Below are my recommendations for beginner digital piano equipment. It should cover the basics without breaking your wallet. If you have a real piano that’s in great shape, or can get a good piano, where the noise won’t be an issue, that is the way to go. But a lower tier real piano that isn’t regulated/voiced, or has other problems, can be less useful than a really good weighted digital keyboard. The technology just keeps improving.
Though nothing imitates the rich, varied sound of real strings and parts, a really good digital piano feels more like a professional piano than does an older neglected piano. Note that pianos have so many parts that wear and need adjustment over time, and many people don’t want to pay to maintain them properly. It’s not uncommon for the middle keys to be so loose that it’s almost impossible to play pianissimo in a useful way.
Again, a piano in great shape is the most wonderful thing, but keep in mind if something seems to good to be true, price wise, it almost always is. If you can, avoid free and cheap pianos on craigslist.
The important thing to keep in mind when getting a keyboard is that it MUST have a “touch response” or “touch sensitive” functionality. One of the best and most affordable ones for a beginner, who isn’t committed yet is the Yamaha PSRE360 It should last for a couple years, after which you may want to consider an upgrade – the NP11 isn’t weighted, isn’t full sized, and can’t really play forte or fortissimo. For a more committed beginner child or adult student, I recommend the Yamaha P125, which is fully weighted, has a fairly larger dynamic range, and pleasing sampling. There is a more affordable Yamaha, the Yamaha P71 , which has a reduced dynamic range, but otherwise is a suitable beginner weighted keyboard for the price. In general, Yamaha, Casio, Kawai, and Roland are all trusted brands, but it’s important to obtain a keyboard that’s suitable for piano study, since they all sell inexpensive keyboards that aren’t.
More realistic options include the Yamaha CLP series, Kawai CA series, or even Hybrid Pianos. In order for the student to be comfortable on a real piano, they really need to have at the very least a good fully weighted digital piano to practice with. It is more expressive and feels more like a piano. You are encouraged to do some research too, and there are more and more viable options every year.
You’ll also need an adjustable keyboard stand.
Lastly, it’s important to have an adjustable piano bench. Having the student seated at the right height is what will enable her to play with ease and avoid bad habits (which can be difficult to undo!). It’s important to have good posture in life, and it’s no less important while playing piano. It not only affects the students’ health, it affects their sound and progress as well. I like the On Stage KT7800 Plus Keyboard Bench
because it’s fairly wide, and has a lot of height options. There are a few similar ones. In general you just want something that’s very adjustable with a little padding. The nicer benches have a wheel for more fine-tuned adjustment.