Grade 1 to Grade 8

(30 min, 45 min and 1 hour sessions)

There are 3 different types you can go for: An upright piano, a digital piano or a synthesizer / keyboard. They all have pros and cons and you need to decide what would best suit you. As always, of course a lot depends on budget. Of course, no one wants to pay £4000 for a top of the range Clavinova only for your child to say they don't wish to continue after the first term! That said, if you spend £30 on a cheap keyboard, your child may not enjoy playing as much and not wish to continue. This website gives a really clear guide about whether to get a keyboard or a digital piano. More info

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Synthesizer: (£30 - £160) They are a lot of fun and often come with hundreds of fun sounds and rhythms. It is definitely worth getting if you are not too sure if your child will carry on, but it is not the same as a piano at all, as the keys are weighted differently and so, if you want your child to learn classical / jazz/ blues piano, once we get past the first 12 lessons or so, they won't be able to practice effectively. However, if you want to learn rock and pop keyboards, these are great starter sets. Personally, I like to have both a synth (for laying down those cool beats) and a digital piano (to really learn how to play beautifully).

Digital piano (£200 and up) : This is the best option as they don’t take up much space and will be able to be used right through to Grade 8. They also take headphones meaning the learner can practice without entertaining the whole household! Do check the reviews but a Yamaha P45 (£345) comes highly recommended. You can find cheaper for about £250, but they aren't quite as high quality, but perfectly serviceable). One that several of my pupils have got and are happy with, is the SDP – 2 Stage Piano. It is sold by Gear4music for under £300. Check out the review at digital piano reviews . Btw, I once bought an Alesis 88 key digital piano with semi-weighted keys from Amazon for about £200. It was rubbish! Avoid.

It is important though, to get a stand for the keyboard and a piano stool. These often come as a package so look out for them. One last thing: I would be wary of getting a smaller 61 key piano. It is cheaper and can be a good starter instrument but will be outgrown in about 2 or 3 years and is really only good up to Grade 2.

Upright piano (free to £5000) : You can get some for free on Facebook (might not always be the best quality), but they are heavy, take up a lot of space and often costly. They also don't come with headphones. However, having a piano, is a lovely addition to the home, and children will love playing on it. The one I have is a Yamaha U3, made in Japan in the 1970s. It costs about £2,500, but they shouldn’t depreciate much, so if they are cared for, they will sell on well. At least that is what the piano salesman told me!