61 keys? 88 weighted action? Touch-sensitive?

Being in the market for a piano for a beginner can extremely confusing and intimidating. We get it! You don't want to overspend on your first purchase, but at the same time, you don't want to get an instrument that will break or need to be replaced in just a couple of months. No need to worry, though! We are here to help.

In this article, we share our best tips for finding a great piano that suits your needs and your budget.

Do you need 88 keys on a piano?

If your child is younger than 12, they do not need a full-size 88-key piano.

Acoustic pianos (those that do not have a power button) and keyboards with 88 keys tend to be too big, especially for students younger than 7. Sometimes acoustic pianos or digital pianos can make young students develop bad technique habits as they need to use their arm strength to produce a loud enough sound (more on how to fix this later).

The "standard" size that we recommend is 61 keys. A...