Many parents that I meet ask if it is necessary to have a keyboard or a piano at home for practice purposes. My answer is yes, because even though you make progress from your weekly lessons, you will develop much better through daily practices. When you learn how to play the piano, you need to practice your lessons regularly, for at least 30 minutes daily, as that is the only way to truly improve on your mistakes and enhance your skills. If you want
to learn to play the piano, a piano rental is a good option especially for beginners. In this article, I will discuss a few things about renting a piano.
The Advantages
Renting a piano is perhaps the cheapest way to avoid spending a large amount of cash at first. It is best for beginners to start with a rental than a new piano because new pianos can cost a fortune. A rental piano is temporary, which means you do not have to be stuck with a piano if you do not like playing or can’t learn. Most dealers provide pianos that come with a maintenance agreement, which means any repairs will be paid by the dealers.
The Disadvantages
Although the monthly cost of the piano is low, there will be other expenses that you need to consider, such as, the piano moving fee. The piano moving fee may be paid in full at the beginning of the rental period or paid off over the duration of your contract with the dealer. Most piano dealers will pay the initial tuning fee, while others may include it in the rental cost. If any tuning needs to be done while the piano is in your possession, then the tuning costs will be your responsibility. You need to find out which type of rental is right for you, rent to own or rent to rent because some contracts allow your payment to apply to any pianos in the dealer’s showroom, while others may only include instruments that are placed in your home. You will come across rent-to-own programs that have higher monthly payments – this will be fine if
you are sure about buying the piano later on.
If you choose to rent a piano after knowing the pros and cons, then it is best that you shop around first. Find as many dealers as you can in your town or the neighboring city. You can ask your friends, colleagues, and neighbors for recommendations. Alternatively, you can visit local music stores because most of these stores know local rental dealers. If all fails, you can use the Internet to research the various piano rental stores. This is the best way to find them, because it offers variety and affordability. Using the Internet allows you to compare the prices of piano rentals and you can read reviews about the dealers and the pianos too. Furthermore, you can check the websites of various music institutions and music stores concerning the important things you should look out for when you want to rent a piano.
Once you find the best dealers in town, you can take the time to visit their stores to have a look at the pianos they have on display. Ask as many questions as you like about the pianos. It is advisable that you bring someone that has knowledge of pianos, such as your piano teacher or a qualified piano technician. He or she is able to tell you if there is something wrong with the piano or if the rental cost is too much. When you have loads of pianos to choose from, make sure you do not make a rushed decision. Take a moment to digest everything that you have learned about the piano rental and then, make your choice. Remember that you do not have to make the decision in one day.
Do you think it is better to rent a piano or to buy one?