Piano and Keyboard: 61 key or 88 key?
Hello!
Have you ever wondered why musical keyboards and pianos come in various sizes and numbers of keys such as 37, 49, 61, 76 and 88 keys? Is it really just a bunch of random numbers?
Today, we are going to talk about the most common ones in the market: The 61 keys and 88 keys.
To begin this discussion, we have to start with a brief history of the piano.
The first piano that was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori in the 18th century had only 54 keys. Later, piano manufacturers started making pianos with more keys. The 61 keys (5 octaves) were around for quite some time, and manufacturers kept experimenting on adding more keys to the instrument.
This situation carried on until Steinway(some say German-American Company) built their 88 key piano in the 1880s, since then 88 key had become the industry standard. The fact was, the manufacturers did not stop at 88 keys, but due to the limitation of the human’s ear, adding more keys will not only be inefficient, but also adding more unnecessary weight to the piano.
So, since the 88 key is the standard, then why do the 61 keys still exist? It is because 61 keys is enough to cover most of the range in most contemporary songs.
Take a look at this comparison table below:
61-key keyboard - BLW EK-61T 61-key Portable Keyboard
88-key portable piano - BLW EP88 PLUS 88-key Electric Piano
Now, we can easily answer the most frequently asked question:
“Should I get a 61-key keyboard?”
The answer is YES if you:
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Prefer something that is easy to transport
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Have limited space: 61-key keyboards commonly take up approx. 3 feet of length and 1 foot of width
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Have a limited budget - Just Start Learning!
Other than that, 88-keys should be in consideration first. It covers all the range and gives you room to experiment. Most of the piano pieces are also composed on the 88-key, so you can play your favorite pieces’ without any limitation.
In short, 61 keys, 88 keys or any keys does not really stop you from learning a new instrument, there is never too late for learning.
Hope this helps! See you in the next email!
Fionna
PBH Music
88-key Digital Piano - BLW DP120 88 Keys Digital Piano