14 November 2021 Avoid These Mistakes When Selecting a New Piano

Avoid These Mistakes When Selecting a New Piano

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One of the greatest gifts you can give your child, or even yourself, is the gift of music. Unlike a lot of hobbies, music brings benefits for a lifetime. Sit down as a child, and it can help improve test scores, and make you better at linguistics. Play regularly as an adult, and it offers enhanced cognitive skills and stress relief. 

When you put it like that, it’s easy to see that an investment in a new piano could quite literally change your life. 

Still, new pianos can be expensive. It might come as sticker shock the first time you take in the price tag. That can make you scramble for something cheaper … and leave you with an instrument that is subpar at best. 

Pianos are a long term investment. To avoid common mistakes when selecting a new piano, keep these tips in mind. 

Know your budget

Part of setting a budget is understanding the true value of what you’re investing in. If you see a free piano on Craigslist, you might be tempted to lower your budget considerably. Think again. When people resort to giving away a piano on Craigslist, it’s often because it has sat untouched for years (or decades.) The piano is out of tune. It’s lost its tonal quality. It won’t sound right if you play it. And it will take a lot of money to bring it back up to working condition. Don’t be intimidated by stopping in and browsing our showroom floor. There are many upright and grand piano options. We can help you define your budget more clearly, and take home a piano that truly suits your needs. 

Pay attention to quality

What’s wrong with a piano that’s slightly out of tune? We often compare it to playing soccer with a “slightly” flat ball. If the instrument you are playing doesn’t sound right, the music produced won’t sound right to your ears. That decreases your desire to want to keep playing, and reduces the chance that you’ll continue on with lessons. No matter what your budget is, there are instruments that can give you years of enjoyment. Pay attention to the brand name. Touch the keys and make sure each produces sound. Listen to the sound it makes – is it enjoyable to your ears? Even without formal training, you’ll be surprised at how much you can hear simply by touching the keys and listening carefully. 

Consider your needs and options

There are many different types, styles, and options when it comes to selecting your new piano. Don’t overlook used pianos – we carry a full selection of used pianos that can give you a high quality piano at a lower cost. You may also wish to consider digital, which can give you ease of use when it comes to transferring your music to your computer. Or plug in a pair of headphones, and you can play no matter what else is happening in the room. 

Piano dealers have more to offer

With so many different ways of finding a piano, why should you consider visiting a piano dealer? You’ll be missing out on the knowledge they’ve built up for years. They can help you get answers to questions you didn’t even know you had. They can give you financing options, offer warranties, even help you buy a starter with the option to move up to higher quality as your skills grow. If you have specific desires, they can help find the right piano to suit your needs. That’s something you’ll never see from a free listing on Craigslist. 

Have you been looking in the wrong places for a new piano? Avoid making the most common mistakes people make when shopping for a new piano, and you’ll invest in an instrument that brings you years of joy and playability. 

How can we help you find the perfect piano to suit your needs? 

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10 November 2021 Is Now The Time To Upgrade To a Professional Piano?

Is Now The Time To Upgrade To a Professional Piano?

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One of the greatest joys is watching your child find something they are passionate about. 

When they’re young, you sign up for a variety of activities, giving them options along the way. Quickly, certain activities rise while others fall off. If your child shows musical aptitude, you may consider more training. Maybe it’s time to expand their knowledge of music, and invest in a different instructor. 

Often, this is where you’ll find someone saying it’s time to upgrade to a professional piano. When you purchased your first, it was with the thought of having the piano for life. Isn’t the old one “good” enough? Is there really a difference? 

Before you set off to buy a new piano, take the time to understand why an instructor is coaching you to move forward with a professional piano. What’s the difference?

Your starting point

Unless you had piano training as a child, you might have purchased your first piano based on price alone. Did you pick one up at a big box store? Or find something inexpensive online? Depending on the piano currently inside your home, it might not have the proper touch. It’s the number one reason instructors coach their students on upgrading. 

Piano touch has to do with the way you connect with the keys, and the sound it produces. Touch has to do with the resistance you feel when you press the key down on a piano. There is a concise feeling you get as your fingers run up and down the keys. Without learning how to play based on standard weight and friction, your child won’t readily be able to move between pianos. This friction changes over time. A piano can wear down. Older pianos aren’t set up the way newer technology dictates into action. 

When a piano player understands how to move up and down the keyboard, they can begin to command depth from how the instrument plays. This is unique to individual pianos, as well as personal to the person playing. 

Professional equipment – professional sound

Professional equipment is designed for more tonal quality, more depth from the sound. It does so by using better components to produce the sound. 

If you’ve purchased a digital without weighted keys, or an older piano smaller in size,  it can impact the way it plays. The weight of the keys may feel off, too light or too heavy. The depth of the tone may be too shallow or deep. The size of the piano can limit the sound that comes through every time a person sits down to play. 

And as a piano player refines their performance, it limits the way that they play.

Think for a moment about music coming straight from your phone, using the small speaker system built-in. It may sound tinny. It may not hold as you turn the volume up. 

Now play your favorite music from a high quality stereo system. You can hear the difference immediately. The lows are deeper, the highs are richer. You feel the music in a much different way. 

That’s what a professional piano can bring for your child. When they hear the difference, they feel the difference. 

And it might just make them more excited about playing. 

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7 November 2021 Can a Digital Piano Replace an Acoustic Piano?

Can a Digital Piano Replace an Acoustic Piano?

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Some musicians will tell you playing an acoustic piano is the only way to go. Others will say that a digital piano can be a great learning tool. 

Which way should you go? Can a digital piano replace an acoustic piano? Can you learn on either one? 

The two types of pianos can both bring music to your life. If you’re trying to decide between the two, the first step is to take a few minutes to evaluate your needs. 

A teenager looking to recreate their favorite pop songs is different from an empty nester wanting to take up a new hobby. Both have a desire to learn the piano. But both can approach it in entirely different ways. 

Start with a few questions.

  • Do you have room for a piano in your home?
  • Will you be playing with others?
  • Is this for personal enjoyment, or do you want to form a band?
  • Will you be sharing your music online?
  • Will others be using the piano within your family?

An acoustic piano comes in two formats: vertical and grand. Uprights most often sit against a wall, taking up a small amount of space. Grand pianos are often put on display, becoming the center of your decor. 

Digital pianos have been adapted to modern technology. You can find them in all shapes and sizes. They come in three different types: a grand piano, an upright, and a portable. Like its acoustic counterpart, a high-quality digital piano will provide the same touch and action. If you’re going digital, pay particular attention to the sound. 

Sound will always be better when using an acoustic piano. Sound is produced when the hammer strikes a string. Depending on the instrument, it has a rich, warm tone with better articulation and expression. Because a digital piano records the sound, it can only mimic the tonal quality. It will never have the same nuances as an acoustic piano. 

What the digital piano may lack in sound, it makes up for with additional features. It has the ability to create a wide variety of sounds, from drum beats to almost any instrument. Digital pianos can record and create a digital file you can share. Plugin headphones, and you can practice just about anywhere. And if you select a portable version, you can take it with you no matter where you roam. 

While a digital piano will never fully replace an acoustic piano, it can provide different resources that may be perfect to suit your needs. 

Need help deciding which is suitable for you? Stop by today and see our entire line of acoustic and digital pianos. 

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4 November 2021 Can You Tune a Piano After 50 Years?

Can You Tune a Piano After 50 Years?

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Some things inside your home have more value over time. We often are enamored by television shows that find buried treasure in the attics and basements of loved ones. 

Yet while a painting can be hidden away in a suitcase for decades and grow in value, a piano doesn’t hold those same characteristics. The definition of an antique is: a collectible object such as a piece of furniture or work of art that has a high value because of its considerable age. A painting may never change, especially if it’s kept apart from the elements around it. A piano can and will. 

A piano isn’t a piece of furniture, though you may be proud to display it inside your home. Instead, a piano contains over 10,000 parts that make it come to life every time you sit down to play it. It’s made from wood, metal, felt, and other organic components that will degrade over time. 

  • Wood can become brittle
  • Hammers can get hard
  • Strings can become rusty and stretched

And that’s just the start. 

Whether you play the piano or not, the surrounding area impacts the playability of a piano. Humidity can settle in. Rising and falling temperatures can cause damage. The simple act of standing without touching it can affect how well it holds up over time. 

If you purchase an older piano on Craigslist, for example, you may buy a piano that has sat in a living room, unplayed for decades. Worse, it might have shuffled between a basement or garage to make room for other furniture. Then it was “cleaned up” to try and make money from it online. 

Without proper restoration, a piano will no longer function after years of neglect. 

When looking to acquire a piano, age matters. A lot. 

If a piano hasn’t been tuned in years, it will lose its ability to stay tuned. No matter how much you work with the strings, they won’t return to their proper sound. 

If the pins are in good shape, replacing the strings may be all that’s needed to hold the sound. If more extensive damage is in place, it may require complete restoration of the strings, soundboard, plate, and bridges to bring it back into balanced tension. 

In that case, it may make more sense to invest in a new piano. Or if there is sentimental value attached, a complete restoration may be the way to go. 

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28 October 2021 How Do You Pack a Piano For Moving

How Do You Pack a Piano For Moving

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You’ve found a new home. Congratulations! 

Now comes the hard part – packing everything up and moving. 

While it’s easy to place pots and pans in a box and seal it up, you can’t do that with a piano. 

An upright piano may seem difficult. Packing up a grand piano may seem next to impossible. The key to moving them safely is through proper prepping and planning. 

The planning process

When it comes to ensuring your piano is safely moved, it starts with careful planning. Map out the planning process from where you’re moving from, to where you’re moving to. Take into account stairs, curves, and turns. Measure doors and hallways to ensure your piano can move freely from one place to the next. It isn’t unheard of to hire a crane to move a grand piano from several floors up. Be sure to have the entire space ready for the move, keeping pets, kids, and other personal belongings free and clear. 

Upright piano

When moving an upright piano, pay particular attention to the pedals and keys. These delicate features can cause harm to a piano if damaged, and add to your expenses once it reaches the final destination. With the keyboard secure, and the pedals properly wrapped, pay attention to the legs. Uprights often weigh 500 to 600 pounds or more, and one wrong move can have it damage the legs, fall on its side, and destroy the piano. 

Grand piano

Grand pianos have to be disassembled in order to be moved. First, lower the lid and secure it into position. Then carefully take off the piano legs and pedals. You should also remove any decorative features such as the music stand. With everything broken down and properly secured, only then should you wrap the lid, keys, and sides with moving blankets and packing tape. A grand piano can weigh 1,000 to 1,500 pounds or more. This isn’t a two-person job. It takes skill and knowledge to ensure your piano is safely moved. It should be moved using lifts, dollies, and other professional equipment, then properly secured once it’s inside the truck. 

Can you move a piano on its side?

Grand pianos can be very large in size. It can be impossible to move them through doorways or down hallways without turning them on their sides. When this is required, do so with care. It won’t harm or damage your piano for the short term. Just be sure it’s properly supported at all times. 

Moving a piano is not a DIY task. To keep your piano in good working condition, rely on professional piano movers from start to finish. It’s the best way to keep your piano working for years to come. 

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24 October 2021 Building a New Piano Business? What To Include In a First Piano Lesson

Building a New Piano Business? What To Include In a First Piano Lesson

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As you’re building a new piano business, one of the first things you’ll have to plan is a first piano lesson. This can be a trial lesson to get to know your student, or the first lesson after booking a new client. 

This sets the stage for how you’ll work with a client. It’s an important first meeting. It can be a stressful experience for both teacher and student. 

But as a teacher, it’s your job to put your new client at ease. Ready to do it effectively? 

Start by putting the student at ease

Both students and their parents might be a little anxious about starting a new hobby. They’ll have questions and expectations, and it’s up to you to put them at ease. Make the first session more about getting to know them as a person too. Start with questions to get them talking, such as:

  • Do you have a pet? 
  • What’s your favorite band or singer?
  • Why do you want to play the piano?
  • What songs do you listen to?
  • What other hobbies do you have?
  • Can you play anything on the piano?

By finding out a little more about your student, you can use that to build on as you explore music together. 

Do some rhythm activities

Help your student find the beat of a few songs. You can clap out different rhythm patterns to help them get into different songs. A lot of music is opening up awareness to how it’s created. This is a good first step, one they can continue thinking about over the next few weeks. 

Explore the keyboard

It’s important that a student starts defining the keyboard from the moment they sit down and play. Talk about how the white keys intermix between the black keys. Have them play simple songs to learn more about how they fit together. 

Introduce lesson books

Every piano teacher has a preferred lesson book they will be using for each lesson. This is a time to give your new student their very own copy, and discuss the first pages and how you’ll be using them. You should also provide them with lesson plans and music theory books – anything you’ll be using in the coming weeks to help them learn and stay on track. This is your chance to establish how each of your lessons will progress.. 

Give practice instructions

Brand new students have no idea how to create a practice routine. This is your chance to help them set it up correctly. Give very specific practice instructions, and include instructions for both parents and students. This should include things like:

  • How many minutes per day
  • Setup of a good working environment
  • Expectations of the student each week
  • Expectations of how a parent can encourage their child
  • Stress fun at the top of the list

The purpose of every piano lesson should have an emphasis on fun. People learn piano to enjoy making music. It should never become a chore. 

What do you use during your first piano lesson? 

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21 October 2021 Should I Buy a 50 Year Old Piano?

Should I Buy a 50 Year Old Piano?

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Why do some things gain more value with age? 

There’s a myth in the antique industry that if it’s old, it must be valuable. That’s what creates good television, with shows that look for lost treasure found in grandma’s attic. 

But just because something is old, doesn’t make it worth a lot of money. When thinking about age and the object in question, the best place to start is by going back to when the item was made. What’s the intrinsic value? How much was the item when it was originally sold? 

That applies to pianos too. 

In every case, pianos have been produced in two ways: quickly to move it out to the masses, and slowly with the thought of it being top of the line. The more love and care put into the crafting process, the more it will uphold its value over time. 

As yourself a few questions about the piano you’re considering:

  • Is it rare?
  • Does it have a valuable brand name?
  • Are there words to describe it in the industry?
  • What is its history?
  • Who owned it?
  • How much did they pay for it? 

The better you can define it, the more value it could possibly have. 

Take a look at some of the most expensive pianos in the world. You’ll see that each of these has extensive answers to the questions above. 

No matter hold old a piano is, when shopping for a used piano, consider:

The piano brand – a higher quality piano means higher quality parts that won’t wear down over time. 

The age of the piano – for most pianos, a useful life can be anywhere from 20 to 100 years. The older a piano is, ensure you have access to the history behind it to fully understand how well the piano was cared for. 

How well the piano plays – if you’re new, the sales staff will be happy to play it for you to allow you to hear the full range of the piano. Be sure to sit down and touch the keys to get a good feel. 

What can be fixed – even if the old piano is in good working condition, ask questions about future maintenance. Are parts readily available? What timeframe are you looking at for regular maintenance? 

Learning all you can before you buy will ensure you invest in a high quality instrument that will be in your life for years to come. 

How can we help you find the right instrument to suit your needs? 

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18 October 2021 Are Old Pianos Better Than New Pianos?

Are Old Pianos Better Than New Pianos?

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If you’re in the market for a piano, you might be perplexed by the number of old pianos on the market. 

Why are so many old pianos being sold? 

Are old pianos comparable to new pianos? 

Can an old piano be a welcome addition to your home?

Are old pianos better than new pianos?

We get a lot of these questions as people shop around for the right instrument to suit their needs. 

Pianos aren’t like other appliances or machinery inside your home. In fact, in some cases, an old piano can give you more playability than you could get from that new piano you’re considering. Here are a few reasons why. 

It’s all about the sound

Depending on the make and model of piano you’re considering, the piano may have been handmade and crafted one piano at a time. That gives the piano a unique sound, one that may sound superior to a newer piano you might be considering. Sound is everything with an instrument. If you enjoy the music it makes, you’re more likely to sit down and play. 

Restoration can give you access to a better instrument

Have you found a diamond in the rough? Are you bringing a family heirloom into your home, and you’re ready to make it the central focal point of a room? When a piano is well maintained over the years, eventually, it too will need repair. From restringing to a complete overhaul, if a piano has “good bones,” restoration can return it to the piano it once was. That keeps your memories intact, and gives you access to a piano that will continue to create beautiful music for many more years to come. 

The first year of a piano’s life

If you’re considering a new piano, you’ll be happy with your choice. Yet even a new piano will need a lot of TLC the first year to ensure it’s playing just right. When a piano comes out of the box and is set up inside your home, it will need regular tunings as it stretches and moves. Old pianos have the luxury of routine maintenance, which means they might not change as frequently as new ones. But with either piano, you’ll need regular maintenance to ensure it plays at its greatest aptitude. 

The sound is determined by the skills of the technician

Most people think it’s the way a pianist plays the piano. But they can only create the music the piano allows them to create. A skilled technician understands proper tuning. They know how to ensure the voice of the piano reaches its full potential. Can you watch a video and try it yourself? Just realize that proper piano maintenance takes years to learn. It’s the one way to keep your piano in proper working condition, and give yourself a chance to enjoy the process of sitting down to play. 

Are old pianos better than new ones? It depends on what you want. Stop by today, and you can see both in action, and make the right choice for your needs. 

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10 October 2021 Time Saving Tips If You Run a Busy Piano Studio

Time Saving Tips If You Run a Busy Piano Studio

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Life has changed a lot over the past two years. Where we once drove everywhere, scheduling things closely enough to be busy every hour of the day, we’re now looking for ways to stay closer to home. 

It’s also made us realize there’s more to life than being busy. Sometimes it’s about relaxing, and doing things we love. 

Maybe that’s why the arts have suddenly moved forward and are on the top of everyone’s mind again. That’s good news if you run a busy piano studio. 

With a little ingenuity, you can fill your calendar with clients, bringing the joy of music to many more people in your community. 

But before you get overwhelmed with possibilities, start the process out with a few time saving tips. 

Track your time

This is a lesson taught in a variety of productivity classes because it’s the starting point to becoming more efficient. You have to know how you spend your time before you do things to add more time to your days. And that’s important if you hope to run an efficient piano studio. 

Keep paper or your favorite app nearby and track everything you do for a week. This gives you a running look at where your time goes, and can help you make choices for ways to curb time spent on things of little importance. 

Limit social media

As you track your time, do you find a great deal of it goes to checking in on your favorite social media site? It’s an escape for many of us. But if you’re like a lot of people, you also find that a simple check can quickly turn to thirty minutes wasted. It’s also a distraction that holds you back from doing other more important things. 

If you really love social media, possibly using it for your business too, schedule it. Put a time on the calendar where you give yourself permission to check in and surf to your heart’s content. Just be sure to activate a timer with it so you know when your time’s up. 

Organize your to-dos

Have you ever organized your to-dos with sticky notes? The pile grows, they get lost, and there’s no way to manage if you’re truly doing what’s important first. 

Get rid of your sticky note pile, and go with a calendar system instead. You can use something as simple as the calendar system that comes with your phone. Or use a paper calendar if you like a visual that sits by your desk. If you have something that needs completion, write it down. Create lists for your piano studio and your personal life. Then give them priorities, and work items accordingly. 

Batch your tasks

The more detailed your to-do list, the more you start to see related tasks. Batch them together to help get things done faster. You’ll start to see related items that can be combined into one session with possible overlap that shortens your time involved with each project. You’ll see efficiencies in ways you never thought about before. 

Plan your days in blocks

When do you have your most energy? When do certain projects have to be done? 

We all have our own internal clocks that give us peak energy. Are you a morning person, or do you prefer to work late into the night? Taking advantage of your optimal workspace can allow you to get things done quickly. Learn when your peak work times are, and create a block on your calendar where you work on specific projects during that time frame. Block other time wasters out, and you’ll quickly see a boost in your productivity. 

Are you working to create a more efficient piano studio this year? What tips have you used to save time throughout your days?  

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7 October 2021 4 Things To Look For When Purchasing a Second Hand Piano

4 Things To Look For When Purchasing a Second Hand Piano

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When it comes to buying a new piano for your home, you might start by thinking of a brand new model. But with a little research, you might start dreaming of a used piano instead. 

There are many advantages to purchasing a second hand piano. Let’s start with value. 

All you have to do is search online, and you’ll find a variety of options ready and waiting for you. Search Craigslist, and you can find people offering used pianos for free. Before you fall for these ads, take a little time to learn more about the value of the instrument. In some cases, investing in a second hand piano can be a good investment. If you’re not careful, you can bring home something that will cost you even more down the road. 

Remember, a piano has over 10,000 moving parts in an acoustic piano. To ensure each piece works together to provide beautiful music, it takes a high quality instrument to ensure every detail is doing its part. 

Strings and soundboard

The heart of a piano begins with the way the piano creates sound. That can’t happen without the strings and the soundboard. The strings create over 18 tons of pressure as they are stretched into place within the pinblock. This steel and copper wire is taut perfectly to create the intended sound. Over time, these wires need to be tuned to create the right amount of tension to continue bringing the proper sound. If these strings are neglected for any length of time, they might not be repairable, meaning the only way to correct it will be through replacement. 

The soundboard provides the proper structure to take the string vibrations and reflect it as the tone. Created from wood, this board can become richer and warmer in tone as it ages. However, if the piano is neglected, it can lose its tonal quality.

The piano keys

This is one of the first things most buyers look at, but it’s important to give them a second look. Are they dirty or discolored? If you look between the keys, it can help you further determine overall health. If the keys are subjected to moisture, they might be warped or damaged. Well maintained piano keys should be smooth to the touch, and responsive as you press them down and release them. If you feel sticking, it could be from broken action or worn hammers. 

The piano – inside and out

One of the easiest ways to determine the overall quality of a second hand piano is with a visual inspection. Check out the cabinet. Open the top and peer inside. Do you see scratches, dents, damaged hinges, broken parts, or neglect? You can often tell if neglect is trying to be covered up. 

It can also be a good indicator if you can trace the piano’s history. Can you follow where the piano has been throughout its life? Was it well cared for? Did it have ongoing maintenance? A red flag can come from a comment of “I don’t know.”

Play the piano

The piano isn’t designed to be on display as artwork. It’s intended to be played. So play it. Sit down and play a favorite song. Just starting? When you work with a dealer, they are happy to put the piano into action and help you hear the tonal quality of each piano you consider. 

Overall, if you’re interested in music, you already have a tonal quality you like to hear. By investing in a second hand piano, you can often get the rich tones of a well cared for instrument, at an affordable price. 

When will you bring home your new piano and start playing? 

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