Pianos vs. Electronic Keyboards: Should it even be a question?

I am frequently asked for my opinion regarding electronic key boards.

Here’s my take on them.

Keyboards, no matter how expensive, are not a musical instrument.

Tens of millions of dollars have been spent by keyboard manufacturers to make a keyboard, which is a computer with black and white keys, look like a piano, sound like a piano and feel like a piano.

They have failed.

It is not that there is no place for keyboards. They can do many fun and interesting things as most computers and electronic devices can, and they are more portable to be sure.

But let’s not mistake them for a real musical instrument.

It is particularly important that children learn to play on a real piano. Studies have shown that children who learn on keyboards can seldom make the transition to real pianos.

The reason I hear most commonly as to why people buy a keyboard instead of the real instrument is expense. Times have changed. It is a great time to find a good piano at or near the cost of a good keyboard. There are more pianos on the market than people buying them. I hope people will take the time to price out a genuine piano when thinking of purchasing a keyboard. If you would like to discuss owning a piano I am always available for phone consultations.

In a culture tending towards the artificial, the convenient, and the cheap, I fear that coming generations may not know the profound difference in the rich and complex sound created by an acoustic instrument as compared to the bits and bytes that generate the sound of electronic devices.