When you decide that you are interested in playing an instrument, you must understand that there are a variety of things that you must keep in mind when you compare one instrument to another. For example, a piano and a keyboard look a lot alike and they do make sounds that are quite similar.

However, the truth is that they are very different instruments altogether.

When you are thinking about the differences between these two instruments, there are some things you must consider such as the way they are constructed, the way they are used, and the musical style that you want to play.

Piano Vs. Keyboard

The history of the piano is quite extensive and pianos can be dated as far back as around 300 years in the past when an Italian harpsichord maker (Bartolomeo Cristofori) invented a new mechanism that effectively increased the range of the harpsichord.

This invention of his used hammers to hit the strings and create sound. Now, 300 years later, pianos still work in this way.

Over the years, pianos have evolved into the instrument that we know and love today. The piano is basically considered to be a stringed instrument and is thought to be extremely popular and complex.

The keyboard, or digital piano as some people refer to it, is basically a modern version of a pipe organ. The keyboard produces music digitally, typically requiring electricity to function.

Things to Consider

When musicians are trying to choose between a piano or a keyboard, they need to consider a few different factors, including the range of the instrument. Pianos have 88 keys/notes- but most keyboards only have 61 or 76 keys/notes. You can find larger keyboards, but these are not typical.

Of course, if you are planning to use your instrument for mixing and recording your music with musical editing software, a keyboard will give you many more options and more flexibility.

However, you should also keep in mind that most musicians do prefer the way a piano sounds and are insistent that even the top of the line keyboards are unable to compare against a piano. Plus, a piano player is able to utilize the pedals and a heavier/lighter touch to broaden note range and convey emotions.

In addition, playing a piano gives the player the chance to build his/her finger strength- and gives them more control of the sound produced. A piano has over 200 strings that are vibrating off the sound board, offering a larger range of sound for musicians- which is something that simply can’t be imitated electronically.

In addition, something to keep in mind is the fact that pianos retain their value over time, as long as they are well taken care of. However, keyboards rely on technology- and as technology advances, keyboards are quickly outdated.

Still a keyboard is much more versatile, so a musician that desires to play a variety of styles may prefer to play it as opposed to the piano. This is because typically the piano is associated with more traditional musical styles such as blues, jazz, or classical.

Plus, you can control the volume of a keyboard and you can utilize earphones if you don’t want to disturb those around you.

The two instruments also have a much different feel. You’ll find that some keyboards will have smaller keys and will feel plastic. However, a higher end keyboard will typically have keys that feel much more like the keys you’d find on a piano.

You’ll find that the size and cost of keyboards and pianos are also different. A keyboard is typically portable and won’t take up nearly as much room as a piano will.

Moving your keyboard from one place to another is not nearly as difficult as moving a piano. Plus, you won’t have to tune a keyboard- but you will have to tune a piano every so often.

Another factor in evaluating keyboards vs. pianos is the cost. You can find keyboards for as little as $300- sometimes less, if you’re willing to consider a used model.

Of course, the more advanced the keyboard, the more expensive it will get. On the other hand, pianos can be quite expensive.

So, while at first glance, you may find that pianos and keyboards seem very similar. While it’s true that they do have some similarities, they’re also quite different, as you can see here.