Keyboard

College Majors Music Major
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<p>Any suggestions to what type of keyboard is best to bring to college? I know the merits of bringing one has been discused,my D still feels she needs one. I was suprised at the options. If she is using it to practice her piano skills which size would be recommended?</p>

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<p>Previous threads, and there may be more posts buried within unrelated threads.</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/610264-keyboard-advice-needed.html?highlight=keyboard[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/610264-keyboard-advice-needed.html?highlight=keyboard&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/211349-keyboard-help.html?highlight=keyboard[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/211349-keyboard-help.html?highlight=keyboard&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Realizing the limitations discussed and your own budget, it might prove helpful, but I don’t think it falls within the realm of a necessity. That being said, son did not bring his as an undergrad until he was ensconced in a studio apartment. It did not see extensive use.</p>

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<p>If she is using it to practice her piano skills, the finger action is AS important as the size. Some keyboards do NOT have the same action as a regular piano…and practicing on the keyboard will not necessarily translate to better playing on a regular piano.</p>

<p>And if it were me and I was using it to practice piano (which…btw…I would not do…I would go to a real piano)…I would suggest a full 88 key keyboard.</p>

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<p>If she is going to be using it to practice two-handed scales, you will most likely want an 88-key instrument with a hammer action keyboard. A 76-key instrument may prove adequate for most things, but there are fewer models available and it does not save all that much space over the 88-key. If you go much smaller than 76, she will start running out of keys when doing scales and exercises.</p>

<p>As thumper says, if she really wants to practice playing piano, then it would be better to practice on an actual piano than on an electric keyboard. That would be impractical for most dorm rooms, but many colleges have practice rooms with pianos of varying pedigree and upkeep, and some even put half decent instruments in the common areas of the dorms.</p>

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<p>And some colleges actually have PRACTICE ROOMS with pianos in the dorms (DS’s school did). You know…dorm rooms are mighty small. Where will the keyboard go???</p>

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<p>thanks,thats good advice I think I will go 2 or 3 months without one and see if she still needs it. It sounds like the inexpensive models will not help her with piano skills.</p>

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<p>My daughter took her inexpensive Casio keyboard with her back from winter break and she used it a lot. She didn’t necessarily use it for playing pieces but it was helpful for working through some things in theory, ear training and more basic piano skills. She was a beginning piano student, however. She also found it helpful to have around for learning new repertoire. She put it under her bed when not using it. She didn’t bother to bring the stand for it.</p>

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<p>My son used a keyboard, also, during freshman year for his theory classes. It wasn’t always easy to get a practice room with a piano and he felt it was very helpful to have something available for theory. He would just lean it against a wall out of the way when he wasn’t using it. After freshman year, he didn’t need it any more, but he loved having it then.</p>

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<p>DD also took her inexpensive Casio. She uses it to work out her voice music, theory, ear training and but not piano skills. She uses the practice rooms for that.</p>

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<p>D will be starting school without taking any of the keyboards/electronic pianos that are cluttering up our house! The rooms are small enough without packing anything else in there and she is not one to practice in her room (even though it is allowed at CIM)- by the way, make sure that keyboards are indeed allowed and that practicing anything in the room is permitted. D will have a practice piano- not for piano majors- to use right in the dorm, so we are going to try that route first.</p>

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<p>Why would practicing on a keyboard in a dorm room not be permitted - it’s no different from listening to an Ipod.</p>

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<p>Use the headphones when practicing in the dorm. :)</p>

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<p>thanks, Singersmom 07! I forgot to mention that ear phones were required!!</p>

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<p>We have a similar issue. My ds is NOT a piano or even performance major but does use a yamaha stage piano with weighted keys at home to compose/as a midi controller. For piano practice, I like the Yamaha P70 as a semi-portable option at 5’. However, s. feels it is not quite portable enough and a little big for installing under a loft (considering he has other instruments and gear to keep or fit) so we’re trying his school’s recommendation for a M-Audio Oxygen 61 key midi interface.(They suggest it for all the school of music kids…but likely NOT for actual piano students – very cheap @ $169 and not weighted action, I think : ) We’ll see how that goes. S and I are hoping to engineer a drop-down/hideaway attachment for underside of loft-configured bed. If that works out, I’ll patent it and let you all know : )
Cheers,
K</p>