Why Moving A Piano Without A Professional Puts You At Risk

Why Moving A Piano Without A Professional Puts You At Risk

Just because a mover adds your piano to their job doesn’t mean they’ll handle it with the greatest of care. 

If a mover doesn’t move pianos for a living, they might not be aware of how to pack the piano properly without breaking legs, pedals, or other delicate parts in the process. They also won’t be aware of how to fix complex problems once they put your piano in its final resting spot. 

Pianos can weigh hundreds to even thousands of pounds. Moving a piano is different than moving a large chest of drawers or an armoire. It’s bulky. It’s awkward. It’s easy to hurt yourself and easy to damage the piano. Why Moving A Piano Without A Professional Puts You At Risk

And because movers only carry insurance needed for the most common types of moving damage, chances are they won’t be fully covered if the unexpected happens to your piano. 

That means you’ll have to foot the bill to get your piano back into original condition. 

If you’re moving, and a piano is a part of your move, do your research early to be sure they’re right for the job. 

A great way to tell is by the equipment they use for the process. Piano moving companies have trucks specifically built for moving pianos. They’re smaller. They’re specially made for housing a piano during a move. 

They also use hydraulic lifts and other technology to have less chance in injury for both the movers and for your piano. 

Another great way to tell if someone is experienced in moving pianos is to do a little research online. Look through review sites to determine who has a good reputation and who to avoid. 

Also, remember moving a piano is not a do it yourself project. Even house movers utilize tools to help them lift heavy objects. Do it yourselfers often attempt moving without straps and dollies, simple items that can add leverage to the job. Pianos are heavier than they look; it’s the last thing you want to discover when you’re nearing a flight of stairs, or trying to wiggle the piano through a door. 

Having Trouble Playing The Piano? It May Be This

Having Trouble Playing The Piano? It May Be This

What does it take to play the piano? It’s easy to assume that putting your fingers to the keys is all it takes. But there’s a lot more to it than that. 

If you’ve been having trouble creating the perfect sound, it may be your posture. In order for your fingers to connect perfectly with the keys, it’s important to ensure your hand and wrist position is correct. This makes you play better, and it prevents potential injury too. 

Check your: 

Having Trouble Playing The Piano? It May Be ThisBench

Too often, the bench is an afterthought. We’ve even seen people pulling up a chair and expecting to play at their best. Yet your bench is an integral part of how you play, and not everyone can play at their best with the same bench.

A good option is an adjustable bench, especially if more than one in your family will play. Your bench helps stabilize you. It gives you power to connect with the keys. And if you’re sitting at the piano correctly, it puts your arms in perfect position to give you the power you need to play at your best. 

How You’re Sitting On The Bench

The bench isn’t meant for you to sit back on and relax. This position can strain your muscles and throw off your head and neck. It can allow you to slouch, which can harm your arms, wrists, and hands. 

Instead, move forward until you notice you have correct piano posture. You’ll sit directly on your sit bones while having full movement of your arms, hands, and fingers. You’ll feel less stress over time. 

Practice

Practice doesn’t make perfect. Perfect practice is what you need. That doesn’t mean you should set the clock and hammer out notes just to say you’ve played for thirty minutes. Increasing to sixty minutes won’t double your efforts. If anything, it’ll just make you tired. 

Instead, focus on forming good habits. Adjust your body so you don’t become stiff or sore. Play for enjoyment, not merely for the sake of playing. You’ll never enjoy it if you ignore why you’re playing. 

Correct posture is one of the best ways to enjoy playing piano for life. If you need a little help, start with ensuring you have the right tools – the right piano and bench for your playing needs. 

How Do I Know If My Piano Is Worth Restoring?

How Do I Know If My Piano Is Worth Restoring?

Do you have an old piano that was handed down to you from your parents or grandparents? Is your old piano on display in your living or family room, but doesn’t play the way you wish it would? 

Pianos aren’t just instruments you tuck away and pull out only when you wish to play them. Instead, they can be works of art themselves. Yet when they don’t play correctly, it can be frustrating. 

Pianos are the most complex instrument, with thousands of moving parts to create sound. And as you probably know, if some of those parts aren’t operating correctly, the sound can be anything but soothing. 

Many things can happen over time. 

How Do I Know If My Piano Is Worth Restoring?

interior of a concert grand piano – wide orientation

  • The felt wears away
  • The strings lose tension
  • The strings break
  • The wooden structure cracks
  • The exterior loses its sheen

Can it be fixed?

Most pianos can go years without any major repair. The more you maintain it, the longer it can go before requiring major restoration. But once you start seeing the signs, you’ll have a decision to make. Ask yourself these three questions. 

Is the overall condition of the piano in good shape? If the piano has been subjected to extreme neglect, severe fire or water damage, it may be beyond repair. 

Is the original quality of the piano good enough to restore? Some pianos were simply cheap imitations of the real thing. If it had little value when it was created, no matter how much restoration you do, you’ll never have a quality instrument. 

Will it take more money to repair it than it would cost to replace it? Now maybe the time to invest in something new. 

Only you can decide how much commitment you want to put into restoring an old piano. If you have any questions, we’re here to help. 

Grand Piano Keyboard – Are There Differences?

Grand Piano Keyboard – Are There Differences?

If you’ve been thinking of investing in a piano for yourself or your child, it may be difficult to decide which is the perfect one to buy. 

As you advance in your piano playing abilities, the choices can remain difficult, especially when you’re ready for an upgrade. Should you invest in a grand piano? Or should you upgrade your keyboard to something better? 

There are clear differences between the two. And if you’ve played the piano for any length of time, you understand the complexities fairly well. With a digital keyboard, you have the option of making different sounds. With an acoustic piano, you can’t. Grand Piano Keyboard - Are There Differences?

But there are more subtle differences you should consider too. 

What music you want to create

Different pianists like to play different songs. If you haven’t honed in on your preferences, sticking with an acoustic can provide you with the basic skills. However, if you know you prefer jazz, pop, maybe a little rock, moving towards the digital piano may be right for you. The quickest way to become frustrated is not to have the right options for what you want to create. Listen to your gut and select the right instrument to create what you desire. 

What options you’ll need

No matter what type of music you want to play, keep in mind that it’s important to have certain characteristics on the final piano you select. Standard foot pedals are important to play certain songs. Weighted keys are imperative to building your skills as a well-versed pianist. If you have the desire to transfer your music and edit and create online, it’s important to have the right programs in place. Before you buy, be sure to sit down and tally a list to ensure you get the right selection for your needs. 

What maintenance level is important to you

With traditional pianos, tuning is an important part of upkeep. With digital keyboards, you’ll never have tuning needs to ensure a continuous quality sound. Yet digital presents its own problems; if you travel, how will you keep your keyboard safe from harm’s way? 

What are your living arrangements 

This is especially important if you are purchasing for a child. If your child wants to continue playing as they move to college, or rent an apartment on their own, a digital keyboard may offer them more convenience. If you want a grand piano to be on display in your forever home, an acoustic may be the wisest choice. 

There isn’t a right or wrong answer to finding the perfect piano for you. Grand piano? Keyboard? The choice is yours. 

How Many Keys Do You Need To Learn Piano?

How Many Keys Do You Need To Learn Piano?

I’ve always wanted to learn the piano. Now that I have a little more free time during my week, I’m committed to taking lessons and making this a reality. What piano should I choose? Is a 61 key keyboard enough? Or should I purchase a piano with 88 keys? What’s the difference? And why should I care?

We get questions like this one from newbie piano players all the time. And with good reason. 

Selecting a new piano for the first time can be a little confusing. After all, there are many different kinds of pianos out there. You’ll find digital and acoustic. Keyboards and traditional. Uprights and grands. What should you choose?

When you purchase a modern piano, it will have 52 white keys and 36 black keys for a total of 88 keys. This allows you to play seven full octaves plus a minor third. How Many Keys Do You Need To Learn Piano?

However, when you move to digital keyboards, that’s when you find more variance in the number of keys offered. 

One manufacturer of a 61 key keyboard promises you’ll never “lose” out on not having the right keys because it allows you to transpose all of the keys up or down an octave. And while that may work in some cases, it won’t always work. For classical music, 61 keys aren’t enough. 

There’s also a more pressing problem with smaller, less expensive keyboard options. They often aren’t structured like a traditional piano, making it difficult to carry your newfound skills from one piano to the next. 

Traditional acoustic pianos have keys that are weighted. And not every digital keyboard mimics these dynamics. The difference is in the feel, the touch. 

If your goal is to simply learn some theory and be able to create a few sounds, the choice may not matter. 

If you want to learn to play the piano, get a piano to learn on. If you don’t, you’ll most likely feel frustrated as you won’t be able to develop the proper techniques. You’ll learn this very quickly when you sit down at a traditional piano and have trouble playing. 

Have additional questions about the right piano for you? We can help. 

Why Piano Makes A Great First Instrument

Why Piano Makes A Great First Instrument

Have you ever heard a child pick up and play the trumpet for the very first time? 

The noise that comes from within would never be described as music. 

Or how about a violin? One pull of the bow across the strings will leave you with raised eyebrows and shaking your head, willing the sound to go away. 

Have a child pick up a guitar and ask them to play a certain note again and again. You’ll be lucky if you can tell they were anywhere near the same range. 

Most instruments take a fair amount of talent to make them sound like they’re supposed to. It takes time to learn to hold your mouth just so. Or to place your fingers on the strings. Or to move your hands the way you do. Why Piano Makes A Great First Instrument

That’s not the case with a piano. No matter how novice you are at playing, anyone can sit down and touch a key and produce the note as it was intended to be played. If you touch middle C, it will sound just like anyone else who touches the same note. 

If a piano has been tuned, striking the key will create the perfect tone. You can tap it or punch it hard and the true tone of the note will ring through. 

Try that with a trumpet or violin. 

But just because it’s easier to create the right notes, doesn’t make the piano that much easier to play. In fact, many would argue that the piano is the most difficult instrument to master. 

Learning any instrument takes a certain amount of time to master the basic skills. A guitarist will have to memorize and execute chords. A trumpet player will have to learn both fingering techniques, and the different ways notes are created with the mouth. Even a drummer has to learn to use both hands in a variety of ways to create a multitude of different sounds. 

But a piano takes learning to another level. It requires both hands navigating up and down the keyboard, having the option of touching and combining 88 keys at any given time to create sounds. The hands must work together to create music. And for most people, that’s something they’ve never had to master before. Most of us are born favoring one hand over the other. With the piano, you have to put everything into making them work together. And to do so requires brain work you’ve never had to use in any other way. It takes a lifetime to master. 

Yet from the moment you sit down for the very first time, touching a note gives you a sense of wonder. With a little playing, you can pick out a tune. With a little coaching, you can play a recognizable melody. 

And that’s where it all begins. 

10 Professional Piano Associations and Publications For You To Join

10 Professional Piano Associations and Publications For You To Join

Ready to further your career as a music professional? Want to make piano a big part of your life? Consider joining a few of these professional piano associations to stay at the top of the industry. 

The College Music Society – promotes teaching and learning, creativity and expression. If you want to include music at the highest education level, this is the organization for you. 

The Royal Conservatory – to develop human potential on creativity and the arts for the greatest personal growth. 

Clavier Companion – a publication devoted to the art of piano pedagogy. 10 Professional Piano Associations and Publications For You To Join

Gramophone – a publication dedicated to the world’s best classical music. 

American Music Teacher – a magazine devoted to helping music teachers hone their craft. 

National Association for Music Education – created to help advance music education. 

International Association for the Study of Popular Music – used to promote the inquiry, scholarship, and analysis of today’s popular music. 

Music Teachers National Association – a group dedicated to helping professional music teachers refine their teaching process. 

Pianist – a “how to” publication for all levels of piano music. 

American Council of Piano Performers – promoting the art of piano performance. 

Have any associations or publications we’ve missed? We’d love to hear from you. 

Can I Learn The Piano At My Age?

Can I Learn The Piano At My Age?

Are you heading into retirement and ready to pick up a new hobby? Has music always been an important part of your life? 

Maybe now is the time to give piano lessons a try. No matter what your age, playing the piano is one hobby that anyone can take up and perfect. 

Playing the piano can provide many things in your life. It can help improve memory, reduce stress, and calm anxiety. No matter what your age, sit down at a piano and it can feel like an old friend. Can I Learn The Piano At My Age?

Still, what can you expect if you start playing the piano when you’re older? Will your age stand between you and perfecting your talent?

The great thing about age is you become more settled in your ways. In your twenties and thirties, you may be looking for ways to develop hidden talent. By your forties and fifties, you have more self-motivation to bring your dreams to the forefront. By your sixties and seventies, you have the time to devote to what you want to do. 

The key is in looking for instruction that fits your lifestyle. While a cutesy game meant for grade schoolers may look like fun, it probably won’t motivate you for the long term. Find an instructor that has experience in helping people your age learn to play. 

Commit to practice every day. 

And remember to enjoy yourself along the way. Give yourself motivation and work towards a goal. If you’ve always wanted to play a certain song, let your instructor know. They’re just as excited as you are to help you along your journey. 

What tips have you found help you in making you a better piano player?

Buying A Baby Grand Piano

Buying A Baby Grand Piano

So you’re ready to buy a baby grand piano for your home. 

Baby grands make a statement. They aren’t put away when you’re done playing them. They aren’t tucked away into a corner. They aren’t hidden away in a closet. 

Baby grands are put on display. 

That makes it worth the time to find the right one for your home. 

Before you settle, keep these tips in mind. 

Stick with reputable brandsBuying A Baby Grand Piano

With many things we buy, a “deal” is often too irresistible to put aside. Trust your instincts when purchasing a baby grand an say no to the deals. There are a lot of working parts with a piano. And if something isn’t working right, you’ll notice it immediately. Never settle on a brand without doing your research. A reputable dealer will even encourage it. 

Size matters

If you’ve found a baby grand that’s below 5 feet in length, it’s better to move on. It’s probably not much more than a toy. According to industry standards, a concert grand is anything more than 7 feet in length. A classic grand is in the six to seven feet range, while the baby grand is under six feet in length. The longer models have better action response. They also produce a better sound. If size matters to fit into your room, you’re almost always better off shifting to an upright if you need a smaller piano to fit the space. 

Used pianos 

Don’t be afraid to shift to the used piano market to get the high-quality instrument you’re looking for. You don’t have to search Craigslist to find the perfect choice. A reputable dealer buys and sells high-quality used instruments and is happy to steer you to the right piano for your situation.  What’s great about visiting a dealer and seeing many pianos side by side is your ability to hear them in action. What makes one piano different from another? Sit down and play for a bit. You’ll quickly see what it is. 

Select the environment carefully

Have you always dreamed of placing your piano in a specific area of your home? Is it the best place for your piano? Pianos are high maintenance instruments. They won’t perform well with areas that are constantly changing in temperature, humidity, sunlight, or even dust and debris. If a piano is subjected to the elements for too long, the damage may increase enough to be irreparable. 

A piano is an investment

When you invest in a baby grand, it’s something that will live in your home for a long time. With the right maintenance, it can give you pleasure for decades to come. That means proper tuning every year. That means proper maintenance and repair as the need arises. 

Are you looking for a new baby grand piano for your home?

Should You Order Your Digital Piano Online?

Should You Order Your Digital Piano Online?

We’ve turned into a world of online shoppers. Whether you want your latest beauty products, or a few items for tomorrow night’s dinner, all of your selections are just a click away. 

Some things are easy to buy online. 

If you want a new toaster, you can do a little searching to find which toasters have high ratings. You can decide your budget, find the best for your dollar, and hit the “buy” button to have it delivered in days. 

The toaster is mechanical. It works – it toasts. And as long as it does that, you’ll be happy with it sitting in your kitchen and being ready to work for you whenever you desire. Should You Order Your Digital Piano Online?

But other things are more personal. A picture doesn’t do it justice. If you can’t touch it and feel it, you won’t know if it truly meets your needs. 

Do a quick search for digital pianos, and you’ll find a wealth of information at your fingertips. You’ll find:

  • Photographs of all the makes and models
  • Reviews telling you what someone likes and doesn’t like about their purchase
  • Star ratings
  • Videos of a particular model in action

And if you’ve never played the piano before, all of this may seem like it’s enough to make a final selection. 

Yet playing a piano goes beyond good reviews and five star ratings. Just because someone else likes it doesn’t make it the right choice for you. 

A piano is personal. You have to touch it, hear it, feel the notes. And every piano creates a different sound. 

The main challenge with digital pianos is in engineering the touch and feel of an acoustic piano. Because a digital piano doesn’t operate with strings, hammers, and keys, it depends on a recording to emulate to sound. Every manufacturer does this in its own unique way. 

It also depends on weighting the keys in the right way. If you’ve ever played an acoustic piano, you know they have “give” when you press them. If you’ve ever played a digital piano without that “give”, you know the feeling isn’t the same. And that difference can impede your ability to play. If you can’t transfer your skills between different types of piano, you’ll be frustrated with your performance in the long run. 

The best way to ensure you have everything you need is to speak with a professional. Stop by today and we’ll help you select the right digital piano for your needs.