Do I Need to Get a Piano for Lessons?
Once you have selected the piano as the instrument for your child’s music lessons, an obvious question soon emerges. Do I need a piano for my home? Obviously, this decision depends on a wide array of factors. One of the most critical factors to consider is how likely is it that both you and your child are firmly committed to the piano. If you buy a piano for lessons and your child only continues his or her classes for a few weeks, you could regret your decision. The piano could end up as nothing more than an interesting piece of furniture that largely goes ignored.
Here is one factor to consider, does your child have a track record of quitting things once he or she has started? If so, then you might want to hold back a bit on purchasing a piano. However, if you are dedicated to making sure that your child will learn to play the piano, then it’s probably a decent idea to have a piano for lessons.
Having a piano in the home has a variety of advantages. For example, it means more practicing, as your young musician will have a piano in an easy to access location. However, this does not mean that you necessarily have to spend a small fortune on a piano. There are some alternatives that can be explored, such as buying a much cheaper, but effective, electronic keyboard. Don’t think about the electronic keyboards of the 1980s, as those days are long since gone. The new generations of keyboards are quite superior and have far greater capabilities than twenty or even ten years ago. For those children who are just beginning to play the piano, an electronic keyboard can make for a great temporary piano. Another excellent idea is renting a piano from the local piano store. Many stores will do a rent to own program, where they will apply a portion of your rental fees towards a purchase of a piano with their store. This can be a great way to have a piano in your home without committing to it long term if the child loses interest.
Once it has become obvious that a child is planning on sticking with learning to play the piano, there is no real reason not to have a real, fully functional piano for lessons. The odds of your child practicing will definitely go up considerably with a large piano taking up some real estate in the house. The simple act of having the piano will serve as a constant visual reminder of the commitment that your child has made.
Whether or not you need a piano for lessons is, ultimately, a decision that needs to be made on a case-by-case basis. For example, if you are living in a 900 square foot apartment in Manhattan, a full-sized piano might be pretty tricky. If size of your home is a real concern, you may be interested in a high end digital piano which is a better quality than a keyboard. The two top makers of digital pianos are Yamaha and Rolland, both offer a fully weighted keyboard, pedal, and touch sensitive keys that are sure to impress the most picky piano teacher with its sound and touch quality. Digital pianos will often cost you just as much as a real acoustic piano, but can be great for small spaces and vacation homes so students can still practice.
There are numerous factors that can impact the decision to buy a piano, but in the end, buying a piano or a good initial substitute is probably the right move. You child will be able to practice at home and will feel as though they should practice more often. Remember the more the practice on a good instrument, the more they will improve, and the more likely they will want to stick with studying the piano.