Advice on pianos…

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Trakka
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 8:32 pm

Advice on pianos…

Post by Trakka »

When my eldest first started playing the piano we decided to buy a cheapish electronic weighted keyboard until we were sure that DD would continue. She has and youngest DD and I have also joined her. The electronic keyboard has been more than adequate over the years but middle C sharp is now playing up and “shouts” at us occasionally (very off-putting when you are in the middle of a piece!).

I think now is the time to progress and buy a new piano. However what type – acoustic or digital? I really like the idea of an acoustic but the handy thing about electronic is you can stick headphones in and practise in silence. Especially useful when I want to practise and DH is watching TV. I have been looking at silent ones but they seem quite expensive. Does anyone have a silent piano and would you recommend it? Or does anyone have a digital that you would highly recommend? I love playing on my teacher’s grand piano but I have realised that it is not going to happen due to cost and space!

Catseye’s post on the benefits of music thread prompted me to also think about second hand. Any advice on purchasing from the second hand market?

Thank you!
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Amber »

Trakka wrote:owever what type – acoustic or digital? I really like the idea of an acoustic but the handy thing about electronic is you can stick headphones in and practise in silence. Especially useful when I want to practise and DH is watching TV.
Get headphones for the TV and get yourself a proper piano! A house filled with the sound of piano music is far nicer than one filled with the sounds of the telly.
Trakka
Posts: 188
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2016 8:32 pm

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Trakka »

Amber wrote:Get headphones for the TV and get yourself a proper piano! A house filled with the sound of piano music is far nicer than one filled with the sounds of the telly.
:lol: I agree! I really want to get rid of some "stuff" and get a grand piano but think I might be in the minority there!!
Reading Mum
Posts: 1841
Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:44 am
Location: Reading

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Reading Mum »

I don't know about the second hand market but we have a Yamaha electric piano and it has been great for DD. It cost me about £1000 15 years ago. Early on in DD's piano playing the teacher used to say that we would need to get a better one, or a proper piano, once she got to grade 3 as it would not be suitable. I think they were assuming it was a keyboard rather than a properly weighted piano. She is now working on her grade 8 pieces on it perfectly well.

It does have midi input and various voices, plus the ability to record. She uses none of these now although they livened things up in the early days. She has just started to use the record function to help in Music GCSE composition.

We also have underfloor heating where the piano lives so I suspect that a real one would be permanently out of tune.
Surferfish
Posts: 682
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 5:06 pm

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Surferfish »

We found a second-hand traditional upright piano online for more or less free. Family were getting rid of it and just wanted it to go to a good home so we just had to arrange removal which I think was about £30.

It's not perfect but is adequate for our level of playing.

Warning they are extremely heavy so wouldn't recommend trying to shift it on your own unless you've got a few strong family members!
turnip08
Posts: 151
Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2017 2:52 pm

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by turnip08 »

Ah, an acoustic piano is a joy and beautiful to look at. However, we went down the Yamaha Clavinova and the kids (and we) love it! The range of features means that my youngest has really got into just jamming on his own on the piano and getting him to practise is never a chore anymore (we had a slightly out-of-tune upright before so not much of a comparison). Headphones are handy if other people want to listen to music or read quietly. Apart from 'real' pianos being heavy, I've heard they shouldn't really be moved around and are a bit sensitive to change in temperature.
Tinkers
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Location: Reading

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Tinkers »

DDs piano teacher recommended a Yamaha digital piano. DD tried others in the shop, but agreed, the Yamaha sounded and felt best.
She sometimes sticks headphones in (that is a plus but usually we like to listen). Plus she has connected it to her iPad for composition work. She also sings so the record function is good as she can record the piano part, then stand up to concentrate on the singing.
I believe they aren’t much cheaper secondhand, but on the plus side if you want to sell it you should get a decent amount.

She would love a grand piano, but we don’t have the room. :lol: that is her dream lottery win purchase I think.

Another plus over acoustic ones is it doesn't need tuning.

I’ve regularly seen people giving pianos away on FB, 2 only a couple of weeks ago in fact, so if you want the real deal keep your eyes open.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Amber »

We have a 1928 Dale Forty piano which was sold to us for a song some years ago when it suffered minor flood damage and my friend is a serious pianist so felt it wouldn't do the job. We have cared for it lovingly and DD plays it beautifully when she is here; I have given up now after an unillustrious couple of years murdering perfectly decent music. The last time it was tuned the tuner said it was now doing better than the modern one which replaced it.

For me, I am sorry, it has to be a real one not a digital one.
Hera
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Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:50 pm

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by Hera »

We have just upgraded from a Yamaha Clavinova to an acoustic piano. The Clavinova is 7 years old and still plays perfectly and has been handed onto my nephew. It took my two to grade 5 and 6. Even though the Clavinova has weighted keys according to the kids it feels very different to play on than an acoustic one. The sound is definitely in a different league. It was a big expense, and I am not totally convinced, but then I don't play. You can now buy very good digital pianos with wooden keys etc which might be worth considering.
solimum
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Joined: Wed May 09, 2007 3:09 pm
Location: Solihull, West Midlands

Re: Advice on pianos…

Post by solimum »

Several different pianos have passed through our household over the years...

We had an ancient second-hand upright free from friends as a wedding gift, replaced years later (thanks to my parents) by a new upright

Then I inherited my dad's own baby grand (rearranging the house to make space - good job we'd built that extension!) and passed the new upright onto friends to look after until DS2 (by now the best pianist in the family, with DipABRSM in his A level year ... lots of loud piano music in the house- wonderful!) could accommodate it...

But when DS2 went to university he was desperate for a piano to keep playing on in term-time , and we helped him get a clavinova which went backwards and forwards to various student digs for several years and now just fits in his tiny flat south of London ...

So I still get to play the grand (not as often as I should - and it reminds me of both my dad who used to play a lot when I was a child, and my son who always sits down immediately to play it when he gets home...)

Meanwhile the kind friends who are housing the upright must hope DS2 can eventually get on the property ladder before they decide to downsize!

So obviously the digital pianos can be a good substitute for the "real thing", especially in cramped accommodation or if having to transport them regularly - although a serious pianist wanting to go beyond Grade 8 would struggle if that was all they had access to

And there is nothing really like a "real" piano with the power of all those tightly-wound strings to get the real benefit of a Chopin Ballade (one day I WILL be able to play it) a Beethoven sonata or for fun with piano duets at Christmas....
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