When you think of pianists and other musicians, most of them are child prodigies or have been perfecting their skills since adolescence. Therefore, it can feel discouraging or overwhelming when it seems like you’re starting late in the game. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact is there is no age limit to learning and keeping your brain mentally stimulated with new challenges actually helps you maintain cognitive abilities as you age. The only thing that may concern you is how much to invest in your new capabilities. So, if you have just started playing the piano, read on to determine whether it is worth it for an adult beginner to buy a high-quality piano.
Practice
Beginners need to practice to improve their skills and it can be quite pricey to rent out an instrument for a session. There will also come a time where you may want to invest more time in your skills, rather than having to wait until you attend your music class or schedule with your tutor. On the other hand, you may be wondering whether it would be cheaper to purchase a keyboard over a piano to practice on. And while that is a good idea to keep up with your hobby and lessons without spending too much money, if you really want to become a pianist, you will have to eventually practice on a grand piano. Plus, this is the only way you can truly find your unique sound with the instrument. It may be wise to start off with a keyboard if you’re not quite sure where you would like your talent to take you and consider purchasing a piano later down the line.
Future Investment
Choosing to purchase a piano is a big money decision, so you want to make sure you get the most out of it. If you find that you do play often and want to practice more, then this would be a wise investment for your future. Now you may be hesitant with how expensive pianos can be, but it’s a worthwhile investment, especially if you plan on making a career out of your talent. That said, even if you don’t plan to make a living out of your skills, it is still a good idea to find the best piano for your money when playing is a hobby that you get a lot out of. It’s important to review and compare the different piano brands as some are unnecessarily expensive. Make sure you consider all the different types and the features they come with to ensure you’re purchasing one that makes playing comfortable and enjoyable for you. After all, it is an elegant instrument and you should enjoy the luxury of playing it.
Goals
Although we don’t always have that type of foresight, it is important to gauge the path you would like to take with your skills. As an adult beginner, you will have some indication of whether you’d like to make a living playing music or would simply like to practice at home as a hobby. However, this doesn’t mean that plans can’t change down the road, so if you aren’t quite sure whether you will commit to the experience, you should hold off on buying a high-quality piano. If you are certain that your long-term goal is to perfect your skills and you can see yourself playing music for the foreseeable future, then the investment is worth it to achieve your goals.
Other Considerations
Once you have determined whether, as an adult beginner, you want to invest in the grand piano, wait it out and stick to music lessons, or get a keyboard for now, you can then determine what your budget is to ensure you get the most bang for your buck. Furthermore, keep in mind that while you can practice your piano skills on a keyboard, this isn’t a long-term solution since the keys produce different sounds and aspiring pianists eventually need to practice on the appropriate instrument to get better.
As an adult beginner piano player, you will have most certainly started your classes straight onto the piano rather than testing out the keyboard. It’s important to note, though, that you can start off with a keyboard to practice at home, but as time passes, you will need to familiarize yourself with a piano by practicing on the instrument to get a feel for the tone and action. However, depending on your budget and goals, you can make the big investment now or wait it out. Either way, if you do decide to purchase an instrument for home use, the keyboard and piano are very similar and usually have the standard 88 keys on both; therefore, the same range unless you choose a keyboard with 72 keys. Additionally, the key arrangement is the same, so songs will easily translate on both instruments.
