I am 42 and have some free time on my hands. I am wanting to learn music, the keyboard is what I am looking for. I seen a Yamaha E333 yesterday and wanted to get input on what you all think is a good keyboard to start with. Long term goal is to play Praise and Worship music in church. Also I wanted to know any good suggestions on the web to help me learn music and teach the keyboard. I will be taking lessons here once a week, so maybe something you suggest that will help promote those lessons? Thanks and God Bless!
New to Music Input on a keyboard?
- Thread starter Doug
- Start date
No one can say what's best for you.
But since you asked for opinions...
If you want to take learning to play seriously, I would strongly suggest that you get something with a proper weighted piano-style keyboard with less distracting gizmos than the PSR-E333 (Yamaha DGX- or CP-series for example). Second-hand is often a good approach to buying your first instrument - then you can sell it on for (hopefully) what you paid for it if you either want something bigger/better or if you give it all up. However, you're embarking on a long journey with that approach, and it will take a considerable time to get to the point where you can play in public.
If, however, you just want to mess about a bit, and use electronics gizmos to take a shortcut to making sounds that can impress a non-musician, then that's what the PSR-series are good at, and it won't stop you from playing properly. I'm just not convinced that it will help either!
But since you asked for opinions...
If you want to take learning to play seriously, I would strongly suggest that you get something with a proper weighted piano-style keyboard with less distracting gizmos than the PSR-E333 (Yamaha DGX- or CP-series for example). Second-hand is often a good approach to buying your first instrument - then you can sell it on for (hopefully) what you paid for it if you either want something bigger/better or if you give it all up. However, you're embarking on a long journey with that approach, and it will take a considerable time to get to the point where you can play in public.
If, however, you just want to mess about a bit, and use electronics gizmos to take a shortcut to making sounds that can impress a non-musician, then that's what the PSR-series are good at, and it won't stop you from playing properly. I'm just not convinced that it will help either!
The Y_man
Moderator
Hey Doug,
If you can stretch the budget a bit, I'd suggest going for the PSR-E423
http://au.yamaha.com/en/products/mu...t_lineup&selected=197970_198049_&mode=compare
You won't grow out of it as quickly, and both great beginner keyboards IMHO
At church - do they have a keyboard or is it BYO? While I totally get where Oyst3h's coming from, lugging a 88 weighted key unit around is often not easy!
The Y-man
For beginning I think a used keyboard in the USA $ 50 to $ 100 range is a good start. Keyboards nowadays have so many voices, drum tracks, sound effects, memory storage, light weight and portable that they could keep me busy for years. I like Yamaha and Casio brands. I take my keyboard to a open mic venue and jam with musicians. Inexpensive instruments are good choices for parties, and I learn a lot by playing with other musicians.
I make up my own exercises - mostly switching through all the major and minor chords, usually the 1-4-5 chords such as C, F, G, because lots of songs are written around 1,4,5 chords. Search google.com for your favorite songs, you can likely find the lyrics and chords, play them on your keyboard. I think practicing every day is important, even if it is just for 10 minutes, even if I am tired and making mistakes.
I make up my own exercises - mostly switching through all the major and minor chords, usually the 1-4-5 chords such as C, F, G, because lots of songs are written around 1,4,5 chords. Search google.com for your favorite songs, you can likely find the lyrics and chords, play them on your keyboard. I think practicing every day is important, even if it is just for 10 minutes, even if I am tired and making mistakes.