26 June 2014 How To Take Care Of Your Piano

How To Take Care Of Your Piano

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A piano isn’t just another piece of furniture you can bring into your room and leave for years to come. A piano is a living, breathing instrument that takes care in order to keep it in great quality for playing, listening to, and overall enjoyment.

What special things should you do? It doesn’t take much. But with these simple steps, your piano will give you a lifetime of enjoyment.

Humidity

One of the most crucial steps to take in ensuring a long life is to control the humidity level in the room where your piano resides. Humidity will ensure stability of your piano tuning, and prolong the time in between need for tuning. It can also effect your key quality; too much humidity causes wood to swell, which means keys will stick.

Too low humidity can also have its impact. It can cause keys to stick, and can begin impacting the other vital wood parts of your piano. Low humidity has been known to crack soundboards.

Proper humidity inside the room should be in the range of 40 to 50 percent. In many areas it is impossible to maintain a constant level, but it is important to avoid low humidity in the winter months. Static electricity can put your piano at risk.

Never place your piano in an area where temperature can impact it on a varying and regular basis. Directly beneath, on top of, or beside a heating or air conditioner can severely impact the wood and the overall quality very quickly. And direct window light can quickly dry out wood, causing it to crack.How To Take Care Of Your Piano

Cleaning

Cleaning your piano is an easy process. Use a microfiber cloth lightly dampened by water. Never use furniture polishes on the market today, as many contain silicone and other oil based chemicals that do not belong on wood, will dry it out over time and cloud the finish.

If you have a grand piano, it is wise to keep the lid closed when not in use. This will help keep the soundboard and strings free from dust and pet fur.

Never clean any part of the inside of a piano without instruction. Its best to leave this job to a master technician that understands the inner workings of your piano. You can lightly vacuum the inside with a brush attachment, but never use chemicals, furniture polish or water of any kind.

The keys are probably the easiest place on a piano to accumulate grime. The easiest way to clean them is with a soft, damp cloth with a simple solution of dish soap and water.

Have any questions? Give us a call today.

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21 June 2014 How To Choose and Buy A Studio Piano

How To Choose and Buy A Studio Piano

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When a person comes in to buy a piano for their home, it’s a very personal choice. We can ask them a variety of questions and pinpoint the perfect piano for the situation fairly quickly. The piano will often be on display, so looks may be a part of the deciding factor. And with just a family member or two playing it, personal enjoyment is the top reason for the purchase.

But when a person comes into buy a studio piano, that’s where the questions begin to change.

  • How To Choose and Buy A Studio PianoWho will be using the piano?
  • What skill levels will they have?
  • How often will it be used?
  • For what purpose?

For instance, we’ve helped teachers buy the perfect piano for their studios, one that will take hours of lessons every day, and still look and sound perfect for the piano recitals that will take place several times a year.

We’ve also helped professional studios that work with artists in a recording studio. When a professional musician comes in and needs the perfect sound for their latest album, we know the studio has to deliver time and time again. They can’t risk buying anything but a professional quality piano that will hold up under many, many hours of playing.

Where do you start when its time to invest in a new studio piano?

Start with your clients. Who are they and what will they demand?

The perfect piano will be one that can benefit your clientele and help them create the best music possible for the situation.

Does your studio cater to beginning students or ones with more experience?

Do you record a classical soloist or pop music?

Are you working with traditionalists who want a clean sound? Or people that push the limits, wanting every sound and opportunity available to them?

The more clear you can become on your answers, the easier it will be to make your final decision. The piano market is almost as overwhelming as the guitar market. Used pianos are often just as good or even better than new, especially if you are looking for something very specific. And if you are in the market for a digital piano, with today’s technology, anything is possible.

Answer the above questions; then come in and talk. We can help you select the perfect piano for your studio situation, no matter how specific your needs are.

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The Grand Piano Restoration Process

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I was touring a home of a historical figure on a recent trip. As we moved from the study to the main living area, the room opened up with two story ceilings. One wall was floor to ceiling windows. And several sitting areas were created with furniture, the highlight was a grand piano sitting in the middle, ready to entertain at a moments notice.Piano Restoration, Rebuilding and Reconditioning: Know What You Are Getting

The guide explained how the room was specifically designed to provide the best acoustics for music. And a volunteer quickly moved from the audience when she asked if anyone played. True to the guide’s word, the sound was amazing, and for just a moment, the entire tour group imagined what it must have been like sitting there listening on a regular basis, enjoying the gardens that were on display through the windows.

There’s something about a grand piano that brings magic to those around it. Its not just the music it makes; the look and feel of the piano doesn’t just blend in with the woodwork, it becomes the focal point for the entire room.

For many people, owning a grand piano is at the top of their bucket lists. To be able to have a room in which to display it, and have it masterfully placed in a position all can enjoy is worth the investment.

If you have a grand piano in your life, keeping it in top quality condition is important. You tune it when needed. You repair it when required. But after so many years of tuning and minor repair work, it might be time for something more.

The grand piano restoration process is unique and specialized. It depends on the current condition of the piano, and what is needed both to keep it in as close to original condition as possible, while returning its sound to one that makes beautiful music.

Every grand piano that goes through restoration has several aspects that will be addressed: pinblock fitting, soundboard repair or replacement, and action part replacement. Pinblocks may be one of the most vital corrections to a restored grand piano.If its not properly created and fitted, it will either be untunable for as long as it should, or may not produce the quality sound it once had. Soundboards have a long life, and without extensive damage can often be repaired to maintain originality with your piano. And with every piano, the action parts – mechanical components that create the sound, such as strings, hammers, hammer shanks, springs, pads, etc – simply wear out over time. All can be fixed or replaced, depending on the condition.

Do you have a room ready and waiting for your restored grand piano? Give us a call today, and we can help you decide if restoration is the right path for you.

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24 May 2014 Questions To Ask A Piano Restoration Company

Questions To Ask A Piano Restoration Company

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Anyone can say they are piano restoration experts, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are. If you want to find the best company to help you restore a piano that holds special meaning for you, be prepared with a list of questions as you head out looking for the right person for the job.

Why should we choose your company?Questions To Ask A Piano Restoration Company

Listen closely to how a company responds. Do they talk more about what they do, or how they can help you? Piano restoration services aren’t about the piano, and they aren’t all about how good the business is. Instead, its all about your needs and what means the most to you. A good restoration company will listen to you and offer you what you need most.

Is my piano worth restoring?

If a piano has sentimental value for you, its worth restoring. People think about piano restoration services for a variety of reasons. Some love their pianos, maybe they’ve been in the family for generations. Bringing it back to the best sound and the best look, without compromising the original quality is what restoration is all about. Some people have an antique that needs work, and with a little TLC, it might increase the value. Their desires are to sell; restoration is a way to make it more valuable. Both situations are viable as a reason to restore. Make sure the restoration company knows your ultimate goal so they can give you the best advice on the direction to move towards.

Why is it hard to compare restoration services from one company to the next?

Piano restoration is an art form. No two pianos are alike, and no two restoration projects will be the same. Each restorer uses his own methods, has his own ideas, and believes what he does based on the experience he has had in the past. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by all that you read online, the best way to move forward is to give us a call or email us, and we can offer you sound advice from someone who’s been in the business for over 50 years.

What if I don’t live near the restoration company I’m considering? If I live in Atlanta, should I consider someone in Memphis?

The key to working with a piano restoration company is finding someone you resonate with; someone you feel will do the best job for you. We have clients all over the country, and have close relationships with a variety of piano moving companies. Great restoration companies know the importance is in getting the job done right, not limiting based on geographical region.

What if I don’t have a piano, but I have special requirements in the piano I want to buy? I’m looking for a vintage piano, and want to make sure its restored to mint condition. Can you help?

A great restoration company is a part of the industry. They understand new and old, vintage and antique, as well as high quality restoration. If you have specific requests, the best place to start is with a conversation. A great restorer will have many contacts within the industry, and can start making calls on your behalf, looking for the perfect piano for you.

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5 April 2014 The Sound Of Your Piano

The Sound Of Your Piano

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When it comes to playing piano, sound is everything. With the help of sound, you can feel the music and understand what the composer was trying to get across when he composed each note. Music expresses thoughts, feelings, ideas, harmony, beauty, happiness and emotions. Within a few seconds, you instantly understand what each song is trying to convey.

Likewise you can tell the era each song comes from. Can you pick out a Chopin or Mozart piece? How about a Rachmaninoff?

The more you come to understand music, the more you’ll understand it comes down to the control of the sound being made through the piano itself. If a piano is old and out of tune, you can still play the appropriate notes to a song. But without the musicality, it won’t be as enjoyable for the people around you. (Yourself included.)The Sound Of Your Piano

Piano playing is not a sport. Your goal isn’t to give yourself a vigorous workout over the course of a practice session. You won’t develop the muscles in your fingers over time, nor will you work up endurance in your hands and wrists.

The purpose isn’t velocity and technical results. Instead, playing the piano should always be about expression, meaning and the art of making music in the first place.

Your piano isn’t a percussion instrument. It isn’t made to pound out the notes to get the loudest sound. Instead, its all about quality. Work on the sound and the technique will come.

Mastering piano is about training yourself to influence the sound, depth, openness and softness of the sounds you are producing. Its how you position your hands to get the most expression from every note you touch.

When you touch each key, keep your wrists relaxed and your fingertips controlled. Use the entire weight of your hand to put soft pressure on each note you touch. Focus in on the sound you create – does it match the music you are trying to produce? Does it convey your message?

And while your technique is what you learn and grow over time, always remember that you have to start with the best tool in the first place.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is buying a “starter” piano without thought as to the purpose. If you want to develop a love for music, you can’t do it with an out of tune piano that won’t allow you to play a full range of notes. If cost is of concern, don’t buy at the lowest price from someone on Craigslist. Instead, start with a reputable dealer that can fit you into a quality piano at your budgeted price.

Investing in the right piano now will help you achieve a love for music overall as you learn to play and get better every day. And isn’t that the true goal anyway?

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3 April 2014 Piano Accessories for Improving Your Piano Performance

Piano Accessories for Improving Your Piano Performance

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Playing the piano takes a lot of practice and dedication. With patience and time, you can greatly improve your piano performance. However, you need certain accessories in order to accomplish your piano playing goals.

Here is a list of some piano accessories you will need in order to improve your piano performance and protect your investment:

Bench– While consumer-grade pianos usually come with their own benches, performance-grade pianos are usually sold separately. If you are looking for comfort, padded benches are a good choice. Benches will solid tops last longer, but they are susceptible to scratching. Bench cushions are also available for solid tops. You can also purchase an adjustable bench if multiple people in your family will be playing on a regular basis.Piano Accessories for Improving Your Piano Performance

Lamp– Playing the piano requires lighting that allows you to read the music without shadows. This is when a piano lamp comes in handy. You can get a floor model or a desk version, and of course there are all kinds of sizes and styles. Fluorescent lamps will result in a softer and less harsh light that will suffice for your piano playing.

String covers– These are highly recommended for grand pianos, and come in many different colors. Wool string covers protect the strings from dust. Simply place the fabric over the sound board and strings when not in use.

Cover– Have a lot of action in the area where your piano resides? You’ll want to protect your investment by covering your piano. There are many piano covers available to protect its finish. They come in many sizes to fit your particular piano, and are available in water-resistant fabrics.

Caster cups– Placed under the wheels of grand and vertical piano, caster cups protect your carpeting and floor. They are available in plastic, wood, and in clear acrylic that allows the carpet or hardwood floor to show through.

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29 March 2014 How To Polish A Piano

How To Polish A Piano

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When your new piano first enters your home, is shiny and bright – the perfect addition to your home. Yet very quickly it becomes like many other pieces of furniture throughout your home. The fingerprints start showing up. Dust accumulates.

But a piano isn’t like the table in the corner or the hutch you store your dishes in. it’s a moving, fully functioning instrument that you have to protect in order to keep it in top condition at all times.

How do you polish a piano?

Start by discovering the finish your piano is made from.

Typically a piano is finished with polymer or lacquer finishes.

Lacquer is most common on North American pianos, and will resemble most other wooden pieces of furniture in your home. You can usually see the wood grain under the finish. And with the shiny surface, it will seem like its easily scatchable.

Polymer is actually a polyester finish, and is hard, dark and reflective in nature, Its difficult to see the wood grain through the finish, but fingerprints stand out immediately.

With a lacquer finish, the most important thing to avoid is a waxy buildup, which overall will soften the varnish. Lacquer is also a soft in nature, and will dry out very quickly depending on the room conditions and the method of cleaning you use regularly.How To Polish A Piano

Polymer finishes provide protection under spills, dents and deep scratches. However, the shine that gives it its unique finish will also allow hairline scratches to quickly duplicate and take over the pianos surface if you utilize improper cleaning.

With a lacquer finish, beware of certain ingredients in the cleaning products you choose: silicone can seep into the wood and cause costly damage; lemon oil can weaken the finish and cause sticky buildup over time. Steinway makes a line of furniture polish, or speak directly with your dealer to find the ideal product.

With a polymer finish, avoid high gloss products as they can highlight scratches and make otherwise unseen flaws more apparent. Likewise, Steinway makes polish specifically for polymer finishes to help restore their natural glow. Check with your dealer for the perfect product for your situation.

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26 March 2014 How Piano Can Change Your Life

How Piano Can Change Your Life

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Walk into a room with a piano in it and you’ll instantly find something that attracts just about everyone. Invariably someone will know how to play and soon everyone will be caught up in the beauty of the sound and music. No other skill or hobby has quite the same affect.

You Can Learn Piano In Your Own WayHow Piano Can Change Your Life

Many people learn the piano as kids – their parents realize the importance and start them on the path of piano lessons from an early age. Still others begin to take up the piano in their 70s or even 80s, looking to fulfill a lifelong dream.

You don’t have to be born to play the piano. You don’t have to change the world with your songs. Piano is about appreciating music and enjoying the interactivity that comes from playing the piano and entertaining those around you.

An Entire Orchestra In One Instrument

It takes an orchestra to create a song. Well, maybe not when it comes to the piano. The piano takes on every role, every voice, and can provide an entire symphony all on its own accord. When people see a baby grand or grand piano in a room, it instantly commands attention.

The greatest composers of our time wrote music exclusively for the piano. Add in voice and you have full gratification. Many of the songs written hundreds of years ago are still popular for the simple reason they are classics. When you sit down to play them, one instrument says it all. The piano. It is its own orchestra.

Piano Can Be The Ultimate Hobby

Certain hobbies have a short timeline in your life. Playing basketball is entertaining and great exercise, but is it something you can carry into your 70s, 80s and beyond?

Piano can be fun, relieve stress, work areas of your brain on a new level with each new phase you conquer, and expand your social circle as well.

It can also deepen your appreciation for music as a whole. Would you enjoy concerts more when you recognize the notes and the instruments producing the sounds?

And if you thoroughly enjoy the art of playing the piano, there may even be opportunity for you to play and entertain right in your own community. Try the local shopping mall. Or maybe start up a band at the local rec club on Saturday nights.

However you choose to look at the world of piano, it has a place in your life. But it all starts with making the first move, buying a piano and learning to play. Let it change your life today.

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8 March 2014 Climate Control For Your Piano Room

Climate Control For Your Piano Room

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When you buy a piano, you are making a big investment. A piano, when taken care of properly, can last for many years. It can bring joyful music to your life and even the lives of your heirs.

One of the key factors in taking care of your piano goes beyond maintaining the actual instrument. It involves controlling the climate of the room in which you store your piano. Here are some helpful tips for climate control in your piano room.Climate Control For Your Piano Room

  • You want to maintain a temperature of 70-72 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the ideal temperature for a piano. If your temperature goes lower or higher, you can damage the wood, the glue, and other components of your piano.
  • You need to store your piano away from drafty areas, windows, and even the vents of the climate-controlled room. This will ensure that the actual temperature of the piano stays within the right limits.
  • If necessary, add an area rug beneath your piano to shield it from the cold floors. This is especially important in rooms that lack the best level of insulation.
  • The humidity level of your piano room should be between 35-45 percent. However, it can be all the way up to 55 percent, and your piano will still be fine. The key to humidity is keeping it constant. It is the fluctuations in humidity that can be damaging to your piano.
  • One of the best things you can do for your piano is to limit its exposure to the elements. This includes direct sunlight, condensation, dust, and smoke. Treat your piano like you would a child and keep it away from elements that can be harmful to it.

Providing the perfect room for your piano will help ensure that your piano has a long and healthy life ahead of it.

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27 February 2014 Piano Accessories

Piano Accessories

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Ready to invest in a piano and begin to make beautiful music within your home? Pianos can add music, style and ambiance for years to come.

But investing in a good piano doesn’t stop at selecting a great piano. There are many other things that go into the selection process, and ultimately the proper technique of piano playing once you settle in to a routine.Piano Accessories

Piano Bench

To play the piano properly, you’ll need more than your average chair. Proper playing involves being at the proper height and having proper access to the keys from your shoulders and your wrists. If you aren’t comfortable playing, you could cause stress and injury to your arms, neck and back, and ultimately lose interest in playing. A good piano bench offers you all the tools you need for proper sitting at the instrument.

Sheet Music

Sheet music comes in a variety of formats. Chat with your piano dealer at the time of purchase about options in finding sheet music. You can start with books at all levels of playing. Then migrate into preferred music choices – virtually all types and sounds of music today can be found in sheet music. The more you enjoy what you play, the more you’ll play.

Piano Lamps

Piano lamps come in all sorts of sizes, shapes and styles. Some styles allow you to clip the lamp directly to the music desk to have directional light where you need it most. Some piano lamps are shelf designed, sitting on top of the piano and allowing light to fall naturally over the music and the keys. Still others are vertical floor lamps that allow you to move them in to a convenient height and location for the person playing the piano. Whatever your desire, whatever your preference, there’s a perfect lamp for you.

Metronome

A metronome is a practice tool that produces steady beats that help a piano player learn rhythm accurately. Most metronomes are capable of producing beats from 35 to 250 beats per minute, giving you full function for any song you choose to learn and play. Metronomes come in all formats, from online to free standing.

Have even more needs? Talk with us about making your piano playing experience the best it can be. With decades of experience in the industry, we have offered lots of advice, and will be happy to make your experience all it can be as well.

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