Virtual piano or a real keyboard?

What a virtual piano is good for

A virtual piano costs nothing and is there whenever you have a phone or computer. It is a good way to find out whether you enjoy playing before spending money, to learn the names of the keys, to work out a melody you have in your head, or to check a chord.

Songs with lit-up keys, like the ones on our songs page, let you play a tune within minutes. The recorder lets you keep ideas and share them.

Where it stops

A screen or a computer keyboard is not shaped like a piano. A typing keyboard cannot tell how hard you press, so you cannot play louder and softer the way you can on a piano. On a phone the keys are small, and you can play only a part of the range at a time. Real piano technique, such as finger independence and using both hands, is much easier to build on full-size keys.

When to get a keyboard

If you find yourself playing often and want to use both hands, it is time to try a real instrument. A USB or Bluetooth MIDI keyboard can also be connected to this site in browsers with Web MIDI support (for example Chrome and Edge), which gives you real keys while still using the browser.

What to look for as a beginner

• Full-size keys. Mini keys make it harder to move to a real piano later.
• Touch-sensitive keys (also called velocity-sensitive): the note gets louder the harder you press. This is needed to play with expression.
• Enough keys. 61 keys covers most beginner music. 88 keys matches an acoustic piano.
• Weighted or hammer-action keys feel closer to an acoustic piano. They are found on digital pianos and cost more.
• A sustain pedal input, so you can add a pedal.

If you want to learn with a teacher, ask them what they recommend; they know what you will need for their lessons.