Musical instruments configured to help refine playing technique, and method of making same

A practice musical instrument configured to mimic implement rebound produced when playing a conventional version of the musical instrument, the instrument comprising:

• a plurality of spaced-apart, rectangular keys, at least two of the keys having a different length, the keys being arranged in two rows, a first row of the two rows being positioned vertically above and horizontally off-set from a second row of the two rows, each key being formed of one of metal, wood, or a synthetic material;
• and
• a strike pad glued to a top surface of each key, each strike pad being formed of rubber, each strike pad having a rectangular shape, a length of each strike pad being at least slightly less than a length of the key to which the strike pad is attached, a width of each strike pad being slightly less than a width of the key to which the strike pad is attached,
• wherein hitting one of the strike pads with an implement produces a rebound of the implement that mimics a rebound of the implement when hitting a corresponding key of the conventional version of the instrument,
• wherein hitting one of the strike pads with the implement produces a sound that is quieter than when the implement hits a corresponding key of the conventional version of the instrument, and
• wherein a first portion of the instrument is attached to a second portion of the instrument by at least one hinge, the hinge being configured to orient the first portion in a single plane with the second portion such that the instrument has a length that is the same as the conventional version of the instrument, the hinge being configured to orient the first portion parallel to the second portion in two separate planes such that the instrument is approximately half the length of the conventional version of the instrument.