I'm a COMPLETE beginner, help!

[Javirolus333]

Hi, I'm 15 years old and I have never played any instrument apart from the recorder at school. However, I have always liked the piano although I don't have one. Recently I wanted to learn piano, but I don't want to go to classes. I just want to learn at home when I feel like it, on my own or maybe with some online courses. I have searched some piano-like instruments to find out which is the best for me and I took a look at MIDI keyboards, the novation mini mk3 specifically. I think it is good for me because it's small (I don't want a big one) and it can play multiple sounds. Also, as I'm a noob I feel useful the option to make some notes repeat constantly at the background so I can concentrate in the main ones. However, I feel like MIDI controllers are made to make my own songs, which I don't want to. I just want it for playing the songs I like, in a casual way. Sooo, do you think it is a good choice for me? Note that I'm an ABSOLUTE beginner in the music world so I'll have to learn everything from there. And also, I like that instrument because I can carry it to wherever I go. Sorry for the bad english, greetings from Spain!

Note: I have a doubt about MIDI keyboards. I know I can choose the sound for the keys from my computer, but can it only be instrument sounds or can it be whatever I want? I mean, can I make a dog-bark piano? Or can I make it so when I press one key all the song starts playing on its own?

I really apreciate your help, please answer me

 

[Biggles]

Welcome, no worries about your English it is vastly superior to my Spanish.

It is very commendable that you want to learn how to play the piano, there are difference in learning to play piano and learning to play a keyboard.

Now to play a Piano you really need to use two hands and for that you will need a full sized keyboard rather than one with 25 mini keys. A Piano has 88 keys and those keys have what is called a hammer action which is quite heavy.

By contrast a Keyboard has from 61 to 88 keys with a lighter action. A keyboard has hundreds or even thousands of different instrument sounds many of which are acoustic piano or digital piano.

So you could look at a keyboard with 61 keys and this would be a good starter keyboard.

Now beginner keyboards do tend to be rather large and that can lead to difficulties in transporting them so this can limit the available keyboards that are suitable foryou.

To give you a starter keyboard which is light and easily transported look at a Casio CT S200 which costs about 140 Euro, also look at the online reviews of the Roland Go Keys and Roland Go Piano.

You could learn on a MIDI keyboard plus an iPad or laptop or even a iPhone but you would need a better quality keyboard to get one with a keybed that has a consistent feel and the cost of such a keyboard would be considerably more than the above.

 

[Biggles]

Javi

I see that you visited the Forum today.

How are you getting on?