Buy a Grand Piano, Upright, Electronic - Which is Best For You?

[Ken London]

When you are just starting out playing the piano, or you are thinking
about starting, one of the first questions you ask yourself is "What
sort of piano should I go for?" The answer depends on where you expect
to take your piano playing -- will it be a hobby, are you aiming to be
a concert pianist, or will it be something in between? What sort of
music are you intending to play? These considerations are important,
but you also need to consider where the piano is going to be, and how
much you are willing to spend. Once you get the answers sorted out,
you can be sure that there will be a piano that will fit in with your
requirements.
One of the most important of the influences on your decision is what
space is there to site your piano? Perhaps you have visions of a large
black polished grand piano as a talking point for visitors to stand
around, and to lean on while you render a concerto in your own
inimitable style; but if you live in a seventh floor apartment where
your largest room is the lounge/kitchen shared space, and the
floorboards are creaking dangerously, then you should seriously
downgrade your vision. You need a reasonable area to enable you to
practice your piano skills in a relaxed environment -- even if you do
have a good-sized living room you might prefer to play in a separate
space to be able to concentrate better.
So, you have thought carefully about where your piano can go. Now you
can begin to think about your buying options ; these are in three
types: grand pianos, upright pianos, and digital keyboards, and the
corresponding space requirements are a lot, not so much, and hardly
any. In the latter category, digital keyboards require very little
space and, since they are usually easily transportable, can often be
packed away in a cupboard or under the bed when they are not in use.
Also, since digital keyboards are electronic, they need little
maintenance.
Of middling size is the upright piano; this can be heavy but, since
their shape is fairly regular and compact, it is not too difficult to
transport (with a little help!). The other good point about an upright
is that it go against a wall or even in the corner of a room. Grand
pianos, on the other hand, are curved on all sides apart from where
the player sits, and so absolutely has to stand away from a wall and
the options for placing it are not so many. So, yes, a grand piano
looks fantastic, but they have to be treated very carefully, and need
experienced specialists to transport them. Grand pianos are probably
best left to professional musicians, or those who are completely
devoted to their art.
Of course the three types of piano also sound different from each
other , and the way they actually work is part of this. The beginning
piano player will not be concerned too much with this, but a more
advanced or discerning player will want to take this into account.
Grand pianos work by way of hammers swinging upwards and hitting a
taut string from below; in upright pianos the strings are vertical and
the hammers swing sideways to hit them. Some players find that a grand
can be played faster and require less tuning and maintenance, but an
upright will produce good sound quality for the slower players. Most
players agree that a digital keyboard does not produce sound with the
same resonance as a grand or upright as it does not have strings --
but they are great way to get into piano playing and learning all the
techniques.
For most of us, the major factor when buying a piano is the cost --
can you afford the basic unit plus all the maintenance and tuning it
may require? Remember that a digital keyboard will not need tuning,
and maintenance is minimal. On the other hand, a well-maintained grand
or upright is likely to increase in value over time, and can be
regarded as a long-term investment.
One way through financial obstacles is to consider a digital keyboard.
These can vary greatly in cost, but they are usually much less
expensive than a grand or upright. Uprights are generally in the
middle with respect to cost.
To help you make that final decision, try borrowing or renting a
keyboard and playing with it for a while, then go into a store and ask
to try out the different piano options. Try some of the techniques you
have used on the digital keyboard and see how they feel on a piano
with strings and real movement. Come to that, some digital keyboards
now try to emulate the 'action' of a stringed piano, so try some
digital keyboards too.
When you have decided which sort of piano to go for, you have to make
sure that you get full return on your investment by learning the piano
with an experienced piano teacher. You don't want your piano to sit
there unwanted or unplayed just because your "How to Play Piano" book
was difficult to understand! A human teacher, or a video/DVD course
will be a lot easier to follow, and enable you improve your piano
playing as far as your imagination will take you!

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Learn Piano" group.
To post to this group, send email to learnpi...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to learnpianokyd...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/learnpianokydf?hl=en.