17 October 2015 An Experts Advice On How To Move A Piano

An Experts Advice On How To Move A Piano

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Think moving a piano is as easy as moving a big piece of furniture? Think again.

A piano not only is big and bulky, it also has special needs and requirements. Handle the move incorrectly and you could be paying dearly for the mistake through lots of repair and restoration to bring your piano back up to working condition.An Experts Advice On How To Move A Piano

All pianos have one thing going for them that makes them awkward to move – uneven weight. Upright pianos are extremely top heavy while balancing on tiny, delicate legs. Grand pianos not only have a lot of bulk and weight, their size makes them anything but easy to handle.

And while the outside of a piano alone can give you problems when moving, it’s the inside that is also of concern. Scratches to the outside finish can be devastating to a vintage or antique piano, but damage to the inside can amount in thousands of dollars in repair bills bringing it back into playing condition.

To move it properly, you need two things in place:

  • A properly prepared moving crew
  • A properly prepared piano

A properly prepared moving crew is not your average moving team. It takes more than two people to move a piano. The more difficult the move, the more people you’ll need on the team. It takes work getting a grand piano from place to place, especially if there are sharp corners and large flights of stairs.

A professional piano moving team knows how to use proper tools to significantly reduce the risk of injury. They use dollies along flat surfaces. They use helpers to guide them through difficult passages. They may even use cranes if the situation warrants the need.

And every professional piano mover knows that long before they lift the piano, the preparation will determine how successful the move will be.

Never move a piano on it’s metal casters or put undo weight on its delicate legs. Legs are used more for decoration and for support, not for heavy movement. If at all possible, the casters and legs will be removed and packed before the move, reassembled once its in its final resting spot.

For a grand piano, the lid should be closed and locked. Then the piano should be thoroughly wrapped and protected before movement is made.

Moving a piano is difficult in the best of situations, but if you’re combining it with a house move as well, there are extra things to keep in mind.

Because your piano movers are scheduled at a certain time, make sure it coincides with a good time with the rest of your moving crew. A piano can’t be shuffled around large pieces of furniture or stacks of filled boxes. Design the track used for moving a piano in and out of your homes and keep the pathway clear for the move. A clear path will give you every advantage of having a smooth transition from place to place.

When your piano is in place, give it time to acclimate to its new conditions. Then with tuning, your piano will be back and ready to play once again.

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14 October 2015 Understanding A Piano’s Touchweight

Understanding A Piano’s Touchweight

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The concept of touchweight is very simple: it’s the amount of pressure required to make a piano key go down. To determine the measurement, gram weights are placed on the end of a key until the key goes down.

Understanding A Piano’s TouchweightWhen building a piano in today’s marketplace, the touchweight is a fairly standard measurement. It’s measured in grams with majority of piano manufacturers aiming for a touchweight of around 50 grams. If you go back in time to the early 1900s, you will find many pianos measured touchweight in ounces, which is a much less sophisticated form of measurement. There are approximately 28 grams per ounce. So even if touchweight was pushed to two ounces, the touchweight was a fairly heavy touch.

When you push down on a piano key, the key is connected to the hammer. This process lifts the hammer and strikes the strings to make a sound. While the key itself may move a mere 3/8” to complete its process, the hammer travels a much greater distance, as much as 5 to 7 times greater than the distance used to push down on the key.

Touchweight only gauges the minimal amount of pressure needed for the key to go down. This is known as static touchweight. Dynamic touchweight defines the actual pressure required under a variety of playing conditions. And by its very nature is harder to define. Pianos can be played loudly or softly. Notes can be played in rapid succession or slow and easy. Pedals can be used to sustain different movements. All of which will effect the touchweight for a key.

In addition, every piano is created in a different way, with different parts and with different functionality. As humans, we can perceive this differently. Which is why a piano player can move from one piano to the next, and make automatic assumptions as to the playability of a piano.

If a piano provides less volume, it may be perceived as harder to play. If they have to give more or themselves in order to create the sound they are looking for, they may deem a piano requires more effort.

Just like any form of creative movement, a piano is as unique as the player themselves. In order to find the right piano that meets your qualifications for you to play, you have to test its playability before you bring it into your home to play indefinitely. Testing is critical to purchasing the right piano for you.

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10 October 2015 How To Shop For A Pre-Owned Piano

How To Shop For A Pre-Owned Piano

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Thinking of buying a pre-owned piano?

Keep in mind that all pre-owned pianos are not the same. While they may look good on the outside, it’s the playability that matters most. Which is why its important to know how to find the best pre-owned piano to suit your needs.How To Shop For A Pre-Owned Piano

Finding the right piano ensures you will have years of musical enjoyment and entertainment, as well as make a sound financial investment.

Know Your Piano

You can find a pre-owned piano just about anywhere. Craigslist, Ebay, even your local garage sale can dig up unbelievable “deals”. But are they really deals? Do you know where the piano has been? Do you know if it has sustained damage over the years? Do you know the last time the piano was tuned? Sitting in an unheated garage for twenty years accumulating dust and debris will not be a good choice no matter how much of a beginner you are. Reputable piano dealers are the only way you will have a guarantee as to how well your piano will play.

Warranties

What kind of a guarantee do you have to ensure the quality of the piano? Reputable dealers offer warranties and guarantees to make sure not only that the piano is a top quality instrument, but also to ensure that you are happy with your purchase.

Do Your Research

Do you know the difference between an upright and a grand? Do you know the difference between a repaired and a restored? A piano is not a piano. There are many different brands, many different nuances that make each piano unique. The more you consider your needs, the more detailed you can be when you shop, and truly get the right piano for you.

Examine The Piano

Never buy a pre-owned piano without the chance to fully examine it first. It also will benefit you to to bring in a certified technician to examine it as well. As a general rule, make sure the piano is fully functional, fully playable, and sounds great to your ear. Never purchase a piano with the promise of a repair or a rebuild, as they mean different things to different people.

Know The Rebuild

Pianos can last a family for generations if maintained properly. In some cases that may mean regular tuning. And in some cases a complete rebuild may be in order. Restoration is popular in the piano world, especially with high end pianos. Yet do you really want to invest in a Steinway that is made up of lesser quality parts? What a reputable dealer will tell you is not usually something you’ll hear from an individual seller on Craigslist. The more you know the condition of the pre-owned piano you are considering, the happier you’ll be with your purchase for the long term.

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7 October 2015 The Elements Of Teaching Piano: From Buying A Piano To Teaching Students

The Elements Of Teaching Piano: From Buying A Piano To Teaching Students

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Teaching piano involves a variety of things. Yes, it starts by knowing how to play the piano; a good teacher has to be good at playing. But a good piano doesn’t necessarily have to be a concert pianist. A good teacher must appreciate and enjoy the challenges of helping their students learn how to master the piano. They have to be able to give their students an appreciation and love of the instrument.The Elements Of Teaching Piano: From Buying A Piano To Teaching Students

In most cases, when a parent looks to find a piano teacher for their child, they have a few goals in mind. They rarely say “I would like my child to become a concert pianist”. Instead, they simply want to give their child the benefits of having a deeper appreciation for music, for the arts, and a way of relaxing after a long day of activities.

The most obvious place to start is with purchasing a piano. In order to give your students every advantage of loving to play and loving to learn, the quality they play on has to be top notch. Why do you play the piano you do? What qualities do you look for in a piano? Many students and their parents will look to you for guidance in selecting their own piano.

From there, every music teacher has a different approach to teaching, depending on the style and methods they learned with. To appreciate music, a student must learn a variety of things.

  • Keyboard and Fingering – simple exercises can help students learn keys and patterns. This is where scales become valuable. It helps a student learn majors and minors and how they sound when played together.
  • Music Reading – a good method book can help a student sight-read music. Care should be taken so a student doesn’t switch to memorization or playing by ear, and truly learns to read music.
  • Learning and Memorization – playing the piano well means practicing again and again. There is a skill to memorization; teachers can help them develop the skill and use it for concerts and recitals.
  • Music Theory – usually for more advanced students that are thinking of making music a career, theory can help develop an appreciation for developing their own music. It can help reinforce music and playing, things they should already love.

If you’re ready to inspire your kids for a lifetime love of music, introduce them to the art of piano playing today.

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3 October 2015 Should You Invest In A Concert Piano

Should You Invest In A Concert Piano

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What measures well over 7 feet long, weighs in at more than 1,100 pounds, and can take center stage in any room in your home?

Yes, a concert piano is not something you can easily ignore. But then again, why would you want to?Should You Invest In A Concert Piano

For some, they fall instantly in love when they sit down at a keyboard and begin to play. Music becomes their love. Piano becomes their passion. And playing becomes something that consumes who they are.

Yet for every person that falls in love with playing piano, few have the opportunity to turn it into a profession. A mere few hundred can list their profession as a concert pianist, making their money from playing the piano in a classical sense.

But that doesn’t have to stop you. There are many ways to bring piano into your life full time.

Move beyond concert piano, and you’ll find countless opportunities in the music world. Many of today’s most loved artists developed their love of music by playing the piano. You don’t have to be a superstar to play; many local bands start up and play regularly to keep local communities entertained.

Educational opportunities are also available. While piano is often taught in a one on one setting within a private home, as a child ages they can often bring in their love of music into a band or orchestra at school. And as they move from high school into college, they can take their love of music further and choose a career in music education. It’s a career choice that can have them working at all grade levels, including university, and can inspire them to work inside the home or through an educational institution.

Even entering the marketing world brings opportunity. Every jingle you hear in a commercial, every song you hear in the background of a movie or television show comes from somewhere. Music is what helps us create stories, and with technology advancing as rapidly as it is, the ability to use music in many different ways is growing right along side it.

Playing doesn’t have to be just for a career; coming home and playing a piano to relax can help relieve stress. Playing the piano is something you can do at 5 and at 105.

And as a person’s love for music to continue to grows, the concert piano becomes an even more valuable personal asset. When you walk into a room with a concert piano center stage, it commands attention. People take notice, whether they can play or not.

Would a concert piano be the perfect addition for your home?

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1 October 2015 The Life Lessons You’ll Learn From Piano Lessons

The Life Lessons You’ll Learn From Piano Lessons

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I was watching an interview from a man who was approaching his 100th birthday. When someone lives that long, the most logical questions to ask are things like:

What is the secret to living so long?The Life Lessons You’ll Learn From Piano Lessons
What have you learned along the way?

And while his answers were inspirational, they were also very simple. Living a good life doesn’t have to be complicated, in fact it’s usually just the opposite. There are a lot of things you can learn just by being an active participant. But then again, its like that with many things.

I’ve played the piano for decades, and along the way I’ve discovered that learning the piano can teach you a lot about living life. If you play the piano, chances are you have had many years of piano lessons, even if you are simply learning on your own. That’s the beauty of playing the piano, there’s always something more to learn. And you can do so whether you are 10 or 100, and it will all help you grow and become just a little bit more.

Wishing doesn’t make it so

Remember all those New Year’s resolutions you’ve made over the years, promising yourself you’ll accomplish more and do new things? How well did that work for you? Wishing doesn’t make it so. The only way to make it so is to put action behind it. If you’ve had a lifelong desire to play the piano, to become better at creating music, the only way to get there is to do it. Buy a piano. Invest in piano lessons. Put in regular practice. No matter what your ability, no matter what your age.

We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thoughts

How many people have sat down to play the piano and have thought, “I’m not very good”. Yep, and you’ll never be any good as long as you continue to think that way. Who defines what good is? Good can mean many things. You don’t have to play at Carnegie Hall to prove your playability. Playing for your enjoyment can be good enough.

Sometimes your instincts tell you to do something, something that may seem crazy and unbelievable. Follow your instincts.

If a small child wants to learn to play the piano, it’s our jobs to give them the chance. And when they dream big, it’s our job to give them more of a fighting chance to turn it into a reality. That’s where the greatest piano players of our time are created. It doesn’t matter that only a select few will ever be at the top of the business. There are many ways to develop a talent into a lifelong love. What is important is to follow through on the things that bring us the greatest joy.

What are your favorite life lessons?

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26 September 2015 A Piano Teacher’s Guide To Buying And Owning A Piano

A Piano Teacher’s Guide To Buying And Owning A Piano

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Thinking of starting up a piano teaching business? As a teacher, the piano you choose will need more care than one that sits in your home and is played as you find the time. Not only are you teaching another how to play the notes and hear the music, you’re also teaching them how to love and care for music for the rest of their lives. If you don’t have a great instrument for them to learn and grow with, they may never have a true desire to continue on.A Piano Teacher’s Guide To Buying And Owning A Piano

The first step is selecting the best piano possible.

Whether new or used, the piano you teach with should be at its optimal level all the time. Quality is key for each of your clients to touch, see, feel and hear the music being produced, and be able to pick up the nuances as you guide and coach them.

Depending on the playing ability of each student, you should also be willing to add in different opportunities for playing. Can your students play on both vertical and grand pianos? Do you have a digital piano available? Can they hear pianos played in different acoustics? Students will come in with different desires, different dreams. What are you willing to teach?

Once you have your pianos in place, it’s equally important to keep them in top condition. Because of the amount of time your piano will be in use, and because ear training is an important part of any musical education, your piano may require more regular tunings than other pianos. Instead of scheduling tunings on a yearly basis, or simply when you have time, it may benefit you to work with a regular tuner who comes to know and understand your piano. He will better understand the working environment and be able to make suggestions along the way.

While regular tuning is important, you may periodically have to adjust the mechanical parts to compensate for the effects of wear. Regulation involves three systems – the action, trapwork and damper.

The action takes the power of the fingers on the keys and transfers it to the hammers that strike the strings. This action requires adjustment to properly respond to a pianists performance. Because the action goes out of adjustment slowly over time, you may not notice it in the beginning. But it will impact performance. A smooth action provides the opportunity for a better playing musician.

The trapwork includes the levers, dowels and springs that connect pedals to the action. The damper is the mechanical part of the piano that stops the motion of the strings and controls the keys and pedal system. If either is sluggish or isn’t keeping up with demand, it can impact a performance over time.

Along with regular tuning, regular maintenance and inspection should be included to guarantee your piano is in top shape, no matter if your students are practicing, or getting ready for a performance, or for the audition that may change their lives. To work with a regular technician allows them to get comfortable with your piano, make suggestions and recommendations along the way, and help you keep your piano in top working condition all year through.

How can we help your piano teaching business?

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23 September 2015 Do Even The Best Piano Players Practice?

Do Even The Best Piano Players Practice?

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There is a common assumption out there that once you get really good at something, you no longer have to practice. You become as good as you’ll get and the rest comes naturally.

Not true.Do Even The Best Piano Players Practice?

When you do something over and over again, you take on an effortless appearance. It seems as if you can do it without really trying at all. You have the skills. You have the knowledge. You know how to put all best efforts into practice. At that point you “get it”.

You’re one of the best. And you either have it or you don’t.

If you’ve always wanted to be a great piano player, chances are you’ve watched “the best” and marveled at their talent. It’s human nature to focus in on their talents, and look on in amazement at all they display.

But are you born with a talent for piano playing? Probably not.

Instead, what some people are born with is a desire to play the piano. So they buy a piano and start playing. They take lessons. They learn from the best. They improvise.

They practice.

Over and over again, many hours over the course of days, weeks, months.

If you ask someone who has a desire to play piano, they’ll probably have a belief that it takes “natural talent” to become an accomplished pianist. After all, they know just how difficult it is to play a quality tune.

But if you ask an accomplished pianist what it took to get to where they are today, you’ll very rarely hear “talent”. Instead you’ll hear “hard work”.

The more you play, the more you enjoy playing the piano. They more you play, the better you get. The more practice you put in, the more accomplished you will become.

Practice puts certain muscles into action. If you skip practice, those muscles slow down. They don’t operate at the same level as before. You miss the little things that once made you good.

Do even the best piano players in the world know this? You bet.

That’s why they practice every day.

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19 September 2015 Do Piano Teachers Recommend Acoustic or Digital Pianos?

Do Piano Teachers Recommend Acoustic or Digital Pianos?

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Shopping for a piano for your child to learn on? As you look at your options, and do a little research online, you’ll quickly find that there are many things to consider.

Should you choose a more traditional acoustic piano? Or should you opt for a digital piano, bringing today’s technology into use?Do Piano Teachers Recommend Acoustic or Digital Pianos?

While the decision is personal at best, a great place to look for advice is to ask piano teachers what they prefer. Yet even that can lead you down a difficult path. Ask a handful of different piano teachers and you’ll likely get an equal amount of differing opinions. They’ll say things like:

  • “You have to learn on an acoustic piano to truly understand how to play piano.”
  • “Either is okay; the important thing is to get your child to play.”
  • “Digital is a great learning tool because of the many features they offer. Digital can inspire a student to play longer.”

And of course everything in between.

As a piano buyer, what should you do? Which piano will be the right choice for your family?

First of all, a student should have an instrument they want to play. The piano should inspire them, not become a chore they have to do because it’s on their to-do list. They should enjoy playing it, love making music with it.

What does your child think? If they are too young to understand the difference, they may do well sitting at a more traditional piano. But if they are approaching middle or even high school, they may have a mind of their own when it comes to what they desire. Don’t fight their wishes; embrace them to inspire them to create music every day.

Then talk with a handful of piano teachers to find out their recommendations. Some teach from a more traditional style. Some mix it up, preferring to teach a variety of sounds … from classical to jazz to pop. Some may even teach on a variety of instruments, and can offer different opportunities for both group and individual lessons.

Use their recommendations to determine the best choice for your family.

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16 September 2015 Be More Creative By Piano Playing

Be More Creative By Piano Playing

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Ever watch a small child at play? They are constantly inventing new approaches, improvising how to fit things together, creatively weaving different realities into their actions. They can take a small box and make it into a rocket ship that will take them to the moon. They can build a structure out of blocks and have a time machine that whisks them away to faraway lands.Be More Creative By Piano Playing

We all are born with a creative streak deep inside of us. We all showcase that creativeness … for awhile. Then something comes along and teaches us to put our creative juices far away and learn how to live in the modern world.

Yes, our current approach to school doesn’t cater to the true creative. All you have to do is look at where funding cuts happen most – arts, music – to understand where the emphasis is being placed.

Our modern education system is built around rationalization and memorization. We want students who will be obedient, do as they are told, and become great at STEM subject matters. The problem is that line of thinking doesn’t cut it for 100 percent of our society.

This approach develops our rational mind, without allowing the creative mind to come out to play.

And when the two are out of balance, it impedes our creativity, success, happiness and overall fulfillment with life.

Which is why it’s important to develop both sides of your mind from an early age. Ideally we can do this in a variety of ways.

Start with language
We use language to learn, to share, to communicate, and to express our ideas. Language isn’t just our words, language is also found in music, in singing, in dancing, or even in expressing ourselves through art. Studying music theory and harmony helps develop different parts of your brain. So does playing and listening to pieces by great composers.

Experiment with music
Piano playing doesn’t have to mean the same old sounds over and over again. With piano comes melody, which means even simple pieces of music will quickly resonate with the listener. Experiment with a variety of different genres – jazz, classical, R&B, pop, even rock can all add to the depth of our character. And give you the ability of expanding your horizons and build your knowledge of different cultures.

Be creative forever
There is a great Gandhi quote that sums up great living.

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”

Some skills you can learn early in life and keep expanding on until the day you die. Music is one of them. And playing the piano helps you bring in music theory at all levels. The more you practice, the better you become, the more challenge you seek, the more you discover … about yourself and about our world. Piano playing allows you to express your creative side. It can help you overcome challenges by putting your mind onto a different task. It can help you master not just playing the piano itself, but also how to connect different pieces of our world.

If you are looking for an activity that can help you awaken your creativity, something that can give you lifelong pleasure, look no further than the piano.

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