Here are a few helpful links:
Guitar, Bass Guitar, Ukulele
1/2 size classical guitar (also known as a 33″ or 34″ guitar) – Hohner HAG250P Classical – Amazon | Yamaha CGS Student Classical Guitar Natural 1/2-Size – Guitar Center (can be purchased at Guitar Center Round Rock or through guitar center’s website)
3/4 size classical guitar (also known as a 36″ guitar) – Yamaha CGS Classical – Guitar Center | Yamaha Student Series CGS103AII Classical Guitar, Natural – Amazon
full size classical guitar (also known as a 38″ to 41″ guitar) – any Lucero, Yamaha, Laurel Canyon, or Cordoba classical
Method book – Hal Leonard Guitar Method – Complete Edition (plastic comb)
guitar, bass guitar, ukulele tuner – free Guitar Tuna App (Google Play Store) (Apple App Store) | D’Addario Eclipse Headstock Clip On Guitar Tuner, PW-CT-17BK, Black (works on Bass Guitar and Ukulele’s too) – Amazon
footstool – On Stage FS7850B Guitar Foot Rest – Amazon
classical guitar capo – Kyser Quick-Change Guitar Capo for classical guitars or WINGO Classical Flat Guitar Capo for Nylon String Guitars-Rosewood Finish with 5 Picks
acoustic guitar (steel string) and electric guitar capo – Kyser Quick-Change Guitar Capo for 6-string acoustic guitars or WINGO Guitar Capo for Acoustic and Electric Guitars – Rosewood Color with 5 Picks
ukulele capo – WINGO Pro Ukulele Capo for Soprano Contert Baritone,Rosewood
Steel strings (for Acoustic guitars) – Amazon
Nylon strings (for Classical guitars) – Amazon
Piano/Keyboard
PIANO/KEYBOARD BOOKS (please buy new books so answers, markings, fingerings, and progress can be properly tracked per student)
– Alfred’s Premier Piano Course Lesson Book 1A – Amazon
– Alfred’s Premier Piano Course Lesson Book 1B – Amazon.
(Both of these can also be found at the local Guitar Center and Music & Arts stores.)
BUYING A DIGITAL PIANO/KEYBOARD
Keyboards come in 3 different sizes/variants. A full-size keyboard has 88 keys, but there are also 61-key and 76-key variants. Full-size keyboards, especially one’s that come with pedals physically built in the stand are often referred to as digital pianos and are known specifically for emulating the sound of an acoustic “real” piano. The term “keyboard” can actually cover a range of piano-like music instruments/devices. With this being said, make sure you don’t buy a “keyboard controller” or “MIDI keyboard”. You want a “digital piano” or a “keyboard” that has speakers and a port for headphones. MIDI keyboards do not have speakers and only trigger sounds when hooked up to an external synthesizer or computer.)
While the full-size 88-key covers everything, a 76-key keyboard will cover roughly 85% of piano songs. A 61-key can suffice well for beginners and younger students as the majority of beginner songs will only use about half the keys on a 61-key keyboard. The 61-key keyboards often have a larger selection of different keyboard sounds for students to explore. Younger students love this! The more they love it, the more they’ll engage with it!
If you’re starting out with a 61-key keyboard, aim to get one with “touch-sensitive” keys (sometimes referred to as “touch-responsive” or “velocity sensitive”) so music can be played with dynamics. Touch sensitive means notes will sound louder or softer depending on hard or soft the keys are played. In the world of music, the variance of loud and soft sounds is called dynamics. (You press the keys down harder for louder sound and you press the keys down softer for quieter sound.) Playing with dynamics make music exciting, fun and emotional and is a critical part of developing one’s musicianship. Fyi, Amazon’s number one rated best selling 61-key keyboard is a RockJam 61 key keyboard that does NOT have “touch-sensitive” keys meaning you or your child will be missing out entirely on being able to play and develop an understanding of the musical concept of dynamics. I do NOT recommend this keyboard. Most 76-key and 88-key keyboards are touch sensitive, but for 61-key keyboards, I’d make sure that the “touch sensitive”, “touch responsive” or “velocity sensitive” feature is written in the keyboard’s description or feature set.
Regardless of how many keys are present, having a practice instrument at home can definitely boost musical progression! Ultimately, an 88-key keyboard/digital piano that has fully-weighted keys or even an acoustic piano is the goal.
Here are a few keyboards I’d recommend (not in any particular order, prices and availability may vary):
This first selection is nice because it includes a stand for the actual keyboard (so you don’t have to use a table or shelf, etc.). A keyboard stand and a bench are 2 accessories that you usually have to purchase separately.
— Casio CT-S300 61-Key Package with Headphones, Stand, Power Supply, 6-Foot USB Cable and eMedia Instructional Software – ~$220 – Amazon (~$180 for the keyboard by itself)
The following keyboards are also solid choices but you will need to provide your own seating, by using a spare chair or buying a bench. You’ll also need to purchase a stand for the keyboard itself:
— Yamaha NP12 61-Key Lightweight Portable Keyboard with PA130 Power Adapter – ~$270 – Amazon
— Yamaha NP32 76-Key Lightweight Portable Keyboard, Black – ~$350 – Amazon
If you’re going for the full-size 88-key keyboard, I’d go for one that “fully weighted” versus “semi-weighted”. (If a keyboard markets itself as having fully-weighted or semi-weighted keys, it also has “touch sensitivity” so you will be able to perform dynamics on it!) Fully weighted keys give you a similar feel to an acoustic piano making it easier on the fingers to play back and forth between digital and acoustic pianos. Here are some solid 88-key keyboards:
— Donner DEP-20 Beginner Digital Piano 88 Key Full Size Weighted Keyboard, Portable Electric Piano with Sustain Pedal, Power Supply – ~$310 – Amazon (This is my current 88-key budget pick, and is the best overall value of all pianos listed here.)
— Yamaha P45 88-Key Weighted Digital Piano – ~$430 – Amazon – (This keyboard also comes with a sustain pedal and a power supply)
— YAMAHA P71 88-Key Weighted Action Digital Piano with Sustain Pedal and Power Supply (Amazon-Exclusive) – ~$430 – Amazon
The Yamaha P-45 and the Yamaha P-71 (the Amazon exclusive version of the P-45) are the same keyboard but sometimes Amazon has deals on the P-71 that may include furniture.
In general, I’ve used and/or recommend keyboards from the Casio’s Privia or CDP series, the Roland FP series (Roland FP-10 or Roland FP-30x), or the Yamaha’s YPG, NP, PSR-E373, or P series.
If you have a “weighted” or “fully-weighted” 88-key keyboard, I’d get a double X stand to properly support the heavier keyboard. The Amazon Basic double X stand is about $45. If you have a “semi-weighted” 88-key keyboard or 76 or 61 key keyboard, a single X stand will work well. The Amazon Basic single X stand is about $30.
You can use a chair or a bench to support comfortable piano keyboard playing. If you’re looking for a bench just make sure it properly supports the weight of the player. The RockJam KB100 Adjustable Padded Keyboard Bench, X-Style, Black from Amazon is about $40 and supports up to 340 lbs.
Musical apps
Piano Maestro (iPad only) – use to practice method book songs with accompaniment and the ability slow down tempo … and because it’s fun!
Rhythm Swing (iOS) – use to practice steady beat and concept of ‘waiting for a count-off or count-in.
Flashnote Derby (iOS, Android, Kindle) – use to recognize notes on the staff.
Use this to sing on pitch more accurately
Android – Learn to Sing – Sing Sharp
iOS – Learn to Sing, Singing Lessons