Buy An Electric Piano Online -- How To Buy A Digital Piano

Though my main instrument is the flute, I actually got my start on the piano when I was just 3 years old. My mother plays piano and used to teach, and was therefore my teacher, as well.

I eventually switched over to flute as my main instrument when I was 9, but I've never stopped playing the piano for fun. These days, you can very easily buy an electric piano online -- so many different varities of digital pianos are available.

Having an electronic piano has been perfect for me. Because I play and write jazz, I can experiment with different sounds and percussion sampling, as well as the automated chords that most electronic keyboards come with. Plus, I can record melodies so if I have a certain idea for a tune, it's preserved right in the digital piano's memory. If you buy an electric piano online, you can easily compare features and see which digital piano is right for you. That's one thing to keep in mind when considering how to buy a digital piano.

But there are other advantages to owning an electric keyboard, as well:

*They take up less space than a regular piano, which is great if you live in a small home or apartment, as I do. Even the ones with 88 keys are decidedly smaller than regular pianos.

*They don't have to be tuned as regular keyboards do.

*You can plug in earphones so the neighbors don't hear (another valuable asset for apartment living).]

* They're portable, which is perfect if you're in a band. Imagine trying to carry a regular grand piano to a club!

*Many digital pianos come with built-in learning tools so you can actually learn how to play as you go along. It's a huge step above simply having a piano workbook!

*They're just plain fun to own. When I was teaching music, my students simply loved hearing and playing with all of the different sounds my keyboard made ... which was an enjoyable way to get them interested in music.

Electric pianos come in all sizes and types. If you're not sure which kind is best for you, here are some ideas on how to buy a digital piano:

These digital pianos have as many keys as a regular piano and are perfect for those who really, truly play the instrument and need all 88 keys. My mom owns an 88-key digital keyboard, which she and my dad keep in their city apartment. It's so convenient because she can practice all of her pieces -- many which include extreme low and high notes -- and put in the earphones so the neighbors can't hear.

These electric pianos are all top of the line and actually SOUND like classic pianos. You can switch over to other instruments, though, such as organ or strings so that you give your music a different effect. They also come with a long list of other features, including allowing the player to hook the instrument up to a computer or to record an entire performance and then go back and add other instruments. It's like having a one-person band! How cool is that?

I'm personally a big fan of Yamaha's instruments. My flute is a Yamaha and I've been extremely pleased with it. Their products are very well made and get a great sound when you play. With any of these digital pianos, though, you'll be getting a professional instrument.

This is the type of digital keyboard that I own. I love it because it's large enough that I can play almost any song, but it's not so big that it takes up a lot of space in my home. Plus, it's portable.

Though these keyboards are smaller than the ones with 88 keys, they still come with a variety of fantastic features. The Yamaha digital piano has a teaching tool built into it where the appropriate keys light up when played. These electronic pianos also come with dozens of sounds, including percussion, and memory so you can record your work.

A big bonus with the 61-key digital pianos is that they're decidedly less expensive than the professional quality 88-key pianos. Therefore, if you're like me where you enjoy playing for fun but don't care if you don't have the very high or low notes on the keyboard, it's perfect. You can still play all of your music, have an entire library of sounds ... and save some bucks.

Digital pianos come in all sizes, including extremely small. These keyboards have only about 35-50 keys and are not ideal for playing most pieces of music. Also, the keys on beginner digital pianos tend to be tiny, so it does not feel like playing an actual piano.

However, there are advantages to getting mini electric keyboards. Though the keys are small for adults or teens, they're nicely sized for a younger child, who's beginning to play. And while he or she might not be able to learn Bach on one of these digital pianos, a child can still learn the basics (and not be confused by there being so many octaves). They're also very inexpensive, so if one gets broken, you're not losing too much money!

They can be fun for adults, too, however. If you're, say, going on a camping trip and don't want to schlep a larger keyboard, you can bring one of these with you. When I taught at a music camp, I loved bringing a small keyboard with me when we were outdoors ... and the kids enjoyed it, as well.

Whichever you choose, though, you're sure to have a great time with it!