Difference between a piano and a keyboard?

An acoustical piano is what your great grandmother and Beethoven learned to play on, only now they're built in a factory. A factory built acoustical piano is a great investment at a practical cost. There are many types new and used. From smallest to largest they are: spinet, console, upright, baby grand and grand. You can also rent a piano. Usually the rent is applied to the purchase price of the piano should you decide to buy it within six months.

A keyboard is an electronic instrument with many features such as recording and the ability to play with headphones. Again, get the best one you can afford. I recommend a minimum of 76 keys. A full keyboard is 88 keys. This is important because learning to play the piano involves "geography." Reading piano music is comparable to reading a map of the piano keyboard. Other key features that affect playing quality and enjoyment are touch sensitivity, weighted keys, and hammered-action keys, which imitate the lever action of an acoustical piano. Touch sensitivity is a minimum requirement. If you are considering a used keyboard, check to see if it is still under warranty before you make your offer. Also, electronic keyboards do not need to be tuned.

Should You Buy A New or 2nd Hand Piano?

There are a lot of people selling 2nd hand pianos who are making a lot of money playing upon the ignorance of the piano buying public. They have found that they can take an old piano and clean up the instrument, make the metal parts shine, polish the wood and in general tidy up the appearance of an otherwise useless piano and then place a high price on the instrument. There has always been a sense of ‘the higher the price the better quality’, this is not the case. When it comes to second-hand pianos you need to “do your homework”. Its like buying a second-hand car!! You need to get the advise of someone in the industry like a Qualified Piano Tuner, or a Piano Teacher who knows what to look out for. One of the pianos to try and avoid is the “over-damper” pianos. These usually have problems with the damper mechanism and have been found to be a lot of hassle to repair by tuners and technicians.

Be aware that there are a lot of second-hand pianos being imported from Asia and you really need to “proceed with caution” on these. You will probably be told that they are great pianos, excellent condition, etc. But, consider if they are all that they are made out to be, why did the Music School, University, etc. in Asia decide to replace these pianos??? Also, the comment by the salesperson, “they have not had much use!!” is something you need to think about. Remember that about 75% of these pianos have come from a Music School, University, etc. and are from 5 years to 20 years old and have countless students practicing on them for maybe up to 14 hours a day over every day of the year for 5-20 years. That’s a lot of work that these pianos have been receiving and it makes you wonder if over this time if they have been properly maintained and serviced.

There are some good models coming in to Australia as second-hand Imported Pianos and these are from homes and have been used as private pianos. When purchasing any of these instruments from a store or a private piano tuner selling these types of pianos is to make sure that they have some type of warranty which include the pin block, frame, soundboard. The person selling these instruments should be able to place a 5 year warranty on the above. Also make sure that the piano is tuned in your home after delivery, this is usually done about 1 week after delivery with a new piano and should also be done with a piano that is second-hand .

Does size of your piano matters?

The answer to this question is… Yes and No. Size/height of an upright piano does not really matter. The difference in pianos in relation to size, means that in an upright piano the soundboard and also string length are greater therefore give the piano a richer tone and an increased resonant sound. For instance… in an upright piano with a height of 108cm compared to a larger upright of 121cm there is a height difference of 13cm. Therefore there is approx. 13cm more in the height of the soundboard and also greater length of the strings. The soundboard of a piano is like the speakers in a stereo system, the bigger the speakers the greater the bass response and deeper the tone. This is exactly what happens in a piano. You must also keep in mind the size of the room in which the piano is going to live. In some rooms that have deep pile carpet and heavy curtains the smaller pianos will loose their volume because of the ‘soft furnishings’ absorbing the sound. If the player is just a beginner or has only been learning for a short amount of time then a smaller size piano like the 108cm or 112cm will be fine. If the player is a serious student, teacher or a person that has been playing for sometime, then a 121cm or larger would be required, maybe a grand piano. The reason for this is that the player has experience and performance ability and would be looking for a better tone and resonance in the piano which they are playing or practicing on.

Acoustic or Digital Piano ?

This is really a matter of preference. With today's digital pianos becoming better and better it is very hard to make judgment between digital and acoustic. I guess the best way to work out which is best for you is to think like this…An acoustic piano is essentially the same instrument that has been around for about 300 years. Music was and is still composed for the piano and for piano performance with orchestras, concert halls, etc. It is a pure instrument and always will be. The digital piano however has a multitude of instruments and drum samples with disk drives, etc. It is more like a computer with a keyboard!! It is an excellent composition tool with various voices like, piano, strings, brass & woodwind sounds and of course the rhythm unit and disk drive to save your work. You can then transfer your work to a computer and using MIDI software printout your composition as a musical score. The digital piano is also great for the younger student providing all these features to help keep their interest in learning the piano. So, as you can see either acoustic or digital, you need to work out which is best for you and what you see to be long-term value for yourself and your family. Although acoustic pianos have been around for 300 years, the digital models change with technology about 12-18 months. So, the digital piano you buy today will be out dated usually within 1-2 years.

Buying A Piano

The most frequently asked questions I get from are about buying a piano. After all, pianos cost a fortune, and it's important to make sure you're getting value for money in your model.

The first thing to think about is the size of the piano. For example, think about whether you have space to fit in a sprawling grand, or whether you should be looking at upright models. Obviously there are expensive and less expensive in both categories, but it is crucial firstly to understand your requirements to refine your search. After you've decided between upright and grand classifications according to your space, you should begin to look at the models themselves. You should ideally opt for a piano with a full sized keyboard, so disregard anything of a small size unless this seems more appropriate for some other reason.

Next, look for a piano that is towards the top end of your budget. This will give you some assurances as to the expected quality of the piano, and should allow you to gauge which seem more reliable models. Next, you should pull up a chair and have a play. Ask the music dealer if he'd allow you to play. This should let you get a feel for the way the piano sits, and to see how it feels in comparison to your playing style. There is no more important feature to consider when buying a piano than how it feels for you. After all, you're the one going to be playing it at the end of the day.

Does Piano Brand Name Makes A Difference

Choosing a good piano is a major step along the way to perfecting your performance and honing your skills. Whether you're purchasing your very first piano, or you are an experienced buyer, it is essential to know what you're looking for in your piano to ensure it's worth your investment.

The answer has changed a great deal over the years. Brand names do not really make a great deal of difference when it comes to buying a new piano. When it comes to buying a 2nd hand piano which has had many birthdays (30+), the brand name will make a HUGE difference in the quality of the instrument and also the purchase price. In regard to new pianos most brands have a model (usually the height is the model number, 121cm 108cm, 115cm, etc.), and you will find that all brand names have a model in the same height. The price is usually around the same or maybe $500.00-1000.00 difference. The difference in price does not mean that the more expensive one is any better or is going to last any longer or not less tunings each year. Warranty varies on new pianos from 3-5 years, to 10 years to a Lifetime Warranty. The longer the warranty the better off you will be because the manufacture is willing to provide a warranty like this to their instrument, which means they are certain that the piano will be fault free for the warranty period. The only advice really when it comes to buying a new piano is to shop around and be sure you purchase a well known brand name from an authorised piano dealer. If in doubt talk to your piano tuner or call the importers of the product and talk to them. The best advice is to… get advice!!

Buying A Piano? Some Popular Questions

Choosing a good piano is a major step along the way to perfecting your performance and honing your skills. Whether you're purchasing your very first piano, or you are an experienced buyer, it is essential to know what you're looking for in your piano to ensure it's worth your investment.

When should I buy a piano?

Don't wait to purchase a piano or keyboard if you have enrolled or are planning to enroll your child in piano lessons. My advice is to get the best instrument you can afford because pianos hold their value. If your child later decides that piano is not their cup of tea, you can always sell it for about what you paid for it. Another reason to get the best piano or keyboard you can afford is that quality matters.

Why should I purchase a piano for my child?

Students who go on to excel in piano have had a quality piano or keyboard to practice on at home.


How do I know which is better for my family?

If volume is a factor for you, get a keyboard with headphones. With this feature your piano student can still practice while his sister is doing her homework. If space is a factor, you should also consider a keyboard. Another advantage of a keyboard is that you can take it with you to grandma's house. She'll love it!