sf-keys: Piano and Keyboard lessons - Horsham 

Electronic Keyboard lessons are great for people who wish to embrace the advancements in music technology. They provide opportunities to program different layers of music on one instrument to play a wide variety of styles of music. 

You can layer up different drum and chord patterns, sampled instrument sounds and harmonies to have fun making your own arrangements of songs and music.

Electronic keyboards can also be more accessible, as they are: generally cheaper to buy, group lessons are available in schools as well as individual lessons and they take up less storage room.

You can play a wide variety of styles and play for fun as well as follow the exam route.

                                              Keyboard Guide: January 2024

Keyboard models are frequently changing and being up dated, which can make buying a keyboard seem complicated. I recommend Yamaha keyboards as these are widely used in schools. This does not limit your choice to Yamaha at home, but if you choose to buy another make of keyboard, it will avoid any unnecessary confusion between makes of keyboard if student’s bring their own keyboard in to lessons. 

The exam board has published the following specification for keyboards to be used in music exams:

Here is a list of keyboards that meet these requirements. I have included older models that still meet the requirements. You can use other models, but please check whether they meet the above specifications.

Keyboard technology is continually advancing and I can not foresee if and when the board will change their requirement for their exams, although the current guidelines will remain until end 2026. 

Local stockists or the Yamaha web site will give specific details on these keyboards. Prices of keyboards vary greatly, and once you have decided on which keyboard meets your requirements and budget, please shop around to find a good price. You can get substantial reductions, especially if you have the opportunity to explore prices on the internet and sometimes specialist shops will negotiate prices. There is also a big second-hand market in keyboards, so once you have decided on a short list of models, do keep an eye on local papers or Internet auction sites.

There is a scheme where if you are learning an instrument at a county council school (not an academy), you can buy it through the school without having to pay VAT (The Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme).

What is the Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme? (AIPS)
 The Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme (AIPS) allows a parent or guardian to purchase a musical instrument for a student without paying VAT, ensuring valuable savings off an already reduced price, leading to a huge discount off the RRP. The school purchases the Instrument from us and then sell this instrument on to the parent or student excluding the VAT.

What are the requirements to be eligible for the scheme?
 Changes in the 1994 VAT Regulations enabled school pupils to purchase musical instruments free of VAT. The procedure for this scheme has been approved by HM Customs & Excise and was reviewed in September 1994 by the VAT office.
 To comply with the Customs & Excise rules the following criteria music be satisfied:

• The pupil must be in full-time education at  a Local Education Authority School
• The pupil must either be receiving tuition at the school as part of their curriculum or receiving private tuition in support of a curricular activity such as GCSE music
• The instrument must be appropriate for the pupil’s needs
• The instrument must be portable (e.g. no pianos unless its a portable stage piano)
• The instrument must  be purchased via the school and passed on to the pupil on the school      premises

How Do I Know The Price Of The Instrument?
 The music store will provide the excl VAT instrument prices to the student/parents directly. The "Excl VAT" price will be the price the student will pay the school and the school will then order it subject to the above conditions.

 I also have a limited amount of keyboards for hire. Please contact me if you would like any further information. 

I hope this is of some assistance. If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to send a message at your child's next lesson or contact me at music@sf-keys.co.uk