USB controller keyboard for a child to learn on?

[lemmywinks]

Pretty clueless about stuff like this so forgive any stupid questions!

 

My daughter (she's 10) has decided she'd like to learn piano, she's had a go on one before but has started using the Violin Practice game on Roblox, surprisingly after about 20 minutes she'd already written a nice melody over a chord progression, written it down and performed it which was annoyingly good even though she doesn't know what any of the notes mean. She can sing perfectly in tune so looks like she's got this from Mrs. Lemmywinks rather than her tone deaf old man!

 

Anyway she wants a small keyboard so she has real keys to practice on, as with a lot of kids nowadays she does everything through her laptop and liked the look of small controller keyboards I showed her so would it be practical to use one of these as a basic small digital piano/keyboard? If so what software would she need to get a basic piano sound out of it on her laptop? She literally just wants that - no drums, synths or recording etc. Just a basic piano sound she can mess about on and play with. Are the basic ones on the Windows app store suitable for this?

 

If she likes it then she'll be getting a little digital piano and lessons obviously, knowing what kids are like I'd rather start her off with something like this first as I'll take less of a hit selling it on if she ends up losing interest.

[milford59]

You could download this https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/samplers/kontakt-6-player/free-download/

which will contain lots of sounds including Piano.   Alternatively, you could download just the Kontakt player https://www.native-instruments.com/en/products/komplete/samplers/kontakt-6-player/free-download/ and then find a free piano (only) library that will play inside Kontakt Player.  Take a look here https://www.productionmusiclive.com/blogs/news/top-10-free-kontakt-libraries

Good luck with whatever you decide.

[lemmywinks]

Nice one thanks, will grab the full version. She's been at it all day today and has decided on the M-Audio Keystation. 

[BassTractor]

12 hours ago, lemmywinks said:

has decided on the M-Audio Keystation. 

Your 10-year-old seems wiser than many adults in several aspects.
"Amongst her weaponry" is that last choice. The Keystations are good boards that will also prove to have been a good bridge should one later decide on keyboards with full fat piano action.

Can't help with laptop software, but if she has access to an iPad or iPhone as well, there are good apps with piano sound for little money. One only needs the USB-to-Apple connecter than can be had for a tenner on eBay.

[lemmywinks]

4 hours ago, BassTractor said:

Your 10-year-old seems wiser than many adults in several aspects.
"Amongst her weaponry" is that last choice. The Keystations are good boards that will also prove to have been a good bridge should one later decide on keyboards with full fat piano action.

Can't help with laptop software, but if she has access to an iPad or iPhone as well, there are good apps with piano sound for little money. One only needs the USB-to-Apple connecter than can be had for a tenner on eBay.

 

It was between that and the little Akai 25 key one, she had an Amazon voucher for Christmas so I put a little bit more in the pot to get the M-Audio. The only iPad we have is an old 1st gen Mini I use for the Mackie app which is legacy tech, the Kontakt Player mentioned above should work fine though. She uses her laptop all the time now and barely touches her tablet after getting the Roblox bug.

[BassTractor]

13 minutes ago, lemmywinks said:

 

It was between that and the little Akai 25 key one, she had an Amazon voucher for Christmas so I put a little bit more in the pot to get the M-Audio. The only iPad we have is an old 1st gen Mini I use for the Mackie app which is legacy tech, the Kontakt Player mentioned above should work fine though. She uses her laptop all the time now and barely touches her tablet after getting the Roblox bug.

Yeah, I recognise the legacy bit. I had a second gen iPad that ran controlling software for an Akai synth, and had to let it follow the synth when I sold that, as the new owner wouldn't be able to buy the controller software anymore.

It's one of many experiences that have commanded me to exclusively buy stand-alone keyboards with lots of knobs and buttons.

IMHO as a former piano teacher (really an organ teacher but one wants to survive), I'd say that for your kid's fingers the M-Audio is far better than the Akai  -  provided someone guide her as to some technique.

[Stub Mandrel]

18 hours ago, lemmywinks said:

Nice one thanks, will grab the full version. She's been at it all day today and has decided on the M-Audio Keystation. 

I got a refurbished Keystation Mini. To be honest it's too small for my big hands, but would be great fun for a child. It came with Ignite software, loads of editable sounds and a basic sequencer.

[lemmywinks]

7 hours ago, BassTractor said:

IMHO as a former piano teacher (really an organ teacher but one wants to survive), I'd say that for your kid's fingers the M-Audio is far better than the Akai  -  provided someone guide her as to some technique.

She's just creating little single melodies at the moment, nice to see her getting stuck in to something and if the interest lasts longer than a week I'll look into online lessons as we're in tier 4 now.

 

6 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

I got a refurbished Keystation Mini. To be honest it's too small for my big hands, but would be great fun for a child. It came with Ignite software, loads of editable sounds and a basic sequencer.

Her's comes with Pro Tools First and Xpand!2, think we'll look at Kontakt player first. 

Edited January 1, 2021 by lemmywinks

[lemmywinks]

Turned up today, unfortunately couldn't get Native Access to open while connected to the internet and even when I disconnected it required an update so no go on that front at the moment, downloaded two apps from the Windows store (Piano 10 and Pianotime) which work perfectly as plug & play programs so the girl is happy.