What do I practice on?

[couvondre]

Hello forum,

Soon, I will be starting piano lessons, I have NO musical background, I can't even read the notes yet. But I do have a question in advance! Once I am taking these lessons, I will have to train at home as well, but I have no piano. I do have a keyboard, it's really old, something with YAMAHA PC_100? Well my question really is, what do I practice on when I'm at home and I get like homework from my piano class? Can I use the keyboard I have or something else? Also I asked someone, and he suggested me to buy a synthesizer, since they are cheaper than a piano. I am 17 years old, so I still live with my parents, so there are really two reasons that I won't be able to get a real piano. 1: I have no space in my room. 2: Piano's are expensive!
I'll be waiting for a response, thank you in advance.

Couvondre,

[_nisa_]

Hey, welcome on board!

That's nice for you to start learning piano, you will enter a very pleasant and relaxing world!
I hope you the best.

As you have no musical background, i guess you will begin by learning some solfeggio (the notes, the scales) theoretically while practicing to use your fingers on a keyboard (you will see that some are weak and some are strong, ...) without doing any musical piece at first, then doing some scales. During this period any keyboard is ok. After that, you will begin short and easy pieces and at the beginning no matter what your keyboard is. However at some point you will automatically want (need?) to play on a realistic keyboard (touch+sound) as the piano of your teacher. I guess any descent digital keyboard is OK.

Yes, piano are not really cheap but there is an alternative : digital pianos. They are somewhat between 3 and 5 times cheaper than acoustic piano and don't need to be tuned.

What you will have to work at home depends on your teacher. Of course he/she will not force you to play, but the more you practice at home, the better. Indeed, you will improve your skills faster and will be able to take more profit from your teacher's advice. Basically, to answer: solfeggio, exercices, scales, pieces, so everything you will see during the lessons.

See you,

_Nisa_

[asianpianoer]

I guess this is ok.  I know someone who went up to 4th grade on a keyboard. - he failed 5th on a keyboard but then repeated with a piano and got a distinction.
 But If you try piano and really like it. You need to get a piano soon enough.  - 3rd grade at least.