Hi, everyone!!

Ok, normally I'm in the saxophone forum, but I think I've posted stuff on here (I've taught myself piano).

This brings me to my point (sort of); what is the difference between a piano and a keyboard?? I mean, I know a keyboard is electronic and usually doesn't have foot-pedals, but are the completely different??

Thanks!!

<Added>

Sorry!! I meant to say I taught myself keyboard, but I play piano music on the keyboard (that probably made absolutly no sense).

Well piano's have more keys, unless you buy a full-sized keyboard. A standard piano has 88 keys, and a standard keyboard has about 61 ish. As you play harder songs on the keyboard you'll realise that you'll keep 'running out of keys'!! Which can be very annoying!

Also, piano keys are weighted, which makes them harder to push down, and they'll rebound more. Whilst this sounds bad, it's not actually. The weighted-ness will help built your finger control and strength and I think it helps you play dynamics better, as lots of keyboard don't have 'touch-response' (meaning that the notes will all be the same volume, regardless of whether you play the keys lightly or not.)

And as you said, keyboard lack pedals. I find I cant live without the damper pedal - the one that sustains your notes, which is on the right of the piano. However you can buy these to attach to keyboards, but they tend to cut off the note as soon as you take your foot off, wheras real piano's gently let go of the note so that it still sounds smooth.

And a plus for keyboards - you can alter the volume, and instrument sound as you please, and can plug headphones in so that you can practise whenever you like without disturbing anyone (although in saying this, some piano's have a 'practise pedal' which can be pushed down to dampen the vibrations so that it's really quiet!)

There are probably many other differences between piano's and keyboard which either I don't know of or have forgotten, but if you're thinking of buying one or the other, I'd recommend getting a real piano, as long as you have the space and the extra money!!!

Hope that was of any help!

Laura
XxX

If you have the chance to play in a real Piano you'll get the differences, is SO MUCH BETTER.

The poster above me made all the differences already but if I were you I'd try both and then decide, but if you want my personal opinion...
The weigth is an important factor, I've always played with a Piano and one day I tried a keyboard, gosh I hated it, the keys were up too fast, they were too light and honestly I love the strings of the Piano, plus the keyboard keys are too little, at least to me ,lol.

Try both, I say Piano.

Id say the piano has a richer sound, and piano sustain pedals are beautiful to play with. however, pianos can weigh a tonne, so for portability a keyboard massively surpasses it.

Basically, a piano does its thing, but it does it really well.
where a keyboard can simulate a piano, it will never get the depth and richness of sound. But on the flipside, the keyboard is more dynamic, with all the different voices, tunes to play along to, DSPs and any decent Keyb can be hooked up to a computer with a midi lead, once linked up, its a pandoras box.

All that said, i prefer a real piano cos the sound is amazing. if you get the chance, have a bash. Or alternatively buy one on ebay, i've seen one for 50 pence!!!

Thanks everyone!!

I do hate the fact that there are not enough keys on the keyboard, especially when I play "moonlight Sonata".

I have a baby grand piano and got a keyboard - I hate the keyboard. It doesn't have weighted keys, the peddle hardly works at all and it sounds terrible. Also, it doesn't have enough keys.

yer i hate keyboard now too plastic rubbish i so love the tone of a piano and you gont get the same tone and a rubish keyboard.

so i agree with piano princess

I have alot of reasons.
1) In a keyboard the keys are lighter because no precussion is recuired.
2) Pianos sound much better because Keyboards sound "Manufactured".
3) It is easier to play keyboard because less effort in pressing down the keys but you can tell the differance between a keyboard and piano. The differance is universal!

Hi
Can anyone help Im looking for the Tom Jones song Delilah
But with the key letters

Many thanks Delilah

get a digital piano with 88 weighted keys and foot pedal - best of both worlds

lol im a little l8 but mi opionion on this is if u buy a gd keyboard which is cheaper than a piano at ani rate u can get ll the pedals n then some u can hoo a keyboard to a computer n record orchestral peices usin jus thte piano keys a gd keyboard allows u to record and alter music on the keyboard itslf n my favourite part o a keyboard n how ive made my living. a gd keyboard has backing pmusic which the key can be chnged this is just a set of riffs that you can alter to fit a song of ur choice adding ending and start and drum fills while u play the melody and a piano well ucve heard all the differences. oh and with the bad echo ending thats because the pedal is like a cicuit breaker when pushed it wnt let the keybord know uve ten ur finger off a key so the key lasts as long as it would on a piano if u held the pedal down this is gd for slower songs or just songs where u lave ur foot down or forget to take it off (my big problem) but also there are many different pianos on the keyboard using something like the harp whch is just a plucked piano. this instrument sustains the note with a gentle fade like u were describing. now this gentle smoothnes shouldnt occur on a piano well doesnt on ours aniwaiz theres a pedal for it i just call it the 1 chord pedal cause it sustains ani notes pressd simutaniously to that by leting the frame vibrate it off otherwise the detoners just dedon the note instantly. but then again my piano was made back in 1870 sumfin n designed for pieces like joplins stuff n faster music that requries that stetatic effect never-the-less there is the 1 chord pedal which if held giees that smopoth ending u talk of. oh n the biggest advantage of a keyboard is its portable it doesnt cost 50 million ollars to move it and a nother million for tis insurance (over exaggeration used)

Keyboards aren't really made for people that knows how to play but keyboards was at first actually made for beginners. Then, people just started buying a lot and soon it wasn't just a beginners playing it but everyone. Not many people know this part of the history because if they let this out in the public then the factories would have a drop in income and if it came out in the past then today keyboards will be hard to find and buy.

Don't get me wrong but if anyone is comfortable with it then they should stick with it because I started learning with a keyboard...but if you ask me, the grand piano is by far, the best.

Is their any Spanish or French or German or Dutch speaking people because I just learned to speak English. Yay me! Because if I didn't learn English I wouldn't have been able to fully understand the benefits of a piano...lol (All this is true)

I think a Piano is more... classical.
I mean, it always looks better if you play something on a Piano than on a Keyboard.
I only have a keyboard, and it doesnt have weighted keys, so when I go to play a Piano... it sounds terrible, as I havent got any practice with them.
If you can, get a piano. They are usually better than Keyboards.

I can't stand keyboards. They have a totally different feel than pianos.

I only have a keyboard, and it doesnt have weighted keys, so when I go to play a Piano... it sounds terrible

Boffcheese, what about the children 5 yrs and under that are learning to lay the piano, it would be too hard to press down the keys and you can't say that children under 5 yrs can't learn to play the advanced level because I know a child that is 4 yrs old and she is already learning the advanced level.

So what can you say to that about keyboards.