Best Beginner Keyboards 2024 - Don't Buy Wrong & Regret

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Published 2023-03-17
I have made more than 500 keyboard and digital piano reviews, comparisons and tutorials and here are 14 of my favorite keyboards, arranger workstations and digital pianos.

- Best $100+ Beginner Keyboard
Best Price geni.us/p3ky
Review    • Casiotone CT-S300 Tones, Rhythms & Fe...  
- Best Value Keyboard under $200
Best Price geni.us/XQyDB
Review    • Is Yamaha PSR-E373 Worth Buying Today?  
- Best $200 Key Action & Sound
Best Price geni.us/C0XuCt8
Review    • Is Casio CT-S1 Still Worth Buying?  
- Best Key-Lighting Learning Keyboard
Best Price geni.us/79aSp
Review    • Yamaha EZ300 Sound/Features Review & ...  
- Best Lightweight Ultra-Portable 88-Keys
Best Price geni.us/4qDyuQ4
Review    • Is Korg Liano L1 Worth Buying Today?  
- Best Budget Weighted 88-Keys
Best Price geni.us/p7fnE
Review    • Donner DEP-20 Demo, In-Depth Review &...  
- Best Weighted 88-Keys under $400
Best Price geni.us/wrDnqy
Review    • Should You Buy the Alesis Recital Pro...  
- Best 76-Key Workstation Arranger
Best Price geni.us/qGwm4o
Review    • Is Yamaha PSR-E473 Worth Buying Today?  
- Cheapest Weighted Yamaha 88-Keys
Best Price geni.us/FCpSg9
Review    • Why is P-45 (P-71) the Best Beginner ...  
- Best 88-Key Action & Sound under $600
Best Price geni.us/PBf9Ik
Review    • Why Roland FP-30X Feels Like a Grand ...  
- Best 88-Key Workstation Arranger Digital Piano
Best Price geni.us/ENkZX5
Review    • Why Yamaha DGX-670 is The Best Keyboa...  
- Best Key Action & Grand Piano Sound under $900
Best Price geni.us/a0gxyr
Review    • Is Kawai ES-120 Worth Buying Today?  
- Best 88-Key Weighted MIDI Music Production Keyboard
Best Price geni.us/vCoH
Review    • Is Arturia Keylab 88 MKII Worth Buyin...  
- Best Home Digital Piano for $1,000
Best Price geni.us/5X6R0B

📱 Best Piano Apps (Android/iOS)
simplypiano.sjv.io/oer4jo
   • The Best Piano App for Beginners (Don...  
bit.ly/2EUP0SJ
🎹 Best Piano Video Course
bit.ly/35i5Mq6
✔ Free 30 Days Piano Course
skl.sh/MKR403
🎶 Sheet Music Used geni.us/XSRvJMy

Recommended Accessories
📺    • The Keyboard Accessories You Need  
🔊 Sustain Pedal geni.us/IAkZR
🎧 Headphones geni.us/OVSkp
🎹 Keyboard Stand geni.us/YAUt1A
🎶 Portable Stand geni.us/ekOeQ0
✔ Keyboard Bench geni.us/V8TvI
🔊 Keyboard Amplifiers geni.us/VSvyg

🎶 Sheet Music Used
Claude Debussy geni.us/vKKA
Joe Hisaishi geni.us/fBddwGX
J.S Bach geni.us/8UBsN6
Beethoven geni.us/btyWa

📱 Best Piano Apps (Android/iOS)
simplypiano.sjv.io/oer4jo
   • The Best Piano App for Beginners (Don...  
bit.ly/2EUP0SJ
🎹 Best Piano Video Course
bit.ly/35i5Mq6
✔ Free 30 Days Piano Course
skl.sh/MKR403
🎹 Best Software Piano
www.bestservice.com/keyscape.html?aid=NBOi1clXdcGp…
📙 Jeremy See Beginner Keyboard Course
bit.ly/3e5t3wh

🎹 Recommended 88-Key MIDI Piano
- Arturia geni.us/vCoH
- M-Audio geni.us/wTTjzB
- Native Instruments geni.us/UDUBKAY

🎼 Gear I Use
Speakers geni.us/hGe2v
Audio Recorder geni.us/uJTZAAa
Microphone geni.us/b1tEgB6
Audio Interface geni.us/aB5D4ox
Arranger Piano geni.us/e2Fo
USB MIDI Cable geni.us/pno8n

🎼 More Reviews
www.jeremysee.info/

☕ Support Jeremy with a coffee.
www.paypal.me/jeremyseekeys/10USD

🎹 Free 25 Piano Lessons
bit.ly/3knm5Gs
🎹 Beginner MIDI Keyboard
geni.us/zpNH
✅ Beginner Music Workstation
geni.us/NUp4JX
✅ Sustain Pedal (All Brands)
geni.us/BgYE
🎼 Beginner Audio Interface
geni.us/aB5D4ox
✅ USB MIDI Cable
geni.us/mqNsG
📙 Recommended Keyboard Books
geni.us/gxOt8
📙 Beginner Piano Book
geni.us/kNWb
🎼 Download Sheet Music
fave.co/340HK0x

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All Comments (21)
  • @JeremySee
    I have made more than 500 keyboard and digital piano reviews, comparisons and tutorials and here are 14 of my favorite keyboards, arranger workstations and digital pianos. 📱 Best Piano Apps (Android/iOS) simplypiano.sjv.io/oer4jo https://youtu.be/KjPFSlqVj44 bit.ly/2EUP0SJ 🎹 Best Piano Video Course bit.ly/35i5Mq6 ✔ Free 30 Days Piano Course skl.sh/MKR403 - Best $100+ Beginner Keyboard Best Price geni.us/p3ky Review https://youtu.be/ADjF8lFqTds - Best Value Keyboard under $200 Best Price geni.us/XQyDB Review https://youtu.be/2wYIZDtBNx0 - Best $200 Key Action & Sound Best Price geni.us/C0XuCt8 Review https://youtu.be/eUG2PnDy05w - Best Key-Lighting Learning Keyboard Best Price geni.us/79aSp Review https://youtu.be/wGYv4qNHAhI - Best Lightweight Ultra-Portable 88-Keys Best Price geni.us/4qDyuQ4 Review https://youtu.be/8UyWK1d0QDM - Best Budget Weighted 88-Keys Best Price geni.us/p7fnE Review https://youtu.be/y4s7Tn1Fbqg - Best Weighted 88-Keys under $400 Best Price geni.us/wrDnqy Review https://youtu.be/75SA0iV9fSA - Best 76-Key Workstation Arranger Best Price geni.us/qGwm4o Review https://youtu.be/1KJYsJOQza8 - Cheapest Weighted Yamaha 88-Keys Best Price geni.us/FCpSg9 Review https://youtu.be/IGbura5MyxI - Best 88-Key Action & Sound under $600 Best Price geni.us/PBf9Ik Review https://youtu.be/R0FOqDzFjPc - Best 88-Key Workstation Arranger Digital Piano Best Price geni.us/ENkZX5 Review https://youtu.be/iq2w7kopa6M - Best Key Action & Grand Piano Sound under $900 Best Price geni.us/a0gxyr Review https://youtu.be/wrT6iG-_OIQ - Best 88-Key Weighted MIDI Music Production Keyboard Best Price geni.us/vCoH Review https://youtu.be/wAijU_IBAz0 - Best Home Digital Piano for $1,000 Best Price geni.us/5X6R0B Recommended Accessories 📺 https://youtu.be/ZC45WFmGTDg 🔊 Sustain Pedal geni.us/IAkZR 🎧 Headphones geni.us/OVSkp 🎹 Keyboard Stand geni.us/YAUt1A 🎶 Portable Stand geni.us/ekOeQ0 ✔ Keyboard Bench geni.us/V8TvI 🔊 Keyboard Amplifiers geni.us/VSvyg 🎶 Sheet Music Used Claude Debussy geni.us/vKKA Joe Hisaishi geni.us/fBddwGX J.S Bach geni.us/8UBsN6 Beethoven geni.us/btyWa 📱 Best Piano Apps (Android/iOS) simplypiano.sjv.io/oer4jo https://youtu.be/KjPFSlqVj44 bit.ly/2EUP0SJ 🎹 Best Piano Video Course bit.ly/35i5Mq6 ✔ Free 30 Days Piano Course skl.sh/MKR403 🎹 Best Software Piano www.bestservice.com/keyscape.html?aid=NBOi1clXdcGp… 📙 Jeremy See Beginner Keyboard Course bit.ly/3e5t3wh 🎹 Recommended 88-Key MIDI Piano - Arturia geni.us/vCoH - M-Audio geni.us/wTTjzB - Native Instruments geni.us/UDUBKAY 🎼 Gear I Use Speakers geni.us/hGe2v Audio Recorder geni.us/uJTZAAa Microphone geni.us/b1tEgB6 Audio Interface geni.us/aB5D4ox Arranger Piano geni.us/e2Fo USB MIDI Cable geni.us/pno8n 🎼 More Reviews www.jeremysee.info/ ☕ Support Jeremy with a coffee. www.paypal.me/jeremyseekeys/10USD
  • @sab3r10
    Time Stamps: 0:00 Intro 1 0:53 Best $100+ Beginner Keyboard 2 3:21 Best Value Keyboard under $200 3 6:54 Best $200 Key Action & Sound 4 9:27 Best Key-Lighting Learning Keyboard 5 11:46 Best Lightweight Ultra-Portable 88-Keys 6 14:25 Best Budget Weighted 88-Keys 7 16:00 Best Weighted 88-Keys under $400 8 18:22 Best 76-Key Workstation Arranger 9 22:42 Cheapest Weighted Yamaha 88-Keys 10 24:57 Best 88-Key Action & Sound under $600 11 27:56 Best 88-Key Workstation Arranger Digital Piano 12 31:25 Best Key Action & Grand Piano Sound under $900 13 34:30 Best 88-Key Weighted MIDI Music Production Keyboard 14 36:36 Best Home Digital Piano for $1,000 38:03 Outro
  • @user-kf5vm8ok7p
    Update for 2024: Don’t buy the CT-S300 anymore. The price is now inflated to $240. Instead, get a CT-X700 for $199, with the better AiX sound engine. The CT-S300 is now officially a bad keyboard for what it costs and how it sounds.
  • I’ve had my DGX-670 for 2 yrs. I never get tired of playing it. I’m 73 and have been playing for 66 yrs.
  • @Frank-in-NY
    Amazing collections of reviews. You can't go wrong listening to Jeremy's review. With Jeremy's recommendations, I picked up a Yamaha PSR-EW310 for it's portability, and great sounds. Still having fun!
  • Hi Jeremy! I still appreciate the help you gave me a few years ago on the Roland FP-10. I don’t kiss it goodnight every night now, but I do Pat it when I walk by it. This piano has helped me in my healing from mental health challenges. If I get upset, I can play my piano and feel better. I still need to take lessons, but have learned enough to please myself, which is important. Now I’m looking for a portable 61 key to take outside, so this review helped a lot. Thank you for all that you do to help us, both new players and accomplished ones. Your kindness is invaluable. ❤
  • Thanks very much for this "wrap up" video, Jeremy. The list in the description has a few glitches. It mixes up the description of the Alesis 88-key instrument, nor the Yamaha 76-key EZ300 (PSR-E383) next in the list. Based on your reviews, I bought a Yamaha PSR-E373 and love it.
  • Excellent comparative review! I agree with your choices and if I could choose only one of the keyboards in these examples, I would also choose the DGX-670 for many good reasons but especially for the mic input. I love singing and playing and that one would be perfect. I didn't know it had such a great speaker system until i saw this video! My PSR-E473 is kind of a budget version, but it has met the need. I really wish I had gone for the 76 key PSR-EW425 but that was a $120 difference (something I would have felt at the time). In my little world the DGX-670 is the stuff of dreams ...🥰👍
  • @jjacob25101
    A great overview of keyboards, Jeremy, with meticulous spot on details that hit the nail on the head to address practically every want, need, or budget. Despite that, you still have, and will probably have many more people asking which is the right keyboard to choose, when you address everything in all your videos, especially in this one. I have commented in detail several times about this, and another key factor is availability, especially in certain areas of the world, where distribution, marketing and servicing is not optimal, or the production numbers simply cannot keep up with the demand, like for the Uber popular Roland FP-10, as well as most of the FP series, though the others are much more pricey. The Casio CT-S300 was great for when it came out for everything you said it is. Although the sounds are not the best, they are more than decent for the price, especially several years later. And the built in handle makes it the ideal for the take everywhere you go just to have a keyboard to play with battery power and practice wherever you go, and not take another more expensive keyboard out l, except for gigs and other purposes. I would go into detail about most of the other keyboards, as you stated those points clearly, and I have commented about them in the individual review videos for those specific instruments.. Each has their unique perks, pros and cons, but you must take into consideration their respective price points. Yamaha has always been great for putting cutting edge sounds and features in keyboards and each competitive price point, but Casio tends to be more portable and compact and easier to use with its simpler user interface. All the other keyboard manufacturers have great instrument offerings with their own spin on sound, features, format and other perks, like connectivity and bonus software and such. That makes it more difficult to choose, though one must evaluate their needs, wants, and budgets, but also decide if they want something they will later upgrade, or wait and get a better one that they will keep longer. As you get to the last few keyboards, it gets more pricey and discriminating, with better action, sound, build quality, and a myriad of features and capabilities. They each address a specific niche in the keyboard market, like the Yamaha DGX-670 as the best all around weighted action arranger with lots of other treasures, the Kawaii ES120 for all the various nuances and adjustability to minute details for a serious, formally trained pianist for sound and tactile feel. The Arturia is an incredible controller for a professional production setup with comparable other high level gear and software, and that Yamaha at the end, as a great digital version of a traditional console type home piano with all the perks of a digital I have mentioned in the past. However, the Casio PX series are also great. I really like several of them, that I would have considered buying. But like everything else, I believe I made the best choices for myself, and highly scrutinized my choices for specific reasons, with a lot of research and evaluation. Albeit a mini key instrument, my Yamaha PSS-A50 is a power house for an even more portable $100 keyboard with the ability to do so many things. Masataka Kono is the master of that Mini Keys and demonstrates what it can do marvelously in all his videos. My CT-S1 is unmatched at its price point for spot on bread and butter sounds, features, compact portability and clean design. It's my number one recommended keyboard for beginners, aspiring keyboardists, and even advanced players to relax and play with away from their more expensive rigs, and just to have a decent set of keys to take on the go, or travel with. My Roland Go:Keys is incredible, though more expensive than the CT-S1, it is similar yet more diverse. They both have great sound tones, but the Go:Keys has much more of them, 128 note polyphony, and built in BT connectivity, and it's Sampled Phrase Loop feature is an alternative approach BYO the auto arranger, with much more variation and sounds more authentic, compared to the stigma ambiance that arrangers get, though sometimes you want that vintage type sound and feel for effect. It is a great production keyboard for the price paired with a computer, etc. My Roland JD-Xi is much more pricey, and in a while other category as an Analog digital synth, vocorder and 4 thack backing. It can go deep into sound and versatility. Yohan Kim uses it often and exemplifies its capabilities. Other than the Yamaha Reface CP, there's not much other keyboards I can think of in the under $1000 range. With that said, my previous band for the buck keyboards entering the professional level are all Roland keyboards. Each is incredible in its own way. The V Combo VR-09B is a jack of all trades performance and production 61 keyboard for gigging and bread and butter sounds, and a phrase loop sampler feature. The RD 88 is a great kid brother to the Flagship RD2000 at about have the price, lighter and more compact fir portability and has the Zen Core sound capabilities. Likewise, the Fantom 0 Series is a more affordable and compact version of the heavier and bulky flagship workstation series without many features not everyone needs. I like all of those three, but more recently, I was considering opting for the RD 88 at $1200.00 as my go to keyboard when I want to get a serious 88 weighted key flagship for my setup or church. But Roland blew away the competition with their latest blockbuster keyboard. Drum 🥁 roll.... The FP-E50! At $999.99 Under $1000 Roland has their renown 88 weighted action keyboard, 1081 on board Supernatural and Zen Core sounds with more Zen Core expansion and an arranger with future expansion styles. It's like having the best of the Yamaha DGX-670, Roland RD 88 and Fantom 0 Series on one keyboard under $1000! And the arranger functions has features that automatically adjust to your playing the more complex you play to sound like a real band, and a whole lot more. I thought the RD 88 was the ideal dream keyboard for the price with 88 keys, like I mentioned previously, but this makes it hard to beat for the price or even for much more. Also with a microphone input with effects. I never have been more excited about a new keyboard than now. I don't need it now, but I definitely am glad I waited and I tend to get this in a few months. Ideally two later. To keep one at church, and one at home. There's never been a better time to get a new keyboard with all the choices and price points for whatever you need. And you're the one that makes the videos to watch to help decide.
  • @musikmann
    Jeremy. Thanks for your informative and entertaining reviews. Nobody does it better. Based solely on your reviews, I traded in my 61 key Yamaha PSR-273 for the 76 key Yamaha PSR-EW310 keyboard and have no regrets. In the not too distant future I hope to upgrade to an 88 key Yamaha. I am trying to work up to your level of pianistic accomplishment, which will take a long time and lots of effort. Please keep up the great videos and I will continue to recommend that others subscribe to your site.
  • @Stephanie9959
    I have been coming to your channel for years and really appreciate the honest and consistant quality reviews you offer. Thank you.
  • @zartogan
    Hi Jeremy thank you so much for your great informative reviews. I have bought a Casiotone LK-S450 based on your reviews and planning to learn playing keyboard. Millions of years ago used to play mandolin now as a middle aged person looking forward to having a good level of keyboard skill and enjoying a jam with my musician friends and relatives. I would love to do that. Wishing you all the best.
  • Killer content, I just ordered the Artura using your link, thank you!
  • @alho9231
    Cheers Jeremy! Thanks to your informative vids I finally settled for the Yamaha EZ-300. Quick question: what cover would you recommend for this keyboard? Keep up the good work 👍👍👍
  • @enribeni8692
    Great video thanks for sharing your knowledge, question Is The ONE piano the best 88 key illuminated keyboard piano?
  • Yours are the best piano reviews! I love listening to your videos! You are such a good pianist! Greetings!
  • Great review of beginners keyboards. I play guitar but always wanted to explore the piano and had no idea where to begin. Now I know. Thanks, Jeremy!✌🙂
  • @JeremySee , I love your videos and appreciate how informative they are! I've watched most of your beginner piano reviews, and as a complete piano newbie, I'm torn between the excellent choices available, specifically the Casio Casiotone (for the price), Casio CT-S1RD (for the balance in price & quality), Yamaha PSR-EW425 (for the features and value), Yamaha P45 (for the weighted keys), and Korg Liano (for the 88-keys and value). Overall, I've heard conflicting opinions on different aspects like key action and number of keys for beginners, and knowing that the keyboard I choose should match my goals/preferences, I would love to have your expert opinion based on my specific situation. My background: - Have a max of $500 budget - Goal is to become good enough to and create melodies/backing track to vocals (I sing, primarily w/ an interest in R&B, pop, folk, & pop-rock) - Am a bit scared that the "bells and whistles" coming w/pianos like the EW425 since they might distract me from fundamental skill development but am drawn by those very same features as I eventually want to experiment and make my own songs - Am interested in classical and baroque pieces but lean more towards the modern songwriting side - Plan on getting weekly lessons and practicing daily - Interested in getting to use DAWS and want to be able to record - Will live in a college dorm next year (I can make an 88-key work space-wise and will use headphones, but I am more concerned about the learning implications of getting a keyboard smaller than 88-keys). I appreciate any insight/advice and would gladly clarify any info to make it easier for you to respond.
  • @kiasohc5016
    Awesome compilation you have here... it narrowed the list down which made it way easier for me to decide which to go to. Thanks!