Start by deciding whether you’d rather practise with suitable headphones or use the built-in speakers at a low volume. The latter won’t silence the physical sound of the keys. If you want a rhythm to accompany your chord changes, compare how styles and chords are controlled; if you want to develop your own dynamics, touch-sensitive keys are worth considering. Check the connections, power supply and included accessories for the exact model.
If you share your home or practise when others need some peace and quiet, check whether you can play with suitable headphones and what you can hear through the speakers at a low volume. Casio describes the CT-S300 as having a function that adjusts the tonal balance at low speaker volumes; its manual says you can use headphones sold separately.
Built-in accompaniment can be useful when practising chord changes and timing if you want to play without a computer. Yamaha and Korg describe keyboards with accompaniment styles; check that the rhythms and chord controls suit your progression.
If you want to play the same progression more softly and more loudly, compare the touch response and key range. Yamaha and Casio describe models with touch-sensitive keys, but that doesn’t mean every model offers the same playing experience.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who is this important for? |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet practice | Check the headphone socket, the type of plug you need and what happens to the speakers when you connect headphones. | If I practise while other people at home need some peace and quiet, I want to know whether I can play through headphones and whether the keys themselves will still make a sound. Around 36% of consumers give quiet practice their top priority. |
| Chord accompaniment | Try setting the tempo, accompaniment and chord recognition using a progression you practise yourself. | If I want to keep time while changing chords, the accompaniment needs to suit the way I play. Around 29% of consumers put accompaniment for chord changes at the top of their list. |
| Touch response and key range | Check whether the keys are touch-sensitive and whether the range suits the parts you want to practise with both hands. | If I want to practise the dynamics of my own playing, I look at the touch response and the range required by my practice material. Around 21% of consumers consider touch response and key range most important. |
| Space and accessories | Measure the space available and check whether the power supply, music rest and any headphones are included with the model. | If I need to put the keyboard away after every session, its size and how ready it is to use both matter. Around 14% of consumers give space and a complete starter setup top priority. |
A function that adjusts the sound of the built-in speakers at low volume doesn’t mean the physical sound of the keys disappears.
Choose between using the speakers at a low volume and playing with headphones. Check the socket and what happens to the speakers when you connect headphones on the exact model you’re considering.
The number of styles doesn’t tell you whether they include the rhythm you want or how you need to enter chords.
Check the available rhythms or try the keyboard with your own progression and tempo.
The Casio CT-S300 manual says that headphones are sold separately. A headphone socket on another model doesn’t automatically mean headphones are included in the box.
Check the accessories list for the exact model before you order.
Yamaha describes the PSR-E383 and PSR-E483 as 61-key keyboards with accompaniment features. The models differ in several ways, including their controls.
Casio describes the CT-S300 as a compact keyboard with touch response and controls for saved settings.
Korg describes the EK-50 as a 61-key arranger keyboard with styles, a recording function and a headphone socket.
Medeli describes the MK61 as a keyboard with 61 touch-sensitive keys, styles and a headphone socket.
Roland describes the GO:KEYS 3 as a keyboard for automatic accompaniment and creating chord sequences.
This product selection is aimed at home practice, with a metronome, recording function and built-in speakers. Check the listing for the connections and the accessories included with the model you choose.
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Suitable for practising at home with a metronome; check that the connections and controls suit the way you practise.
The product name lists a MIDI controller, recording function, built-in speakers, metronome and music rest.
For the Casio CT-S300, the manual says that connecting headphones sold separately turns off the built-in speakers. Check this for each exact model and pay attention to the plug size; headphones won’t eliminate the physical sound of the keys.
Check whether the power supply and any accessories you need are included with the model you’ve chosen, and whether you’ll need to buy headphones separately. Medeli lists a power supply and music rest as included accessories for the MK61; Casio says headphones for the CT-S300 are sold separately.
Start at a tempo that lets you play the chord changes comfortably, then try out how the accompaniment responds to your chords. Yamaha describes styles on the PSR-E483 that respond to your left hand; Korg lists tempo controls and style functions for the EK-50. The controls vary by model.
When you buy as a consumer, the product must meet what you could reasonably expect; if something is wrong, the seller is your point of contact. The Dutch government explains that there is no fixed statutory warranty period. For online purchases from a business, you usually have a 14-day cancellation period, although conditions and exceptions may apply.
