Piano Articles

Editor’s comment/ An interesting article that goes against most methods of teaching. Alex really has a good point here though about not starting with middle C. Read on and you will see why.

If you’re starting to learn piano, you should never start with
the C major scale. Here’s why.

You see, most teachers will tell you to start identifying where the
middle C is and then have you practice the C major scale. The
problem with this is that you’ll always have to look at your
fingers when you’re playing because there are no reference points
for you to count on. Let me explain.

When you’re starting out, you hardly have any sense of touch,
meaning you can’t feel one note from another without having to
look at the keyboard. And when you can’t feel where your
fingers are at any given moment, you’re more likely to look at
your fingers on the keyboard to know where to play the next note.

This will dramatically affect your note reading ability. How many
good sight readers do you know who constantly have to look at
their fingers while reading a piece of music?

I know what you’re thinking. You might say “I don’t care much
about sight reading, so what does it matter?” Well, it’s true. If
you just want to learn chord based piano, there’s not much reading
involved. BUT there’s still SOME reading, and the less you depend
on looking at your fingers, the more you’ll enjoy music… faster.

So instead of starting with C major scale, try this…

Place your left fourth finger (wedding finger) on B and your RIGHT
thumb on B, one octave apart. Now feel the next group of two black
notes (C# and D#, respectively). Play both at the same time with
the appropriate fingers (2 and 3).

Next, Pivot your right thumb over to the next note, E. You do not
Need to pivot your left thumb since it should fall naturally on
the next note, E (an octave lower than your right note, of course.)

Now play both notes at the same time, both hands.

Next, pivot your left fingers over to play the next group of three
black notes(F#, G#, A#). The fingers should be 4,3,2, respectively.
For your right hand you do not need to pivot this time. Just feel
the group of three black notes with your second, third and fourth
fingers on F#, G# and A#, one octave higher than your left hand
notes.

Play all three notes, both hands at the same time.

Finally, end with B, one octave apart with your left thumb and
right pinky.

Do it again, but this time play each note separately. You’ve just
played the B major scale. The difference between this and the
traditional C major scale that most people start with is that
you’re learning to develop a sense of touch from day one.

It’ll give big dividends later on when you start reading notes
because while others have to look at both their hands and the sheet
music, you’ll only have to focus on the sheet music. Your fingers
will take care of the next notes automatically by “reference notes”,
namely the group of two and three black notes.

Practice this a few times and you’ll be playing effortlessly
without looking at your fingers. You could expand to 2,3,4 octaves
if you wish. All you have to do is repeat the same pattern on the
next octave.

Enjoy!

Alex
The Rapid Piano Expert
rapidpiano.com

Please note: This article is copyright and protected. You may publish this article on your website providing you leave the article “as is” and retain the author’s biography box. All contents Copyright © 2008-2023. All rights reserved. Graham Howard, author of The Digital Piano Bible (a buyer’s guide) and The Howard Score (piano rating system).

Editor’s comment/ Many piano teachers are dead against digital pianos – especially for young beginners – as this article sets out to explain the reasons why digital pianos are not ideal to learn on.

Many people don’t know the difference between an acoustic piano and a digital piano. I will give you the right advice on which type of piano is best to learn on, especially from a young age.

The best time to start playing piano is when you are very young. The ideal age is 5.

An acoustic piano is the best type of piano to learn on for young beginners. This is because from their very first days you will get used to hearing the real, original sounds of the piano. Your finger muscles will also get used to the weights of the piano keys from an early age and will strengthen them up for later in life.

Digital pianos tend to have a lighter key touch than acoustic pianos and practicing too much on a digital will leave your fingers weak and you will find it difficult to adjust to the touch of an acoustic piano.

I don’t advise learning classical music on a digital piano — It won’t be the same ‘beauty’ or ‘feeling’ — It will be the electric (digital) feeling and not the natural original sounds of an acoustic piano.

Piano exams

Most – if not all – examination centres have acoustic pianos. So if your child has been practicing on a digital piano at home and he/she is confronted with an acoustic piano, they will find it a real struggle to play the exam centre’s piano. Your child will probably not score as high in the exam as he or she should and will end up being disappointed with the result.

Who buys digital pianos?

Musicians that want to compose their own music or practice with their band. They need all these buttons and background sounds. They can connect to their computers. But not for young beginners who will more likely be distracted by these extra features on the piano.

If you have no choice because an acoustic piano will not fit in your house or your child’s bedroom, then the best choice is to go for the ‘most plain’ digital piano that hasn’t got lots of buttons, features (gimmicks I call them!) and has weighted keys with a progressive piano action.

A progressive piano action mimics the weight of the real piano. The bass notes have a heavy touch and they get progressively lighter as you go up the keyboard. This really is a ‘must-have’.

Example

If you are used to driving an automatic car then you will find it very difficult to drive a manual one. But, if you always drive a manual car, then switching to an automatic is much easier. This is the same thing for acoustic and digital pianos. If you learn on an acoustic piano then it is dead easy to play a digital piano. If you learn on a digital piano, or especially a keyboard then you will find it very difficult to adjust to playing an acoustic piano – mainly because of the feel and weight of the piano keys.

Advantages of an acoustic piano

•           The acoustic piano has got a VERY long life (if you look after it of course)

•           The only maintenance required is tuning once or twice per year

•           You can sell it anytime, it never goes out of fashion

•           The piano’s value (if looked after) can be more than you paid for it over time

•           Acoustic pianos have real, natural sounds

Disadvantages of a digital piano

•           If something goes wrong it can cost over £100 to fix.

•           New models come out every 2-3 years, technology advances and no one wants to buy an old model

•           Digital pianos continue to depreciate over time and will be worth less the more time goes on

•           Electric sounds are unpleasant and can put you off practicing

If you are starting to give a music education to your child, think very carefully about which piano you buy for them to practice on at home. If you make the wrong choice, you may regret it in the future.

About the Author

My name is Hejran Stogden. I’m founder of the ALL Talents Music School in Enfield and Author of Hejran’s Piano Method. I’ve been teaching piano for over 35 years and have set up music schools in Enfield, Finchley, Walthamstow, Stoke Newington, and Worcester. You can find information here: www.alltalents.co.uk and www.hejran.com.

[Do you want to use this article on your website? ukpianos.co.uk gives you permission to copy this article and use it, providing you include this author’s biog box.]

You’ve been playing for a while now, you’ve learned the basics, you can probably play the odd tune or two. But when do you stop being a beginner? I am not sure if you’ve thought about this or not, but I’ve been asked this question many times. Here is my view.

Please note: This article is copyright and protected. You may publish this article on your website providing you leave the article “as is” and retain the author’s biography box. All contents Copyright © 2008-2023. All rights reserved. Graham Howard, author of The Digital Piano Bible (a buyer’s guide) and The Howard Score (piano rating system).

~ The scientific version ~

If you can play a piece of music without mistakes, at the correct tempo, with both hands together and the left hand part requires the use of at least three fingers then you are no longer a beginner.

~ Easy way to measure ~

If you have passed grade 1 piano then you are no longer a beginner.

~ Sight reading test ~

If you can play ANY piece of music – no matter how simple – perfectly first time then you are no longer a beginner.

~ Playing beginner or easy piano books ~

If you can pick up any titled beginner or easy piano book and be able to play all the tunes without much practice then you are not a beginner.

~ Can you play any of these pieces perfectly? ~

– Marche Anh 122
– Musette Anh 126
– Prelude BWV 939
– Notebook for Anna Magdalene
– Minuet Anh 114, 115, 116, 120, 121, 131, 132

If you can play any of the above piano pieces – even with practice – then you are not a beginner.

And Finally…

~ Your state of mind ~

A beginner can ALWAYS be a beginner if the state of mind allows it. What I am saying is that it just takes practice and a little confidence to break free of this label. So keep up with the practice and you will be moving up to the intermediate level – if you haven’t already – very soon.

Graham Howard – Author and Piano Advisor.
Email for piano advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
or Call 020 8367 5107

Author – Jack Solomon.

Have you wasted your money? — Are you wasting your money? — Or are you about to waste your money on private piano lessons? In the following article you will find out exactly what I mean.

When you are starting out, you will realize that there are lots of different ways you can learn the piano.

•        From a book

•        Private teacher

•        Online lessons

•        Music School (group lessons)

All of them have their advantages and disadvantages.

What you are about to learn in the following article is the advantages and disadvantages of having private lessons and the answer to the controversial statement “private piano lessons are a waste of money”.

Having private piano lessons means one-to-one piano lessons in your own home or at your teacher’s home.

* * Piano lessons in your home * *

– – Advantages – –

•        Saves you time, zero traveling

•        You can make “your own cup of tea just the way you like it”

•        You can keep up-to-date with your favourite TV program at the same time!

•        You can disappear to the toilet at anytime to escape from the boredom

Only joking! But it really does happen sometimes. Really there is only ONE advantage and that is saving the time it takes to travel to lessons.

– – Disadvantages – –

Distraction is the biggest disadvantage if you decide to have piano lessons at home. It really is unavoidable.

•        Your phone rings

•        Your dog is barking and wants attention

•        Your neighbour is banging nails into the wall

•        Your other neighbour is ‘not the greatest fan of the piano’ and is banging something else on the wall

•        Your teacher is stuck in traffic and is running late

•        Your teacher complains every week about the poor quality of your piano, and that it is always out of tune

•        Private piano lessons are incredibly expensive and you usually have to commit for a certain period of time

And on and on… Well, you get the idea.

Distractions affect your concentration, your ability to learn and remember things and it really wastes everyone’s time.

* * Private lessons in the piano teacher’s home * *

If you don’t have to travel too far and can avoid traffic jams then having piano lessons at your teacher’s home is better than in your own home.

– – Advantages – –

•        Your teacher’s piano is usually a good one, and is normally in tune

•        You rarely get distractions at your teacher’s home

– – Disadvantages – –

•        Traveling time

•        Stressful driving in traffic

•        Finding a parking space

•        Parking costs

•        Fuel or public transport costs

– – Conclusion – –

Private piano lessons at home are ok if you have an endless supply of money (who has?), and distractions do not bother you. Piano lessons in your teacher’s home are slightly better, but the boredom level is significantly increased!

– – The Answer – –

Go and learn by yourself! Buy an online piano course (not a free one, as you usually don’t get enough information).

The best online piano courses usually cost less than £50 and you get the same information and sometimes more than any teacher would give you.

You can also study the course in your own time, in the comfort of your own home, with your feet up on the desk, sipping the best cup of tea in the world ;-). The best value for money online course I have seen so far is the Rocket Piano. Read more about it here

P.S. You may think that I’m out on a mission in this article to bash private piano teachers. This is NOT the case. There comes a time when you reach a certain level that having private piano lessons is the ONLY option. I am simply stating that these days there are much cheaper and more convenient ways for beginners to learn the piano.

Author

Jack Solomon

A controversial opinion is the name of the game. I write what I believe no matter what anyone says.
[You’re free to use this article on your website or newsletter as long as it remains intact and includes the biog box]

Questions, reviews and comments on this article

“I am learning the same stuff and more now for free online!”

I just this week got kicked out of my piano lesson tha meets once a week.  I am 39 year old and figured I’d get a head start of learning something new for the next 40 years of my life and started taking private piano lessons at  teh rate of about £17 a week for 30 minutes.  I did enjoy them, but wouldn’t have said i had the real connection with the teacher.  Even less that of a connection when she got a little preturbed at my not having delivered the cash for my last lesson, even after we had agreed I would pay her the lump sum of £100 the follwoing week.  I have always paid on time, and am guessing she must have had opther reasons for sending me on my way.  I am enjoying learning adn am actually picking things up fairly quickly since I played violin for 8 years growing up.  I won’t lose sleep over it, now, but I can say now as I was walking away after hand delivering her her last £40 per her request (£6 more than the the £17 per lesson she had expected) that she did me a favour and is saving me a lot of money.  I am learning the same stuff and more now for free and find the the teaching methods are much more conducive to my way of learning.  Thanks for the heads up on these online piano lessons and now I can put my money towards saving for the nice piano which I hope to own some day.  Til then, I will stick with the yamaha Synthesizer.  :O)  all the best.

Kevin Gardner (Future Piano Prodigy Hopeful)

“The rest is up to you”

I believe that piano lessons are good in the beginning when you start learning, because the teacher can teach you the technique to play the instrument, I think that a good teacher is capable to teach the correct technique.  It’s not the same if you start learning on your own because despite you could have a good piano course (manual) you can’t learn the good technique if you don’t see it with your own eyes playing on the keyboard.

I agree that piano lessons are expensive and could be a waste of money if you don’t take advantage of these, I think that when you have taken some lessons by a good teacher, the rest is up to you… so you can continue learning on your own and if you have some doubts you can find out the way to solve it by asking to the person who was your teacher or any other good teacher that you may know…

Pedro

Hi Graham,

I am biased on this topic.
I think I have the best of both worlds because my concert pianist teacher is my neighbour two doors away.
But having started learning with books and CDs, I find that the pressure of preparing for my next lesson with my private teacher keeps me from procrastinating and keeps me on my toes.

Best regards

Leo

“My teacher has helped me overcome problems”

I disagree. Especially for beginners.
Yes, there are things you can learn from books, and I guess if you’re very musical, and piano is your second instrument, you might get away with it for a while, but I believe getting the basics right from the start is fundamental, and so you need someone to watch your hands and ensure you don’t learn bad habits. You can easily get bad posture, and bad fingering if you’ve no advice.
Discipline is also a problem for most of us, and having to turn up each week and show some progress motivates me! My teacher has helped me overcome problems that I dont think a book would’ve been able to diagnose.

Also, Music is a language, and no one would suggest you learn french without talking to people who can speak french.
So, yes, online courses, books and media are all useful, but there is nothing like sitting next to someone and playing a teacher/pupil duet to get the feeling you’re actually playing the piano, and not just pressing the keys.
But, of course I’m lucky, as my teacher is Brilliant.
(I learned music through school, and through being in a brass band for 12 years, so piano is my 2nd instrument, but I’d still not want to learn without guidance)

Alan

“Piano lessons at the tutor’s home on a good acoustic piano is the best option”

Earlier today, I told my daughter’s piano teacher that they would not be having any more lessons with her because the piano she was teaching them on is a Casio CDP 100 and I told her that my children had noticed differences in key weighting compared with our Yamaha CLP 470. Her response was to offer to teach them on our own piano at home. I told her that this was not an acceptable option and that I would prefer that they learned on an acoustic upright.

I had also not considered all the disadvantages of having lessons at home featured in your article and I am glad I made the decision I did. They will now be having lessons on a Yamaha upright piano. I myself am using the Rocket Piano online lesson guides but have also ordered the hard copy booklets which are easier to follow on the music stand. Certainly for young children without a capable piano playing parent, I think that piano lessons away from home on a good acoustic piano is the best option albeit costly.

For adults including those returning to piano playing after a very long lay off like myself, the Rocket Piano guides are a great way to either start from scratch or re-familiarise yourself with the basics before progressing further. They are logical and straight forward to follow. With this option, of course you have to be sufficiently disciplined to put the time aside to dig out the books and teach yourself as well as practicing but the cost benefits of this approach are huge. Only time will tell if I am able to reach the level I want to get to through self tuition alone. Thanks for this useful information which came through at a very appropriate time.

Regards,

Mike

Personaly I don’ t think private piano lessons a waste of money because when one is seeking for such knowledge it means you are in need of it, so l don’t see any reason for one to say it’s a waste of money when receiving the information you want, except if you are not getting what you are expecting.

Jessie

I think that a teacher is better somebody looks after you if you do a mistake, impossible in a book or cd, the position, the sound. If you don’t understand something and you have to work for the next lesson because you pay and it is a motivation. With a teacher i can play what i want classic jazz and pop or other.

Bernard

I absolutley loved the atricle. The part that most stood out were the advantages and disadvantages in the lesson. Well, in my understanding of it, getting free lessons is better than nothing and even some self teach themselves. Which is incredible!

David

I would go along with the point of you can teach yourself lots of subjects if you are disciplined to do so but I would not have thought to teach my self piano from a study guide besides what do you do when you dont understand and you have no one to ask. I would say if you did a survey of people that could teach themselves how to read music and play hands coordinated it would be quite a low percentage. In my time of going to lessons over 21 years I have had 4 teachers and through my current teacher I was able to get my grade 7 practical and my grade 5 theory. To Answer the argument I would say definetely go to a teacher for proper tuition, that is an invaluable way of learning and they will be there when problems crop up, another plus when you are with a teacher you are more apt to want to go in for exams when you have thier backing.

Jeoff Stone

I have just read the article “are piano lessons a waste of money” – the article does raise a few interesting points, however I feel it is too much of a generalisation as all piano teachers are not the same by any means! – my piano teacher does not bore me to death – though the travelling time is abit of an issue which the article clearly raises – it takes me about an hour on the bus!

Andy

“It is too general and over the top”

Why does it have to be one thing or another? – us and them so to speak – I think on-line teaching can support private tuition and vice-versa!
The article does state that both have their advantages – life I think is about balance and so on-line tuition can cover things that private tuition may have missed or to cover things in greater depth that private tuition cannot!

So while I think the article does raise some interesting points I feel it is too general and over the top ( and also alittle contradictrary in parts!).

Samantha Jones

Hey

I don’t believe piano lessons are a waste of money. I’m learning from a teacher and i know there could have been no better way. i tried self study, books, programs, CD’s online courses but i came to the conclusion a teacher is the best thing you could have….For all those who are confused i would say from personal experience you would be lucky to learn from a teacher but you have to be patient and respect you teacher ….

Srishti

Another good article. I haven’t had any private tuition myself and don’t intend to have any.
The reason is because I have the determination to get beyond the “Oh I can’t do this!!”
point by myself…

Let me explain what I mean….

One benefit I can see to having one to one private tutoring is that there’s
an allocated time that’s “piano time” once a week (or whatever). I think for
a lot of beginners this may be quite important. It’s very easy to start
something and then give up because you don’t feel like you’re achieving
enough or you simply never get round to spending time learning what you want to.

I taught myself to play guitar and know how long it takes as a beginner to
get to a stage where you feel like you’re not all thumbs. It takes a fair
bit of determination to get over the “I’m not getting anywhere” stage. I
think that a lot (not all) of beginners may give up before they pass that
stage if they don’t have a time every week where you HAVE to do at least
some playing.

I don’t think that private tutoring is necessary beyond that point however
because by that time your mind would be made up about playing or not
playing. At this point I agree completely with your article. If you want to
play, you’ll go through the exercises yourself and it’s here that I think
you’re right and it would be incredibly expensive. A tutor will essentially
be going through the same material an online course would go through. You’re
effectively paying somebody to read to you and show you what they can do.
Not really money well spent.

Hope you don’t think I’m being negative about the article because that’s not
my intention. I just think it’s worth discussing the point that a lot of
beginners would give up because they may not have the discipline to self
teach through those early stages.

I am learning piano by reading online, going through exercises, reading
books on theory and practice and lots of practice and experimentation. I
don’t like the idea of having just one angle for learning and I personally
learn best by drawing from a variety of resources and a lot of practice!

Thanks for listening and keep up the good work,

Regards,

Mat Howlett

Hi Graham, there were some very interesting for and against reasons for taking piano lessons with a tutor. Having picked up today our 2yr old Yamaha Arius 140, my daughter for whom it was purchased (12 1/2yrs old), has piano lessons at her teachers house, but the rest of us here at home are going to try other methods, dvd, book, online lessons to try and learn to play ourselves. It will be interesting to see what happens. My other daughter (25) taught herslf Frere Jacque in 15mins, so we will just have to see

thanks
Karen

“Ha ha ha”

Interesting title. I was married to a pianist, classically trained, who
used to teach, and still does.

No, private lessons are not a waste of money. Generalisation, just like
your statement.

No, piano lessons are not the only way to learn piano.

Yes, supplemental learning via books, cds, internet, listening to records,
tapes, going to gigs, jamming with friends, EVERYTHING CAN help develop
one’s musicianship.

I play drums, keyboards, flute and trumpet, all very badly yet for fun, and
enjoy them when I play. I’ve learnt to play some Miles Davis tracks,
Concerto De Aranjuez for example, and can play some of Abdullah Ibrahim’s
music on piano, which pleases myself endlessly.

I also happen to know one of the very best guitarists in the country: Mark
Hewin, look him up if you get a chance. He’s played with Bob Geldof, Lou
Reed and others. He’s self-taught. He is nowhere near skilled as my
ex-wife, but is brilliant, one of only two people in dozens of years working
in ‘the arts’ – theatre used to be my game – so saying my friend still has
trouble making ends meet.

What am I saying?

I signed up to your newsletter by chance and out of curiosity. If I can
learn anything new, I am always half-game, but rarely follow up as I am
incredibly busy making ends meet.

So thank you for your mails, I hope you are very happy and enjoy what you
get up to, and make ends meet too! It always helps.

Most of my ex’s students were children, who’s lessons were paid for by nice,
generally middle class people who could afford £600+ per annum to spend on
their usually lovely children, just so 4-8 years later they could say,
‘Isn’t my child naturally gifted?’ Hmmm. So is piano impossible to learn
for those without private lessons?

Another old friend of ours, Nitin Sawnhey, who has done incredibly well this
last ten years, is also self-taught.

My ex. never performed. She self-imploded, and took me with her. Divorce.
Very bad one – she’s a nutter I tell everyone, she’s a classical pianist.
Oh they say, as if that explains it. Highly strung!

Oh! Hope you’re performing or playing and enjoying yourself too! It’s important.

Cheers

Balbeer

“No knowledge is wasted”

In my own opinion, I do not consider priate piano a lesson a waste of time.
There is no knowledge that is wasted. I know a friend who learn how to drive a car through the internet, and this appear more technical than piano lesson.

Julius

Editor’s comments/ This article explains how to get a correct valuation for your piano and things you should never do when determining your piano’s value.

The time has come when you need that space in the corner of your living room and you have an old, BIG piano that has been sitting there, untouched, for many years. You wonder how you can get rid of this piano.

Maybe it is worth something?

How much will it sell for?

How do you find out the value?

It is VERY OLD, so maybe it is an antique? In fact, could it be worth a fortune?

These are questions that I get asked on a daily basis, so I decided to write this article to help out everybody in this predicament.

Graham Howard – Author and Piano Advisor.
Email for piano advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
or Call 020 8367 5107

> Get a FREE piano valuation here

Now, what I should say first is that the common belief that an old piano is an antique and worth a lot of money is simply not true.

Generally, the older the piano is, the less it is worth. The reasons it’s worth less is because a piano is classed as a musical instrument – not a piece of furniture – which means the value of a piano depends almost entirely on the condition and quality of the parts on the inside. The piano’s cabinet – no matter how nice it looks on the outside – usually has very little bearing on the price.

So a beautiful looking piano that is over 100 years old that has brass candlestick holders, intricate engraving, original parts inside and beautifully shaped legs is more than likely worthless. In fact, you would do well if someone took the piano away from you for. Usually you would have to pay around £80 to £120 to have the piano removed from your house and dumped.

I know this sounds a little harsh, but it is reality. I like to be honest and tell you exactly how it really is.

A fairly new piano doesn’t automatically mean that it’s worth a lot more either…

If your piano is a famous brand like Bechstein, Bluthner, Steinway, Yamaha, Kemble, Kawai, etc. and is less than 25 years old, then it will usually have a fairly high valuation.

Modern pianos that have been made in Germany, UK, Japan or Czech Republic are usually high quality.

Pianos made in China are usually made from cheap materials (there are exceptions to the rule though… just send me an email: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk and I will recommend some well made Chinese pianos). I have seen pianos that are just 5 years old that look great on the outside, but the parts on the inside are completely worn and the sound is very harsh.

Here is a list of the best piano brands

So how can you value your piano?

The best way is to ask a professional piano tuner/technician to come and take a look at your piano. Make sure the tuner is a member of the Piano Tuners Association (PTA). Members of the PTA have passed a high level tuning test and also completed general piano repairs. They are experienced and the only real piano experts.

Do not ask your piano teacher or pianist friend to value, or choose a piano for you. Piano teachers and pianists usually no next to nothing about the inner workings of pianos (there are always exceptions to the rule though).

A piano tuner will usually charge you for a valuation. The cost can be anywhere from £100 to £250 depending on your area and the piano tuner’s expertise.

It is well worth it though…

You will get your piano examined by someone that knows what to look for. Once you get that valuation you will know exactly how much you can sell your piano for. Sometimes the piano tuner will even buy it from you.

Be careful if you ask a piano dealer or shop to value your piano. The shop is usually interested in buying secondhand pianos and will probably give it a low valuation in the hope that they can buy it off you on the cheap.

Never call someone that advertises that they buy pianos. You usually see these adverts in Yellow Pages or your local newspaper.

The ad will say something like this:

“All types of pianos bought.
Highest prices paid in cash.
Call for immediate collection”.

These guys make a living from picking up decent pianos from next to nothing and selling them on to piano shops or private buyers for a high profit. So you can guess that they will value your piano extremely low and find as many faults as possible to justify their low offer. Some of these faults may not even exist!

You will not be able to value a piano yourself, unless you have the time to go on a piano tuning and repair course for at least 2-3 years. The only way to know how much a piano is worth is by acquiring the expertise knowledge.

Pianos consist of at least 5,000 parts – MUCH more complicated than a car – and if one part is overlooked it can be the difference of valuing a piano at a high price or a complete write off.

Example:

A good looking piano, casework has been French polished, the sound is OK but the piano needs tuning, the parts inside look new, the piano is not that old, no problems seem apparent. This piano could be valued at a fairly high price?

BUT…

If the tuning plank is cracked – this is usually very difficult to see – then the tuning pins will probably be loose and will not hold the high tension of the strings. This piano will need a new tuning plank, new pins, and new strings. This could cost anywhere from £1000 to £2500 depending on the work involved.

Another example:

There is a crack at the bottom of the soundboard. To see this, you have to take the piano’s bottom board out and check the soundboard thoroughly. Again, this can easily be missed if you don’t know what to look for. You also need to know which type of soundboard crack is serious, and which type is not an immediate problem.

So give your local piano tuner a call, it’s a safe bet and usually worth spending the valuation fee.
You can find a list of piano tuners here.
And you can get your piano valued here

Please note: This article is copyright and protected. You may publish this article on your website providing you leave the article “as is” and retain the author’s biography box. All contents Copyright © 2008-2023. All rights reserved. Graham Howard, author of The Digital Piano Bible (a buyer’s guide) and The Howard Score (piano rating system).

I have been asked many times whether it is ok to have piano lessons online or if you should spend more money and get a proper piano tutor to visit your home or even pay to attend a music school. I think you should always look at the advantages and disadvantages and decide what is best for you. The aim of this article is to take you through the various teaching methods and guide you to making a decision that is right for you.

Online piano lessons

There are many websites offering online piano lessons. The trouble is that you don’t really know if the advice you are being given is good or the not. Some websites claim to offer free piano lessons, but when you try to find these free piano lessons, you realize that they are only offering very basic information and you will need to pay to get to the real stuff.

There are some fantastic e-books online that teach you how to play the piano step by step. I won’t mention the names of these e-books as I might be accused of advertising for them or for myself ;-). You can sign up for my newsletter if you want more advice on this – see the ‘About the Author Box below’.

TIP/ Usually the best resources are on the sponsored link section on Google search, this is normally located right at the top of their search engine and also to the right hand side.

The best value for money online course I have seen so far is the Rocket Piano. Read more about it here

Summary

Online piano lessons are ok if you just want to learn the basics without the commitment of a regular piano teacher. Once you have mastered the online piano lessons then you will definitely need to get yourself a qualified piano teacher or sign up for piano lessons in your local music school if you want to progress any further.

Lessons with a piano teacher

Providing you can find a qualified piano teacher that has a lot of experience and you can justify the expense of this when you are starting out (they don’t come cheap!), then this is a good way to start learning.

There are some disadvantages of having one-on-one lessons with a private piano tutor. Children tend to find individual piano lessons too serious and boring and there are no other children in the lesson to compare progress with.

You can either travel to the teacher’s home or the teacher will travel to you. Having piano lessons in your home is probably the worst thing you can do. Check out the advantages and disadvantages below.

Piano lessons in your home

Advantages

Time saving.

Disadvantages

Lots of distractions.
Weak concentration.

Lessons in piano teacher’s home

Advantages

You get to have your lesson on a good quality piano.
There are no distractions at your piano teacher’s home.

Disadvantages

You have to travel to the piano teacher’s home (traveling time, transport and parking costs).

Summary

Private piano lessons are good, but expensive. Make sure that you can afford to pay for these lessons because you will need to make a regular commitment once a week.

Piano lessons in a music school

Having piano lessons in a music school has many advantages over online piano lessons and private teaching.

Most music schools have qualified piano teachers. Some music schools also offer group teaching which is much cheaper than private lessons. Learning to play piano in groups is also more fun because the other students in the class are usually at a similar level of learning.

From my experience, I find that children and adults learning piano in a group often progress faster in the early stages than if they had a private piano teacher. I believe that this progress is due to either the competitiveness of trying to keep up with others by practicing more during the week or the less serious atmosphere that makes learning more fun than individual piano lessons.

Music schools have a proven teaching system in place. This teaching system is controlled by the principal teacher and head of music. Music schools are normally geared towards students taking examinations, and because of this, piano lessons are structured and well organized.

Summary

Having your piano lessons in a music school is the best way to start out and will more likely encourage you to continue learning for a long time. Music school fees are normally less than half the cost of a private piano lesson.

Learn to play piano in our Enfield, Chingford, Finchley, Barnet and Kentish Town piano schools here

About the Author

My name is Hejran Stogden. I’m founder of the ALL Talents Music School in Enfield and Author of Hejran’s Piano Method. I’ve been teaching piano for over 35 years and have set up music schools in Enfield, Finchley, Walthamstow, Stoke Newington, and Worcester. You can find information here: www.alltalents.co.uk and www.hejran.com.

[Do you want to use this article on your website? ukpianos.co.uk gives you permission to copy this article and use it, providing you include this author’s biog box.]

Tip 1

Set a goal

Have a goal every time you sit down to practice playing scales and arpeggios over and over ‘will not’ improve your playing. A goal would be to master a chosen piece within a certain amount of time by practicing it for 15 minutes EVERY DAY. Then when it has been perfected, transposing it into another key.

Graham Howard – Author and Piano Advisor.
Email for piano advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
or Call 020 8367 5107

Tip 2

Accompany a friend

Try to accompany a friend or play in a band. Playing with other people is THE BEST WAY to improve your rhythm. You have to really concentrate very hard to stay in time and this action alone will improve your rhythm, sight reading and musical ear like no other. It is also a lot of fun and breaks down the boredom of practicing alone.

Tip 3

Ignore mistakes

Don’t worry about making mistakes. If all we did was worry about making mistakes, we would never get anywhere. We would live in constant fear!

When you are learning a new piece of music for example. If you were to know in advance that you where going to make 25 mistakes before you could play the piece perfectly, would you worry about making these mistakes?… NO! You would want to make these 25 mistakes as quickly as possible… wouldn’t you? What I am trying to say is each mistake you make brings you closer to your goal.

As long as your ear can recognize the mistakes, you can correct them and move on.

Tip 4

Learn How To Play Chords First

If you can learn the basic chords first before tackling classical pieces, you will be a long way ahead. Most popular music is based around simple chords and if you can master these, you will be able to play a lot of famous tunes and have great fun doing this.

The classical approach really limits you early on and I find that it discourages most beginners from continuing past their first year. If they were to learn the chord system first and then progress on to classical pieces, I am absolutely certain there would be far fewer students that give up.

Tip 5

The Right Mental Approach

Getting your mindset right is probably THE MOST IMPORTANT thing to do. Practicing because you have to and just going through the motions will not get you anywhere. This approach nearly always leads to boredom and eventually giving up.

The way to improve rapidly is to concentrate completely for every minute you set aside for practice and focus on improving one thing. This could be part of a piece, a new chord, a scale or anything you choose.

Seeing this progress gives you a sense of achievement and will keep you going through the session and the next.

Tip 6

Make Sure Your Mind Is Clear

If you have had a bad day, received some bad news, been in an argument etc. then you should not practice. You must get yourself in the right frame of mind in able to make the most out of your practice session.

Try going for a walk over the park – get some fresh air. Read a book, watch some TV – whatever it takes to get you in the right mood ready to practice and make some improvements to your playing.

If you still can’t get yourself in the right mood then skip today’s session and come back tomorrow focused.

Tip 7

Visualize

Many sports coaches teach the skill of visualization. Athletes are taught to see themselves running and winning an event. They see themselves from the starting gun step-by-step all the way to the finish line, breaking the tape, arms in the air and the crowd applauding their victory.

When the race ‘for real’ comes around, they are mentally prepared and more likely to run to the best of their ability.

It is no different to playing the piano…

Try visualizing yourself playing a piece of music that you have been practicing recently or are about to perform.

Picture the piece of music in your mind, the fingering for each note, your fingers pressing down the piano keys, the hand positions and chord shapes. Try to hear the piece.

You will be amazed at how quickly your playing improves when you can visualize a piece in as much detail as this.

Please note: This article is copyright and protected. You may publish this article on your website providing you leave the article “as is” and retain the author’s biography box. All contents Copyright © 2008-2023. All rights reserved. Graham Howard, author of The Digital Piano Bible (a buyer’s guide) and The Howard Score (piano rating system).

Comments

I think your seven tips are very good thank you.  I have never really visualised as you mention before but I think it is a good idea and will try this. Somone told me to rest my hands on ther keyboard without fingers touching the keys and with arms and wrists in a suitable position this gives a better sound because the weight of your hands is already there.

Kevin

In order to decide the best place to position your piano, you need to know where NOT to put it. This article will help you choose the ideal location in your house to keep your piano in top condition and extend its life as long as possible.

Climate and environment

You need to think carefully about climate and environment when deciding the best place to put your piano…

It’s very important to achieve a constant temperature. Pianos don’t like being in a room that constantly changes (cold at night, hot during the day etc.).

Try your best to keep your piano in a room that has the heating on the low side in the winter and is not too hot and sticky in the summer.

A constant temperature of around 20 centigrade (65-70 Fahrenheit) and a humidity level of between 45 and 60 per cent are ideal. The easiest way to keep an eye on this is to buy a humidifier gauge and stick it on the wall.

Graham Howard – Author and Piano Advisor.
Email for piano advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
or Call 020 8367 5107

Central heating systems

A piano’s number one enemy!

Before central heating was invented, pianos stayed in tune a lot better and had a much longer life.

Central heating dries the air and will take the moisture out of your piano’s wood. This is a big problem, because most of the parts of your piano are made from wood.

When your heating is off during the night, the humidity rises; when it’s switched back on in the morning, the humidity drops. These changes in humidity cause the wood to expand and shrink, causing your piano to go out of tune. Over a period of time, problems such as: Loose tuning pins, a cracked soundboard, split bridges, wobbly hammers and loose keys can occur.

Central heating can cause the soundboard to crack. Cracked soundboards encourage buzzing noises to appear and in extreme cases, can completely deaden the sound of your piano.

Central heating can dry out the wrest plank. If this happens, the tuning pins that hold the high tension of the strings start to loosen. This results in your piano not being able to stay in tune.

Keep your piano away from heat sources

Keep your piano as far away from a radiator or electric heater as possible.

Never put your piano in a room that has under floor heating! This will completely ruin your piano VERY quickly. If your whole house is fitted with under floor heating then all you can do is place a heavy rug underneath it. This will provide some protection for your piano.

Sunshine is very nice, but pianos don’t really care much for a tan!

Direct sunshine coming through a window can be a problem for your piano…

Apart from disturbing the humidity level in your piano, direct sunshine is the cause of another serious issue… fading.

If your piano is under direct sunlight – even for a few days – the wood will start to fade.
A high gloss polyester finish can be completely ruined if left under direct sunlight for too long. Sunshine will also knock your piano out of tune.

Solution – keep your piano away from windows that let sunlight through, or place a heavy cover over your piano to protect it.

Kitchens are also a threat

If you have an open plan room (kitchen and living room together) you must keep your piano as far away from your kitchen as possible.

Many times I’ve seen pianos sitting right next to open kitchens. The steam from cooking gets absorbed in the piano’s wood, resulting in an extreme level of humidity. This causes many problems for your piano including: Sluggish and sticking keys, slow hammers and dampers, swelling key lead and expanding felts. This excessive humidity can even cause tuning pins, bridge pins and strings to rust.

If – despite your best efforts to keep your piano away from harm – you still find you’ve got a problem, ask your piano tuner to fit a humidifier inside your piano. This puts back some moisture into your piano’s wood. If your problem is damp, then you need a dehumidifier.

Drafts

Pianos don’t get on well with drafts either.

If your piano is next to a window or an outside door that lets in a cold draft, watch out! A piano that is constantly ‘blown on’ will rebel: You’ll find some keys start sticking, dampers stop working and many other annoying things that interfere with your piano’s performance. If you have double-glazing, this will reduce the problem.

Which room is best to put your piano?

For those of you lucky enough to have a purpose built music room, great.

Otherwise…

Your dining room is probably the next best place to keep your piano. Dining rooms tend to keep a more constant humidity level and have a lower temperature than other rooms in the house.

To summarise:

Where NOT to put your piano:

• Next to a window that lets in sunlight or drafts
• Next to an outside door
• Next to, or in front of a radiator or other heat source
• In a room with under floor heating
• Next to an open kitchen
• Next to, or underneath an air conditioning unit
• In a garage, shed or conservatory

Please note: This article is copyright and protected. You may publish this article on your website providing you leave the article “as is” and retain the author’s biography box. All contents Copyright © 2008-2023. All rights reserved. Graham Howard, author of The Digital Piano Bible (a buyer’s guide) and The Howard Score (piano rating system).

If you are a piano player and or looking for piano study tips to improve your piano playing read these tips here below. Are you playing the piano? It’s a great and rich instrument but before you can really start playing the great masters or that great jazz tune lots of practicing needs to be done… For this article I want to mention 5 ways to improve your piano playing.

Graham Howard – Author and Piano Advisor.
Email for piano advice: grahamhoward@ukpianos.co.uk
or Call 020 8367 5107

1. Find a Qualified Piano Teacher

Don’t fall into this trapp from other people saying you don´t need a piano teacher. I highly recommend you grab your local paper or phone and find a qualified piano teacher. Why? Most importantly, you will learn much faster and eventually play much better then if you have to do this all by yourself.

2. Practice Regularly

Never practice when you are tired you cannot focus and concentrate well enough to make good progress.

Practice Regularly Piano playing requires good coordination and music reading skills. To get best results with your piano playing practice daily for at least 20-30 minutes a day.

3. Set Realistic Goals

When studying your song, set realistic goals. Find a song that is right, and fits your musical knowledge and skills. For example if you are studying a Czerny etude make a goal to learn a new page every day or even a few measures depending on your level and skills.

4. Improve Your Sight Reading

If you have no trouble reading music notes you learn a new song much faster. Keep working on your sight reading skills by making it a routine to start your daily practice with playing a few bars of a totally new piano piece.

5. Read Music literature of the Composer

When you are playing a Mozart sonate and you don’t know anything about his life its more difficult to play with a good “character”. Learn all about your favorite composer and try to find a good approach to play his/her songs.

The best value for money online course I have seen so far is the Rocket Piano. Read more about it here.

Author’s Biog Box

Rene Knops makes it easy for musicians to find music lessons, sheet music and music resources.
www.ukpianos.co.uk/free-online-piano-lessons

[Do you want to use this article on your website? ukpianos.co.uk gives you permission to copy this article and use it, providing you include this author’s biog box.]