Table of contents :
How to choose the right piano? We answer all your questions to help you choose your piano: upright, grand, with silent system, digital piano, which brand, which budget, new or used …
The béaba of the piano
Let us first consider the essential: 88 notes and a heavy touch are essential for the acquisition of a good position and a good technique. As much to say it right away, for the learning and for the long term, it is preferable to orient yourself towards an acoustic piano. A well-made piano is rated for up to 25 years , and can in good conditions serve the expression of your musicality throughout your life.
Upright piano or grand piano?
The place, the sound, the visual and the budget, this is what will guide your choice.
Visually, many upright pianos are magnificent, but the sight of a grand piano is still extraordinary.
The upright piano has the particularity of having vertical strings , which takes up much less space than a grand piano. But the tone and feel are different. Less powerful than that of the grand piano, the tone of the upright piano is also shallower, and its mechanics remain slower, except for the models equipped with a double repetition system, patent filed by the Sauter piano manufacturer
For the budget, entry-level models are around Chf 4’000.– for an upright piano and Chf 12’000.– for a grand piano. Good pianos are offered at around Chf 9’000.– and Chf 30’000.– respectively for a straight and a tail. For the very high end, count Chf 30,000 for an upright piano, and more than a hundred thousand francs for a prestigious concert piano.
Digital pianos
However, we do not exclude digital keyboards, not only for a question of budget, but also for reasons of uncertainty for a child who is starting out, of space or of transport. Do not choose the smallest model, you will notice that after a while you will tire of the sounds offered and realize that the touch, the sound response and the emotional relationship are still very different from an acoustic piano.
This can be demotivating and become a barrier to learning. The best models only offer a more pronounced length of time before the inexorable onset of these symptoms. So reserve the use of the digital keyboard for leisure rather than study, it is another instrument. To be brief, if you want to play the piano, an electronic keyboard will only be useful for the first year (s) of initiation. Any teacher worth his salt will tell you: if you want to play the piano, nothing beats a good acoustic piano .
Piano brands
Major Japanese brands guarantee exclusive manufacturing quality such as Kawai , and for Yamaha , compliance with the strictest ISO standards on working conditions, responsible management in terms of ecology and recycling, while maintaining an excellent report quality price.
European pianos still share the top of the bill with the most prestigious brands, but also excellent mid-range and high-end pianos. Understand that it is important to trust brands whose history and know-how are clear and irreproachable. I particularly appreciate the manufactures handed down from generation to generation, such as Petrof or Sauter .
The silent system
Even the smallest piano can “disturb” your dear neighborhood, or the people who live with you. Note that now most manufacturers offer their pianos with an optional silent system, which allows on the one hand to play without vibrating the strings , therefore without “noise”, and on the other hand to register, or piloting software on a computer, in short, having an acoustic piano with an on-board digital piano at your fingertips.
Invented by Yamaha in 1993, the Silent System represents an additional cost of eighteen hundred francs minimum depending on the model. Currently the vast majority of pianos are sold with a silent system.
Yamaha Transacoustic
Still brand new (2013), the name of this new generation of pianos is inspired by its principle: the soundboard is transformed into a loudspeaker . All the sounds will be able to be delivered through the vibrating part of the piano that is the soundboard.
In practice, this gives you the possibility of adjusting the sound volume of the piano! No need for headphones to play less loudly … Even better, listen to an accompaniment via the audio input while playing the acoustic piano with a hint of violins from the silent system !!! Available from U1 upright piano and GC1 grand piano.
Yamaha Disklavier
Invented in 1982, this cutting-edge technology allows your piano to play on its own! Insert a CD or record your work, the piano will replay your favorite songs to perfection while you will see the keys and pedals move. In its current version, you can connect to the internet to download thousands of songs, or simply subscribe to a dozen radio stations and thus hear your own piano playing under the fingers of the greatest performers! Available from U1 upright piano and GC1 grand piano.
It is always better to try out the piano before purchasing
You now have to try several models, the size of the upright pianos is given according to the height, and according to the length for the grand pianos.
For your choice: not too small or entry level for an experienced pianist because the instrument would not be enough to express all the subtleties of your playing.
Not too big either according to the sound power of the piano compared to the volume of the room in which it is located. With an instrument that is too powerful, you will limit yourself to strong nuances and frustrate the expression of your pleasure.
Don’t hesitate to try second-hand pianos as well. Perfect for starting out if you don’t want to invest a large amount.
It is sometimes even possible to find at the same price a better second-hand piano that has been broken in and stabilized compared to a new piano of lesser quality.
Have you better identified your needs and made a small selection? All you have to do is take the time to play, to try out several models while concentrating on the touch and the tone of the instrument.
Play softly, then loudly, listen to the attack, bass, medium, treble, regularity and sound colors … Then let one or more notes ring for longer with the strong pedal, listen to the resonance and the propagation of the sound.
Try out a few quick strokes, feel how the mechanics react and if the tone you hear matches the sound you envisioned. Is the touch right for you? It will lighten slightly in its first year.
Perhaps you noticed, if we compare two pianos of the same brand and the same model, their sound is slightly different.
It is for the simple reason that the vibration of the strings is amplified by a wooden soundboard, and that each tree is unique.
You will therefore have understood that each piano is unique, so when you have found yours, note its serial number and make sure that the one you have chosen is delivered to you.
For financing, don’t forget that in the event of a purchase during a rental we deduct all the rents already paid, and that we can offer you the hire-purchase, which allows you to stagger your payment.
How to maintain your piano once purchased
It is vital for your instrument to play it regularly, its tone will flourish, as much as it is also vital for it to be often tuned.
Tuning is a minimum of once a year.
Do not hesitate, do not wait, it is the only thing to do for the good health and a good longevity of your instrument. In our regions, for an instrument that is always right, it is advisable to tune your piano twice a year, not because it is out of tune, but so that it remains perfectly fine!
I am already happy to meet you at the store to guide you on the choice of your instrument. You just have to tell me what styles of music you would like to play, and I could give you a lot of information about the character and quality of each instrument in our magnificent exhibition.
Discover all of our pianos available online or in store.
Your specialist.
