I'd really like to learn to play the piano, but have no room for one or money to buy. Is it possible to pass piano grades by practicing on an electric keyboard, or should I wait until I have the room.

They are both very different instruments, electric keyboards even if they are touch sensitive and weighted will have a different feel. I find that my students who begin on a keyboard take a lot longer to develop a nice tone and strength in fingers. In an ideal world I would insist that anyone who wants to learn piano should have one and not a keyboard.

The electric pianos are another matter, they are really quite good now and not as expensive as a real piano. Smaller as well.

Good luck!

Thanks, would love an electric piano as I'd be worried about a coventional one going out of tune. Are there exams in electic keyboards(fingers crossed)

Yes, try this exam board (scroll down the page for electric keyboard)

http://mercury.tvu.ac.uk/lcmexams/Subjects.htm

I have a friend practicing for his Diploma (and LRSM; he's only doing the Diploma because, having prepared for the LRSM he found that his existing qualifications aren't acceptable as he had thought) on a Yamaha P70.

I do most of my practice on a Roland FP2 (especially after 11pm, with headphones) but some on a real piano which won't stay in tune for more than a week or so after tuning and on which the action is kn******ered.

Yes, they are different, but providing that you can get onto a real piano from time to time I don't see it as a problem.

I second what Robodoc has written...of course nothing beats the real thing but yes, it is well possible to learn on an electric piano keyboard and do fairly well too!
I must also say that the ABRSM would accept you to do an exam on an electric piano keyboard (if you look at the bit where they talk about 'special visits' exams, they would accept the place hosting the exam to have an electric piano keyboard if they did not have an acoustic so long that it sounds similar to a piano, well, can't remember exact wording, you can go and have a look it. But many of us go to an exam centre to sit our exams anyway). And yes, would do you some good to play with the real thing now and again (even if only during your lessons).

Theres nothing wrong with an electrical keyboard to start with. i got to grade 3 with a small 4 octave, non-weighted keyboard, and still got distinctions. As long as you are aware of how a real piano feels and how to create dynamics, you'll be fine

I'm roughly Grade 5 standard, and I have a similar keyboard to pialinist, so it is possible. I do try to get on the school piano as much as possible though!

I think that on a keyboard you'd start running out of notes by about grade 3.
If you really want to play piano I think that by that stage you'd also be getting a bit frustrated with the keyboard.
A decent digital piano is a good compromise if you need to but as far as space goes do remember that if it's got as many keys as a piano then it will be the same length. You also need enough room to be able to sit far enough back for your elbows to be just in fornt of your body when you play.
I think that Trinity Guildhall do keyboard exams too.

I started on the keyboard, as like you we had a lack of space. After a few years, I added piano lessons as well, and eventually stopped playing the keyboard completely and focused on the piano. We never did buy a piano and I think that's the main reason I stopped playing. It's fine for the first couple of years whilst you're still finding your feet, but after that you definitely need to get the right 'feel' for the notes. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.


Yes, they do. (Or at least, they did!)