Is there a difference between learning keyboard and learning piano? Either in terms of tuition or tutor books?

I've found a keyboard class which I was planning to join in September, and I haven't been able to contact the tutor to ask. Is there normally a difference in what you learn or the way it's taught? I want to learn to play classical music, not jazz/pop/rock. The instrument I've just bought is a portable digital piano, ie it looks like a keyboard but doesn't have all the gizmos which you would expect on a keyboard (mine's a Yamaha NP-30).

And I'd like to try and teach myself some things straight away, rather than wait until September. Is there a difference between keyboard tutor books and piano tutor books?

Any thoughts anybody?

I started out on keyboard and learned piano later, and in my opinion the only similarity is that they both have black and white keys. The keyboard requires a very different technique from piano and although I had a head start because I already knew the "keyboard layout" I had to learn the technique almost from the start. If your goal is to learn the piano I don't recommend you start on keyboard, especially since you already own a piano and want to learn classical music.

Good luck with your new adventure!

There is a very big difference between playing a keyboard and playing the piano. A keyboard splits usually at F# below middle C. Using the keys above this you play the melody using whatever voice sound you like. You can either play the melody using one note at a time or you can thicken the texture with some chords.

All you do in the left hand is to play a chord once until you need to change it. The keyboard will turn these chords into a full blown band accompaniment according to the style you have selected.Once the chord has been played you can take your left hand off the keys and use it to press other buttons for drum fills, to change accompaniment patterns etc etc. depending on the complexity of the keyboard.

If you pay over £500 for a keyboard it can be set to read your chords from all over the keyboard and you can then play it like a piano and get the band accompaniments as well.

These differences are reflected in tutor books. Keyboard music has the melody line in the treble clef with chord symbols written above ( as in fake books). There is thus no music for the left hand and learners have to learn how to play the chords.

An essential skill in playing a keyboard is being able to play in time with the accompaniments.

You can play keyboards as if they were a piano but this is doomed to fail because they usually only have 61 keys and the touch is far too light.

Some books on the market which are called keyboard tutors attempt to try to teach both but succeed in doing neither.

As the others have said, playing a piano and a keyboard are VERY different from each other. I'd check what is involved in the Class before you sign anything or pay money. Most keyboard tutors have a few classical pieces, but it's mainly popular music. Your NP-30 doesn't sound like it could be used as a keyboard anyway (haven't looked up the spec though).

I'd definitely buy a piano tutor book, not a keyboard one. There are enough piano teachers on the forum who teach adult learners to advise you on which book. I don't think you would get group piano lessons as you do for keyboard.

Do be careful, though, that you don't pick up bad habits through working alone. It would be better to pay for a few lessons so that you get your hand position and posture right from the start, even if you then decide to go it alone for a while. IMO most instruments are very difficult to learn properly without a teacher.

I asked the question because somebody sowed a seed of doubt today and what you've all said confirms my suspicion. So it looks as if the keyboard class I was planning to join won't be suitable and I'd better start looking for a piano teacher. I know a piano teacher I could go to from September, but not over the summer. I'll have to give this some more thought now....

Thanks for putting me in picture everyone

If your teacher can't start until September then maybe they could tell you which book(s) you would start with. I agree it's worth having lessons but with a month and a half to wait it must be worth making a start on something - just try not to be over ambicious:-)

That's exciting, you're going to learn to play the piano! (Perhaps now I ought to start clarinet... Only joking, I can't get a note out of my son's )

All the best with looking for a piano teacher, I hope you manage to find one soon, it took me ages.

I was a bit confused about the whole keyboard thing as well, I hadn't realised that "keyboard" was a whole different thing, but eventually managed to sort out proper piano lessons.

I feel as if I've been really lucky here - I telephoned someone who looked as if he would be really good, and he sounded very nice on the phone and I've got my first lesson next week! He knows it's not my first instrument but he thinks that's an advantage rather than being disappointed.

I can't wait for next week now


Chris - re the clarinet, I'm sure you'd be able to get a sound out if you had a teacher to show you how to breathe into it - you could join me and mwl1 in a Grade 1 challenge!

Hope you enjoy your lesson. I think I'm a bit jealous - I've got starting piano in the back of my mind but at the moment I don't have the time (or money) to do so. Maybe next year...

What is the G1 challenge - getting to G1 on Clarinet has to be faster than on Piano doesn't it? Or has my mind been coloured with a 'piano is difficult' belief?

The grade 1 challenge is mostly aimed at those taking up a second instrument and passing grade 1.
This makes it a slightly different ball game than getting to grade 1 as a complete beginner.
This has often been a sponsored challenge with everyone choosing their own charity for which to raise money.

I'm jealous - I still really really really want to play the piano But that requires me buying something that actually resembles a piano, with weighted keys... atm I have a keyboard which is touch sensitive but other than that it's a bit rubbish

We've even been told we can have my boyfriend's parents' digital piano..... but then we would need to get rid of the huge dining table and chairs in the house that we never use. Unfortunately it's also his parent's house so we can't just get rid of it

Maybe I cold burn it down in an "unfortunate accident"...

I find the thought of learning piano a bit quite a lot daunting because of having to co-ordinate two hands and read two clefs. But my new piano sounds so lovely that I want to be able to play it properly so I'm going to give it a try and maybe if I take it a step at a time, I'll be able to manage it



You've got a house you never use Can I use it please, I've completely run out of space in mine

Let me know if you want to meet up to have a go on my new piano

And are you up for going for Grade 1 on your viola???

Haha I might do G1. I need to get my viola first

Wow, that was quick! Skylarks don't let the grass grow under their feet!

Hope you get on really well with your new teacher; I expect he'll recommend a tutor book for you.

I've surprised myself at how excited I am about it - I know there are hundreds of pianists here who won't think this is anything unusual, but I never thought I would actually *have a piano* and be learning how to play it!!! (even if it *is* just a portable digital! )

I'm absolutely thrilled to bits about it - and already I can see how much easier it is to make sense of a composition so I know it's really going to help with my theory work. And to (try to) learn to play it as well is beyond anything I'd imagined

My teacher said he uses John Thompson books. Also I'm seeing someone tomorrow who's got some beginner piano books that they're going to let me have.

and too - I'm excited about my new teacher on that front as well!

I know I was the one that suggested you should look at a full-compass keyboard, but yours will nevertheless let you play everything Bach and Scarlatti wrote, most if not all of the works of Haydn and Mozart, and a very great deal of Beethoven, and even a lot of Chopin - including quite a few of the etudes - and later composers (including Scriabin Preludes!). Enough to keep you busy (and happy) for a year or two!

If ever I get to that stage I might treat myself to a grown-up piano!

Good luck wiht the Piano Skylark!

What? You're not taking grade 8 by year end?!

I'm sure you'll have lots of fun pianoing, Skylark

Well I could *take* it, but the real achievement would be to pass it


Thank you both and you never know, you might hear me play it one day