I just started playing piano a couple months ago. I am a violin player of 14 years so I have good musical experience but I'm still a newb on the piano. I go to school in connecticut and im living at home in new york for hte summer, so im not taking lessons with my teacher in CT for another 2 months or so.
While i was taking lessons at school, i would always try to practice on one of hte schools pianos, but since they were not always available, i had to settle for a keyboard in my apartment most of hte time. This hindered my learning because the keys werent weighted and there were no pedals.
Sooooooo...
In order to get more out of my practice time, I am purchasing an electronic piano. I have a budget of about 800-900 dollars and I was wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction on what brand or model i should buy. Keep in mind that I have to be able to transport this instrument to and from connecticut about 3 times a year in the back on my mustang, so it cant be too large or difficult to assemble.

My next question is: Since i am not taking lessons for the next two months, what are some good exercise books or etudes that I could purchase. Keep in mind im still pretty much a beginner!

Thanks!

Good to know that there is another New Yorker on the forum!

Which books have you been using so far? It is hard to make appropriate recommendation unless you tell us how far along you are in your piano studies. I doubt that ordinary tutor books will hold your interest since you have a lot of experience with another instrument. Assuming that you can read both the treble and bass clefs well, and that you have a good understanding of phrasing and musical structure, you may want to look into the following:

Czerny, Practical Method for Beginners, Op. 599
Burgmuller, 25 Easy and Progressive Studies, Op. 100

hey thanx for the reply

i havent been using a book. My teacher has just had me hack thru some short pieces, kinda learning on the fly. At our last few lessons we were working on Chopin's prelude in e minor. I also was playing a sonatina by beethoven in F major.
thank you for the recomendations. I just want to be able to improve this summer without getting over my head and ruining my technique

800-900 dollars should probably see you to a lowish end 88-key hammer action digital stage piano and an double-braced x-stand. Doesn't get any easier to "re-assemble" than that.

Mustang should be able to take one easily. (Cool car btw) Just be careful carrying it out from the house.

Will you need built-in speakers?

I like Kurzweils (maybe a SP88X $849 would suit you) but you'd need separate monitors/speakers or a keyboard amp or something. Don't know anything about it but the Yamaha P70 is available for $599 and looks ok.

Take a peek on Sam Ash

Chopin's Prelude in E minor is about ABRSM Grade 5 or 6 standard. The notes and rhythm are not that hard; however, to play it musically is a huge challenge to students of intermediate level. You should practise this piece on an acoustic piano, not on a digital instrument.

Is the Beethoven Sonatina that you mentioned the two-movement work, Anh. 5/2? If so, the rondo (2nd movement) is currently on the Grade 4 exam list.

Having taken lessons for only a couple of months, you are doing very well. What you might want to do is to browse the ABRSM exam syllabi--both the current one and the new one for 2007-08. The syllabi can give you further ideas on repertoire. You might also want to do a search on www.abrsmpublishing.com to find out what other books are suitable for your level (around Grade 4 or 5).

In the two books that I recommended yesterday, the pieces toward the ends are about Grade 4 or 5 standard.