Any keyboard players around?

[Toaster Pilot]

Looking to buy an entry level keyboard so that I can try to learn how to play but the market is a bit of a minefield - anyone got any recommendations?

Looking to spend about £100 maximum.

[jbudgie]

thinking about this myself.

come on .

[celticpilgrim]

not sure what a ton would get you, depends what you want to do - look at casio, seem to do a wide range of keyboards

[Hoofy]

Get a full-sized keys Yamaha with the Yamaha Educational System so you can learn. If possible, get the one with the most octaves. Most will be touch sensitive which is also useful.

[Toaster Pilot]

How important / useful is the touch sensitive thing? Slightly over budget for one with it versus without.

[Toaster Pilot]

Think I've just picked up a bit of a bargain on eBay - a 2nd hand Yamaha PSR-E323 for £40...

Five octave - check
Full size - check
Touch sensitive - check
Yamaha Education System - check

Just waiting for the seller to get back to me

[Hoofy]

Sounds good! A word of warning: the YES isn't great but it'll get you started and give you the encouragement to continue to learn. At some point, you're best off to seek a teacher (keyboard or piano) if you want to take things more seriously. Of course, if you just want to entertain the family with renditions of popular songs, then the YES is perfect.

[Driller]

Are you a keyboard player Hoofy?

[Hoofy]

Driller said:

Are you a keyboard player Hoofy?

More piano but when I was a broke student, I used a cheap keyboard as it was portable. How about you?

[Driller]

Hoofy said:

More piano but when I was a broke student, I used a cheap keyboard as it was portable. How about you?

Guitar for 25 years but I've just bought Korg SP250 digital piano which I'm having loads of fun with. It's surprising how quickly you progress with a background in music. Are you classical or modern with singing?

[Toaster Pilot]

Turns out the seller had made a mistake in the listing and it's a lesser spec E213. Still going to buy it but it's not touch sensitive.

Will do the job as a cheap starter keyboard and once I can actually play a bit I'll think about upgrading it.

[Hoofy]

Driller said:

Guitar for 25 years but I've just bought Korg SP250 digital piano which I'm having loads of fun with. It's surprising how quickly you progress with a background in music. Are you classical or modern with singing?

Cool. I have the SP300 (not sure it's any better or worse, mind... although I bought it from the keyboardist in Jamie Oliver's band so it's been owned by at least one person who can play well ). I'm more classical... Chopin and Einaudi (not strictly classical, mind).

[Hoofy]

Toaster Pilot said:

Turns out the seller had made a mistake in the listing and it's a lesser spec E213. Still going to buy it but it's not touch sensitive.

Will do the job as a cheap starter keyboard and once I can actually play a bit I'll think about upgrading it.

That's a shame but not that big a problem. It has full-size keys and YES so you can decide if you really enjoy it... then treat yourself to a digital piano later on.

[Toaster Pilot]

Hoofy said:

That's a shame but not that big a problem. It has full-size keys and YES so you can decide if you really enjoy it... then treat yourself to a digital piano later on.

That's the plan - was eying up a lower end digital piano but decided that was overkill at the moment and I'd rather buy a decent one when/if I'm good enough and have more space

It's still £60 cheaper than an entry level brand new Yamaha from the likes of Argos.

Thanks for the advice.

[Driller]

Well done OP and good luck with it!

@ Hoofy, ah so you're a proper piano player then, respect! I got mine to play James Blunt type stuff All good fun though. The piano sound's pretty good on the Korgs for what you pay for them. Didn't know Jamie Oliver had a band though, whatever next!

[Hoofy]

I wouldn't use the term "proper". You haven't heard me play.

Jamie Oliver's band is (was) called Scarlet Division.

[Driller]

Hah, I knew he'd be the drummer Pretty good TBH, much prefer him as a musician than a celebrity chef!

[Pints]

Each of the HalfPints received a keyboard for Christmas from the in-laws.

They're doing my fking head in.