“Just stick it in the corner.”
“Put it against the wall.”
If you’ve had a piano delivered to your home, you might have uttered a phrase similar to the ones above. But are they the best choices? Where is the perfect place to put a piano? Does it make a difference?
While it may sound like sound vibrates throughout a piano, in truth, it’s created by the soundboard. The soundboard is a large piece of wood that amplifies the vibration of the strings.
If you were to pluck a string, it wouldn’t create much sound. You wouldn’t get the rich tonal quality you expect every time you strike a key on your piano. That’s why the soundboard is in place.
Depending on what type of piano you’re playing determines where the soundboard is placed. On an upright, the soundboard sits right in front of you as you play the piano. All sound vibrates back at you. For an upright, the soundboard is lying flat. The sound vibrates up towards the lid before bouncing back out into the environment.
The upright pushes sound back towards the player, while the grand pushes sound out towards the audience. That’s one of the primary reasons you see grands used in concert settings.
If you place an upright along the wall, the sound will be flattened by the wall, and bounce back through, possibly into the music rack. That further muffles the sound, making it softer, more closed.
If you place a grand in the corner, an open lid will bounce sound up, out from the lid, into the wall, and project the sound out into the room. Think of it as a projection system, one that can add greater concentration of sound throughout the room.
This doesn’t mean a corner is the best choice for piano placement. What it does showcase is placement matters. Be conscious of where you place your piano depending on the results you hope to achieve.
Walls make a difference. Be conscious of how close you put either uprights or grands in your home. It can significantly impact sound quality.
Be careful if you have drapes or rugs nearby as they can further deaden sound.
If you have further questions on creating the perfect music room, just ask. We’re here to help with all of your piano needs.
