Grand Piano Finishes and Styles

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If you are in the market for a piano, you’ll quickly find that there are many more options with upright pianos versus their counterparts, the grand piano.

Yet when most people think about a piano, and choose to put it on display in their home not just as a musical instrument, but also as a piece of art, more than likely the grand piano will be the instrument of choice.Grand Piano Finishes and Styles

Grand pianos come in a variety of woods: mahogany, cherry, walnut, oak are the most common. In some cases you’ll find an ebony piano, which is made of inexpensive, sturdy veneer that has been painted black. Higher priced pianos may be constructed from exotic woods such as bubinga or rosewood.

In addition to the type of wood itself, the piano can also be finished in a variety of ways. You’ll typically find pianos finished in either a high gloss or satin finish; high gloss gives a mirror-like effect, where as satin reflects some of the light. You’ll also find flat finishes, more common in European pianos, in which the grain is not filled in before finishing, giving it a grainier texture with an overall flat lighting quality. And in some cases, you can special order a piano in a variety of colors, including ivory or white, or even in bigger and bolder colors such as red or blue.

Most piano finishes are either lacquer or polyester. Lacquer was the most popular finish during the 20th century, with polyester becoming more popular in the 80s and 90s. Lacquer finishes are a smoother finish, which also means they can scratch easier than their counterpart, the polyester finish. Polyester finishes are more durable, and are a great choice in high traffic areas, such as a church or a school.

While the overall look of a grand piano is one that is easily recognizable by all, there are distinct qualities that can add style to your final selection. A traditional grand piano has a solid piano case, straight or slightly tapered legs, and usually a rather plain, solid music rack above the keyboard.

A Victorian style brings out the finesse of the late 1800s, with large, round fluted legs and a fancy music rack. Still other styles, such as the Queen Anne or French Provincial, provide elaborate curved legs similar to the period in which it originated, and will offer embellishments and music racks that compliment the style.

Whether you have a specific look and style in mind, or simply want to have artistic expression in your home, a grand piano can add style like no other piece of furniture can. Let us help you find the perfect addition to your home today with a grand piano.

Filed Under: Buying a Piano, Owning a Piano Tagged With: ,
17 December 2014 Are You Up To Date On State Ivory Regulations For Pianos?

Are You Up To Date On State Ivory Regulations For Pianos?

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In the piano industry, regulations have changed significantly over the years. Up until the 1950s, ivory veneering was used to cover a piano’s keys and give it the smooth, ivory look we’ve all come to associate with a piano.

Yet in the 1950s, things began to change. We began to understand the brutal nature of the ivory industry, and began abandoning the old ways of covering the keys on a keyboard with ivory, and turned to plastic instead. By the 1980s, the European market was on board with the ivory ban, and today no new pianos are built containing ivory.Are You Up To Date On State Ivory Regulations For Pianos?

Nonetheless, the US Fish and Wildlife Service continues to do its part regarding the sale of ivory, and has taken steps to increase regulation against the sale, import and export of anything ivory.

Under new Federal regulations, a piano with ivory keys will be prohibited from most sales both across state lines, for import or export, and in some cases will no longer be able to be sold within a state itself. Individual states such as New York and New Jersey have passed their own bills eliminating the sale of a piano with ivory keys within its borders. This means that anyone – individuals or dealers – will not be permitted to buy, sell, or take in trade a piano with ivory keys.

These new regulations are a hot topic among industry experts, partially because of the confusion left behind. The law is designed to put an end to elephant poaching once and for all. In some areas where elephants used to live in mass – Chad, for instance – over 90 percent of the population has been eliminated due to poaching, with less than 500 surviving.

The idea is that if things can’t be exported, imported, or sold, they will become difficult to part with and lose their value. That makes things difficult, especially for musicians who travel throughout America from abroad.

The proposed regulation does have an”antique” exemption clause for pianos more than 100 years old. But keep in mind that its often difficult to document and prove a pianos age, and you must have meticulous documentation on file in order to be safe. If a piano has had repairs or restoration in the past, it no longer qualifies, and will disqualify from the exemption.

If you own a piano that has been in your family for generations, private ownership is fine. But keep in mind that the likelihood of both selling it or in some cases even working on it is decreasing all the time.

 

Have further questions? Give us a call today.

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13 December 2014 What Is Piano Voicing?

What Is Piano Voicing?

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When you begin to learn a new hobby, there are more aspects to learn than just the craft itself. Take, for instance, learning to play the piano. Not only do you have to learn the notes, scales, and finger placement, you also have to learn the buzzwords of the industry.

Like voicing.

Voicing refers to the changing tone of the instrument. Tone can be thought of as the brightness or mellowness of the sound. A note may be perfectly in tune, yet vibrating at a consistency that sounds harsh and bright. It can have a fullness to it that makes it seem like it hovers in the air, or it can have a flat, dullness to it that barely creates a presence.

There are three basic problems when it comes to tone:What Is Piano Voicing?

1. Select notes don’t seem to blend in with the others

2. Entire sections seem to be out of balance with each other – the bass may be bold while the treble is weak

3. The entire piano seems to be balanced, but the overall tone is too bright or mellow

These problems have nothing to do with tuning, and everything to do with voicing.

When you listen to music through a stereo system, you can control the sound in a variety of ways. The easiest is by turning the volume up or down depending on your preference. But with a sophisticated system, you have more controls than that. You can adjust the treble or bass to make the music sound richer and fuller. You can move the sound from one channel to another, creating surround sound. You are not changing the music; just the way you hear it.

The human ears are designed to pick up many different frequencies. Every frequency has its own volume and pattern. That’s why you can distinguish a friend’s voice calling to you across a crowded room, or why a mother can hear her infant cry in a room full of children.

If a piano is in tune and properly voiced, it will create a harmonious sound that is not only a joy to listen to, but also a joy to play. Imagine a beginning piano player sitting down and playing her first tune. She hears the melody, but knows the sound simply isn’t right. That’s where frustration can begin to set in.

Voicing is bringing every note into balance so that one note compliments the other as it is played. Instead of each note working individually, they work together to create one harmonious sound.

How is this accomplished?

Through proper tuning. The strings must be properly seated and firmly in place. Hammers must be in proper working condition and centered on their strings.

Think this is a job for just anyone? Think again. This is where the art of tuning comes into play. The art of listening and diagnosing the tonal weakness takes years of experience and a great deal of patience.

If its been a while since your piano was tuned, you may have noticed some issues with the tone. The voicing may be off. Which means its time to schedule tuning with a trained professional and bring it back into full working condition. Give us a call today; we can have your piano playing beautifully again in no time.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Playing Tagged With: , ,
22 November 2014 What Skills Does A Piano Tuner Have?

What Skills Does A Piano Tuner Have?

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With certain jobs, skill and knowledge might not have much of an impact. Take, for instance, the clerk down at the local discount store. They were hired to ring up sales, maybe answer a question or two about where something is in the store, and get as many people in and out in the quickest way possible. It doesn’t really matter is she knows where a certain product is; she can ask several people around her and provide you with the answer.What Skills Does A Piano Tuner Have?

But that mindset doesn’t follow through to all jobs. If you hire the right piano tuner, your piano will have a beautiful sound after he leaves, and carry that sound through many hours of play in the coming weeks and months. Hire the wrong one, and well … probably not so great results.

But how do you know? How can you protect yourself from piano tuners that aren’t in it for quality, just merely for the money? This is the the time to ask the right questions to find the right person for the job.

Question #1 What qualifications do you have?

There are several ways for a piano tuner to gain the qualifications it takes to be a great piano tuner.

  • They can receive training and become a registered piano technician through the Piano Technicians Guild, which provides classes and training for both beginning piano tuners and for those wanting to improve their skills. They also have a series of tests to be awarded with the certification of being a registered piano technician.
  • They can attend a school or training program specifically for piano tuning. Colleges, universities, even piano manufacturers put on classes for people to learn more about the art of piano tuning. This can provide training with many of the artists in the industry, and give a person hands on experience with a variety of instruments while being overseen by musicians that love what they do.
  • They can complete an apprenticeship with an experienced piano tuner. In some cases a love of the art and on the job training can provide the skills necessary to be a great piano tuner.

While any way can be valid, keep in mind that in many cases its about the drive to become better at what they do. You can tell if a person loves music and cares about quality just by talking to them.

Question #2 What experience do you have?

It seems like there are all kinds of start up opportunities out there right now with people trying to make a few extra bucks by setting up shop and undercutting people that have been in business for years. Its happening in all kinds of trades and industries, and its easy to be swayed by their low-ball fees.

In some cases it may be worth looking at. In other cases, not so much.

Imagine hiring a piano tuner that read an online manual and decided to open up a business on nights and weekends. Sure, they might be able to tune a piano, but what’s the quality and how long will it last?

Piano tuning is an art. It takes years to develop a sense about what to do in every situation. You have to continue to run into new problems, ask the right questions, and learn from people that have been in situations before to really get a feel for the right processes. Because its not just about tightening a string here or reducing tension on the strings over there. Its about the coordination of the entire process, and learning how one piece integrates with another to reach and maintain the perfect sound.

And all of that doesn’t come from reading a book and trying your skills out on a piano or two. It comes from learning from many other piano tuners and working on different pianos year after year.

In the end, finding and trusting the right piano tuner is a personal choice. When you get that “feeling”, you know you’ve found the right piano tuner for you.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Music Tagged With: , ,
19 November 2014 How To Fix Piano Keys

How To Fix Piano Keys

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What’s the first sign you have a problem with your piano? Usually it starts with the keys.

One of the most common calls we receive is for us to repair a broken key. Broken keys can mean a variety of things to different people, usually we find a “broken” key usually has one of two problems:

  • When the key is pressed, it won’t come back up
  • When the key is pressed, the note doesn’t play

In either case, fixing the problem could involve a variety of things.

How To Fix Piano Keys

In a newer piano, the most common reason why a key sticks is when the felt bushing binds up against the front rail pin. This will most likely occur during more humid times of the year when the felt swells from the moisture. A piano technician has a tool that can easily compress the felt back into its original shape.

In older pianos, there may be several causes.

  • Sometimes the hammers are too close together and rub against one another, causing a note not to play.
  • Sometimes the hammer shank breaks.
  • Sometimes the key itself can crack at the balance rail hole.

These are all common problems, ones we work with on a regular basis.

Keep in mind that some piano key problems are not problems with the piano at all. In some cases, an animal or a human was involved. I’ve found pencils, toys or other objects inside the piano lying across the backs of the keys. And I’ve found small items wedged between the keys.

While a broken key can signify a variety of things, there’s only one way to tell for sure: get inside the piano and discover where the problem lies. As trained piano technicians, we can fix broken keys, tune your piano so it plays at its optimal pitch, and provide you with full service for all of your piano needs.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Renovation Tagged With: , , ,
15 November 2014 Downsizing? Maybe Its Time For A Piano

Downsizing? Maybe Its Time For A Piano

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When the kids are at home, there is so much to do with your days. Carpooling. After school activities. Events. The time seems to fly by as you keep up with everyone’s schedule.

Then you move to an empty nest stage, and you start considering your options. How should you fill your days? What interests you most? For some people, empty nest signals a time to downsize, move to a comfortable place that suits your needs, and only have things that allow you to do what you choose to do.Downsizing? Maybe Its Time For A Piano

While you’re moving into a smaller location, selling off or giving away things you no longer need, its also a time to consider investing in the things you’ve always wanted to try.

How about a piano?

A piano is known for its ability to bring joy not only into your life, but of those around you as well. You can learn to play for the enjoyment of making music in your own style. And you can also discover the joy of playing and entertaining friends and guests with your new-found talents.

And the best thing about taking up piano as a mature adult is its something you can continue for a very long time. Its not difficult to learn to play in your 40s, 50s, even 60s or beyond. The desire to learn is really all you need. Find a piano teacher that is accustomed to teaching adults, and you’ll soon find yourself playing your favorite tunes.

While piano lessons will help you become more musically inclined, they can also help you become better at organizing your time and schedule as well. As we get older, we tend to systematize the things we do, giving ourselves time limits for doing things. As you prove to yourself that you can implement music into life, you begin to trust and have faith you can do other things too. Things you might not have tried before because you were afraid it wasn’t possible, suddenly seem a little bit easier. Why not try it – what have you got to lose?

If you are ready to bring a piano into your life, the best place to start is by stopping by. We’ll show you all of your options – new or used, an upright or a grand piano – whatever fits your needs best, you can try it out here first to make sure it’s the perfect fit for your new lifestyle.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Moving Tagged With: ,
12 November 2014 Proper Piano Tuning Is More Than Listening To The Sound

Proper Piano Tuning Is More Than Listening To The Sound

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Have you ever been to a antique car show? The owners take great pride in their cars, shining them up and detailing them to make everything look brand new.

If you have a musician in your life, you probably have experienced the same thing. They take great pride in their instruments, making sure they are at peak playability.

When a piano is freshly tuned, there is no other sound like it. Proper Piano Tuning Is More Than Listening To The SoundWhen someone loves to play the piano, they can get lost in their own music. That’s a feeling most piano players can relate to. Every note sounds perfect. Every chord blends together impeccably.

But the more you play, the more the music loses that preciseness. Its not difficult to know when a piano is out of tune. Even those who are tone-deaf can usually pick up on the cues fairly quickly. It’s a flat note here, and an off-sound there. And when it doesn’t sound right, its just not as fun to play.

Sound is only the first aspect of tuning a piano. Its usually the easiest to pick up on, the cue that lets you know immediately that something is changing. But tuning goes beyond creating a balanced tune.

  • A proper tuning helps the soundboard retain its shape, creating the perfect tension that enhances the sound quality.
  • A proper tuning keeps the strings perfectly taut and kink-free, to keep the notes from sounding “off”.
  • A proper tuning eliminates broken strings.
  • A proper tuning protects the pinblock from receiving too much wear, which can reduce the piano’s pitch.
  • A proper tuning can provide a stable environment that helps keep a piano in tune for longer periods of time. The more regular you are with tuning, the more stable your piano will become.

If you are wondering if its time to schedule tuning for your piano, ask yourself two questions.

When was the last time your piano was tuned?

What is the sound quality of your piano as you play it?

Those two questions can be big indicators of when its time for a tuning. Not only will it improve your playing, but it will keep your piano in top shape as well.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Music Tagged With: ,
8 November 2014 Why Tuning Your Own Piano Is A Bad Idea

Why Tuning Your Own Piano Is A Bad Idea

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Thinking of tuning your own piano? Think again. There is an art form to piano tuning, and even the professionals agree that it takes hundreds of tunings to perfect the skill.

The average piano tuning for a professional can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours of time. If you’re a novice trying it on your own, double, triple or even quadruple that time period, knowing you may never achieve the results you are looking for. Add into it the fact that the longer it takes to tune, the more exhausted your ears become to the note precision, meaning it becomes harder and harder to hear the tonality quality you are looking for.Why Tuning Your Own Piano Is A Bad Idea

But I know how to tune a guitar, isn’t it the same thing?

They are both instruments; they both have strings, unfortunately that’s where the similarities end. Each piano’s temperament is tuned differently depending on the structure of the piano. Each brand, each style has their own unique gauges and lengths of strings. Therefore what works on one piano may not work precisely in the same manner on another. Professionals use tools and software, as well as acoustic tests to calculate how to precisely tune each piano.

Can’t I just buy a tool to adjust the strings?

While anyone can buy the tools needed to tune a piano, knowing how to use them is a different story. To tune a piano, the tuning pin and string must be set and secured by the tuner. A tuner will move the pin only as much as needed to get the desired pitch; then the pin is set in place. If its not done correctly, one strike of the key and the note will pop out of tune. This is called tuning stability. Its one of the last things a professional tuner masters because of the detailed process of the work.

What if a string is broken?

Occasionally strings break on a piano, especially if they are old and brittle. During the tuning process, if a string is adjusted too far sharp, it may snap. Which means the string must be replaced. A professional tuner will have the proper tools to remove the action, remove the string, and replace it with new wire. If your piano has been restored and in original state, your tuner will also understand how to retain its value as a restored instrument, choosing only the highest of quality wire that will ensure it remains as original as possible.

Can I just put off tuning for awhile? Does it really need it regularly?

With everything that goes on in our busy lives, taking the time to tune a piano on a regular basis may be something that falls to the wayside. Pianos need regular tuning to retain their value. It doesn’t matter how much its played, or even if its been played at all. Only regular tuning will keep a piano up to its full potential. If you choose to put off tuning, it may require several passes at tuning to raise the pitch, before a final tuning refines the tonal quality, providing clean unisons and octaves. That requires more time, more risk for repair work needed, and more money and effort down the road.

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25 October 2014 How To Inspect A Used Piano For Damage Before You Buy

How To Inspect A Used Piano For Damage Before You Buy

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When you purchase a new piano, you can be comfortable you are purchasing an instrument that will provide high quality sound with a warranty to back up any potential problems in the near future. But when you purchase a used piano, it’s an entirely different process.

If you buy it from some shady dealer operating out of his home, you could be looking at BIG money to bring it up to playable standards, and have costly repairs for an indefinite period of time.How To Inspect A Used Piano For Damage Before You Buy

To avoid purchasing a used piano disaster, there are a few precautions you can take along the way to identify any potential problems. Looks can be deceiving; it isn’t looks that give a piano its playability. Use these tips to help you find the right used piano for you.

Start by examining the exterior of the piano.

  • Chipped or crooked piano keys can be a sign of internal abuse. If a keyboard is showing its age on the outside, it may have problems on the inside. Strike each key several times and test out its playability. Look for keys that are silent, notes that don’t hold their lengths, off pitch notes, keys that sound like they are playing multiple notes at the same time, and any buzzing noises or strange vibrations.
  • Cloudiness in the piano’s finish, cracks or other finishing problems can be a sign of weather damage. In some cases it can be caused by humidity; in others it may be a sign of flooding. In all cases, if you see signs of damage on the outside, assume the inside has received the same harsh treatment. You can also check for signs of sun damage – discoloration in the finish can mean that sunlight has warped sections of the wood and has harmed the sound quality.
  • Also check for unresponsive pedals. If pedals are easily pushed and released, almost with a bounce-like quality, they most likely have become detached . Pedals that don’t move at all can be a sign of an even bigger problem. Even if you aren’t planning on using the pedals, pay attention anyway as they can be a sign of internal problems.

Then move to the interior of the piano.

  • Look for damage to the soundboard. The soundboard is the large piece of wood underneath the grand piano, or behind an upright. If there are any cracks or if the board is warped, it can lead to a strange buzzing or rattling sound. Also check to see if any of the reinforcement pieces have become unglued or are loose. If this happens, they can vibrate against each other, which can cause a slight buzzing sound when the keys are pressed. Also look at the bridge – the piece of wood that holds up the strings. If this is cracked or damaged, it will cause a buzzing sound and further damage is eminent.
  • Check the pinblock for damage. The pinblock is a wooden piece near the bridge that holds the tuning pins for each string in place. If this piece of wood is damaged, it can loosen the tuning pins and cause bad pitch as the notes are played.
  • Finally check the hammers and look for wear. Each hammer is covered in felt. If the hammers have been used to the point of wear marks in the felt, it can signify a compromise to the timbre itself. You cannot re-glue felt, it will impact the overall sound quality. You can tell if the timbre has been compromised by playing each key and listening for harsh or clumsy tones.

 

To ensure a quality used piano from the start, look at the reputation of the dealer you are considering making the purchase from. Its often said “you get what you pay for”, and with a piano, its definitely true.

Filed Under: Buying a Piano, Owning a Piano Tagged With: ,
22 October 2014 When You Should Consider Restoration Of Early Pianos

When You Should Consider Restoration Of Early Pianos

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Several factors come into play when deciding on whether a piano should or should not be restored.

  • Its age
  • Its overall condition
  • Its rarity

While there are other factors, these are usually the top three. The goals of restoring and conserving a rare antique piano will be different than restoring a family heirloom. And conserving a piano true to its original form will be different than giving a piano new life and making it playable in modern times.When You Should Consider Restoration Of Early Pianos

Not every piano should be made playable. When a true, rare piano enters the picture, curators and conservators of a piano collection or museum will tell you that in order to preserve its historical value, they choose to follow the path of protecting it from deterioration and keeping it as authentic as possible, no matter if its playable and makes great music in today’s world or not. There are reasons for this.

By leaving as much of the original piano as possible intact, it preserves the instrument for scholars, researchers and replicate builders of the future.

It preserves the voice of the original piano. While it may not be playable by our standards, or have a clear tone expected by today’s musicians, it does provide a peek into the past at how music was played and listened to by generations past.

Conversely, if a piano is going to be restored and brought up to today’s playable standards, it takes a different path. The work will always be documented along the way with a detailed explanation of the procedures used in the restoration process. And while original pieces will be used whenever possible, in some cases replicas will be substituted in order to give it new life, new sound, and a new voice. Tonality has changed over the years, and the primary responsibility of a restorer in this category is to make it playable by today’s standards.

Age is not the only consideration that determines if a piano is antique, rare, or should receive special conservation. In some cases it’s the history of the piano that matters most. A piano built by a famous builder or owner, or one owned by a famous composer or performer has historical value, and therefore is worth restoration to preserve history. Pianos owned by Mozart, Beethoven, or Chopin all give us insight to the way music sounded and was created in their periods of time.

Working with antique pianos takes an enormous amount of skill and care. Every instrument is unique and presents its own unique set of problems and challenges. It is the task of the restorer to enhance what is presented to him or her, and take great care to retain and preserve as much of the original piano as possible.

If you would like to learn more about our restoration process, we would love to speak with you personally about the right direction for you and your piano.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Renovation, Piano Restoration Tagged With: ,
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