How-many-keys-should-a-beginner-keyboard-have | Normans Blog

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beginner-keyboard Share

Choosing your first keyboard comes down to many different factors, one being the number of keys it has. This sounds silly, right? Well, it is one of the most asked questions that beginner players will ponder before putting any money down on their first instrument.

A good starting point… The best place to start is with a 61-note keyboard. These selection of notes are ‘the most used’ shall we say, and is where music teachers would point you in the direction of playing chords, scales etc. Its perfect for new players aiming to get their Grade 1! One of our best-selling 61 note models is our exclusive ‘Axus AXP2’, designed for education. The keys are all touch sensitive; it comes highly recommended by music teachers and services alike, due to its fantastic value for money and great quality features. axp2-keyboard AXP2 yamaha-portable-keyboard PSRE373 Going up a level?

Some beginner players get slightly worried about not having enough keys, which of course is a valid point. If this has come across your mind, why not look at 76 keys? This almost adds an octave (from C to C) onto either end of the keyboard, so you have a few extra notes to play around with. The options do filter down slightly, but a top recommendation would be Yamaha NP32. A stripped back design, this concentrates on delivering a top-quality piano sound without all the other ‘bells and whistles’.  

Just looking for something basic?

On the contrary to not having enough keys, you may be looking for something small and compact. More designed for young children, Axus have developed a brilliant 54 note keyboard. Yes, these are as small and portable as you think! You do miss some important features like touch sensitivity with these ‘mini models’, but as these are designed for smaller hands, they are great for getting used to the layout of a keyboard and hearing different sounds! 

 

These are just a few of the great keyboards that we stock here at Normans. If you are interested in any of our instruments, get in touch with us and we’ll be able to point you in the right direction!

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