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Hi all, we are currently living in an RV while our new house is being constructed and have extremely limited space. I am looking for a compact keyboard I can use to learn chords, scales, and fingering exercises over winter.

I have almost no experience with piano. I have played guitar casually for many years and understand some very basic music theory. I can think through building a triad on the piano but it's very mechanical and I cannot sight read or know proper fingerings, so I would like to take this time period to commit some things to muscle memory and learn to play basic songs with two hands.

I am well aware that most instructors recommend a full 88-key with good weighted action for students to build finger strength and dynamic sensitivity. Once we move into the new house I will probably pick up a decent beginner's digital piano, something along the lines of a Yamaha P125 or Roland FP-30, however there is no way I have room for something like this for the next ~5 months.

I would like something very compact but enough for basic two-hand playing like a 61-key with minimal features (no need for 300 voices, beats, etc)... just looking for a non-obnoxious piano tone, speakers, headphone jack, and metronome. Option to run on batteries would be nice, though I do have AC power, just prefer fewer wires.

I'm thinking something like a Yamaha NP-12 might fit my needs well. Any alternatives I should consider?

Another alternative might be a small 61-key USB midi controller to use with my laptop, advantage being it might be more useful long-term even after buying a better DP, but I do like the idea of a simple standalone keyboard.

Thoughts?

It’s true that you would get away with a 61 key piano for an absolute beginner, particularly if you are not bothered about learning piano method and just want to play pop songs and chords. And if you’re planning to upgrade to a better digital later, then that’s fine.

Apart from the number of keys, the problem with 61 key keyboards is that the keys aren’t usually weighted. This makes it tough to transition onto a weighted key digital or an acoustic, because the action feels so different But maybe you don’t even plan to play acoustic, so it might not be a problem.

If you buy a full DP like a Yamaha P45 the resale would be better as parents often want these for their kids starting lessons. With a 61 key it will be good luck if you can even sell it.

Take a look at the Roland FP-10 or FP-30. Have never seen one, but have seen some good reviews.

Also the Roland Go Piano https://www.roland.com/us/search/?q=Go%20Piano
There is a 61 key model

There are no decent key actions in the 61 key category, it’s all plastic synth action. There’s a lot to learn on a synth action keyboard, but be aware, there will be a transition when you finally get a weighted-hammer action (usually only found on 88 keys).

I had the Roland Go Piano 61 for 3 years, I recommend it for travel and portability, but the synth action drove me nuts after awhile and the speakers aren’t great, but the Roland onboard sounds are decent thru an external sound system. I appreciated the AUX Audio In and Audio over Bluetooth features - it was good for mixing backing tracks with the onboard sounds.

For me, MIDI over Bluetooth was the killer app, great for playing pianos/synths on the iPhone/iPad. I used Korg Module on the iPhone - and it made an excellent portable-wireless setup. I could slip the iPhone into my pocket and listen on headphones, while being free to go wherever I wanted to play (e.g. on the beach or out camping). I could also plug the iPhone into a speaker system and leave it there, letting me walk around with just the Go Piano (within wireless range of the iPhone).

* Another keyboard to checkout is the Casio CT-X700

The compact keyboard with weighted keys include the Yamaha P-121 with 73 keys and the next up P-125 with 88 keys. Similar keyboards include the Roland FP-10, FP-30 and FP-60. All 3 have weighted keys.

If you are not going for weighted keys at the moment, a step down would be the Roland Go & Go Keys. There is a full-size version Go:Piano88. Even if you don't think you need 88 keys now, the extra keys comes in handy later. These are small keyboards you don't need to setup on a permanent stand like a regular piano. When you're done, you can store it in the closet.

Here is the Folding Piano 88 from Carry-on I use for travelling (cost around US$100). The keys are not weighted and it's not even touch sensitive. It's portable and folds into 4 similar to the Piano Duo with 88 keys that splits into 2. Unless you need to go somewhere and want to pack it into suitcase, these are not ideal for practice.

The number of keys is immaterial. What's important is their action, their feel and how you use them. If you don't have room for a fully weighted keyboard the best thing you can do over the next five months is learn to read music more proficiently using your voice, a school recorder and your guitar.

Reading music is not like translating the dots into piano keys. It's being able to hear in your head what you see on the page and then play it on your instrument.

Learning piano is hard enough when you start out. If you can already read music that's one box ticked already.

Another six months without an instrument is a drop in the ocean with respect to the time it takes to gain proficiency on the piano.

As much as you can learn to read music with another instrument, you can't really learn piano without a piano or at least a keyboard. Different instruments require different techniques. Learning to play an instrument takes time so I prefer to get a head start. Home renovations also take time and there may be delays along the way. Don't want to wait too long before getting a keyboard. In 6 months I would finish a beginner's book and move onto intermediate pieces.

For the first few years I had portable keyboards with light-touch keys. I'd go to churches, libraries, community centers and the conservatory where my lessons were held to practice on an acoustic piano with weighted keys. I know somebody who went to a friend's house to learn his favorite piece for 6 months before getting a second-hand piano.

To be practical you'd measure the space you have for a portable keyboard and shop around. I'm sure there is a portable Yamaha, Roland or Casio that will fit. A few years back a music teacher posted a video of her cross-country trip in a RV. She brought a portable keyboard for the kids to practice. I've seen a young man in a public park playing his keyboard on a portable stand plugged into a backup battery unit. Probably not in winter in some places but playing outside is doable in warm weather.

I have 2 keyboards for travelling. The cheaper is a rubber roll-up that was invented over 10 years ago. Not ideal for playing but for travelling it was better than nothing. The folding keyboard for about $100 I had no trouble buying before Christmas because it fits into my carry on luggage with my laptop & my rubber keyboard.

Here is my Yamaha P105 with 88 keys set up in my 20’ travel trailer. I use it when I go camping. There are only 2 of us, and my wife understands. When I am done, it goes in a soft case and then stored in the shower, or on top of the bed, or in the truck. So it can be done!

Sam

I like Sam's set up. If you can make a full size fit and then store it away that would be great. Then you don't have to buy a second one when you move into your home. IMO after a few weeks you might not find the a small compact keyboard enjoyable and one of the most important things is to make sure you enjoy sitting at the piano.

While it's true that moving from an unweighted action to a weighted keyboard takes a period of adjustment, it's not that difficult, in my experience. It took about 3 weeks to adjust to my weighted, graded 88 key piano with larger keys & different key top feel. Very disorienting and a bit tiring for hands/arms in the beginning, but after 3 weeks it felt completely normal.

I started on the Yamaha NP12. Loved the sounds, the battery operation was nice when we lost power, it's light & portable. But the action hurt my aging joints -- bottoming out on the keybed transmitted impact, evidently. Moving to a weighted keyboard that feels more cushioned helped a lot. Maybe you won't have that problem, though, in which case the NP12 would be a great portable, temporary keyboard.

The semi-weighted Numa Compact 2 or 2x is better than NP12 IMHO but the price is greater.

Let me also mention that I have practiced outside, next to the camper, under the awning. Using headphones. I would do that more often, but it always seems to be raining and cold when we go camping!

Sam

If you are going to go with a 88-key, nothing is smaller than the one I use, the Casio PX-S3000 at 24 lbs and 9" deep.

I've been thinking about this a lot and am going to try to make an 88-key weighted work now. It will not be convenient but I think I can make it work if I don't get something too large/heavy, since it will need to be moved around and stored a lot. With that, I'm now heavily leaning toward the Casio CDP-S350. The reviews I've watched suggest the action is better than the classic P125 and sounds quite nice. I do like the addition of some basic arranger functionality to play around with to mix things up, though I'm far more interested in the performance as a good digital piano. I suspect this could be quite suitable even into early intermediate stages of playing. While still full-size weighted keys, the overall package is quite small and can even do the battery-operated thing for quick setup in different areas which could be very convenient with our current situation. Has anyone played one and have opinions?

I have played a CDP S100. It's decent, for beginners, for the price. Obvious drawbacks are noisy-ish key action, poor speakers.

Just to mention the Studiologic SL73. Studiologic is actually the standalone keyboard company owned by Fatar who make the keybeds for many other people's piano products. The SL73 is NOT a digital piano. It is simply a controller but it is a controller with Fatar's 73 key weighted/graded hammer action. So it's close to an acoustic action but 16 keys fewer (and hence less width) than most hammer action keyboards which are pretty much all 88 keys.

As it is just a controller you would need to connect it to something else for the actual sound but this could be as simple as your phone or tablet with an "OTG cable" and running some kind of piano app. Obviously the phone/tablet's own speakers probably won't really do the thing justice but you could have it, in turn, connect to some kind of more substantial Bluetooth speaker to give you the needed amplification and base.

I know that all sounds a bit cumbersome but the "selling point" is the 73 key thing. The long dimension is just 1040mm. Compare that to something like a Yamaha P45 (1326mm), Roland FP10 (1284mm), Korg B2 (1312mm) or even Studiologic SL88 (1260mm) and you are saving about a foot on the length of an 88 key.

Not sure what your budget is or where you want to go with your music. My ultimate regret is getting the Roland FA-08. I got it for the versatility but now I wish I had gone for the Native Instruments S-88. It is a midi controller (which means a DAW is needed and monitors and an interface) but it is a Fatar key bed and it comes with Complete Control but it isn't cheap. If you go that route you could play an electric guitar through the interface or record an acoustic with a mic. Really depends on the direction you want to take it in my opinion. I don't know much about digital pianos. Sorry.

Hi IDRuss,

I know you're wanting 61 keys to save space. Sorry if you don't like my reply.

I would either get an 88 key weighted digital piano or read a theory book as well as things online and not buy a keyboard yet.

Anything less than 88 weighted keys sucks. I've tried it a couple times. I even tried 78 keys and that wasn't quite enough.

Action matters a LOT.

I'm with Sam S. Get the 88 keys. Set it up each time you play it (like in the picture he provided) and break it down and store it in the RV when finished each day.

Good luck.