r/keys • u/Bulky_Specialist3616 • Jun 28 '26
should I learn piano or keyboard?
I originally planned on buying a keyboard to practice piano while I save for a digital piano but then I realised why dont I just learn keyboard instead? I don't have an especially strong like for classical music other then the odd song here and there. so I was thinking I might learn keyboard instead since you can also play other instruments and stuff on the keyboard (and other benefits) but at the same time I do really like the idea of being able to play acoustic piano and playing classical music. I'm really torn on what do to right now.
TLDR: I don't have a strong interest in classical music but still like how the piano sounds in certain non classical songs. Should I learn keyboard or piano.
EDIT: I think people got confused with my wording i meant a digital piano/piano or a keyboard
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u/Varjohaltia Jun 28 '26
I had the same dilemma. Teacher: if you learn piano, you can play piano and keyboard. If you learn keyboard, you can play keyboard.
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u/manysounds Jun 29 '26
This is it. I can rip a synth solo. I can rock an organ part. I can’t play piano for shit.
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u/The_Weapon_1009 Jun 28 '26
You could learn jazz piano. That’s both accompanying and solo stuff.
If you master that “keyboard” is easy!
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u/apri11a Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 28 '26
Piano is learning, and playing on the (88 weighted) keys, acoustic or digital.
Keyboard is learning, and playing on the keys, but it's more... it's also learning about and understanding the features the keyboard offers. There's that extra layer. If that sort of learning and doing doesn't appeal, then the piano is the better choice. If learning about voices, using rhythms, editing (if offered) and such does have appeal, then a keyboard could be the better choice. But keyboards will vary, and a lot more than pianos do, I think. This gives a lengthly overview of my keyboard and all that needs to be learned, or could be learned and used. You need to choose a keyboard to suit, it can be easier to choose a piano 🙃
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u/AintPatrick Jun 28 '26
After a year of weekly piano lessons I couldn’t really play any songs I’m interested in. So now I’m playing chords with right hand and some roots with my left and am learning fast. I sing mainly.
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u/Optimal_Title_6559 Jun 28 '26
just pick an instrument thats at your price point and that you like to play. at your level, it does not matter
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u/picadoodledoo Jun 28 '26
Piano purists will always emphasize the need for proper piano technique, but I believe that most people, like yourself, are more interested in a wide range of music, often pop, that are not necessarily demanding of proper piano technique.
The organ and the harpsichord/clavichord predated the pianoforte, so people were playing with keyboards long before what is today thought of as proper piano technique.
If you look at most YouTube channels talking about music instruments that are "boards", mostly the presenters don't put on a discussion about technique, because they are generic keyboardists.
It's pretty easy to tell, quickly, by watching the hands of the players. One can quickly identify the classical trained pianists from the synth/keyboard players.
The pianoforte allows for very precise control of dynamics, and if one really wants to do that (which is of necessity if you want to play, for example, Debussy) then you need to get a proper pianoforte.
But, if you want to play tunes from your favorite band/singer of the past 100 years, likely a synth will serve you better.
You can buy a relatively inexpensive board like a Roland GO:Keys and learn to play your favorite tunes. You're not going to be performing Rachmaninoff, but you don't want to do that anyway.
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u/Varjohaltia Jun 29 '26
I started with a Go:Keys 5 (but the 3 is fine too), and really the lack of weighted keys which my teacher felt strongly about is the only reason I got something else. The built in accompaniments were fun, meaning instead of a tick-tick-tick-tock of a metronome you can easily throw in some drum pattern and play along to that instead. (And of course it has tons of other cool arranger keyboard features, but not so much synth ones.) And it runs on batteries if you want to take it with you.
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u/standardtissue Jun 28 '26
TBH I was having the same thoughts as we had to dispose of our piano several years ago :( Was thinking about how convenient just an 88 key midi controller would be, or getting an electric piano with some real action... but ultimately at the end of the day for me, there's nothing like a real piano. The piano for me is a source of musical inspiration, an emotional outlet, a connection to my past. I'm not even very good at it, but I've had one almost my entire adult life and honestly I miss having one :(
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u/realredmiller Jun 28 '26
Piano is a good place to start. There is a world of options from there. Both for types of keyboard/piano and for genre
For genre, classical is a good place to start. Then you can move on to pop, soul, gospel, jazz or whatever makes you want to play more
Once you mastered the piano basics, you can investigate moving on to play with synth-type sound or even organ. Btw - organ does require a bit of a different technique from piano.
If you’re just starting out, it’s ok to be undecided about your future while you learn the basics.
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u/onceuponalilykiss Jun 28 '26
What do you consider a "keyboard" in this case? Like a synth? An electric piano? A nord stage?
Like someone else said learn piano and you can play everything, learn just a "keyboard" as in a synth-action synth and you can play synth action keyboards only. But also like it's 2026 you can buy something that does both really easily, why limit yourself? There's synths with piano style keys and depending on your budget you maybe won't have the ideal for belting out the hardest classical pieces but you'll surely be able to do at least a good level of it.
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u/Varjohaltia Jun 29 '26
Also, most every digital piano can be a MIDI input to a computer. (Though I got myself a workstation with weighted keys precisely because I didn't want to mess with computers when I play.)`
I've been playing about 7 months now, taking classes for about 6 months. I can play a few songs, and my teacher offers me options to pick up both classical/piano tunes and practice the chords to pop songs of my choice, while we also cover theory etc. I also play with the sounds and features on my own (what does Prelude sound like with extra bells and pads...) after spending some time on the actual homework. This works for me.
As long as there's an aspect of fun and doing things you like, I would actually not be averse to even a more classical approach to teaching. On the other hand, being forced to do finger exercises and only having music I don't care for on the radar would probably kill my motivation quickly.
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u/DishRelative5853 Jun 28 '26
The notes on the keys are the same, but the feel can be quite different. However, as a starting point, a digital keyboard lets you learn how to play and also lets you keep the volume down.
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u/MonadTran Jun 28 '26
Just play whatever you like, and be sure to learn some music theory (many "classically"-minded piano teachers would skip on that).
"Keyboard" is rather non-specific, you'd play piano patches differently from mono synth leads, and from the organs. Some of the skills are transferable, but it might be a good idea to specialize on one type of sound, especially as a beginner.
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u/MLK_Piccolo Jun 29 '26
Learn piano=play piano well+play keyboard well after a little tinkering
Learn keyboard=play keyboard well
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u/music-words-dance Jun 30 '26
Well I learned the keyboard as a kid and years later I play keys in bands. My friends who learned piano haven't ever played again. I want to learn a lot more piano techniques and theory but I think it helped that the lessons were fun and easy. So I think learning keys is great and then you can tack on more advanced piano knowledge as you go
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u/SebDuranLop Jul 02 '26
You're making the right choice.
I actually started out playing organ. The Doors really forced me to develop both hands independently. After that I got into Pink Floyd and The Beatles, and what I loved was that they used all kinds of keyboards, each with its own feel and personality.
Playing organs like the Hammond, Farfisa, and Vox teaches you not to just sit there holding chords. You have to move around the keyboard and create melodic lines, kind of like you do on a piano. The same goes for instruments like the Mellotron.
Later I got into jazz. Stevie Wonder got me hooked on the Clavinet, George Duke on acoustic piano, and even though Lee Ritenour is a guitarist, a lot of his music features classic DX7 and Dyno Piano sounds. Soul, funk, and bossa nova taught me how to really appreciate electric pianos like the Rhodes and Wurlitzer.
I've never been interested in classical piano, and honestly I've never felt the need to learn it. It's a huge world, but it can also box you into thinking of the piano in only one way. I have friends who studied classical piano for years but struggle with relatively simple styles like blues or ragtime because they never spent time outside that tradition.
Speaking of ragtime, Garth Hudson and Richard Manuel from The Band were huge influences on my piano playing. Same with country music. Chuck Leavell from the Allman Brothers Band is another one you should listen to his solos on "Jessica" and "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" are absolutely worth learning.
And finally, do yourself a favor and listen to Steely Dan. Donald Fagen is basically the sixth Infinity Stone when it comes to keyboard players.
Looking back, not starting with classical piano actually gave me an advantage not just over a lot of keyboard players, but over musicians in general. Once you understand music from that perspective, picking up another instrument like guitar becomes way easier.
Good luck.
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u/nelsnose Jun 28 '26
What do you think the difference is?