Let’s begin with the basics.
Music is sound organized around the elements of melodic, harmony, rhythm and tone. These concepts are constant, it doesn’t matter which acoustic instrument is being played, piano, trumpet, flute, erhu, sitar, etc. Learning to play any instrument is about understanding the physical action needed to produce the best quality tone possible while adding melody, harmony and rhythm in whatever combination is appropriate or possible.
More specific to the piano.
Playing is about so much more than reading notes off the page and making the keys go down. Its about learning the concepts of arm weight and how to apply them; its about how the attack of the key can change the tone and mood of piece; its about using of the damper pedal as more than an “on/off” switch; its about listening to the richness of tonal colour when the strings vibrate sympathetically.
If you play golf, tennis, or baseball you know that its not just the contact point that’s important. How you approach and follow through each stroke will determine the speed, spin, and direction of the ball after its hit. The key to hammer relationship on the piano is no different. The tone quality is effected as much by the preparation and the follow through of the hand and finger as it is by the actual point of sound.
ALL of the above concepts equire the student to feel the direct relationship of the key to the hammer and then to the string. For that you need an acoustic piano. (FYI the difference between upright and grand pianos will be discussed in a later article).
NONE of the above are possible on an electric piano. There are no hammers, no strings, and no dampers connected to the pedal. Yes, there is sampled tone from a Steinway or a Bösendorfer or whatever, and yes, there is weight added to the keys but these qualities do NOT equal an acoustic piano and no one should be telling you otherwise.
Go to any performance ~ jazz, contemporary, or classical ~ and 99% of the time (I’m not going to rule out that one odd exception) you’ll see a wonderful black grand piano on the stage. The pianists may practice occasionally on electrics, and they may perform on them to use a different sound setting when the whole band is going but when it comes to playing solos or really expressing themselves, they’re on the acoustic every time.
Electric pianos have a place and there are advantages to using them, but please recognize that they are not a substitute if you are planning to play music written specifically for the piano. If you want to excite an interest in music and inspire your child to continue playing for the rest of their lives, let them learn on a decent piano with live, rich tone and find a teacher who understands that its all about the sound and the experience.
That’s how to have fun and keep the music going!