While cleaning up my house and desk earlier today, I gathered all my keyboards in one place. Seeing them together made me think about how many I’ve used over the years and how each has had its own time and purpose.
The First Keyboard
Year: Early 2000s
The PC at home had a piano software, and I loved playing on it. I remember figuring out Kaho Na Pyaar Hai (I was a Hritik Roshan fan back then) and Happy Birthday by ear—it was so much fun! I also remember going to the Pimpri market with my mom to buy a small keyboard from an electronics shop. It had just eight tones, some beats, and could only play two notes at a time—so even chords weren’t possible. Mostly, I used it to pick out familiar tunes by ear.
Status: Lent to a friend years ago—trying to get it back!
Casio CTK Keyboard
Year: May 2009
I learned the violin for about six months in 2006 but eventually gave it up. After my board exams, I had a three-month break and wanted to do something productive, so I joined a keyboard class near my house. Since I needed an instrument to practice, my parents got me a Casio keyboard. It wasn’t velocity-sensitive—meaning no matter how softly or forcefully I pressed the keys, the volume remained the same.
In class, I was taught basic tunes with chords e.g. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Happy Birthday, Kal Ho Na Ho, Papa Kehte Hai, and Pehla Nasha.
Some time after this I used YouTube to teach myself. I remember learning Bohemian Rhapsody, the intro to Dream On, and the Titanic theme from Mike’sMusic123's YouTube Channel. This was back in the days of slow internet, so I had to wait for videos to buffer before I could play them and learn bit by bit.
Status: Sold it when I was buying the next keyboard
Yamaha PSR e323
Year: July 2011
When I was leaving for college, I asked my parents for a velocity-sensitive keyboard. It wasn’t readily available in the market at the time, so they had to order it specially. I was beyond excited! Of course, I had to promise that it wouldn’t interfere with my engineering studies (it did).
This keyboard became a huge part of my journey—I used it for my Firodiya Karandak audition, started my formal piano lessons with Sonam, formed a band in college, performed at various events, and even took my Grade 3 piano exam with it.
Status: I played it to death, got it repaired like new in 2023, and finally, two months ago, I sold it to a friend who runs a music school.
Kawai CL26 Digital Piano
Year: July 2014
My first serious digital piano. I was progressing ahead in my piano learning, so I had to get a digital piano. I used it well till I completed my grade 6 piano exam.
Status: Sold in 2021 to a student.
Yamaha U1J Upright Piano
Year: June 2016
By 2016, I had reached a higher level in my classical music studies, and my teacher suggested that I invest in an upright piano. Around the same time, I had also started teaching piano, so it felt like the right step forward. Thanks to my parents, I began searching for a good deal.
A friend gave me a lead—there was a shop in Pune Camp that had been trying to sell a Yamaha U1J for two years. It was taking up space in their small store, and they were eager to get rid of it. When I checked it out, it was out of tune, so I reached out to my piano tuner for advice. He inspected it thoroughly, inside and out, and gave me the green light. I ended up getting a great deal on it, and to this day, it remains a beautiful instrument.
Status: It is at Studio Meraki, being taken care of and used regularly for lessons.
Yamaha MX 61 Synth
Year: 10th March 2020
By this time, I had shifted my focus to learning jazz seriously. I used to have regular jam sessions with my friends Aniruddha and Nicholas, where we practiced, recorded new jazz tunes, and posted them online—on Instagram, Facebook, and a Facebook group called Jam of the Week.
My PSR keyboard had started showing signs of wear due to overuse, so I began considering investing in a new keyboard and an amp. I also anticipated playing gigs in the near future—though, as it turned out, that wouldn’t happen for another two years.
In March 2020, just a week before the lockdown, I went to Shalu Music in Mumbai and bought a new keyboard—a cool-looking synth. It was a great instrument, but in retrospect, I should have done more research before buying it. I took my teacher’s advice and went for this one, and while it's a solid choice, if I could go back in time, I might have picked a different model.
That said, this keyboard has some great qualities—good sounds, a better keybed, and it's lightweight, making it a reliable option for gigs. It also has advanced features like EQ, a compressor, and more, but I still feel like I haven’t explored even 50% of its capabilities.
Status: Still actively being used for gigs/ online teaching/ YouTube videos.
Yamaha Digital Piano P-115
Year: 2021
As I got more comfortable with online teaching during the lockdown, I realized I needed a better setup. I wanted a setup where the students could see my keyboard notes lighting up. My current digital piano, the CL26, had an older MIDI connection that was outdated. I wanted something more portable with better MIDI connectivity.
I put up an ad and sold the CL26 to one of my students. Soon after, I found a barely used Yamaha P115 through a Facebook ad—it belonged to a flautist who had hardly used it. It was practically brand new. This keyboard turned out to be a solid investment, perfect for my jams and online teaching setup. It has a great keybed, excellent sound, and a simple yet reliable design. Though a bit heavy since it’s a digital piano, it’s been a fantastic addition to my setup.
Status: Still being used for online teaching/ recording YouTube videos.
Novation Launchkey 49 MIDI keyboard
Year: February 2023
I had been experimenting with MIDI keyboards and DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations), where my laptop served as the primary source of sound, while the keyboard simply sent signals to control it. Unlike regular keyboards, MIDI keyboards don’t have built-in sounds—they're highly programmable, lightweight, and versatile. However, they rely on a laptop and speakers to function properly.
Until 2022, I had limited success with this setup. Around that time, I started reading about Ableton Live and had also gotten a new soundcard for my work and teaching. The soundcard came with a free version of Ableton Live, so I decided to explore it. That’s when I realized that the Novation keyboard could be a great addition—it allowed me to trigger sounds easily and offered some exciting possibilities.
Although it wasn’t a necessity, I wanted to get it and learn how to use it. So, in early 2023, I gifted it to myself and even did a couple of gigs with it. However, in June 2023, I had a not-so-great experience using it on stage, which made me rethink its practicality for my needs. It’s still a solid instrument with highly customizable features, and honestly, it could be a blog post on its own. But for now, it’s just not the right fit for me.
Status: Planning to sell it, and upgrade to a MIDI launchpad- which can be used to trigger sounds.
Yamaha PSR e473
Year: December 2024
I had a couple of gigs coming up in December and wanted to explore playing with backing tracks and accompaniment. That’s when I realized that, after teaching the keyboard syllabus for nearly a decade, I could actually put those skills to use. As corny as it may sound, PSR keyboards have solid preset sounds that work really well for gigs.
For brunch gigs, where the setup is usually small—just a singer and a pianist—the PSR keyboards are a great fit. I had a few such gigs lined up, so after a lot of research, I decided to upgrade. I sold my old PSR keyboard and bought this updated model.
It immediately proved its worth—by December itself, I had already used it for four gigs, and now, two months in, I can confidently say I’ve explored 100% of its features. From sounds and beats to accompaniments and production elements, it’s been a solid addition to my setup. It’s sturdy, has great built-in speakers, and even a mic input, which is super handy.
The only downside? It weighs around 10 kg, which can be a hassle when carrying it around.
Status: Being used regularly, and I plan to use it for a long time.
'Key' Takeaways
Over the years, I’ve realized that choosing the right keyboard requires a lot of research, careful thought, and planning. I enjoy exploring newer tech and upgrading my instruments whenever I feel it’s necessary.
When buying a keyboard, I consider portability, weight, features, and price—these factors play a crucial role in finding the right fit. If you're planning to buy or upgrade, consult your teacher and fellow musicians, but most importantly, do your research—after all, you’re the one who will be using the instrument.
Need help choosing your next keyboard? Feel free to drop a comment or email—I’d be happy to help!
Comments