Piano Questions And Answers

Read questions about pianos and find out the answers on popular topics such as: restoration, tuning, buying and selling pianos, learning piano, accessories, piano makes, keyboards and more. If you want to ask Graham Howard at ukpianos.co.uk a question about pianos, he will try to answer you as quickly as possible.

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Questions about:

Digital Pianos

General
Secondhand Digital Piano
Yamaha Digital Piano
Digital Piano Valuing
Digital Piano Dimensions
Digital Piano Rhythms
Portable Piano

Brands:
Diginova Piano
Valdesta Piano

Upright & Grand Pianos

Secondhand Piano
Secondhand Yamaha Piano
Selling Piano
Piano Restoring

Brands:
Allison Piano
Steinmeyer Piano
Steinway Piano

Keyboards

Yamaha Keyboard
Roland Keyboard
Secondhand Keyboard
Keyboard Repair
Music Keyboard

Piano Lessons

General
Piano Practicing
Piano Courses
Piano Chords
Boogie Woogie Piano Lessons

Piano Exams

Piano Exam
Piano Key

Piano Valuation

Piano Valuing
Digital Piano Valuing

Piano Rental

Piano Renting

Piano Makes

Piano Makes

Piano Moving

Piano Moving

Piano Accessories

Keyboard Cover
Keyboard Amplifier

Piano Accordion

Piano Accordion

Guitars

Guitar Lesson

Useful Articles
Get Your Piano Valued - Find Out How Much it is Worth
Should I Buy a Digital Piano or an Upright Piano?
Digital Pianos - Which Brand Should i Buy

General Questions

Hello, Graham,

I have spent a long time on your very useful website and wonder if you could help me with the following dilemma.

I have an old Monington and Weston piano which in its day  (c 1950!) was a quality bit of kit and has given many years of pleasure.  My tuner tells me that he cannot tune it up so that we can play it with the other instruments  (cello, flute and clarinet) in the house and this is now beginning to cause a problem.  Is this likely to be right or should I find another tuner?!

Added to this I have a teenager who though a clarinet player and a Grade 7 singer has no keyboard experience but is about to start GCSE Music.  To my surprise and delight he has at last expressed an interest in the piano and I think would have a lot of fun with a keyboard with added buttons.

What would you advise?  Should I keep my piano but invest in  a keyboard to encourage my children knowing that we can play on the old Joanna if we want to? Or should I bite the bullet and get a decent digital piano ?  What is the difference between a keyboard with weighted keys (eg DGX620) and a digital piano anyway?

Thanks

Andrea

Reply/ Hi Andrea

Lots of really good questions you have.

Your tuner is probably correct in saying that your piano is
not tunable to concert pitch (A440).

My advice is to buy a new upright piano if you have the space
and can afford to spend around £2500 - £3000 for a decent one.

If this is not feasible then go for a decent digital piano. Not a
keyboard (like the Yamaha DGX620). Keyboards have what's
called a 'weighted action'. This is not the same as a digital piano.
The keys are still to light and it does not feel like playing a real
piano at all.

Digital pianos usually have what's called a 'progressive hammer
action' and fully weighted keys. This replicates the feel of a real piano.

The best digital piano at the moment is the Yamaha CLP220. You can
read more about it here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-clp220.html

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

Dear UK Pianos Piano Tuning Service

I am hoping to sell my piano. I came across the UK Pianos website where I can advertise my piano, but I have no idea of it's worth. Within the site it was suggested that it is best to get your piano valued by a piano tuner. Would you be interested in valuing/tuning my piano?

When I bought the piano, about 9 years ago, my piano teacher was with me and she said it was a good beginner's piano.

It is a Cramer, I think made in London between 1921 and 1930
The soundboard patent number is 2771 with a date 1910
The piano's serial number is 59138
It is 51 inches high, 62 inches wide and 26 inches deep
It has a music holder/rest which will fold up into the top
It also still has the key, so the keyboard can be locked.
As far as I can work out by looking at pictures and descriptions on the web it appears to be overstrung with underdampers
It is a dark colour wood and in reasonable condition

However, it has not been tuned for many years and the sustaining pedal has become detached.

I could supply a jpeg image if this would be useful.

Please let me know if you would be able to help me with this, and if you think it is worth my while. I worry that the cost of  the tuning, valuation and repair would work out more than I would receive when selling it.

Thanks and regards, Linda Anthony

Reply/ Hi Linda

Your piano was made in 1922 and was a fine piano in its day.

It is impossible to correctly value your piano without seeing it.

The real value is dependant on the condition of the parts inside.
In particular the soundboard, frame and tuning pins.

You need to ask an expert to come and take a look at it.

Here is a list of London piano tuners:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/piano-tuners-london-all-districts.html

Yours pianistically,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

Dear Graham,
Thank you so much for all your free lessons and advices. Yes I am looking to buy a second hand or a new Digital Piano and a guitar for my son and daughter who are very keen to learn piano. I would appreciate your valuable help on choosing the right and affordable one.
Thanking you sincerely.

Caesar

Reply/ Hi Anthony
You are welcome for the free lessons.
If your children are just starting out then I recommend buying a decent
quality secondhand piano. Kemble, Yamaha, Petrof, Bohemia, Kawai or
Danemann are all good makes and you can pick one up for around
£1200-£2000.
Check out the Piano Market on the ukpianos.co.uk website:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/upright-pianos-for-sale.html
The Yamaha CLP220 is the digital piano I recommend. I have yet to see
a digital piano that offers such a realistic piano sound and touch as the
CLP220 for such an affordable price.

Check it out here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/yamaha-clp220.html
UK Pianos sister company ALL Talents Music School sells the Classenti
range of guitars which in my opinion are some of the best instruments
for beginners. Here is the link:
http://www.alltalents.co.uk/

Regards,
Graham Howard
UK Pianos 

Question/ Hello, my name is Anderson, I'm 27 years old and I've always loved piano but I have never had an opportunity to learn this wonderful instrument.

Now I want to start studying Piano and I found in your webpage a school address in Enfield, near me Walthamstow, but I have lots of questions and I would love if you can help me a bit.

Is the keyboard good enough and if I learn in a piano can I play in a keyboard or vice-verse?

Is it better to start the course before to buy anything or you should have your own "keyboard" or "piano" before start the classes?

On your webpage we can find all sorts of instruments (keyboard, digital piano, grand piano and loads of brands) and I would like to know what is the best that I can get for me, as I don't know anything about that, I'm a total beginner and I can only affort to spend around £300? Please can you help me?

Anderson

Reply/ Hi Anderson

I recommend you start learning on a piano, not a keyboard. The keyboard's keys
are way too light and if you do your practicing on a keyboard it will be difficult
for you to play the piano at a later date.

You needn't buy a piano right away. UK Pianos offer a 'rent to buy' option
on most of the pianos they have on display in the showroom. Just go to our shop
at 83 Southbury Road Enfield and take a look. You can choose from upright, grand
or digital pianos. Anyone of these will be fine.

In answer to your question about whether you should get an instrument before
you have lessons so you have something to practice on. Don't worry about this
too much when you are just starting. The important thing is to see how you
get on first before deciding on renting or buying an instrument.

Regards
Graham Howard
UK Pianos

P.S. Why not take a look at my free piano lessons before you travel down to
the Music School? You can get them here:
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/free-online-piano-lessons.html

Further Comments/ Hi Graham,

Thank you very much for your attention and help. It was very helpuful to get answer for my questions. Thanks.

Thanks for all.

Anderson