is so important… and if they can see their child’s true interest in lessons (compliments of your uber-awesome teaching skills) they are likely to invest in a piano that will allow their child to get the most out of their time in lessons. Instead of offering a rigid set of rules or “no’s” (or not offering any advice at all) instead consider giving your piano parents a good “Home Piano Education”; giving them the knowledge they need to make an informed choice.
One of the main reasons I tout a good home piano is a desire I have for my piano students to be able to play with expression. True enjoyment on the piano comes from getting something “back” from your instrument. However, if my piano students aren’t playing music they enjoy… then expressive playing doesn’t happen either! When creating The Adventures of Fearless Fortissimo it was my goal to compose music that would inspire my active students to explore expressive playing… and it works!
Michelle Tukachinsky says
This was an excellent article. I usually give the 6 month time limit. Sometimes it is like pulling teeth.. but eventually they do get a better instrument for their child. I love the skates analogy. Thanks again 🙂
Grace says
Can you find good electric pianos with weighted keys? When I have listened to electic pianos, they have never sounded the same as the real thing. To me there is something missing. Or maybe I just haven’t looked hard enough.
Suzanne Brokaw says
if you look for “digital” pianos, instead of ‘electric’ pianos, you’ll find plenty of choice. There are many, many good quality digital pianos out there. I have been teaching and playing on digitals for 20+ yrs, and have worked for several music stores who specialized in digitals. Many of the big brands have great sound and touch, and my new digital actually has the echo effect that you get when you hold down keys silently, and play other notes – I have never seen another digital piano do that… the science and tech have really advanced. Of course, nothing beats a good quality acoustic, but for the $ that most families can afford, a $2000 digital beats a $2000 acoustic any day. I always recommend Roland, Yamaha and Technics as the top brands – Technics has stopped producing instruments, unfortunately, but they are wonderful, and intuitive instruments. Roland has developed amazing tone (I own one of their newer models, and LOVE it) Anything is better than entry level keyboards with no touch sensitivity, which is where several of my students started, and has taken a number of years to get their families to upgrade O_O !
mary aalgaard says
I am not an expert on digital pianos. When parents ask, I refer them to the music store. I tell them that I always prefer an acoustic piano because I like the way it feels and sounds when I play it. However, there is a need and, at times, a benefit to having a portable electric keyboard. Many people prefer it because it doesn’t need tuning. It’s easier to move and find a place to put it, and it can be more affordable. However, the best keyboards aren’t cheap, by any means. I have a nice, older, baby grand, which I love to play, but I’m starting to hear a ring in it. I bought the digital piano from my church when it closed because I saw a need to have one. One benefit, the kids love to play around on it, change settings, record, play back. So, don’t write off the keyboard. It’s like the ebook and ereaders. They’re here to stay and offer another option for getting what you want.
Jolene says
I teach on an expensive Yamaha Clavinova digital piano with weighted keys. We have a lot of fun changing voices, recording our music, practicing with rhythm. Mostly, it’s played like an acoustic piano and it sounds and feels very nice.
Andrea says
I have a Yamaha Clavinova too in addition to my acoustic Kawai – and there are many things I love about the digital as well. The recording option is definitely a bonus for teaching purposes and the transposition at the touch of a button is great for voice teachers!
Christine says
I have heard that Conservatory Canada suggests the Clavinova digital piano for those that want a digital piano. I had a student start once on a small non-weighted keyboard and eventually convinced the parents that in order for to continue, she needs a real piano. I hooked them up with another family that needed someone to piano-sit for them and it worked out in the end. In addition to my piano, I have a Roland RD300 keyboard with weighted keys that has a great piano sound – but definitely not the same touch as an acoustic piano. You simply cannot do the same dynamics on the Roland.
Christine says
One more thing to add. I just had a student do an eExam through Conservatory Canada (in Contemporary Idiom though) and it was done on some kind of Roland digital piano.
Anna says
In my home studio, I have a Chickering baby grand, two Clavinovas, a portable Yamaha YPG-525, and a small Yamaha keyboard (next to my desktop computer). When I interview families who do not yet have an instrument at home (or have only a small keyboard), we spend a few minutes playing a simple pentascale on each instrument so they can *feel* and *hear* the difference for themselves. We discuss pros & cons on each, and talk about differences in price. I have a one-page handout I give them with advice on making a purchase. Craigslist, along with a great piano technician’s advice, have been great resources!
Andrea says
What an ideal set up Anna! It’s like you have the piano store in your home 🙂 My suggestion of partnering with a piano store was to re-recreate exactly what it is you do for teachers who don’t have several pianos/keyboards. I’m sure it makes a big difference to your piano families to be able to see/hear/touch each option!
Kat Parsons says
Anna- I love your set up! Where did you get the information you culled for your handout? I’m in the process of figuring out how to address this. Thank you!
Bee says
Great article, thanks! I love the analogy idea, but will definitely need to think a different one for my part of the world.
There are two issues for me that are often overlooked in the discussion of acoustic versus digital pianos. One is the sustain pedal – I have not yet played a digital piano pedal that can match the range of possibilities available with an acoustic piano pedal. This is an important issue as students reach early advanced levels.
The other is the issue of playing very quietly. A student who practises on a digital piano (even with weighted keys), where the note will always sound as long as the electrical circuits make contact, often finds it difficult to play pp on an acoustic piano, where playing with the correct speed and weight into the key will make a difference to the quality of the sound and whether the note even sounds at all.
Jessica says
As a fellow Canadian, I love this analogy!!! I’ve allowed students to come to me on a short-term basis with an unweighted keyboard, then struggled to explain to parents why they at least need a weighted one; I can definitely see myself using the ‘figure skates in hockey’ analogy in the future!!
Kat Parsons says
I’m definitely having trouble with this. Almost every new student I get (which is all of them as I am just starting) asks if they need a piano/keyboard at home.
I’m having trouble providing answers. I’d like to have a response ready that I can cut and paste into an email! Understandably, a parent does not want to invest hundreds of dollars into a piano or keyboard if they don’t know if their child will like lessons. If they buy a crappy/inexpensive “entry” keyboard, it seems to me to be a waste of money, but they may not feel comfortable paying the price for a good keyboard or acoustic piano yet.
I think buying “used” off of craigslist is the best economical option, but I have no way of telling if those pianos are good – they would really need a technician to accompany them.
I don’t know – I’m having trouble figuring this out. Anyone found a way that works? And if they don’t have anything yet, what do you recommend as the most inexpensive option that still works?
Thank you so much!
Kat Parsons says
This is what I normally send, but I don’t think it’s sufficient. After reading this article, I will definitely add some more education components, but ultimately, what do you recommend to parents who are just starting?
What I tell students, is that when they are beginning, it is okay if they don’t have a piano. I understand it’s a big investment! They need to have some sort of keyboard on which to practice – preferable a full 88 keys.
If they have already have a smaller keyboard, that is ok for a student to start with, and after 6 months or so we can re-assess. Eventually, it would be good for the student to be able to practice on an acoustic piano. Craigslist has some good deals! Always make sure a piano technician comes to see the piano before you purchase. Here are two local technicians:
Technician Names & Numbers
A piano requires upkeep (essentially getting tuned twice a year). If you would rather a digital piano, I recommend Craigslist and then music123.com usually has some good deals and often free shipping. She will need 88 keys and they need to be “weighted”. Sean’s Music in XXX is a great music shop and he knows the type of keyboard I recommend as well.