Weighted digital Piano vs personal instrument, or drums even, LOL!!!

[Janeway]

We are seriously considering a digital weighted piano for Christmas for the kids. I added in drums to the end of the title because tonight, we went to the store to look and took our preschooler and she loved the drums and was so cute playing on them! LOL I took a video. 

 

But to the original question, I always felt a personal instrument was the best because then they could play in a group, with a band or orchestra. But so far, I have failed to inspire my older children to play anything. I had a handmedown cello that was quite nice, but no one was interested. Older child mentioned he might be willing to go for the piano. He is 14 now. 

 

Money and space are big issues. Oldest is in to art, big time. He is a great painter. Younger middle schooler is in to theater, musical theater, dance. Then I have children who are not grade school age yet. I did buy recorders and tried to teach the children how to play on that. I never could afford to pay an instrument when I was growing up, but got quite good at the recorder and enjoyed it. I had wanted to be a flute player.

 

I know that having one instrument does not mean I cannot have another. But money is an issue. I plan to look for used too. I am trying to decide between buying a digital piano with weighted keys (Piano is impractical and not really in our budget) or holding off and seeing if I can inspire the interest in a string or wind instrument in the future. Of course, 4 yr old is suggesting a drum set, LOL (maybe I should consider it?)

[Porridge]

I personally think a good weighted digital piano is a great investment.  The piano is a wonderful way to learn basic music theory, which sets the foundation for future study of other instruments if they become interested down the line.  It's also easier to "share" a piano (amongst sibs) than a string or wind instrument (except for guitar, though younger kids need half or quarter sized guitars). Also, piano is a very social instrument (not as social as guitar, which is portable, but still very social) -- lots of places have pianos, easy to gather your friends and family and just jam together.

[Guest]

I agree, get a nice digital weighted piano. Ours was a Christmas present for DS last year; it cost about the same as an entry-level baby grand, but I wouldn't trade it for the world and has been a wonderful investment.

[Eagle]

Here is a semi-crazy idea if you have a gaming system such as a Wii (I don't know which other systems work with this...). What about the Rock Band game? It obviously is not the same as getting an actual instrument, BUT it does have a drum (yay!), several children can play/sing together, and it is really fun.

 

For a personal instrument I would go for a few ukuleles so they can play together. They are easy for beginners but can become complex if you want to advance.

[Kiara.I]

I played a personal instrument.

It *requires* you to have a group with whom to play it.

One of the major benefits to piano is that you can play all the parts of the song, by yourself. And if you want to play in a group, make it a keyboard, add a couple of guitars and a drum kit and bingo!  Also, you tend to learn much more theory playing piano than you do playing some other types of instrument.

 

So yes, I think a piano would be a great investment.  But in our case, we're requiring lessons as well, so it's definitely getting used.

 

Yes, money is an issue.  :(  Always.  Could you look on Craigslist for pianos?  People buy them, but then the children stop taking lessons...you might be able to get a good deal.  Although do some research on brands and such.

[Arcadia]

If space and money is an issue, a keyboard would work. It is also very portable.

 

My youngest plays the cello, flute and piano. The flute is the easiest to transport but it is not cheap either for a starter flute. The cello is not a one size fits all so we are renting until kids need the full size cello. The piano is mine and everyone uses it. My hubby plays the clarinet and the reeds costs are high.

[meena]

If space is an issue, then you definitely don't want a regular drum set. It takes up lots of space and is LOUD! If money is an issue, you won't want an electric kit because one worth learning on is pricey. With those constraints I'd start with a keyboard--takes up less space and possibly has volume control (?) -- and piano lessons. I'd also consider a guitar with lessons to start with and then supplement with the many YouTube tutorials that are online.

[...................]

Some random thoughts....

 

1.  Piano is easiest to learn- at FIRST

2.  After the first year, teachers will not be happy about even the most high end weighted digital piano (we had a 1000.00 KORG, basically one of the best money can buy and it was not acceptable to any teachers.)

3.  It sucks if you are an extrovert, to be a pianist, because there are so so so so few options to play with other kids.

4. Kids have to share the instrument, and it's not portable.

 

Really, I think there are a lot of pluses and you have or will hear all of those over and over.  But, we have found, for my extrovert, that piano wasn't really the best option.  She would have been better off with a violin or Clarinet, because it would be much easier to join orchestra, or even marching band with the clarinet!  Flute can be very tricky.

 

THe big thing is that people will say, oh piano is easy~  Not really, not after the first year.  After the first year or two students have to learn so many articulation nuances and gentle fingerings verses harder ones, and pedal methods, and how to really feel and convey the feeling through the music, that I don't think at that point that it is much easier than the other instruments.  Granted, it is easier at first.  Also granted, the piano has the wonderful aspect of being able to clearly so all notes on both the treble and the bass clef, right in front of you, in order.  Many teachers who teach other instruments have a piano in their house and will go over and play a few keys as they are teaching new concepts and notes.  Even my dd's old flute book had piano pictures in it.

 

So, while there are plusses to piano, I wish I had started my dd on violin or something portable.

[Tree Frog]

We purchased a weighted-key keyboard when we began hsing about 16 years ago. The kids now are in public school or college, but that $600 investment still gets played multiple times a day. As pp's said, it was a great way for the kids to learn theory; my kids have springboarded off and one played the flute, another the clarinet, and the third played the cornet and now plays the trombone. They've played for fun whenever they find a piano, such as the college dorms or at church, and when we've gone to visit MIL in her assisted living apt, they've enjoyed playing for the residents. When we bought it, I didn't think it would still be used as much as it is. One thing that was recommended to us when we purchased was to look for a keyboard that had not only weighted keys but also as many octaves as we could find. Apparently most keyboards don't have as many octaves as a regular piano, which can lead to problems with some pieces of music. 

[Tsuga]

"easier at first" is a big deal if you are just trying to get non-musical kids through a painful two years of basic music theory, like the minimum they'd get in public school middle school. In that respect, I think the piano is a great investment. True, years two on are harder, but if your kids are decidedly non-interested and you just want a decent education for them, I think electronic piano's a great choice. Plenty of brilliant, artistic people don't play instruments.

 

Another possibility is choir. If they aren't interested in instruments and it doesn't appear to be general laziness (I.e. Not interested in effort) then choir is a possibility.

 

Beyond that, I agree that ukulele is a nice little instrument. They're cheap and can be played ensemble. A little trendy but who cares?

 

Portability is a plus but not if the instrument will never actually be ported.

[fdrinca]

We went with a weighted digital keyboard for our family for various reasons, including space, finances, and hesitation about investing in something like a proper piano. Ours isn't great, but with a pedal attachment it is sufficient for practice for our piano teacher.

 

My kids don't necessarily want to play the piano - they'd prefer a personal instrument  - but my oldest is 8 and I figure piano is a great way to learn basic theory and music reading *without* the added pressure of making an instrument sound good. 

 

(Added benefit of keyboard - the potential for practicing kiddos to use headphones!!)

 

For our family, the external accountability of piano lessons ensures that music practice and theory is part of our homeschool curriculum. Without that accountability, I could easily see the piano being an expensive toy. 

[meena]

We went with a weighted digital keyboard for our family for various reasons, including space, finances, and hesitation about investing in something like a proper piano. Ours isn't great, but with a pedal attachment it is sufficient for practice for our piano teacher.

 

My kids don't necessarily want to play the piano - they'd prefer a personal instrument - but my oldest is 8 and I figure piano is a great way to learn basic theory and music reading *without* the added pressure of making an instrument sound good.

 

(Added benefit of keyboard - the potential for practicing kiddos to use headphones!!)

 

For our family, the external accountability of piano lessons ensures that music practice and theory is part of our homeschool curriculum. Without that accountability, I could easily see the piano being an expensive toy.

The bolded above was exactly the case for us. We had a couple instruments that our kids had expressed interest in, but it wasn't until we started formal lessons that they actually started to play around with them. Before that they didn't have the skill or patience to make anything but noise and that was frustrating for them. Some kids have the personality to teach themselves but mine are not like that.

 

Also, there has been a mention of flute. I played the flute throughout school and still have mine. My kids begged to try it a couple years ago after playing in a homeschool recorder class. They struggled with being able to control their embouchure. I'm sure they could learn to (I started when I was 11), but it's definitely not a pick-up-and-play instrument.

[displace]

If you're interested in a piano but don't want to pay, pianoadoption.com has pianos people are getting rid of. You would have to transport and tune.

 

Also craigslist has a lot of cheap pianos.

 

I'd be hesitant to get drums as I think most toddles love banging on them. There are electronic drum sets.

 

I'd also hesitate to spend a lot of money on a nice electric piano if no one is really interested in playing. Piano is a good starter instrument in general. If you do spend money on one will all the DC have required practice times? There are some good intro lessons on how to play on the Internet but frequent practice will be necessary.

 

Just some questions you should ask yourself before investing. For us, we have some instruments and DS is required to spend X time playing before randomly switching when bored. We did guitar for a few months. We just started piano and I will require that for a few months before switching. But then for us the options decrease dramatically as the instrument options decrease too. I will require some music lessons through elementary age, if only voice.

[Bluegoat]

I think a piano is a nice instrument for kids, it is a really good way to learn theory and to read music, and that is worthwhile for other instruments.

 

A electric one isn't, I am told, ideal for a serious piano student, as even the very good ones don't have the same feel.  Also - used pianos are a buyers market these days, if you have the room.

 

On the other hand, I am not sure how much more likely a child is to self-teach piano than any other instrument.  If no one does, it is an expensive investment.  It might be worthwhile to look at what the resale value would be for a new or used one.

 

I think for self-teaching, guitar can be a good choice.  It isn't a huge investment, and there is often opportunity to play with others, or to have them instruct.  There are lots of free online lessons, or inexpensive group lessons for beginners.  And it isn't too hard, having learned the guitar, to learn other fretted instruments.

 

Ukulele has most of the same advantages as guitar, but one additional advantage is that in some places you can find groups that will have very cheap or fre lessons, and which play as choruses or choirs.

 

I wouldn't get drums for small kids, they are expensive and they can be very easily ruined by a toddler.

 

FWIW, when my kids were young we had a very battlescared old piano that cost me nothing ut the transport cost.  It was a little dodgy but played well in the portions of the keyboard the kids needed for lessons.  I had no worries when I would find them treating it poorly.  As they carried on and needed more, and it became more degraded, we replaced it with something much better, but it was still only $300 used - we just had to wait until something came up for sale.  My middle dd has a cheapness but good guitar and started with a group lesson, and she will keep it until she grows out of it if she wants to carry on playing.

[Janeway]

So, to clarify, the older kids already have some fine arts they are interested in and completely invested in. The younger children are on the young side. I had actually hoped they would get in to an individual instrument. Oldest, who loves to paint, said he would like to learn to play the piano. I guess I could find a place in the dining room to put a real piano, but it would be squished when we have holiday meals there and such. I also do not know how to figure out a good quality piano on Craiglist. 

[redsquirrel]

If space is an issue, that rules out the drum set.  I have both a piano and a drum kit (looking at them right now) and the drum set takes up well more space than the upright piano. That is the equivalent of a bookcase.  The drum kit is like another couch or something. It isn't shoved up against a wall...you have to be able to get behind it to play. It is practically out in the middle of the room.  The piano is shoved against a wall and isn't in the way at all.

 

Plus, if money is an issue, a real drum kit is pretty expensive. I got my piano for free.  It's amazing what you come across when you let people know you are looking.  We did have to pay for a moving truck and move it ourselves, but that was our only expense to get the piano. 

 

But, given your choices, I would go with the keyboard any day.

[blondchen]

I think weighted digital pianos are fine, especially for beginners (and so does my mom, who is a highly trained professional pianist and teacher). They can be very practical and are good space savers if that's what you need. No, they do not have the same sound and feel as an acoustic piano, but the weighted keys on a digital will develop finger strength, which is a crucial element in learning to play.  And, with a digital you can plug in headphones - which is a big plus at times! That said, a decent acoustic piano can often be found for less than the cost of a digital, especially if you consult someone who knows what would constitute a good deal. I'd inquire with some local piano teachers to get ideas. I much prefer an acoustic piano, but if a digital piano meets your needs better, I see no problem with it.

 

Regarding the piano vs. other instrument questions, I can speak from experience with both, having studied both piano and clarinet for many years (I have a master's degree in voice performance, though - I was an opera singer). I really enjoyed playing the clarinet in band, orchestra and small ensembles when I was in school, but I haven't touched my clarinet in over 20 years, because I have no means of playing in a group at this point in my life, and I don't enjoy playing it by itself. By contrast, being able to play the piano has given me so much joy throughout my entire life, in many situations. I play by myself for fun, I accompany singing - both my own and other people's, and I can play pretty much any song with all the parts, instead of just a melody. If your kids have access to situations in which they can play with others, then learning another instrument would make sense. Otherwise, go for the piano. And, there's a good reason why every student who gets a degree in music has to pass some sort of piano proficiency exam. Familiarity with the piano is really important for overall musical education, if that is one of your goals.

 

And, oh my word, DO NOT get a drum set for a 4yo. There is no musical or educational value in just banging a drum set, especially for a child that young, imo. At best, I think it would be a VERY expensive toy that would likely get abandoned after the initial thrill wears off. And it would probably drive you out of your mind, because it would be just really loud noise. Ugh. I would only get a drum set - EVER - for a child who had gained some significant proficiency in another instrument. And even then, I'd probably only do it for a very serious student who intended to master percussion in general on some level, or to play in a band on a regular basis. Just my two cents.

[yinanyinu]

DC have been playing the piano and are beginning to add violin. Summers they participate in a choir camp, and this is my only experience. My feeling is go with what your DC want, otherwise it is a real pain to nag them to practice, and if they don't practice, they won't progress, and it becomes a waste of time and money. If you decide on piano, acoustic is best, unless you need to keep down the noise. (That's the only plus to a weighted digital piano, even the very best, IMHO. And at that price, you could probably get a good used upright.) You can ask a friend who plays or a teacher to go with you to check out a potential piano. Many will be fine with some tuning.

 

As others have mentioned, the voice is also an instrument, and this is often overlooked, regrettably. It's portable, social, good for theory studies, takes up no space, and anyone can pick it up. My kids love to sing, mostly with others, but they'll do solo for the grandparents. Good luck.

[Targhee]

I would not buy any instrument unless you had someone eager to play it.

 

I think piano is a great instrument, it is easy to start on, and you can play solo, accompany, or jam with others. It is not portable though. And even high end digitals, weighted with real wooden action and everything, are not the same as an accoustic piano. And if you get serious about piano you're going to want that acoustic.

 

If you are *really* considering piano, and you don't have a taker yet but want them to try it out, I would suggest a keyboard (Yamaha, under $200). If they take lessons for a year and want to play THEN get a piano. The keyboard can always be used to travel an play ensemble with friends.

 

It can be very hard to share other instruments - they come in different sizes (strings at least) and you don't want to share mouth pieces (winds) and if they share they can't play ensemble at home. Even with a piano you can play a duet (4 hands one piano). But if you want a non-piano instrument for sharing I suggest guitar.

 

Drums... Unless you are confident your preschooler has good rhythm I wouldn't consider this until later. Even if you knew you had a drummer on your hands, at this age most sets are too big or they are toys. And most kids can not keep opposing rhythms (on drums or on piano) until they've studied some time. And they are LOUD and take up more space than piano. BUT if you are confident you have a drummer in the making find an excellent teacher (of children) and start with a drum mat or a single snare.

[FO4UR]

I vote for a nice keyboard.

 

Piano is the foundational instrument.  They can branch off from piano fairly easily in the future if they wish. 

 

When a band director is searching for kids to play in the drum pit, they look for PIANISTS!  A kid who has 2-5 years of piano under their belt needs to be shown a bit of technique on the various instruments and then can read & play easily.  

 

The kid who can just pick up the clarinet or trumpet....he can do so b/c he first learned to play piano.  

 

 

Violin is worth doing for your youngest.  There is value in ear training with the violin young.  Still...in order to get the full benefit from learning the violin, she'll need to have a working knowledge and proficiency on the piano.

 

 

Piano Piano Piano.

 

(BSE Music Education.  Vocal/Choral.)

[Michael12]

There are three instruments that are mandatory in our house before the age of 10: piano, recorder, and ukulele. Each was chosen for particular reasons.

 

Voice comes before these, of course, and it continues on as other instruments are added. Voice trains the ear, refines the sense of pitch, and cultivates balance and blend with other singers. Things like harmony are heard but handled more intuitively, not explained and notated. It's just a natural extension from nursery rhymes. As parents, we stress folk songs and church music, but we also just invent our own songs every day, either piggybacking on existing melodies or improvising new ones. The idea that music is something where you need a composer and an engraved score and paid union rehearsals is not what we want. Music is just there - like air.

 

Piano lays all the notes out in front of you so you can grasp the basics of pitch and intervals. It is great for teaching counterpoint (two or more lines working against each other), dynamics, articulation, and other nuances. Note reading is treble and bass clefs and both hands are used to do different things. It is a great starting instrument because you press the right button, you get the right note. You can concentrate on learning other aspects. The fixed pitch develops the ear, which helps all the other instruments (including voice) where pitch can drift. Of course, piano can be continued to the nth degree, with all kinds of repertoire. But I'm talking just about a basic understanding and competency. A weighted action digital keyboard would work fine for this purpose.

 

Recorder develops breath control, tonguing, finger precision (here the two hands work towards only one goal), and the importance of a single line. Note reading is treble clef only and fairly constrained. It is a great instrument for duets, trios, etc. We own a set (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass), but you could get a lot of work done with just a soprano. Also, there is a well established body of classical literature, both solo and ensemble, to draw from.

 

Ukulele is taught only for chords and accompaniment, using chord symbols not note reading and melody playing. It is far easier to learn than guitar and the payback is immediate. The main purpose is to understand basic functional harmony and song form. A little bit of improvisation is taught - the idea that you don't need 100% detailed notation and that what you do can vary from performance to performance. This can then be translated to piano when ready. Guitar is the next step if there is interest. That's where you have enough of a range to delve into melody, counterpoint, etc. and that's where there is a body of literature for study. It's also more appropriate for larger hands and bodies. But ukulele isolates important aspects of music that are too often overlooked in piano lessons or in band/orchestra. And it's easier to accompany yourself when singing than on piano.

 

These instruments can be combined in various ways for little chamber groups to teach the fundamentals of ensemble playing and the responsibility of holding one's own part.

 

Of course, additional instruments are encouraged. We have many in the house. Any child who is competent at these three can very easily transfer a whole lot of musical knowledge, fine motor development, a well-developed ear, and a decent understanding of the discipline, time, and effort required to master an instrument.

 

I can't say that this approach would fit every home, but it's how it is in ours. Music is an essential part of our family culture, and it is thoroughly integrated, not a "frill" to be tacked on or dropped later. It's right up there with books.

[wintermom]

Whatever instrument you choose to purchase, I'd recommend investing in lessons as well. And in reality, the cost of the instrument is the cheap part - regualr lessons over months and hopefully years, is where the bulk of your money will actually be spent. Lessons with a well-trained teacher are a wonderful investment for a child's education.