Looking to buy a first keyboard piano to learn on.

[parisinflames78]

any advice as to what i should get I dont want something too expensive but not cheap either so and recomendations would be great.

[pianoman666]

i used a yamaha Education Suite keyboard when i started. it was okay but it didnt really help me after i got the basics down (after a year or so). but theyre only $100

[Bob]

Get the best you can with whatever you're willing to spend.

Keep in mind an acoustic if you can get one. 

And setting some money aside for lessons. 

[makeanote]

Hi there Paris.

If it has to be an electronic keyboard and you are looking to try and do some reasonable playing in the future, look for an 88 key keyboard with weighted keys. Don't go in for all the bells-and-whistles like drum pads, thousands of extra sounds and auto-arpeggiator (they just add to the cost).

I bought a Kawai ES-3 which has a reasonable weighted action and a simple sound set - it works just fine to input keyboard playing into the computer for any MIDI work that I do. I always prefer to play on an acoustic instrument, however.

Trust this helps,
Ian

[oxy60]

You don't give your location. Not all instruments are available everywhere. I love my Yamaha P-85 which sounds perfect in my earphones. It's amp and speakers leave a lot to be desired. However, a good mixer with a set of studio monitor (active) speakers will get the sound you desire. Of course we would all love a full concert grand in a sun lit studio in the country away from close neighbors where we could even play at midnight without disturbing anyone. (Gerald Moore)

[parisinflames78]

ahh sorry im from the US. I think i've settled on the Yamaha YPG-535 keyboard.

[soitainly]

 The Yamaha weighted keyboards are a great buy in my opinion. I just went through the same process, wanting to learn piano but live in an apartment so an acoustic piano was not an option.
I am so glad I went this route. I have played a few pianos at friends houses, and for the most part they are pieces of #$%^. I can't stand out of tune, and I can't stand the rattles and buzzes. I can't stand broken keys. It would take a considerable amount of time and effort to buy and maintain an acoustic piano, while the keyboard will stay in tune forever, and the action probably doesn't degrade much either. At about a grand or so, if I wear it out I can just get another one.

 Judging by the average YouTube performance, the sound quality is way better through headphones and recorded than all but the most professional instruments (recorded well in a good room). I won't say that a great piano isn't a nice thing to have, but not many of us can justify 30 grand or more plus regular maintainence. It will be awhile before I ever need to perform, the speakers on the Yamaha are really quite awefull. I need to experiment with sound reinforcement, I have a small Roland amp, but it didn't sound good either.

[oxy60]

YPG-535 sure has a lot of features and at a very good price but it is still not in stock at Guitar Center. I bought one I could carry home, the P-85.

To all the players who want to use an amplified sound should consider getting some sort of mixer that has good equalization controls. Not to mix in another instrument but to process each of the two output channels independently. With a little experimentation you will get a fantastic sound. Don't skimp on the speakers.