How much keys is enough?

I'm planning to buy a digital piano soon but I'm wondering how much keys is enough for me to learn the basics and by the time I finished, play "Eyes on Me" (from FFVII) for my first recital?

Please don't suggest the maximum. I figured it is the most expensive of all pianos so please suggest me something that would fit my needs (stated above)

Thanks

61 keys should be enough for most songs, but I would suggest you'll get a 88 key right away. I do understand that you might not can afford it tho. Just dont think about getting less than 61 keys, that is the minimum.

There can be many reasons for buying a smaller keyboard, price and available space being the most common I guess.

I just bought a Yamaha PSR E313


As you can see it has 61 keys (5 octaves) which is enough for most melodies. This will work for you for a long time to come.

I don't know where you're at, but I paid 200 Euro here in Germany for this, and I've seen it on Amazon.com (USA) for $160. These prices are hard to beat.

PS:

Don't consider anything smaller than 61key, and you MUST get a keyboard with touch response (above Yamaha has it).

Thanks for you r replies I was eyeing on some 49-keys keyboards when I posted this topic, good thing you all replied before I get tempted to buy any of them

I'm now looking into one of these:

A Casio CTK-300 61-keys keyboad roughly around 291$ when converted from our currency


An M audio pro keys 88SX 88-keys keyboard which is roughly around 500$ when converted from our currency

Please don't be surprised about the price tag being almost double the amount of the original Our customs bureau made it that way due to taxes Going back to the topic, I could wait a bit more until middle of September to get the M audio one but I can get the Casio at a month earlier. So which one will I choose?

no contest mate ...i would wait till september and get full size keys as you will lose half the value of the casio in that time so financially and as a player you would benefit much more ...specs on 88sx seem good for value also .......btw i saw one for sale on amazon now for $218.00 second hand though but gd price good luck

Thanks for the reply ROBIN

Then, I'll wait til September to get the M audio pro keys 88SX keyboard

np mate as the old saying goes " patience is a virtuoso " lol

I'm stuck with this little thing:
It only has 3 octaves! I was dissappointed when I tried to play the opening to "The Entertainer" and had my left hand fall off the keyboard. However, a friend of mine has a pretty good one - I believe 5 octaves - and I'll be able to use that when we get our apartment.

hehehe lol jason ..i thought of good stretching exercise for you with this keyboard ..you put your pinkie finger on middle "c" and try to turn off the instrument off by your mains with your thumb then change hands and turn on again using thumb on mid "c" and pinkie at mains lol

I can nearly make it to the power switch. Just another 1.5cm!

hehe nice one jason ...now when you reach power switch comfortably then start to progress fingers slowly up keys and at the end of this whole exercise you should have a handspan of at least 4 octaves

It depends!!^^

If you want to play pop songs, or these types of piece, 66, 61 72 whatever is often enough!! But if you want to get really good and be able to play some of your favorite classical pieces, movie pieces often as well, you HAVE to have 88 keys

Every piece I have learned After I got my piano, except some smaller piece have been below and above reach of an 66 keys keyboard/piano

I've been waiting so so so so so so so so so so long for my piano because I wanted to save up for the very best one without going into the £10k range. It'll be here in one week and I know I'll be incredibly happy and proud when I play it. I can tell I'm serious about Piano because of my patience and how much I'm spending which is a lot for me.My advice is wait and get 88 keys, because later you will look at your 61 key piano and go "Damn, now I gotta replace it" When you could of instead used that money to get a great keyboard/piano sooner. They're almost always worth the extra money, you get a lot for it.

Oh cool! Can you post a picture of it? Or just what the brand and model are?

That sounds like a good idea; saving up and getting a high end keyboard. I think I'll do that in the future.