24 May 2016 What To Look For In A Piano Stand

What To Look For In A Piano Stand

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Most keyboards do not come supplied with a stand. However, purchasing a piano stand is essential for comfortable playing.

Spend a few minutes searching for piano stands and you’ll find a wide range to choose from. But which one is best for you? What are the differences? Is one better than the other?What To Look For In A Piano Stand

X Style Stand
An X Style stand is probably the most popular choice for keyboards, identified by its X appearance when open. One of the most important features of this stand is it is fully adjustable, so you avoid discomfort when playing in different positions. You can easily move it up and down, depending on the height of your stool or chair. You’ll find X Style stands in single and double braced, choose based on how heavy your keyboard is and how much wear and tear you expect.

Mixer Style Stand
Mixer Style piano stands are heavier and bulkier, perfect for bigger, heavier keyboards. They provide more support at the base, where connected to the piano. And the legs offer more space underneath. They provide more legroom, which is great if you spend most of your time sitting down while playing.

Custom Made Stands
Depending on what digital piano you purchase, some manufacturers create custom made stands for different styles of pianos. Because they are custom made, they will usually be more expensive. Yet they will also fit your piano perfectly, with little room for movement or slippage. This can be a preferred option if you are looking for a high quality stand that is unique to your instrument, and you’re ready to permanently fix your digital piano to.

Have questions? We can help you find the perfect piano stand for your keyboard. Just ask.

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15 May 2016 Buying A Piano With A Reconditioned Piano Action

Buying A Piano With A Reconditioned Piano Action

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Considering a used piano? Depending on its age, there’s a good chance the piano will have a reconditioned piano action.

For some people, that might send up a few red flags. What is an action? Will a reconditioned action stand the test of time?Buying A Piano With A Reconditioned Piano Action

When you purchase a piano, it’s often with the thought that it will be in your home for generations. After all, pianos are known to be one of the most classic pieces of furniture we bring into our homes. But what many don’t know is that it takes more than regular tune-ups to keep a piano in good working condition.

Pianos are made from materials that wear down over time. They need repair, replacing, adjusting, cleaning and maintenance on a regular basis to keep them in optimal playing condition.

There are two kinds of piano actions: upright actions and grand actions.

Upright actions contain the hammers, the whippen assemblies, and the dampers. Each is mounted to a series of rails that holds them in proper alignment to the strings and the keys so that when a note is played, the energy is properly distributed throughout the mechanism and sound is produced. In general, upright actions are fairly easy to remove for repairs, the exception being with spinets or player pianos.

Upright actions are simpler than their grand action counterparts.

With grand piano actions, they also have action parts mounted to a series of rails that can be removed for service and reconditioning. The noticeable difference is that the hammers are oriented differently in the case. The grand action’s whippen assemble has a repetition lever which allows a note to fully reset before the key has risen back to its resting position. This allows for better repetition of the note than on an upright.

With years of playing and settling, these parts wear out. Leather and felt pieces lose their effectiveness, and allow alignment and adjustment to fall out of place. When the felt hammers strike the strings and aren’t in proper working condition, damage begins to occur. And as one part wears and falls apart, it impacts all around it.

Reconditioning the action simply brings it back into working order with the proper materials to match the piano’s needs. New leather, felt, wire and even wood is introduced to match what’s already there.

If a piano action has been reconditioned, the difference will be in having a clean, well-functioning action that will make your playing enjoyable for many years to come.

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10 May 2016 Choosing A Home Keyboard For A Student That Wants To Make Music

Choosing A Home Keyboard For A Student That Wants To Make Music

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For many budding musicians, they move towards playing the piano in order to fulfill their desires of joining a band. With big dreams of a musical future, a keyboard gives them the ability to create music in a variety of ways, record it, even upload it for the world to hear all with the touch of a few buttons.Choosing A Home Keyboard For A Student That Wants To Make Music

Dating back hundreds of years, an acoustic piano is one of the most common musical instruments in history. A piano contains a series of strings stretched over a metal frame. As these strings are struck by felt-covered hammers, vibrations occur on the soundboard, creating the piano’s sound. A lot of factors go into creating proper sound: environment, temperature of the room, humidity, quality of the parts, quality of the design to name but a few.

A digital piano takes away these variables by replacing the strings with key-triggered samples. These are digital recordings of an acoustic piano, designed to replicate the sound when an appropriate key is pressed. Since there are no strings, action, or soundboards, it’s a more compact instrument. That makes them easier to carry, easier to store, easy to maneuver into the tightest of places.

The quality of a digital piano comes down to the quality of the action. Different manufacturers use different methods of applying weights to the keys to replicate an acoustic piano’s process. It’s up to you to decide if the feel of the keyboard is right for you.

If a student chooses to play songs with full accompaniment, then an arranger keyboard might be the ideal choice. These instruments combine features of synthesizers and sequencers, allowing the user to quickly change and select a style and song form based on their current desires. It allows you to choose to play in the style you want. That means choosing backing instrument sounds, like horns or drums, chord progressions, musical genres such as Latin or Jazz. Entry level arrangers offer dozens of styles, with more sophisticated choices growing in the upper levels.

While it’s easy to get lost in the details of what an arranger keyboard has to offer, pay attention to the format as well. Microphone input, digital mixer, screen displays, weighted keys, amplifiers, speakers and more will all add to the final price, but will also give the user the flexibility to create the type of music they desire.

A keyboard should be able to:

  • Create convincing sounds
  • Produce high-quality music
  • Feel close to an acoustic piano
  • Provide ample resistance

An arranger keyboard should have:

  • Amplification system
  • Metronome
  • Auto-accompaniment
  • Effective percussion styles
  • USB or smart technology for saving and loading

Have additional questions on selecting the perfect keyboard for your budding musician? Ask us today.

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8 May 2016 The Future Of Piano

The Future Of Piano

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Every industry changes. As we invent new, old things disappear. As technological advances are made, out of date technology goes away.

To expect anything different isn’t realistic.The Future Of Piano

What is the present and future of the piano as an instrument?

Since no major changes have been made to the overall construction of the piano in decades, it’s safe to say that the structure of the piano has stopped evolving.

But what hasn’t stopped is technology. That’s where the most growth and the most opportunity lie. It’s where electronic keyboards are pushing forward, offering more opportunity to an ever-changing field.

Does this mean digital will eventually replace acoustic pianos? Not at all. The television didn’t replace radio when it swept in; instead, it simply changed our perception of what is possible.

When it comes to training, a keyboard is a keyboard. You’ll learn in a similar manner on both an electronic piano as well as an acoustic. Up to a point. Electronic keyboards serve composers, pop musicians, and other artists in musical fields. Classical pianists will never reach their true potential without having access to the best acoustical pianos in the industry. The touch is different. The sound is different. And nothing will ever be able to connect the two in any way.

But clearly there is change in playing the piano, in the music industry as a whole. It stems from the way our current school system is structured.

When schools morphed and changed, cut arts programs due to budget cuts and beliefs that STEM subjects were more beneficial to our population than the arts, music programs began to disappear. And if children weren’t encouraged to choose a musical instrument in school and find joy in anything but what can be found on the radio or their iPod, the interest wanes.

But again, our society is in a constant ebb and flow. Already a movement is beginning to change the future course of education, realizing potential problems that are just beginning to appear. The concept of STEM schools – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – is being changed to STEAM. Which of course adds back in the arts.

Adding back in liberal arts, which includes language arts, physical arts, fine arts, and music, sets the framework for teaching that is based on natural ways of learning. It creates interest and FUN for all.

How will piano morph and change in our future? Only time will tell. But it’s a safe bet that music was and will continue to be an important part of our lives. The only question is how involved you and your family choose to be.

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6 April 2016 7 Reasons To Buy A Digital Piano Instead Of An Acoustic Piano

7 Reasons To Buy A Digital Piano Instead Of An Acoustic Piano

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Which should you choose, a digital piano or an acoustic piano?

It really is more a matter of style.

Nothing beats the charm and elegance of playing a high quality acoustic piano. An accomplished musician or composer will love the touch and feel as they create music.7 Reasons To Buy A Digital Piano Instead Of An Acoustic Piano

Yet for some, experimentation with sounds leads them towards technology, and that’s when a digital piano can really allow them to play. The best digital pianos on the market not only feel and sound like the real thing, but they can also be incorporated into almost anything when combined with today’s technology.

But how do you know if it’s time to invest in a digital piano?

1. You’re ready for choices and variety
Yes, digital pianos are designed to sound like acoustic pianos. But from there, they open up the world to opportunity. You can combine it with virtually any sound possible. Add percussion. Create new sounds. It’s perfect for the person ready to experiment with what is possible.

2. Needs less space
Many digital pianos are created as stage pianos, ready for performance and can be carried anywhere you desire. They can also be stowed away with ease. Perfect for kids in a dorm room, or when living in tight spaces.

3. Ready to experiment with sounds
High quality digital pianos produce each note by electronically recording some of the best acoustic pianos. You hear each rich sound when a key is struck. Digital pianos also sample a variety of other sounds, including various nuances and dynamics of different instruments. It puts an entire band at your fingertips.

4. No tuning required
Acoustic pianos require tuning on a regular basis to maintain their sound. With digital, you never have to worry about it going out of tune. That can be a good thing, especially if you move your keyboard around on a regular basis.

5. You’re ready to compose
One of the joys of learning to play the piano is eventually creating your own music. With digital, you can turn your composing skills into a recording studio. Digital pianos come with MIDI, which allows you to connect your digital piano to a computer, and turn it into a recording studio complete with all the tools you’ll need to create and share.

6. You want to play anytime
Families today have different schedules. When one is ready to practice the piano, another may be ready to study. Or sleep. All digital pianos have headphone output, which allows you to connect a headphone and practice without disturbing others.

7. Continue to expand
Thanks to the Internet, digital pianos can be upgraded all the time. With many recent models, you can connect your digital piano to the Internet and download all kinds of items, from songs to sounds and styles. It gives you even more opportunity when playing and composing.

Want more? Stop by today and learn just how beneficial a digital piano can be in your life.

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26 March 2016 Are Refurbished Pianos As Good As New?

Are Refurbished Pianos As Good As New?

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So it’s time to bring a piano into your home. Where do you begin?

When you’ve decided you or your child will begin playing the piano, the first step is to find a piano to practice on regularly. And in most cases, the deciding factor comes down to cost, how much you can spend.Are Refurbished Pianos As Good As New?

After all, pianos can be very expensive, depending on the make and model you select. Which leaves many would-be piano owners searching out the best deals. It takes a lot of time to wade through your options.

There’s also a lot of risks.

Used pianos are marketed in a wide variety of ways. What does it all mean? Are there some you can trust more than others?

Remanufactured Pianos
Remanufactured pianos will ensure the piano is in new-like condition, both regarding appearance and performance. It will have new hammers, felts, strings, action parts, a new soundboard, and pinblock. In most cases it will also go through a refinishing process.

Rebuilt Pianos
If a piano is listed as rebuilt, it has gone through several changes, such as receiving new strings, a new soundboard, or a new pinblock. Most rebuilt pianos are also refinished too.

Reconditioned Pianos
A reconditioned piano usually signifies the piano has had strings and/or hammers replaced.

Restored Pianos
A restored piano is often a generic term used to describe a piano that has been remanufactured, rebuilt or refinished.

Refurbished Pianos
A refurbished piano typically takes it to the next level. Pianos that are refurbished will go through a lot of work, such as new strings, hammers, felts, pinblocks and soundboard. They may also be refinished in the process. At the completion, a refurbished piano will also be tuned and have regulation of the piano action.

If you are on a budget and wonder how you can purchase the best piano in your price range, looking at refurbished pianos may be your best alternative. Refurbished pianos have almost everything repaired or replaced within the parts. In most cases, they are as good as new. It is important that you thoroughly inspect the refurbished piano to make sure it meets your standards.

Look for a reputable dealer that can provide information about previous owners and its current condition.

Look for dealer’s warranties to protect you in the future.

Ask questions. This can ensure you are comfortable with your purchase.

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27 February 2016 The Difference Between High End and Low End Digital Pianos

The Difference Between High End and Low End Digital Pianos

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Considering purchasing a digital piano? They can make a great addition to your home for a variety of reasons. They are:The Difference Between High End and Low End Digital Pianos

  • Low maintenance
  • Easy to store
  • Easy to transport
  • No tuning required

And if you live in a small space, they allow you the convenience of being able to play quietly whenever you desire, then tuck it away until you’re ready to play another day.

All great reasons to buy. Yet now comes the important question: Do you purchase a high end or low end digital piano?

A lot goes into making that final decision. You can start by discovering why you want a digital piano in the first place.

  • Are you brand new to playing the piano?
  • What are your goals?
  • What is your budget?

And of course the biggest question of all: What are the differences between high end and low end digital pianos?

Digital pianos don’t use the string/hammer concept to make sound like their acoustic counterparts. Instead, digital pianos use samples to generate sound. So each manufacturer of a digital piano spends its time and energy recording sounds and placing them into their final production digital pianos. That difference is where quality comes into play. They must record each sound at different volume levels and then arrange them to make the appropriate sound, depending on how a player presses the key. This process is called modeling. And it’s what separates high end from low end digital pianos.

High end pianos will have more precision in the modeling process. The manufacturer will have paid a lot more attention to the details of successfully emulating the interaction between different strings, different notes. This means it will have a richer, fuller sound, and be closer to the sound an acoustic piano produces.

But of course that isn’t the only difference. It also comes down to the feel of the piano. And arguably so, a professional piano player will tell you this is one area that matters most. Acoustic piano keys are weighted, using a particular mechanism to produce the sound when a key is pressed. When pressed, a felt-hammer is used to press different amounts of pressure to the strings in order to produce different sounds. This “feel” comes through loud and clear on an acoustical. It’s also what separates high end from low end digital pianos.

High end pianos emulate this. Low end digitals will only use a spring and a graded hammer system to produce the same key resistance, which means resistance will only go so far. High end digitals use a replicated piano mechanism that is far superior, and does a great job at transferring skill level from acoustic to digital.

While these are the primary differences, they are by no means all. Yet sound quality is ultimately the most important thing. How its produced, and how its amplified. High end digital pianos will also put more focus in on the speaker system. What you hear is what you’ll remember. So they spend the extra time creating acoustic soundboards and advanced speaker systems that will provide you with a high quality sound. You’ll also increasingly find more opportunity and marked differences in the features, everything from input/output technology, to different sounds and options for production.

If your goal is to become the best piano player you can, investing in a high end digital piano can give you more opportunity to create better music. And when you have better equipment, better sound, you’ll automatically have more desire. Stop by today to find out what equipment is right for you.

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6 February 2016 Buying The Best Digital Church Piano

Buying The Best Digital Church Piano

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Ready to upgrade your music program? Want to purchase the best digital church piano to fit your needs? It may not be as easy as it appears. Buying the top of the line just because it’s the best won’t necessarily give you what you need. Likewise, purchasing a low cost keyboard on sale won’t provide you with the motivational sounds you’re looking for.Buying The Best Digital Church Piano

There is a process to finding the best digital church piano for your congregation. Here’s a few things to look for.

Stay away from keyboards that are too complicated for your needs

Digital pianos come in all sizes and styles. They come with a variety of abilities, and many different options. As a musical director, it’s easy to get “wow’d” into one of the largest and most expensive keyboards available. Do a quick search online and you’ll find many top of the line digital pianos being recommended for church music programs. Yet for many pianists and keyboardists, they never use the great majority of the options available on the church piano available to them.

Yes, you have to be able to create the perfect sound. Focus on choosing a digital church piano that is performance based, not work based. Some digital pianos are designed for the studio, giving you many options to create and record the perfect sound. Digital church pianos will be played and performed with on a daily basis. Make sure it offers only what is truly needed for the person that will play.

Purchase one that provides a great sound

While some churches go all out and purchase top of the line digital keyboards, the next will undercut the process and purchase the lowest piano available. You get what you pay for is always true, especially in the world of digital pianos. If it doesn’t sound very good, it won’t deliver an enjoyable sound to your congregation.

Buy one that is as portable as you 

Have you ever stopped to consider the different places you bring your keyboard to, or what is possible if you had the right digital piano in your possession? How about heading off site with a youth group? Or performing a concert at a sister church? Sure, you can make just about any piano work. But if you understand your needs before you buy, a professional piano dealer can help you select the right church piano that makes the process easy. It’s not just the keyboard, it’s the USB connectivity, the stand, the speaker functionality, the ports. Together it all creates a digital church piano that offers you the greatest potential.

Have additional questions about choosing the right digital piano for your church? Stop by today and see our wide selection of pianos, perfect for whatever needs you may have.

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26 January 2016 Why Is A Grand Piano Better?

Why Is A Grand Piano Better?

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When someone mentions the word piano, what comes to mind? For many of us, it’s the thought of a grand piano. We don’t see an upright piano in the corner. Instead, we see the grand piano commanding attention in the middle of the room.Why Is A Grand Piano Better?

But is a grand piano better? Is that the piano all piano players strive to play? Aesthetically, the answer may be yes.

While grand pianos usually command an audience in a room, uprights are generally placed in a corner or off on the side. Out of sight, out of mind.

But what about quality?

With a grand piano, it is all about the size. A concert grand piano is 7 to 10 feet longer than an upright; a baby grand measures in at about 5 feet. The length of the strings and the size of the soundboard increases at the same ratio.

Longer pianos have longer strings, which produce richer, more in-depth sound. The shorter the string, the more the human ear perceives it as a harsher tone.

The action also changes. In a grand, the action remains horizontal, working with gravity to create sound. In an upright, the action is sideways and requires force to create the same sound. Because grand pianos are often place in better rooms, better conditions, they often command a better sound. Compare that with an upright placed in a corner, out of the way.

Yet none of this changes the fact that a high quality piano – upright or grand – has the ability to produce beautiful music.

Is a grand piano better? It depends on your point of view. It depends on your ability, the maintenance, the quality of the piano. Both can offer you years of enjoyment, from any room in your home.

Which do you prefer?

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21 January 2016 Vintage, Antique and Used Pianos, What’s The Difference

Vintage, Antique and Used Pianos, What’s The Difference

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People use the words vintage, antique and old interchangeably when describing a piano.

The adage “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure” can describe many things. And often times the words we use to describe are subjective at best.Vintage, Antique and Used Pianos, What’s The Difference

But is there a difference in the way the labels are used? Does one hold more value than the other?

In general terms, the word antique describes an object of considerable age valued for its aesthetic or historical significance. While time periods change depending on who’s valuing an item, antique is usually associated with something 100 years or older.

Vintage is usually used when describing an item that was popular in a different era. It’s not necessary that the object was produced within that time period, simply that it mimics the look and feel of the item that peaked in popularity during that time frame.

In some cases, people look to labels to help determine value. But this only holds true if both sides agree. Arguably, antique should be used to describe a piano with considerable age. But in all other cases, your good judgment will come into play.

In a physical situation, where you can touch, feel and listen to a piano, you can decide quickly how well it meets your qualifications. If evaluating it from a virtual world, a picture online, being conscious of the meaning and what is used to place a piano in that category will be a judgement call at best.

Which brings us to used. The term used applies to everything that can no longer be sold as new. It’s been used on a showroom floor. It’s been owned by a previous owner. Antique can be used. Vintage can be used.

No matter what label a piano has – antique, vintage or used – playability is never guaranteed. A piano can easily be classified as an antique, and not be able to produce a sound. A piano listed as vintage can be severely out of tune. A piano with the used tag can be comparable, even better than a new one in some cases, depending on upkeep and maintenance.

In all cases, research is your best course of action. Learn all you can about your potential purchase. Do your research online. Trust a piano expert who can guide you along the way. Then purchase the right piano for you.

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