Cheapish keyboard for young kid to learn/muck about

hessodreamy

I play guitar and piano, but I learned piano on an upright when I was a teenager, so not really my area of expertise. 

Now my 6 year old daughter has shown an interest in learning a few songs and I’d like to encourage that (but not let her loose on my Nord!). Think I should be looking at a very basic keyboard type with the usual piano/organ stuff, or a specific learning keyboard where it shows you the notes to play? 

And I’ve no idea if she’s going to get into it so don’t want to spend more than £100. 

Any suggestions for the youngsters?

GoFish

at 6 year old, I'd probably think about something like the very basic casio. Runs on batteries forever, auto shut off, 100 sounds and 30 odd keys - just to get her started. Super accessible and rugged. Can also be used outdoors which is a lifesaver for us indoors. Easy to upgrade when she's ready for more.

https://www.casio.co.uk/sa-46ah5

Take it with a pinch of salt though. What first attracted me to the sound of the piano was hearing the resonance and power in an upright. It's an experience today's kids will not have as much exposure to.

Whistler

What is the problem with your Noord? Or is the problem with your daughter? Does she get distracted by so many buttons, knobs and sliders?

If your daughter really wants to learn (as in using two hands) and you want to encourage her and facilitate her learning then she will need a fuller keyboard than 37 keys on toy keyboards.

You could inspire her as daddy's girl with a red keyboard by Casio (not quite but imitating your Noord), the 61-key Casio CT-S200 RD for £98. It doesn't have great sounds but it might be the motivation she needs.

I was going to say that for a quality keyboard and with high quality sounds at under £100 you will need to look out for secondhand older Roland FP models but it seems they hold their prices secondhand - a nod to their quality - so that is unlikely.

The Yamaha PSR series unfortunately has synth-like sprung keys, not piano-like hammer action keys, but you will be able to get one for under £100 secondhand with 61 or more keys.

Chris.B

I have an old Yamaha PSR 400 keyboard & stand.  You are welcome to have it free of charge but you will need to collect it from Staffordshire. 

It's ideal as a first keyboard with a good choice of voices for a youngster to play with. I used to to see if I liked the idea of playing a keyboard before moving onto a Roland FP series. 

GoFish

TBF lots of young people "start" doing serious stuff at around 6 - sports or proper musical training. At 6 I was in the pool 5 days a week doing laps. Maybe it was only 4 days until I turned 7?

Still, I couldn't do that to my little one, unless he really wanted to make those sacrificies. Bless him, he'd be happiest with something that makes fart or helicopter noises. Not all children are the same though.

hessodreamy

I think @GoFish your approach is good. Something compact with a bunch of sounds but not a toy as such. The Casio SA46 seems to be discontinued but I've gone with the visionkey-1 as it's similar size and target. We will see.

Chris.B said:

I have an old Yamaha PSR 400 keyboard & stand.  You are welcome to have it free of charge but you will need to collect it from Staffordshire. 

That's very kind of you but I'm not heading your way before christmas.

GoFish

Let's hope its a huge seasonal hit!