Beginners and newcomers to the piano scene might feel a little overwhelmed when they see so many different kinds of pianos, keyboards, digital pianos and not to mention all of the added-on accessories involved. Then, there are big price tags to take into consideration, the sound each different piano produces, and so many other features to consider when seriously thinking about investing in any type of piano.
So, what’s the difference between all of these pianos? What features should you look out for? Here’s a comprehensive guide and the seven most important piano features that anyone should know about when they’re ready to invest in their very own piano.
1. Size
When a family is living in a small place, the nine foot or more long grand piano made by Baldwin or Yamaha probably won’t be the best option. Size happens to be the biggest and probably most important feature of a piano to really think about. There are the lengthy kind of concert-grade grand pianos, baby grand pianos that can be slightly smaller, upright pianos and even smaller digital pianos.
2. Keys
Yes, those black and white keys can even be different on each piano. There can be differing lengths of keys, a half keyboard on smaller pianos, and there is also the difference between weighted and keys without any weight to them. This can mean a world of difference in sound and quality, so make sure to check out the keys when it comes to inspecting piano features.
3. Sound
Of course, a piano needs to have a rich and wonderful sound! The acoustics of a room can make pianos sound different in one building compared to another, but most piano buyers need to listen for tins, thuds, or aged chimes that might indicate the piano is of lower quality or even out of tune. Simply pressing down a key and holding the note can determine such things.
4. Wood
While this mostly won’t apply to smaller metal keywords and digital pianos, this is a very important part to look out for in quality piano features with traditional ones. Wood expands and ages depending on temperature and with time. This can factor into a piano’s sound as well as its worth. Warped, cracked, or otherwise "banged up" wood is going to produce a less charming sound, so always keep an eye out for wood quality.
5. Strings & Hammers
Another aspect of traditional, non-digital pianos are going to be the inside of it. Pianos work by having strings hit by little metal hammers, causing their unique sound that can be delicate or booming. These strings and hammers are very important to maintain and keep in tune as the strings will eventually wear down with use and time.
6. Polyphony Sound
Since we’ve been mentioning lots of traditional piano features, what is an important electronic keyword or digital piano feature? The biggest one happens to be its polyphony sound, which comes either in 16, 32, 64, 98 and 128 note ranges. The higher the range, the better and more genuine the sound it will produce.
7. Pedals
Most pianos come with pedals which can help damper or sharpen the tone of the sound, as well as making different kinds of notes for playing. Normally, pianos can come with two to three pedals while newer keyboards will normally need to have a pedal attached manually. Since this is a constantly moving part, pedals need to be watched for everyday wear and tear.
Seven of the most important piano features to keep an eye on and know, all of them very simple to learn and even ask for more information about when talking with a sales professional. What kind of piano features are you looking for in your own dream piano?