21 November 2015 Buying A Piano As A Gift

Buying A Piano As A Gift

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It’s here. It’s that time of the year where we’re coming into the final shopping days before the holidays. It’s time to find the perfect gift, wrap it up and hide it under the tree.Buying A Piano As A Gift

For some, their wishes and dreams may fit in a small box that fits easily between the other gifts. But for others, their gift is a little larger in size.

What if you surprised your loved one with the piano they have long since dreamed about?

Creating music is a gift that keeps on giving. If you buy the right piano, it’s a gift that can keep on giving for years.

But how do you know what piano to buy? Yes, there’s an art to buying a piano as a gift. Here’s how to do it right.

Who is the gift for?

Who is the gift for and how many will be influenced by this decision? Buying a piano for a spouse or your child is different than if you are buying it for a grandchild or a nephew. Start by assessing what piano is best for all involved, even asking parents for advice if it will take up space in their home.

If you choose an acoustic piano, it will provide elegance, sophistication and beauty to the home. If you choose digital, you can expand on a love of electronics, and allow the budding musician to express herself in an entirely new way. Acoustic pianos will take up more space, whether you choose a vertical or grand piano. Digital pianos may be stored when not in use. Both can be excellent ways to start the process and learn piano once and for all. Both offer unique ways to approaching the love and joy of bringing a piano into their lives.

Dealer or Private?

There are many ways to buy a piano. You can choose one from a private party you find on Craigslist. You can find one at your local big box store. Or you can select one from a reputable dealer. But what’s the difference?

Choosing one from a private party means you take whatever is given, with no options and no return. While choosing a piano from a big box store may give the receiver the option of making a return or an exchange, it only offers a very select choice. If you select from a reputable dealer, you have two distinct advantages. First, you can spend your time learning about the various options you have. You can test pianos, find the best sound for you, and choose based on ability and desires. Second, if the recipient would like to make an exchange, the option is always open. They can come in and make a selection that is better suited for their needs.

How do you wrap it up?

Making the decision may be the difficult part, But wrapping up the piano and placing it under the tree will be lots of fun. Imagine your loved one’s face when they rip off the paper and find one of their biggest dreams nestled safely underneath.

Make this the year you give them the gift of music. Stop by our showroom today and we’ll help you find the perfect piano.

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18 November 2015 Effective Piano Maintenance

Effective Piano Maintenance

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Whether you are brand new to playing the piano, or have been playing for years, there is an advantage to understand the fundamentals of how your piano was constructed and the best way to maintain it for optimal results. The more you know, the more you will understand what is truly possible for the way your piano is constructed. It will help you understand when a problem occurs. And it will also help you make wise decisions about tunings, maintenance, repair and restoration.Effective Piano Maintenance

To start, it’s important to speak the same language as any technician who may have access to your piano down the road. For example, piano technicians use a simple numbering system when referring to the keys. The lowest key on a piano is the A in the bass. This key is labeled number 1. From there, each key is numbered in succession until you reach the highest key in the treble, number 88. These keys not only identify the keys themselves, but also the action and parts used to create sound. If you have a problem with a range, you can easily identify it by number when talking with a technician, and he will immediately understand.

Piano Tuning

Tuning is the very basic of maintenance required to keep a piano fully functioning. Regular tuning not only keeps a piano up to pitch, but also prevents damage to the instrument. All pianos today are designed to be tuned at A-440. This means the A just above the middle C (number 49) should vibrate at 440 cycles per second. Each of the other keys will then fall into order. Piano strings are under heavy tension, at about 160 pounds per string. If the piano is left untuned, the pitch will gradually drop as the strings loosen. As this happens, key number 49 will no longer play at 440, but will drop rapidly from there. Tuning will prevent this drop from occurring. It will bring not only key 49 back to proper cycle, but the rest of the keys as well.

Piano Cleaning

Just like every piece of furniture in your home, in order to stay in good condition, a piano should be cleaned on a regular basis. While there are some things you can do – keep dust from accumulating on the keyboard and the cabinet – there are other things a technician will do. When your piano is in tune, he will clean the soundboard with a soft cloth. The strings and tuning pins collect dust over time, and it’s important to remove this on a periodic basis. The felt under the keys should also be cleaned periodically. The keys on an upright can be removed without disturbing the action. On a grand, it is necessary to remove the entire playing mechanism for cleaning. This can help keep the keys perform more evenly, and can help with regulation.

Piano Regulation

The proper regulation of the piano action is essential to controlling the keys. It affects both the keyboard and the speed with which a note can be repeated. When the keys are regulated, they should be perfectly even. This is most easily seen with the white keys, where all are perfectly aligned. A well regulated keyboard is slanted slightly away from the performer when the keys are at rest. When they are depressed, the should slant slightly towards the performer. This action should occur with every movement made, while at no time allowing a pianists fingers to touch the white keys when the black keys are depressed.

Piano Voicing

For a piano to have good tone, it must have a well regulated action, perfect tuning, and hammers that are properly shaped and voiced. The hammers become grooved with use. As the groves deepen and continue to form, the tone of the piano is impacted. Hammers are voiced by softening or hardening the felt in order to bring back a particular tonal quality. Voicing should leave the felt of all hammers with a certain level of consistency. Tuning and voicing often go hand in hand in making a piano sound its best. The two processes are interdependent. Voicing cannot be done successfully unless the piano is in tune, but even a perfectly tuned piano won’t sound its best if it is not properly voiced. The key to great piano service is to have a technician well versed in both.

Have any additional questions about piano maintenance? Give us a call today.

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15 November 2015 The Different Types Of Vertical Pianos

The Different Types Of Vertical Pianos

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What do you think of when someone mentions the word piano? For many of us, we see a grand piano in the middle of a concert hall taking center stage. And grand pianos are beautiful in both looks and in the sound that they make.

In a grand piano, the frame and the strings are both laid out in horizontal format, which is what gives it its large body and full sound.The Different Types Of Vertical Pianos

But if you’re like a lot of people, as much as you would love to bring a grand piano into your home, there simply isn’t enough space.

Which is why vertical pianos are one of the most popular pianos sold. In a vertical piano, the frame and the strings are vertical, giving the piano it’s vertical position.

There are four separate types of vertical pianos, each with its own characteristics and sound. What you choose to bring into your home should depend as much upon space as it does the type of sound you wish to create.

Spinet Piano

At the bottom end of the vertical piano list is a spinet piano. Spinets are typically less than 40 inches tall measured from the floor to the top of the lid. The top of the piano is only a few inches above the keys, with the action located below and operated by vertical wires attached to the keys.

While spinets are a great option for those with limited space, the sound quality and playability is considered to be inferior to other models because of its size and configuration.

Console Piano

A console piano ranges in size between 40 and 44 inches tall. With a console, the action sits directly on top of the keys, with hammers and strings stretching downward.

Console pianos are the best entry points into selecting a piano for your home. They have a satisfactory sound and an ease of play that make them perfect for budding musicians and hobby piano players.

Studio Piano

A studio piano ranges in size between 44 and 47 inches tall. It has similar functionality and feel to that of a console piano. A studio piano features a full size action that sits directly on the keys of the piano.

Because of its rich sound and quality action, it makes a wonderful addition to a home, and will provide rich sounds that can easily compare to some of the grand pianos on the market today.

Upright Piano

While many confuse the term “upright” with “vertical”, an upright is at the upper end of the vertical piano list. This is the piano most people associate with a traditional piano. An upright is the tallest of the vertical pianos, and produces one of the richest sounds. It will provide you with playability for years.

What type of vertical piano is right for you? Consider your space. Consider your talent. Consider your personal style. Each piano is unique in what it has to offer, and there is a model that would bring joy into your home today. Let’s find the right model for you.

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11 November 2015 Ready To Buy Your First Piano?

Ready To Buy Your First Piano?

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When did you know you wanted to bring your first piano into your home?

For some people, it starts as a small child. The thought of being able to sit down and plunk out a tune is exciting.

Or maybe you’ve been contemplating what to do in the next phase of your life, now that your kids are grown and you are possibly retiring.Ready To Buy Your First Piano?

No matter what your reason behind it, buying your first piano is a challenging experience. Pianos aren’t something you replace every day. And if you purchase the right piano in the beginning, you may never have to replace it at all. A great piano can be transferred down through generations, so getting a good one can be a top concern.

This is what we tell all of our own customers when they first enter contemplating the purchase of their first piano.

Buy the best

Every budget is different. And everyone has different goals and needs. Yet no matter what your budget is, you should consider buying the best piano you can for your money. The price often indicates the quality, and if you choose an inferior piano, it will impact your playability. Consider a used piano to gain a higher quality if that is an option.

New or used Pianos

Many people get caught up in buying a used piano from a friend of a friend, or through the classifieds online. If you look at one piano, what you see is what you get. And if this your first piano, you have nothing to compare it to. Every piano is manufactured as a unique instrument. No two pianos will ever feel the same. When you sit down to play, you can feel the difference as you move from model to model, make to make. That’s what makes its playability unique to you.

Grand, Vertical or Digital Pianos

When buying your first piano, you’ll find many choices available to you. And depending on your needs, you can tuck it away in the closet when you’re out of space, or put it on display in the center of your room. At the top of the spectrum is the grand piano, commanding attention from the moment you bring it into your home. If technology is a big part of your life, investing in a digital piano may give you the flexibility to create music in a fashion that matches your personality.

Are you ready to buy your first piano? If so, start by stopping by our showroom today and looking at the many options available to you. With a little education, you could soon be on your way to making beautiful music every day.

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7 November 2015 Why You Should Buy A Used Piano From A Music Store

Why You Should Buy A Used Piano From A Music Store

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Buying a used piano isn’t difficult to do. A search online will yield you unlimited results on pianos available. But there are reasons that buying from a reputable music store might be your best bet.

Better condition
A reputable piano dealer will learn all it can about the piano it sells to you. Unless it is being sold “as is”, you’ll know any defects it may have. That means when you take the piano home, you will be assured it is structurally and mechanically sound. This helps you avoid immediate costs for cleaning, repairing squeaks, tuning, and repairing loose legs or moving parts. Used pianos from a music store usually come with a verifiable history attached.

A better experience
Buying online requires you to have top skills in negotiating, investigating and moving. When you visit a music store, their goal is to ensure you leave with the best experience. They will answer every question you have about a piano in a clear way. They will ensure you understand the care a piano needs. They will help you move it safely from the store to your home. You will leave with a better understanding of how the piano will enhance your daily life.

Develop a resource
Depending on the piano dealer you select, you will have a resource for years of enjoyment. They will help you find and select music to play. They can make recommendations for lessons and teachers. They can provide help to select accessories such as piano benches and lights. They also often have trade up policies which allows you to increase the level of piano you own as you increase your knowledge of playing.

Save money
When you take home a used piano from a reputable piano dealer, you will know your piano will be in perfect working condition and provide instant enjoyment from the moment it enters your house. You won’t have tuning, repairing or refurbishing costs immediately tacked on. In some cases, you may have warranties in place that cover you from future repairs. You’ll also know that the money you invested in your piano is money well spent; you received the best piano for your money.

What are your experiences from buying a used piano?

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4 November 2015 Why Music Is Just As Important As Sports In School

Why Music Is Just As Important As Sports In School

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Sports in schools gets a lot of press. And for good reason. Sports can improve self-esteem, teach kids team building skills, and keep them active for hours at a time. An important skill to have in today’s world with skyrocketing obesity rates.

Yet while value is consistently showcased on the positives of sports, the positives of music haven’t been as well publicized. And that needs to change.

Music has been a part of our lives as long as humans have been on planet Earth. Whether listeninWhy Music Is Just As Important As Sports In Schoolg, singing, or playing, music has the power to change our world. Yet despite the universal interest in music, many schools are doing away with music programs. Eliminating music isn’t just taking away an enjoyable experience from kids, it’s also taking away valuable life skills. Learning music is important on so many levels; to offer it to all kids from an early age brings a wealth of benefits not only to a child’s life, but also to the general population as a whole.

1. Music helps develop language and reasoning. Music makes kids think quicker on their feet, and enjoy exploring more about our world.

2. Music increases coordination. Playing an instrument helps kids develop hand eye coordination and improves their fine motor skills.

3. Music improves memorization skills. Even when using sheet music, a child must learn to memorize certain aspects of music to move along from note to note. This same skill carries over into schoolwork as well.

4. Music is a natural stress release. Whether you attend a concert, zone with your iTunes and favorite artist, or sit down at the piano to practice, the stress quickly begins shedding away as you hear your favorite melodies.

5. Music increases pattern recognition. Patterns are built into all STEM classes, including math and science. Music improves the skills of recognizing patterns and being able to apply it to the most complex tasks.

6. Music improves test taking skills and helps them do better on the SAT. Studies consistently show that children that participate in music activities do better with test taking skills, and SAT scores can be as much as 60 points higher on both the verbal and math portions of the tests.

7. Music builds imagination. Music, like reading, fosters a positive attitude towards learning and curiosity.

8. Music prepares for a creative careers. Employers no longer want doers, they want thinkers too. Studies show that music majors make the best medical students. And an education rich in music helps bring artistic expression to just about any job. That need will increase in our future as we face more complex tasks and higher growth into technology and the unknown.

9. Music teaches risk taking. Performing a piece of music in front of an audience allows a child to conquer their fears and take risks to prove how much talent they really have.

10. Music encourages self confidence. With encouragement from teachers and parents, students can take pride and confidence in the skills they learn.

And what’s most magical is these skills will continue to build over a lifetime. Music is something you can invest in as easily at 10 as you can at 100. And it will keep improving over time.

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31 October 2015 How To Remove Cup and Water Rings From Your Piano

How To Remove Cup and Water Rings From Your Piano

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Pianos and water don’t mix. We know that. And yet invariably somewhere along the way, a water glass or a cup will be placed somewhere on the piano and a water ring will occur.

Frustrating, yes. But in some cases it’s not an impossibility to remove them.How To Remove Cup and Water Rings From Your Piano

To begin, analyze the extent of the water damage. The color of the stain will tell you how much water damage has occurred. It will also depend on things like the type of liquid that caused the stain, how much time it sat on the surface before it was removed, and the quality and age of the piano.

  • A white water ring is usually fairly easy to remove and can be removed without refinishing work.
  • A yellow ring forms after prolonged water contact and indicates more serious damage.
  • A gray or black ring means the liquid has reached the wood itself and the only way to remove the ring is by refinishing.

If the water ring is recent, it may dry up and go away. Blot away any excess moisture and allow to dry. You can use a hair dryer to dry the stain, moving it back and forth quickly over the spot until dry. Be careful not to get the finish too hot or you could damage the wood from heat.

If the above does not work, use a soft cotton cloth moistened with mineral spirits to lightly wipe the area. Allow to thoroughly dry. If this has no affect, try denatured alcohol. Be sure to test each of these in an inconspicuous place first as alcohol can remove shellac.

If none of these work, your piano will likely need refinishing work to remove the stain and bring it back to its original finish.

If you were able to successfully remove the water ring, in many cases the affected area will be slightly dull. If this is the case, a piano finish cleaner and conditioner and help enhance the sheen. Never use a traditional furniture polish as they can dry the wood. But a finish cleaner designed for pianos can keep piano wood from drying and cracking and enhance a beautiful luster finish in the process. Contact us and we’ll help you select the right finishing product for you.

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28 October 2015 How Humidity Affects Your Piano

How Humidity Affects Your Piano

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No matter what brand of piano you own, the majority of the parts within your piano are made from wood. In order to function and produce sound, the wooden parts are put to use.

Wet, humid conditions allow wooden parts to swell. Dry, parched conditions allow wooden parts to shrink and crack. And here in Memphis both types of weather conditions exist as we move from summer to winter and back again.How Humidity Affects Your Piano

While either condition can be damaging, it’s the swaying back and forth that causes damage to escalate at a quicker pace. Dry conditions can cause wood to crack, followed by moisture penetrating the wood and allowing it to swell into more damage. This back and forth movement can quickly spiral into serious damage.

And that damage impacts the parts of your piano in different ways.

The soundboard, for example, already has am enormous amount of pressure on it. If humid conditions cause it to swell, the soundboard develops what is called a pressure ridge. At this point, a pressure ridge is not considered a crack, yet this is the most common area where a crack can develop. If conditions change and the environment drys, a crack can occur. Soundboard cracks will not cause much of a problem to overall tone until the soundboard ribs loosen and begin to rattle.

More serious damage can occur with the piano pinblock. The pinblock holds the tuning pins. The quality and the condition of the pinblock determines the tightness of the tuning pins. It is the most significant factor for maintaining tuning stability. When humidity swings occur, it can cause the pinblock to shift and crack, which will reduce the amount of pressure over time. Most new pianos leave the factory with a measure of 75 to 85 inch pounds, with a minimum acceptable level of 50 inch pounds. If it dips below these levels, the tone will begin to deteriorate.

If the tightness drops to 30 inch pounds or below, the piano is no longer considered tunable.

To avoid purchasing a piano that has serious humidity damage, it’s important to find a reputable dealer that ensures every piano sold is in top quality condition. If you have any questions about how humidity impacts your piano, and how you can keep your piano out of harms way, just ask.

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24 October 2015 Piano Key Repair and Restoration

Piano Key Repair and Restoration

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What’s one of the first parts of a piano that show their wear and tell you it’s time for a little R&R (repair and restoration)?

Your piano keys.

Maybe they are missing, broken, chipped or damaged. Maybe they are unlevel and hard to play. Maybe they wiggle from side to side. Or maybe some go down and some don’t as your fingers attempt to carry out a tune.Piano Key Repair and Restoration

When it’s time to repair or restore your piano keys, one or more things may be in order.

Key top replacement – In some cases by simply replacing the veneer on the keys will bring new life to your piano. Keep in mind that there are special considerations for vintage pianos that still maintain ivory keys.

 

  • Key bed – In some cases, piano key restoration must include the entire piano key structure down to the key bed. It will include repairing and replacing many of the parts, including key bushings and balance pins.
  • Balance rail pins – The balance rail pins are what each key lever balances on when the key is pressed to activate the hammer. These rail pins can rust and corrode over time.
  • Front rail pins – The front rail pins are located at the front of the key bed and hold the key in position at the front. These rail pins can also rust and corrode over time.
  • Key bushings – Each of the key levers has a hole that fits over the balance and front rail pins. Around these holes is a piano felt which can compress and wear down over time.
  • Capstans – The capstan is the cap that is screwed into the key lever in the back to connect the lever with the action. It can oxidize over time and cause friction between the lever and the action.
  • Key buttons – Each of the key levers has a small button glued into place that help balance the rail pin. These can easily become damaged over time.

If your piano isn’t playing the way it used to and you know your keys are at least part of the problem, the best place to start is by talking with a quality piano restoration company. In many cases we see people attempting to fix problems with piano keys themselves, or trusting the work to someone that is anything but professional, and it shows in the finished results.

Your piano keys bring life to your music. Without properly functioning keys, your music will never be up to par. If you have questions about your piano keys, give us a call today.

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22 October 2015 What Is A Gray Market Piano?

What Is A Gray Market Piano?

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Many industries have a gray market for selling and purchasing their products, and the piano industry is no different. If you’re looking for a quality piano and have a specific brand in mind, chances are you’ve come across the the concept of a gray market piano. But what exactly is a gray market piano? And should you consider one?

The gray market is not clear cut, and doesn’t have a distinct definition to what piano meets gray market qualifications. You may see other names applied – bootleg or transshipped ore often used as well.What Is A Gray Market Piano?

When you purchase a new piano, you will purchase it from an authorized dealer: they have been authorized by the dealer to sell the piano with warranty and factory support.

A gray market piano can be new, almost new, or used. It is name brand equipment sold through a dealer that is not authorized to make the sale within that area. It may be a piano that was not originally intended to be sold in that area, in that marketplace, or possibly even in your country.

For example, Yamaha makes different models of pianos for different markets around the world. Many of the models were sold in Japan that were never sold in the US. As such, the US does not have part information and cannot order parts for these pianos. Japan is a much more humid environment than the US. As a result, a piano that was transported from Japan to the US may develop serious problems with items like cracked soundboards, loose tuning pins, warping, misalignment of parts, or sticking keys.

Thanks to a global marketplace, a highly mobile society, and the Internet, the ability to find, purchase and sell in a variety of ways is now common place. Meaning it’s easy to find “good deals” with simple searches.

If you purchase a piano that is not found in your region, you may get a “good deal” on the piano, but you may have to go through more hoops to find a dealer willing to provide warranty service or factory assistance with problems or replacement parts. If the piano is not carried in the US, those problems could be severe enough to warrant the piano not fixable, and in many cases no longer playable. Which means the only way to restore it is to travel out of the country to obtain the necessary parts and/or service.

While a “hot” piano is one that has been stolen and then sold, and a “black market” piano is one that is illegally brought in and sold against government regulation, a “gray market” piano is simply in violation of manufacturers marketing and distributing strategy. Grey market pianos exist, and you may run across them in your bid to purchase a new piano. If you have any questions about the gray market, we would be happy to talk with you about it.

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