Size of the room

The size of the room is the most crucial factor in deciding the right machine for you. Larger the room, the larger the machine can be accommodated. Ideally, you should opt for the largest possible piano that can be accommodated in a room. But there are several strings attached to it. The greater surface area and more length of the strings in the case of larger pianos means a louder sound. But most non-professionals do not need larger machines for playing piano as their interests are leisurely.

Disturbance to other members living in the house

There is also the need to decide whether the other people living near the room will get disturbed when you are playing piano. This factor also depends on room treatment. If there is plenty of soft furniture within the room, such as easy chairs and sofas, or carpets and drapes, you will find that the sound created by the piano will be a lot softer as it will travel a short distance only. But if the room has little furniture and hardwood flooring and curtains, it will not absorb too much sound. Having a grand piano in such rooms might be a touch overbearing in this case. You might have to do with an upright piano for such rooms.

Aesthetics

Having said that, keep in mind that grand pianos many times have more pleasing aesthetics instead of the uprights. In case you are set on purchasing a grand piano and not willing to compromise for an upright one, and the room has sufficient space to accommodate the machine, you might wish to consider getting a baby grand piano. A smaller-sized grand piano rather than a full-sized model will be ideal. So, all things considered, a large grand piano might not be the right choice for a usual living room. There is a reason why they are called concert grands, as they are usually designed for a concert hall.

You need to get your piano properly tuned periodically and protect it from unexpected climate changes that may harm the machine. For instance, never place the piano under direct sunlight. Although having the piano near the windows may appear to be aesthetically pleasing, the direct heat from the sun can damage the instrument. If you reside in Tampa, FL area and are looking to get your piano tuned, look no further than Phil Frohna Piano Tuning for this work. Also, keep in mind not to place the piano close to air vents, as temperature changes can affect the piano.

Picture Credit: Pixabay

The post Selecting A Suitable Piano For Your Room appeared first on Tampa Piano Tuner/Technician.

Placement of a grand piano

There are certain things you need to keep in mind about placing the grand piano physically within a room. As far as the rule of thumb is concerned, you need to have the grand pianos with their left straight edge placed against your inner wall. This is the bass side, and it must run parallel to the wall. The treble side or the open lid side should be pointing into the room. This helps in the projection of treble frequencies clearly within the room.

The lower frequency sound or the bass will bounce off the wall and return to the room. If you try to position the grand piano the other way around, you will get the treble bouncing off the wall instead of the bass. This means you will not get the optimal sound effect. If you are looking for a clear sound, you need to get the treble to carry and project inside the center of the room.

Placement of upright piano

Positioning the upright piano is relatively simpler and a lot more straightforward. Most of the upright pianos are placed up against the wall. Usually, this is an internal wall, and an external wall is not utilized for this. This helps protect the piano sound. However, there are certain “don’ts” that apply here. You need to avoid drafty spots and direct sunlight you get near the windows.

As far as the positioning is concerned, with a great deal of sound coming from the back of the piano, you need to have the instrument pointing to the room as well. This depends on the space available, though. This also makes the instrument more audible for the people sitting in the room.

Some general rules for both types of pianos

1. Never place the piano near direct sunlight. There is a lot of heat generated by direct sunlight, and it dries up and weakens the glue joints and can also dry out the soundboard.
2. It is a bad idea to place the piano near the window. The piano is not happy with changes in temperatures. There are changes in humidity levels happening near the window that causes the piano to swell and shrink. This will damage the tuning and negatively affect the mechanical condition of the piano.

You need to keep these pianos away from all the drafty places as a change in temperature can play havoc with the machines. Although it is unavoidable many times, less airflow near the piano is a good idea. It will avoid tuning instability and premature structural issues. If you live near Tampa, FL area and you are looking to tune your piano, get in touch with Phil Frohna Tuning for expert work.

Picture Credit: Unsplash

The post Placement Of A Grand Piano Or An Upright Piano In A Room appeared first on Tampa Piano Tuner/Technician.

Select the right piano size for your house

You need to take into consideration the size of your house while choosing a piano. In case you have a small house, it might be a good idea to select a small piano. Similarly, in case you have a bigger home, you may wish to consider buying a piano of a larger size. You can get several different pianos on the market of varying sizes. Be sure to select one that fits the insides of your home.

Selecting between a grand piano, upright piano, and a digital piano

The upright pianos are the most popular kinds of pianos. They are usually small in size and, as a result, take up less space than the bigger grand pianos. These upright pianos are an excellent choice for smaller homes and apartments. The largest types of pianos are the grand pianos. They are normally used by professional pianists that are expected to play in big concert halls. These pianos are a terrific alternative for larger homes. Another new kind of piano is the digital piano. They are gradually becoming popular, and they are an excellent alternative for small apartments or homes.

Selecting the right type of piano

Fundamentally there are a couple of types of pianos, acoustic and digital. The former is the conventional kinds of pianos that have been used for centuries. They are crafted from wood and come with strings that are struck into place by hammers. These acoustic pianos make a full and rich sound that is loved by real pianists. The digital pianos use a new kind of technology for creating sound. They take up less space, and they are light in weight compared to acoustic pianos. This is a personal decision. Consider the requirements carefully while making this decision.

Choosing the right piano for the budget

If you stop at some good places in your city to buy pianos, you will find a wide range of prices on different machines. It doesn’t matter what kind of budget you have, small or large. There is a piano available out there that will be perfect for your home. In case you are buying a piano for your kid that is starting his learning, you may wish to select a less expensive model. The reason behind this choice is that kids many times lose interest fast, and you should not be keen to spend a great deal of money on things that they are not likely to use for long.

You should not buy a piano to make it a piece of furniture in your house. You should buy a piano you intend to play. In case you do not think that you will use the piano often, you must not buy an expensive model. There is always an alternative available for buying a less expensive piano. You can later get an expensive model if your child takes to the instrument. If you already have a piano in Tampa, FL, and looking to tune it, look no further than Tampa Piano Tuning for professional expert support.

Picture Credit: Dave’s Piano Showroom

The post Tips For Buying Piano For Your Home appeared first on Tampa Piano Tuner/Technician.

Types of Pianos
Essentially there are two different piano types, i.e. grand and upright. Size is the differentiating factor among the two but their characteristic shapes due to the position of their soundboards are also different. As the soundboards of a grand piano are mounted horizontally, the instrument has a bigger footprint and a much sleeker profile when compared to the uprights.

Grand pianos are mostly preferred by professional musicians as they offer a more dynamic and richer sound compared to the uprights. Yamaha YUS Series uprights are an exception to this feature as it offers a broad range of sonic tonalities that are more reminiscent of the grand pianos.

Uprights usually take less space and are mostly less expensive compared to grand pianos. They are preferred by music students or staple of schools and conservatories across the world.

Size of Pianos
Grand pianos are available in many sizes. From the Baby grand models that are about 4.5 feet in length to the Concert grand models that can be as long as 9 feet. On the other hand, Upright pianos start from small Spinet models to larger consoles and studio models. They can be as high as 52”. However, the most interesting feature is the width of both the piano types which are always around 5 feet. It is because they all offer a standard 88-note keyboard.

Yamaha sells a range of grand pianos from the popular GB1K series to the GC Series baby grands. They also sell the CX and SX series that have been internationally popular.

Which Is The Perfect Sized Piano For Me?
Room size is one of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a piano. Large rooms can accommodate larger pianos and if your budget permits, you should be purchasing the largest piano that fits your room comfortably. Considering a large piano is important as the increased surface area of the soundboard and greater length of the strings translates in better vibration energy. It eventually increases projection meaning larger grand pianos sound a lot louder compared to the smaller alternatives.

But in the case of non-professional pianists who do not play with the same velocity, they need to have to make larger pianos project to their best potential. Hence, it’s unlikely that you will fill in a large room with sound while playing the piano leisurely. Another factor to consider is if playing the piano disturbs people around you. Room treatments can help in reducing the sound from going out. For rooms filled with a lot of furniture and carpeting on the floor, the sound travels a much shorter distance. But in the case of hardwood flooring with limited curtains, furniture, and drapes, the sound travels much quickly. In the latter case, grand pianos might be overbearing but upright ones will sound perfectly fine.

Despite saying that, you shouldn’t be ignoring the fact that grand pianos usually are much more pleasing. If you have enough space in your room and you are prepared to buy a grand piano, opting for the same will be the right choice. But you should consider buying a baby grand or a smaller-sized full grand instead of the larger models. Hence, buying a very large grand piano for a living room isn’t the best purchasing option. Your choice should be primarily dependent on the room size, your budget, and your purpose.

If you have a piano and are in search of a professional piano tuning company in Tampa Bay, FL, consider calling Phil Frohna Piano Tuning. They have been in business for generations offer their services for rebuilding, tuning, voicing, and regulating pianos of all types and sizes.

Picture Credit: Freepik

The post How To Select The Perfect Sized Piano For Your Room appeared first on Tampa Piano Tuner/Technician.