Often regarded as one of the most unique instruments one can learn, the digital piano keyboard is universally revered. No matter where you go or who you meet, the world knows and understands the impressive nature of the keyboard.
With its repeating layout, extensive range, and, surprisingly straightforward mechanics, the electric piano is something that anyone can play and grow proficient in while only a few can reasonably master.
If you’re someone just starting in the music field, learning sheet music, taking piano lessons, starting out in production, or simply attempting to play piano basics, the digital piano keyboard offers a firm entryway into the musical world, acting as a strong foundation that can be used as leverage for many other instruments and areas of music.
Unfortunately, while the acoustic piano is highly revered it is also highly expensive. Even the most affordable acoustic pianos can cost several hundred dollars at the minimum while also requiring considerable space in your home.
If you’re looking to build up your piano-playing skills, yet don’t have the budget or space to accommodate one, you may be better off looking at a beginner keyboard to start with.
Beginner keyboards, while not as grandiose and visually captivating as an acoustic piano, offer the same design and musical notes as a piano while being available in multiple methods.
Best Beginner Keyboards: Our Overall Choice
The Yamaha YPT260 is our best beginner keyboard pick. It is a lightweight keyboard that also includes lessons for anyone out there looking to improve themselves. This digital piano keyboard comes with over 400 sounds and an AUXport, so you can listen to all of your favorite tracks. Perfect keyboards for beginners.
3 Top Beginner Keyboards – Best, Midi & Value
Below, we’ll take the time to check out some of the best beginner keyboards currently on the market while also giving you some tips on what to expect and look out for when getting the keyboard that’s right for you.
Yamaha YPT260 61-Key Portable Keyboard (Best Overall Pick)
One of the best keyboards for beginners out there, the Yamaha YPT260 is a lightweight dream of a keyboard, including several important lessons for any, would-be pianist out there looking to improve themselves.
Not only that, but the keyboard comes with an AUX port, which you can use to listen to all of your favorite tracks.
The YPT260 are great beginner keyboards and come with over 400 different keyboard sounds as well as over 9 different keyboard lessons.
It also has a super intuitive interface as well as a compact and portable design, making it clear that this was made for beginners and those just getting started in music production or keyboard performance
This best keyboard pick comes with an LCD monitor display as well as over 400 different instrument sounds to play with. This, along with the other lessons learned make it a great option for just about anyone.
The only place where it lacks is in the features category and only because they may be seen as helping more beginners as opposed to those in the intermediate or higher sphere of ability.
This means that it’s an incredible option for learning the basics, but may not be ideal for those that know what they’re looking for and already have a history of understanding what means what.
61-key Portable Arranger with 401 Voices, 32-note Polyphony, 143 Accompaniment Styles, 112 Songs, and Yamaha Education Suite
What We Like:
- Super Interface
- Built-In Lessons
- 400 Different Sounds
What We Do Not Like:
- A bit basic
- Lacking For Experienced Keyboard Users
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Novation Launchkey Mini (Best MIDI Pick)
The Novation Launchkey Mini is on our keyboards for beginners list as it is one of the most impressive in terms of its MIDI keyboard setup. It is a great option for those just starting, including both a beginner version of Pro Tools & Ableton Live.
This makes it a compelling option, not just for those interested in learning to play the digital piano, but also for those interested in producing beats or making recorded music.
The Launchkey Mini is touch sensitive and comes with velocity-sensitive keys and pads that capture the nuance found in every performance.
This is unlike other starter keyboards, as most tend to sit squarely as methods of learning to play, with only a few offering MIDI access at all.
Here, the Launchkey Mini flips it on its head, instead being meant ideally for those that know their way around a keyboard and want to translate that knowledge into sampled music for beat-making.
If you’re someone that is a producer DJ or skilled in music making, this is really the best option for you.
It comes with an easy and intuitive display while also offering plug-and-play functionality and a whole host of other tools (such as sampler pads, transport controls, and programmable knobs).
The Launchkey Mini packs this all into a 25-key setup that is great for beginners in all fields. It also comes with an assortment of different modes to help in the music-creating process.
As an example, the arpeggiator mode is meant to create unique patterns and incredibly lush textures to create an impressive and quick-recording method of storing one’s musical ideas in their best light.
These features are pretty easy to use right away, while the MIDI keyboard also has methods of tweaking and customizing various other settings so that your keyboard is truly unique to you.
The challenge that can come from all of this impressive inclusion is a sense of intimidation and a feeling of being overwhelmed.
While producers and beat-makers will probably feel right at home here, those just looking for a solid digital piano keyboard to practice on will probably feel underwhelmed in the “piano” side of things while immensely overwhelmed by the MIDI-based features and functions.
![Novation Launchkey Mini [MK3]](https://djtechreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/416sQyIqrBL._SL500_.webp)
What We Like:
- Uses A USB Bus as the main Method Of Charging
- Weighted Keys Are Velocity-Sensitive
- Perfect For Beat-Makers And Music Producers
What We Do Not Like:
- Doesn’t Come With MIDI Controller Cable
- Overwhelming For Entry Level Users
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Casio SA-77 (Best Value Pick)
Many people starting out are looking for keyboards for beginners on a budget. A great budget on this list, the Casio SA-77 beginner keyboard shares many of the same aspects as the earlier Casio CT-S500.
Where the two differ, however, is in the SA-77’s affordability. This makes it a great tool for kids and students alike to establish a firm grasp on how to play with and understand the digital piano.
The SA-77 has over 100 different sounds and is presented in a small and kid-friendly design that is appealing to just about anyone getting started.
The keyboard comes with a set of five different drum pads that are built into the device and are responsible for its 100 sounds and 50 different rhythm tracks.
In addition to its compact frame, the SA-77 is very portable, running on either six AA batteries or an AC adapter (sold separately). This makes it perfect for sketching out music ideas and practicing your songwriting while out on the road or in most homes.
Despite its affordable nature and ability to appeal to anyone, the SA-77 is part of a longstanding history of keyboard designs, sporting a 44-key design.
While this isn’t quite as many as others on this list, as the most affordable and one of the most compact options, it’s still impressive.
Where the SA-77 does falter, however, is in its sound capabilities when compared to that of a real traditional piano. As mentioned, it only has 44 keys and around 100 sounds.
This, for many, can be greatly stifling once you’ve gone past the basic understanding of the digital piano. Not only that, but the keyboard definitely makes a point of appealing to younger children first and foremost.
Its design is very childlike, potentially causing older users to feel like they’re playing with a toy for kids rather than a tool for everyone.
What We Like:
- Very Affordable
- Extremely Easy To Use & Master
- Comes With Over 100 basic Sounds
- 50 Different Rhythms
What We Do Not Like:
- Despite Over 100 Sounds, There Are Only Eight Simultaneous Notes
- Build Quality Not The Best
- Sound Quality Is Average (Due to Pricepoint)
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Our Alternative Picks
If the three options above aren’t well-suited to you, there are still a host of fantastic beginner keyboards to choose from. Our team also highlighted the following options for those in search of an excellent entry-level keyboard.
Casio Casiotone CT-S500
The Casio Casiotone CT-S500 products are easy-to-use keyboards for beginners whilst also becoming more challenging as users become more experienced with them.
It holds over 800 different sounds and is touch sensitive.
While it doesn’t inherently come with included lessons, by using Casio’s separate app, you can unlock lessons with the keyboard, becoming more efficient over time.
Probably the keyboard’s greatest strength, however, is in its deceptively small and compact design. This thing looks small enough to be used by just about anyone while also offering some incredible benefits in terms of sound, control, and features.
The CT-S500 comes with numerous line-out ports which allow you to connect to a PA system as well as any other gear.
Not only that, but the keyboard works well as even a Bluetooth speaker, able to produce incredible sounds that far surpass anything you’d otherwise expect from something of its size. This is due to the speakers being designed around Casio’s Horizontal Bass-Reflex System.
The CT-S500 comes with a wide selection of classic Casio sounds pulled from the company’s previous devices, ranging from the silly and cheesy sound effects from the ’80s to the far more professional and current sounds of today.
These sounds can be, once selected, assigned various parameters along four different knobs, able to be adjusted during a performance in real-time.
If you want, you can also split the keyboard to produce two sounds at the same time. Both of these sounds can be customized with the built-in knobs while the included LCD monitor offers real-time info while also allowing you to save potential presets surrounding sound, rhythm, and effects that you’d otherwise have to deal with.
What We Like:
- ITouch-Sensitive
- Can Be Used With Headphones
- Compact
- Offers Over 800 Different Sounds
What We Do Not Like:
- Doesn’t Include Felt Strips (Dust traps)
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Donner DEP-20
The Donner DEP-20 makes a point of being both stylish as well as affordable while offering a full-weight 88-key body. While not the most mobile option out there, this is a great addition to most living rooms and homes.
It is both touch sensitive while having over 230 different sounds. It has three heavy-duty pedals that allow you to produce a more realistic response.
Not only that, but the DEP-20 comes with an included wooden furniture keyboard stand that makes it great for blending in with most home settings and decorations. In addition, the keyboard comes with a USB port to send MIDI information to and from your computer.
Unlike the CT-S500, which offers a small-body compact experience, the DEP-20 makes a point of offering a much more accurate piano-playing experience.
While not nearly as large or bulky, the DEP-20 is a great option for those that want to experience what it’s like to sit down at a digital piano and play while saving on cost and space. This makes it a legitimately great choice for beginners and professionals alike.
The three pedals mentioned are made from zinc alloy and are meant to emulate the same functionality as a standard acoustic piano. This includes one for dampening, one for sustaining, and one for the sostenuto. There is also an included black wooden stand that acts as an elegant and perfectly placed finish.
While not as many as some of the others on this list, the DEP-20 comes with over 238 different sounds.
In addition, the keyboard doesn’t include any way to progress and better one’s self through included lessons. Again, while this isn’t a debilitating factor all on its own, it may be a harder sell when compared to a smaller, more compact option that does have included lessons for improvement.
What We Like:
- Over 238 Sounds
- Weighted Keys
- USB Port For MIDI Information
What We Do Not Like:
- Large Size
- Doesn’t Include Any Lessons
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Alesis Recital
The Alesis Recital is one of the better digital piano emulation options out there. It includes over 88 touch-adjustable weighted keys along with five high-quality premium sounds.
In addition, the keyboard is touch sensitive and offers over 60 different keyboard lessons. The Alesis Recital is just as mobile as it is a stationary option, taking in six D-batteries alongside a wall-based power source.
If that wasn’t enough, the keyboard has a fairly impressive MIDI inclusion that, while nothing insane, is a great bonus addition to help translate your music to your computer.
The Recital’s main benefit is its ability to scale the more full size of a piano with its lighter frame and portable nature.
It’s because of this aspect that the Alesis Recital is easily one of the most impressive 88-key options on the market and one any person interested in translating their skills directly from the keyboard to the digital piano will want to look into.
The Recital is great for beginners and experienced pianists, as it can produce some premium sound pieces that further emphasize its proximity to a standard piano, making its alternative competitors seem more like knockoffs than actual competition.
This is made even more apparent when you take a look at the different lesson modes that the Recital has available. Many of these lesson modes work by splitting the keyboard into a section for the host user and one for an additional teacher.
The Recital also has a USB-based connection function where you can send your information out similar to that of a MIDI controller or device.
While this is truly an incredible keyboard device, there are some things that draw from it potentially being magnificent or incredible.
For example, as it is 50 inches wide, there may be more than a few spaces that simply can’t take work with its size.
Just as well, its control interface isn’t particularly intuitive, meaning you’ll be guessing around a lot more than you’d like.
What We Like:
- Can Toggle Between Standard Mode, Lesson Mode, and Two-Hand Split Mode
- Includes A MIDI Connectivity Option Via USB
- Can Take D Batteries
- Has Premium Sounds To Use
What We Do Not Like:
- Large Size
- Complex Features fro Beginners
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What To Look For Before Buying A Beginner Keyboard
It’s easy to assume that all beginner keyboards are the same. After all, they all are more or less just more portable versions of a piano keyboard.
As such, you can’t really expect there to be a lot of differences from one keyboard to another, right?
Well, the truth is that there are some serious differences based on the brand and its overall features and quality.
Not only that, but you also must consider what you need in a keyboard, such as portability, USB compatibility, or one that shares a similar look, sound, and feel to a traditional piano.
- Quality & Design: The biggest factor that will differentiate keyboards is the inherent quality and design. Whereas some beginner keyboards can be made from low-quality plastic material and sound terrible, others can feel incredible while also sharing the same sound quality, some even offering a similar sense of resistance to relating to the real instrument’s inherent complexity. You want to ideally choose something as close to the real thing in terms of sound as possible.
- Portability: Portability and how easy it is to move a keyboard from one location to another are largely dependent on you and your needs. For most people, a beginner keyboard should ideally be as easy to take with you as possible. In this case, things like battery use and compact designs are very important things to consider.
- USB Compatibility: Another important consideration is if the keyboard is able to connect to a USB. Not every beginner keyboard has this feature, though it also isn’t just found on expensive and complex either. For example, some MIDI controllers come with a thoroughly designed keyboard while able to connect to your computer via USB connectivity.
Best Beginner Keyboards: The Verdict
For many, the Yamaha YPT260 is the best keyboard piano option. Others will love the more real and physical aspects of the Alesis Recital. If you’re someone that’s just starting with digital pianos, there is a range of the best beginner keyboards out there that you can use and enjoy.
61-key Portable Arranger with 401 Voices, 32-note Polyphony, 143 Accompaniment Styles, 112 Songs, and Yamaha Education Suite
The key, however, is to see what electric piano you’re looking for and look for the best keyboards for beginners in that area.
No matter what you pick or don’t pick, all of these digital pianos are the best of the best. Take the time to decide what keyboard piano you really need and get started now.
