Sustain pedals are great! So why are they not included with most keyboards and digital pianos? Simple: because you won't be using them that much in your first months of taking lessons.

In this article, we will discuss:

• What is a sustain pedal?
• Do I really need one?
• Which one should I get if I would like to purchase one?
• Extra tip: What to do if your keyboard or piano gets "stuck" when connecting a sustain pedal

So what is a sustain pedal?

A sustain pedal is a great addition when taking piano lessons at The Hit. First, let's give you a simple explanation. A sustain pedal makes the note sound longer without having to keep pressing the key.

Now let's get a bit technical: on an acoustic piano, the sustain pedal moves a series of dampeners away from a piano's strings. These dampeners are designed to touch the string and stop it from vibrating, essentially killing the sound right after your finger is removed from the key. When the dampeners move away from the string, the sound will...

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...