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Frequently Asked
Questions
Don't know where to
start? After many years in the piano business, there are
many questions I hear and answer repeatedly. Chances are, your
question has already been asked! Look through our Frequently
Asked Questions below to find
questions and
answers regarding piano servicing and maintenance, piano buying and
selling, even piano teaching and learning. If you have a question
that is not answered here, let us know.
Q: What is a good
age to start piano
lessons?
A: Much
depends on the natural ability and maturity of the child and the level
of commitment of the parents. The ability to learn piano requires
both nature and nurture: i.e., an aptitude from birth and a home
environment that can develop that ability. Usually a child's
natural aptitude can be seen at a very early age (age 2 or earlier) by
the child's interest in music and the ability to carry a tune.
Certainly a talented child and a disciplined environment are a perfect
combination; but a parent who is strongly committed to rearing a
musical child can go a long way with disciplined lessons and practice,
even with a child of limited aptitude. It is difficult to set an
age at which such nurturing should begin, but as a rule, most children
are mature enough to begin lessons by the age of six or seven.
However, it is usually true that the greatest pianists began much
earlier than that; and some severely immature children may not be ready
until age 8. Beyond that, the window of opportunity during which
the natural aptitude for musical language-learning begins to narrow,
and children who don't begin until after age 10 will most likely be
limited, especially in their ability to learn to read music.
Q: Should I require
my child to begin or continue piano lessons even when they have little
or no interest?
A: This is a
common question. Piano lessons is a discipline that will benefit
anyone who is subjected to it, regardless of their natural
abilities. In our age of easy distractions offering immediate
gratification, such as sports, television and computers, music lessons
are often viewed with frustration and scorn. If your only
interest as a parent is keeping your child happy in the short term,
music lessons are probably not for you. But if you are interested
in what is best for your child, the benefit of music instruction as a
skill for life is incomparable. Music instruction has been found
to correlate with greater discipline and higher academic
performance. Furthermore, pianos or keyboards can be found
everywhere, and many young people can earn extra income even as
teenagers by teaching piano or find an outlet for their skills by
performing for senior citizens or other community groups. Even if
they never make a career of it, the potential for satisfaction and
usefulness for an entire lifetime far surpasses many activities that
offer short term pleasure but few long-term gains.
Q: My child is very
interested in music but is being increasingly torn between playing the
piano and playing his (or her) band instrument, which gives him an
immediate outlet for his effort. We are tempted to simply drop
piano lessons. What would you recommend?
A: I have
often called the piano the greatest of instruments, and that is not
simply a personal bias. In addition to having the broadest tonal
range of any instrument, the piano, along with the organ, is unique in
that it can be fully enjoyed without the accompaniment of any other
instrument. While the violinist, cellist, flautist or trombonist
hears only his own part and feels lonely without being surrounded by
other instruments, the pianist plays and hears the full harmony of the
music. Thus, one who takes piano lessons in his or her childhood,
even after getting away from it, is far more likely to return to it
later in life. Unfortunately, such is rarely the case with band
and string instruments, which have a very high "dropout for life"
statistic. In the case of a child torn between the two, you may
be doing your child a favor by requiring the continuation of piano
lessons, even alongside the other instrument, despite their short-term
lack of interest.
Q: Is it possible to
take piano lessons if I only have a keyboard and not a piano?
A: It is
certainly possible, especially at the beginner level, to practice piano
lessons on a keyboard, but it is important to realize that a piano and
a keyboard are really two different instruments. Many people will
start their children out on a keyboard in order to avoid the expense
and inconvenience of purchasing a piano. But more often than not,
the keyboard will lull them into a sense of thinking things are all set
for the long run, when in reality the limitations of the keyboard can
often do more damage than good. All but the most expensive
keyboards have poor touch (or responsiveness to the hands of the
player), and a sound and that is in no way similar to that of a
piano (after all, the keyboard is really an imitation of the real
thing). As a rule, most piano teachers will say it is better to
start on a real piano from the beginning, but if that is not possible,
the use of a keyboard should not be continued beyond the first
year. For more information on pianos vs. keyboards, please see
our article, "Piano
or Keyboard:
Making the Decision."
Q: Why does a piano
go out of tune, and how often should it be tuned?
A: The
ability of a piano to
stay in tune depends on many factors, and some are much more stable
than others, but as a general rule, a piano that gets any regular use
should be tuned at least twice year, and those that get only occasional
use may do fine at only once a year. In homes where the piano is
being
played two hours a day or more, one should expect that even twice a
year will not be sufficient. (Please see our article, "Why Does
My
Piano Go Out of Tune" for a more detailed explanation.)
Q: I was told my
piano is tuned "flat" and will require a lot of money to be brought
back into tune. What does this mean?
A: This is
common for a piano that has not been tuned for many years, or despite
being tuned, has not been tuned at standard pitch. In the case of
a very old piano (especially those built before 1910), the strings are
probably too brittle to go through a pitch-raising without breaking,
and thus are better left at the lower pitch if at all possible.
Most pianos built after 1910 are still capable of being pulled up and
may require several tunings to do so, but having the piano at standard
pitch is advisable and worth the expense if it can be done.
(Please see our article, "Your
Piano and
A=440," for more information on this question.)
Q: I have a good ear
and have some interest in learning how to tune a piano, possibly just
to tune my own instrument. How does one go about learning such a
thing?
A: This may
sound self-serving, but in thirty-plus years of tuning I have seen very
few ever succeed at learning to tune unless they are driven by a career
ambition for it. An old adage in the piano business says, "You
can't call yourself a piano tuner until you've tuned a thousand
pianos," and this is probably true. Piano tuning involves not merely
having a good ear; it is a hand skill as well, and is kept in shape
only by constant repetition. If your primary interest is in
keeping your own piano in tune, you will find that without constant
practice it may take you far too long to tune the piano even up to your
own standards to make it worth your while. But if after all this
warning, you still have a drive to go on to piano tuning glory, there
are a few remaining places where one can still learn this "mysterious
art," such as the North Bennett Street School in Boston or others that
a good internet search will probably point you to.
Q: What is "perfect
pitch," and do piano tuners have to have it in order to tune a piano?
A: The term
"perfect pitch" doesn't have a precise definition, but it usually
refers to a "pitch memory" and allows one to "remember" where a
particular pitch is, and thus be able to hum it or recognize when what
they are hearing does not match what it is claimed to be. It is
usually something one is born with, and has nothing to do with either
musical ability or the ability to tune a piano. Even some of our
"great composers" did not possess this gift, while others with little
to no musical performing ability may have it. Piano tuning is in
many respects a mechanical process which requires only good hearing and
a knowledge of the process, though a musical ear (and good "relative
pitch") is definitely valuable, especially in the extreme lower bass
and upper treble registers of the piano. (Please see our
article, "The Importance of A=440," for a further explanation.)
Q: How can I touch
up nicks and scratches in my piano's finish?
A: This is
complicated question because pianos have so many kinds and colors of
finishes. For a perfect repair, call a professional who
specializes in furniture touch-up work (not merely furniture finishing
or refinishing), which is a science in itself. A phone book
yellow page directory can point you to such a professional. If
you are not fussy and would like to try to fix it yourself, consider
using Old English Scratch Cover Polish (see our article, "Care
and Maintenance of Your Piano"
and/or our Links
page. Also on that
page, you might find the "This Old House" furniture touch-up link
helpful.
Q: How does one go
about moving a piano?
A: The best
answer for this question is, if at all possible, hire a professional
piano mover who moves pianos on a regular basis. The peace of
mind is usually worth the additional cost. If you simply must do
it yourself, at least procure a rectangular furniture dolly to set the
piano on, and if possible build a ramp for getting from the door to the
truck, or from one level to another. Make use of the handles in
the back of the piano, one at each end. And consider that a large
upright piano is
very top-heavy and can be dangerous if it is mishandled. Any kind
of a grand piano is much more complicated because it must be
disassembled and turned on its side, and is difficult to do without
special equipment. Call or email us for a recommended piano mover
in your area.
Q: I have an old
piano and would like to know if it has any value, either monetary or as
an instrument to play on. How do I find out?
A: This is a
common story. Many people have an old piano stuffed in the corner
somewhere and never do anything about it because of the daunting
thought of moving it even just to throw it away. If your interest
is primarily monetary value, it is unfortunately true these days that
the typical "old upright" piano usually has little or no value because
it is very difficult to attract a buyer unless it has been tuned and
put into good playing condition. For many old pianos, this may
cost anywhere between $100 and $1,000 or more. Many of these old
pianos still have great potential and can turn out to be gems with a
little tuning and repairing. Others, unfortunately, are beyond
hope, especially if they have been kept in an unheated environment
(such as a barn, garage, or open porch), or are VERY old (such as many
Victorian-era pianos which can be identified by their intricately
styled cabinets characterized by fluted, grooved or curved lines and
detailed carvings.) The only to know for sure is to have a
qualified and unbiased piano technician (preferably one who does not
have a conflict of interest by being in the business of selling new
pianos) do an on-site examination of the piano. We offer this
service for a fee, but if you provide us
with description of the problem and a few photos via email, we can give
you, for no cost, some indication
if your piano has any hope. |
