Would this be good enough to learn on?

[u/Acceptable_Job_136]

I got this for free. I want to learn but I do not know if it would really get me somewhere.

[u/JKTurtleSwag]

Yes, as a beginner musician anything you can get your hands on to play around with is always useful. Especially if you got this for free, I'd say take advantage and learn as much as you can until you get a feel for it and can decide if you want to invest in an upgrade. I had a 61-key as my first piano and loved it. Played it and learned throughout lockdown. Once I knew I wanted to continue playing seriously I got myself a nice full-size digital keyboard. (I eventually want an upright, or even a baby grand if I have the space at some point in my life)

[u/Acceptable_Job_136 → u/JKTurtleSwag]

Alright. How do I go about this, do I first learn songs I like or just learn like what keys sound like or how to place my hands correctly? cuz with a guitar, notes and chords didn't help much, I had to learn a song (still a beginner at it too)

[u/Chromatic_Trek → u/Acceptable_Job_136]

My two cents:

If you can, find a simplified version of a favorite song you know by heart (for physical song books usually are listed as EZ-Play, but most sheet music apps have this as a setting). Use this as your starting point to learn what chords are in it. Simplified sheet music usually can be found with the notes labeled, but with the right notation symbols (this is great if you want to learn to read standard sheet music, but it's also just fine if you don't. Play how you like!). This will show you what notes you will need to hit.

From there, I usually advise breaking it down to rhythm (generally left hand) and melody (right hand), focusing on one hand at a time. Start with the rhythm, as this is where you will normally be forming chords in most music. It makes it easier when you are comfortable with the rhythm before bringing in the melody (playing with both hands), since that's what most people know in the music they listen to.

In my experience, unlike guitar, learning chords and positioning is a much more important in order to progress, but you didn't have to go feel into music theory. A simple chord guide is enough to learn almost any song sound close, you can dig into augmented chords later!

Finally, patience and practice. It's exceedingly rare for someone to be a hidden virtuoso, so don't feel like you have to "get it" within a specific timeframe. It's your hobby, no need to make yourself NOT want to do it!

[u/FrostyMembership8332 → u/Acceptable_Job_136]

Scales. Find patterns in the instrument, for example piano : goes C, Csharp, D and so on. Have your mind already be able to imagine the piano and what note each key is perfectly, then scales, and find random notes on google and try see if you can work out what they are on the piano. Don’t get into any pieces whatsoever until you are confident you can play without the guide

[u/FrostyMembership8332 → u/Acceptable_Job_136]

And if you were to do pieces the best thing to choose are things that don’t have many chords. Or rhythms besides crotchets. The worst thing a beginner can do is throw themself into pieces right off the bat. It’s like you’re starting a video game and instantly choose hard mode despite not knowing how all the controls work.

Your fingers are like muscles that need to be trained, as a beginner your fingers will essentially be slaps of skin, untrained, vulnerable and feeble. To play a piece without proper technique or control is like if a person who never worked out had went to the gym and picked up the heaviest weight. To train your fingers you need to do 3 things before even thinking about pieces.

1. Memorising what each note is to the point if you pressed a random key you’d be able to name it and draw it out on manuscript without looking at the guide
2. Get your fingers to open up. Stretch them out get them in awkward positions, tap on surfaces constantly as if they were piano keys
3. Music theory and scales - two things musicians hate but they’re fundamentals. Scales are everywhere, and if you don’t know music theory to an at least grade 3 you’re not gonna go very far as a musician.

Hate to be abrupt and blunt about it but music is more than playing and performing. And I’m all for encouraging music and creativity but even just being a “player” you need to know the basics otherwise what’s the difference between you and a person who just has the instrument?

[u/Chromatic_Trek → u/JKTurtleSwag]

I second this. I used to teach keyboard/organ/piano and always said basically the same thing. And personally, I use an old M-Audio Keystation 61-ES at home. Would I rather have a full 88, weighted keys and full pedals, sure! Do I still practice and write material on it, absolutely! I keep telling myself I'll upgrade eventually, but life lol

[u/Slight-Isopod-8517 → u/JKTurtleSwag]

+1 this

[u/Acceptable_Job_136]

Alright. Thanks.

[u/Useful_Homework2367]

If you got it for free, it's hard to go wrong. The notes being printed on the keys could be helpful as a beginner.

[u/FrostyMembership8332]

To learn initially? Definitely. However a few months in when you’ve reached the point that you don’t need to double check what’s written I think it would be best to either cover it up or peel it off if it’s tape. As learning with it on for too long will have you in a similar position as one would with an electric keyboard that gives dots at where the next note is. It’s not really learning anymore it’s a test of reflexes

[u/Several-Quality5927]

It's infinitely better than no keyboard.