31 August 2016 What Is Piano Pedagogy?

What Is Piano Pedagogy?

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Piano pedagogy is the study of teaching piano playing.

Where standard music education taught at many college level programs pertains to teaching music in school classrooms, or group settings, piano pedagogy is focused more on teaching music skills in a one on one platform. It can be done via private or even semiprivate instruction. When a piano teacher – a piano pedagogue – teaches piano, it is referred to as piano pedagogy, or simply a piano lesson.What Is Piano Pedagogy?

The professionalism of piano teachers is vast and wide. A lot goes into creating a piano teacher with a competency that can be passed on to their students. And it’s not always as simple as asking them how long they’ve played. In includes competence in musical performance, music history, knowledge of musical genres, theory, piano repertoire, experience in teaching, and being able to adjust teaching methods depending on the personality of the student.

Here in Tennessee, piano lessons can be offered by piano teachers who have not received a degree. They do not need focused education in piano performance or piano pedagogy in order to offer their services. Some may have learned through classical training, some may have been self taught.

Still, others may have studied through academic programs culminating in a bachelor’s, masters, or even a doctoral degree at a music college or conservatory. And although most piano pedagogy programs include a significant portion of performance-based study, the pedagogy major can separate from other performance majors and focus more on teaching rather than performing.

Many piano teachers hold memberships in professional organizations in order to show their commitment to the art of pedagogy and to help them network and learn from others in the field. It’s a great way to find a qualified piano teacher if you’re looking for one. Organizations include:

American Council of Piano Performers
Music Teachers National Association
National Guild of Piano Teachers

And if you need any recommendations for a piano teacher here in Memphis, just ask.

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25 August 2016 Why A Digital Piano Is A Great Addition To Tight Spaces

Why A Digital Piano Is A Great Addition To Tight Spaces

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Let’s face it; in our modern world, we’re not always on a quest to increase the size of our homes. In some cases, downsizing is best. And it’s not just when we face an empty nest. Even today’s families are running from oversized homes and finding more comfort in smaller spaces.Why A Digital Piano Is A Great Addition To Tight Spaces

Yet no matter how small your home space is, you still wish to have all the comforts of home. What’s in your home is still important. Quality becomes key in everything you own. And if that includes a piano, the baby grand from your music room may not make the cut.

That doesn’t mean you should give up on playing the piano. It simply means you should alter the piano you own. A digital piano is a great way to conserve on space, yet give you a high quality instrument too. But not any digital piano will do.

A good digital piano is better than a mediocre upright. And in some cases, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two. Yet you can’t expect to pick up a bargain priced keyboard at a discount store and expect it to be high quality. It still takes effort to find the right piano that will perform up to your expectations.

Still, there are many high quality digital pianos on the market today. And the options are increasing all the time. Look for:

  • A full size 88 key model that gives you access to everything you need
  • Weighted action which simulates actual piano hammers
  • A proper piano stand that keep your piano at proper height, for proper posture

An added bonus is the capability of adding headphones and being able to play anywhere, at any time. It’s especially beneficial in tight spaces where people choose to do different things at the same time. Plus the people around you don’t have to listen to you struggle with a new piece of music; you can practice, become proficient, and then play for others.

Purchasing a high quality digital piano is key to loving the music you make. If you’re not sure where to begin, we can help you start the journey. Stop by today.

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25 July 2016 Hire A Piano Mover To Transport Your Instrument

Hire A Piano Mover To Transport Your Instrument

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Planning a move to a new home? There are a lot of things to take care of before the big day arrives.

And while a traditional mover can quote you prices on moving things like a mattress, a dresser, and a table, skip the urge for a quote on moving your piano too.Hire A Piano Mover To Transport Your Instrument

Pianos aren’t pieces of furniture. They are costly instruments that can range anywhere from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. A piano can’t be handled like any piece of furniture. One mistake can be a costly venture.

Moving a piano takes special skill. Pianos are heavy, weighing anywhere from 300 pounds on up. To further complicate the situation, their shape can make it one of the bulkiest things in your home. At least three people are needed to move most pianos.

Upright pianos can be moved intact. But moving a grand or concert piano takes special care. Parts must be dismantled and wrapped with special care. Because of their size and shape, they will be wrapped in blankets and strapped securely to a piano board, with a dolly used to move it carefully from your home to the truck, and back again.

Pianos have two parts to preserve: the working parts that create music, and the smooth exterior finish. If either is damaged, it can be an expensive repair.

Good piano moving requires good equipment and even better technique. Piano movers will usually quote you a price based on the piano, the distance of the move, the difficulty of the move, and how much equipment will be needed to finish the job.

To ensure you are getting a reputable piano mover, be sure to ask for and check customer references, licenses, insurance, and guarantees.

Once your piano is in place, your move is complete, and your piano is tuned once again, you’ll be thankful you put your trust in a reputable piano moving service.

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18 July 2016 What Are Piano Keys Made From?

What Are Piano Keys Made From?

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Ebony and ivory.

Go back in time and you’ll find pianos made from things readily found in nature. And for pianos made before the 1930s, that included ivory for the keys. Ivory worked. It worked very well. Pianists will tell you that ivory keys are better to the touch, more responsive, and less likely to stick to one’s fingers. Ivory absorbs sweat, which provides for a better feel of the instrument while you play.What Are Piano Keys Made From?

But ivory has its problems. It’s susceptible to chipping and cracking. It is vulnerable to yellowing. And most importantly of all, it may be illegal.

Plastic keys were introduced around 1929 when plastic technology began to improve. Plastics are easier to work with, less prone to damage, and cheaper to use in production. And right around the Great Depression, making things cheaper became a way of life.

Very quickly plastic keys overtook production of ivory, and they became the norm in piano key assembly.

Plastic maintains a stronghold as the material of choice in piano key production today. Resins are also used as an alternative to plastics, with an advantage being that they are more resistant to cracking, chipping or yellowing than their plastic counterparts. Even today, you’ll find both plastic and resin keys prone to “crescent moon” chips that form at the end of the key, especially with repeated abuse. And if cheap plastic keys yellow, there is no easy way to remedy the problem.

If you have an older piano and are trying to tell what the keys are made from, there is an easy way to tell.

Some plastics imitate ivory very well. You’ll see similar veins on the surface, with a comparable luster and feel. However, ivory keys differ in one distinct way. Ivory keys are made in three pieces, key, stem, and front. Plastic key tops only have two, top and front. If you look closely at the keys, you can see a fine line that is the joint between the key top and the stem. If this line is present, your keys are ivory.

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14 July 2016 Fun Facts About The Piano You Probably Never Knew

Fun Facts About The Piano You Probably Never Knew

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One of the biggest reasons the piano is one of the most popular instruments is because of its approachability. No matter where it sits in a room, it calls out to be played. People from 2 to 102 feel comfortable reaching out and hitting a key or two to create music.Fun Facts About The Piano You Probably Never Knew

It’s an instrument that plays both melody and accompaniment. It’s built into the structure of almost every song, every genre, every style. If you like classical, jazz, pop or rock and roll, you’ll be able to quickly transform it underneath your fingers, creating a song that’s recognizable and fun to play.

No wonder people love the piano as much as they do.

Whether you’ve just started playing the piano, or have played it for years, there are a few things about it you may not know.

While a piano may seem like a simple, straightforward instrument that’s easy to operate and easy to maintain, in reality, it’s a complex instrument with over 12,000 parts. Each part works in conjunction with others, coming together to create the beautiful sounds you hear each time you play. The only way to keep all 12,000 parts working in unison is with regular maintenance, tuning, and repair.

By comparison to many other instruments, the piano is actually one of the newest in the music industry. The piano was introduced in Italy by Bartolomeo Cristofori in 1698. Compare that to drums that are as old as mankind, or flutes made out of bone that date back to prehistoric times.

The piano is the most versatile instrument on the market, often referred to as the King of Instruments. This is because it has the widest tonal range of any other instrument. The piano can reach the lowest note of the contrabassoon and the highest note of the piccolo.

Currently, there is estimated to be about 10 million pianos scattered across the U.S. in homes, businesses, and other institutions. While new piano sales ranged around 500,000 units at the beginning of the 1900s, that figure has dropped considerably to today’s figure of around 65,000 new units.

For the standard piano sitting in most homes, it has about 230 strings each with about 165 pounds of tension. The combined tension of the strings is more than 18 tons of pressure. For a concert grand piano, that pressure level will increase to more than 30 tons.

The phrase “tickle the ivories” came from the fact that piano keys were made of ivory up until the 1950s. Manufacturers changed from using ivory to plastic when costs began to escalate, and the questionable practice of obtaining ivory came to light.

A new piano needs to be tuned at least four times its first year. As it is adjusting to changes in temperature, humidity, and environment, it will cause the piano to go out of tune. After it settles in your home, tuning requirements usually fall to twice per year.

It’s never too late to learn how to play the piano. Whether you wish to bring music into your child’s life, or you wish to fulfill a lifelong dream of playing, the best way to get started is to find the perfect piano for your home.

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11 July 2016 What Are The Best Piano Manufacturers?

What Are The Best Piano Manufacturers?

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Differences. They make the world an interesting place. They allow people to be individuals, to choose what’s most important to them.

It would be a pretty dull world if everyone were the same.A Piano Teacher’s Guide To Buying And Owning A Piano

Simple word comparisons can cause unlimited opportunity for debate.

Apple – Mac

Democrat – Republican

Chances are an opinion popped into your mind on both subject matters. The same happens in the world of music. Ask any pianist what piano they prefer and you’ll hear a variety of names pop out.

  • Baldwin
  • Chickering
  • Kimball
  • Yamaha

And then, of course, there’s Steinway.

To an untrained eye and ear, there’s little difference. One may be brown while another is black. One may be upright while another is a grand. And just maybe, one has a different sound than the other.

There is no scientific metric for determining which piano is better than another. In all cases, it comes down to preference and style. While there are hundreds of piano manufacturers in the world, very few have the quality and the history to stand the test of time.

In our minds, it’s a combination of tone, sound, action, history and passion that pushes certain manufacturers to the top of the list. While this list isn’t comprehensive, some of our favorites include:

Bosendorfer

Bosendorfer is one of the oldest piano makers in the world. Ignaz Bosendorfer founded the company in Vienna, Austria in 1828 and is famous for inventing the extension to the 88 key keyboard and the Imperial Grand piano that has a 97 key keyboard, giving it 8 octaves. This extra range made it the most loved concert piano in the world, one that is still used to this day.

Bluthner

Julius Bluthner started the company in 1853 in Leipzig, Germany, one that is still operated by the Bluthner family today. By the turn of the century, it had become the largest piano maker in Germany. They are renowned for their high quality and clear tone. A Bluthner piano was used in the famous airship Hindenburg, which crossed the Atlantic with the piano.

Kawai

Kawai was founded by Koichi Kawai in Japan in 1927. They are known for their digital and acoustic excellence. They provide a sleek design and one of the best sounds on the market.

Baldwin

Baldwin is one of the largest keyboard and piano makers in America. It was founded in 1862 in Cincinnati by music teacher Dwight Hamilton, quickly becoming known for its quality and detailed craftsmanship. We love it because of its versatility – you’ll see it being played by musicians like Ray Charles, and find it across Hollywood sets like in the show Glee.

Steinway

A top piano list wouldn’t be complete without Steinway. Steinway is possibly the most well-known piano manufacturer, with roots originating in Sessen, Germany before moving to its new home in New York. Steinway & Sons are considered the founders of the modern piano and have 127 patents to prove it. Each piano is meticulously handcrafted, taking over a year to produce.

What’s your favorite piano manufacturer?

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5 July 2016 Why I Love Vintage Pianos

Why I Love Vintage Pianos

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As a piano dealer, I’m asked this question all the time. And every time I have to answer: It depends.

Of course, I love a new piano. Nothing is as striking as a newly built baby grand vying for center stage in clients home. Knowing it will create beautiful music for decades to come is part of what brought me to this industry in the first place.Why I Love Vintage Pianos

But there’s also something special about a vintage piano.

If you head back in time fifty, even a hundred years ago or more, pianos were built for a different way of life. Pianos weren’t merely pieces of furniture tucked away in a corner waiting for daily practice sessions. Pianos took priority in a household and became central to their way of life. It became the entertainment of the evening hours, something prized in the family estate. Without our modern day electronics and entertainments sources, people relied on their pianos for living a cultured and enjoyable lifestyle.

Pianos from the 1940s and before have one distinct difference over pianos built today: they were built completely by hand, with a great deal of care and craftsmanship going into each one. They weren’t built in assembly line fashion, pushing out as many as possible each day. Each one was designed with time-honored traditions that made it as unique as the person who crafted it.

That’s not to say pianos today are completely built by machine. In higher end manufacturers, pianos still are created using time-honored traditions. They still use some of the handcrafting workmanship to produce a top of the line instrument. However, there are certain parts of the piano action that are made by machine, that can be refined by using technology.

That technology is what gives today’s pianos crisp, clean sounds that are replicated from piano to piano. And with vintage, every sound is distinctive.

There’s something sentimental about looking at a hundred year old piano and wondering the life it’s had throughout the years. What home has it sat in? What music has it played? Has it been a part of history, playing for local dignitaries from time to time?

Yes, through restoration, a vintage piano can produce music you will be proud to have played in your home. It can provide you with years of enjoyment, many hours of relaxation.

Whether you have a piano you would like to have restored, or are in the market, we can help you with all your needs.

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17 June 2016 Real Wood or Veneer? What Makes The Best Piano

Real Wood or Veneer? What Makes The Best Piano

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When considering any new piece of furniture for your home, hearing the word “veneer” immediately makes you think of a cheaply made or poor quality item. Real wood has a much better sound to it, so it must be better. Right?

Nothing could be further from the truth. Veneer is commonly used in the finest furniture making businesses of the 19th and 20th centuries, and was actually more expensive and labor intensive than it’s real wood counterparts. Veneer is a thin slice of wood glued over the top of a solid piece of wood, often attached in layers.

Veneer serves two purposes.Real Wood or Veneer? What Makes The Best Piano

First, veneer is cut against the grain of the log, which produces a detailed wood grain that is prevalent in find furniture. It’s almost impossible to get a fancy ribbon cut grain from a solid piece of wood. By cutting against the grain, unique looks could be created to produce truly exceptional works of art.

Second, veneer adds strength and durability to the piece.

In older pianos, the cabinets were made of solid wood like oak or maple. Then two or three layers of veneer would be glued in place over the wood, with the grain running in opposite directions. This kept the wood from shrinking and warping in different environmental conditions, and increased the strength of the case.

Almost all antique pianos are made with veneer. It’s been estimated that as much as 95 percent of the antique piano supply has veneer.

When looking at used or antique pianos as a choice today, don’t be afraid of a veneer cabinet. Veneer adds to its classic good looks, builds strength, durability, and charm. Because of the process, love and care were put into each piece at it was joined.

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13 June 2016 Why Keys Matter: Things To Consider When Buying A Used Piano

Why Keys Matter: Things To Consider When Buying A Used Piano

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When you decide to introduce piano into your child’s life, the first decision you’ll have to make is the piano. After all, having a piano in your home will provide your child the opportunity to play every day.

For many families, buying a used piano is the best way to go. And in many cases, you can get a quality used piano that will provide years of enjoyment.Why Keys Matter: Things To Consider When Buying A Used Piano

But you can also find yourself with lots of problems and one, big headache. If you purchase a quality used piano, you’ll hear the results from the moment it’s placed in your home. If you don’t, you’ll notice it immediately.

When you walk up to a used piano, in some cases you can get a good feel for its quality instantly. The case may have water stains. The wood may be warped. It may be tucked away in a garage susceptible to all elements and weather conditions. Your gut tells you no, pass.

But if it looks like its high quality, all roads lead to the keys to making sure it’s in playable condition.

Are the keys level and evenly spaced?

Run your fingers up each note in quick succession. Do they all work?

Play each note rapidly twice. Does each note recover to be playable? Playing notes twice will tell you if any note has suffered from moisture in the past. If the hammer can’t drop back into place quickly to be played again, it has suffered some level of water damage.

Was the sound even with every played note? Does any key sound louder or softer than others?

Does the sound stop when the note is released?

Do you hear buzzing, clicking or squeaking when the keys are played?

With just a few minutes of testing, you’ll know how well the piano works, as well as how it sounds. If a piano sounds good to the ear, you’re more likely to play. If it’s difficult, practicing becomes a chore, meaning your child may not continue playing for the long term.

If you want a high quality used piano, make sure the piano you are purchasing plays beautifully from the beginning.

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6 June 2016 A Guide To Buying A Used Steinway Piano

A Guide To Buying A Used Steinway Piano

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Are you shopping for a used Steinway piano?

Not every used Steinway is the same. Just because a Craigslist ad says it’s a Steinway doesn’t mean it truly is. There are a lot of factors that go into consideration to determine a genuine Steinway. And every seller, dealer and technician will classify it in a different way.A Guide To Buying A Used Steinway Piano

Typically, used Steinways are broken down into several categories

Original – a used Steinway that has never had any parts replaced since the manufacturing process. They are typically less than 20 years old.

Repaired – the piano has been repaired over time without replacing any of the major components. It has been maintained and is still playable.

Rebuilt – all of the components have been built to original specifications. Soundboards, bridges, and action parts are the most common items to be rebuilt.

Shell – the piano has never been restored and is not in playable condition. It has been neglected, damaged or compromised.

Factory Restored – if a Steinway was restored at the Steinway Restoration Center, it has original parts replaced with genuine Steinway parts.

Stein-Was – a piano that has had one or more parts replaced with non=Steinway parts.

To determine the authenticity of a Steinway, find the serial number. On a grand, it is found on a cast iron plate between the tuning pins above the keyboard. On an upright, it is located on a cast iron plate when you open the top lid. A search will show you the date of your piano. You can request the history depending on its age.

Used, vintage and restored Steinway pianos are often prized for their beauty and value. However, there is a great deal of confusion in the piano industry about what constitutes a Steinway. Because many rebuilders use non-Steinway parts in the process, they often claim it doesn’t matter. But using inferior products and workmanship will compromise the instrument’s quality. If it doesn’t have the parts that give it its unique, rich quality, the performance will be forever lost.

Have additional questions about Steinway pianos? We’d be happy to answer.

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