Why not both?! Ok, so realistically that’s not usually a viable option. Most people are going digital these days. It’s more affordable, they’re easier to move, never need to be tuned, and you can use headphones! This means that practice can be done at any time. Even if someone is trying to get an assignment done in the next room, or trying to catch a little extra sleep on the weekend. 😌
The world of piano certainly changed when digital pianos (not to be confused with electric pianos!) entered the scene in the early 1980’s. They were becoming much more popular by the late 1990’s. My parents bought my first one for me in 1999, which opened up a whole new world! But there’s nothing like an acoustic piano. They’re all different, with their own quirks. Every key is not weighted perfectly, the pedals always respond differently, and the sound varies from piano to piano. Any high level exam or important performance is done on an acoustic piano. If you’ve never tried one before, it will be very difficult to adapt to all of these variables in such a high pressure situation.
This is why I now have both! It offers me (and my students, of course), the best of both worlds. It will definitely be useful to minimize contact when in-person lessons pick up again. It also makes piano concerto rehearsals possible, and offers the ability to practice pieces written for 2 pianos. All I need now is someone else who is as obsessed as I am and wants to learn the music with me! 🎹🎶
