NEWS

The Piano and the Digital Piano The piano is an incredibly versatile instrument and can be used wonderfully in countless musical styles. It can play a role both as a solo instrument and when accompanying other musicians. In my lessons I teach knowledge about the different styles of music, which we then try out with selected works from different epochs. In addition to mastering good playing technique, it is very important to me to give my students great flexibility. Accordingly, we acquire a large pool of accompanying patterns and also deal with the harmonization of melodies. The students are given the opportunity to practice melodies by ear and spontaneously invent an accompaniment for them. Playing according to chord symbols can also develop into a very spontaneous and creative arrangement, which often sounds better and has a greater depth of sound than common arrangements from purchased books. I teach the piano up to upper-intermediate and upper level. I also accompany students in their careers at the arts grammar school or in their participation in the voluntary performance tests. Worth knowing about the instrument The pianos popular today are available in two versions: as a grand piano and as a pianino. Due to its space-saving, upright construction, the pianino is the most widespread form of the piano in the hobby area. Both the grand piano and the pianino produce sound using a sophisticated hammer mechanism. The felt- covered hammers hit a metal string that is clamped in a steel frame. The vibrations of the sound are amplified by the soundboard of the piano and are thus transferred to the entire instrument and the space surrounding the piano. The volume of the sound also depends on how hard a key is pressed. The great depth of sound of a piano is only created with the help of the damper pedal. With its help, the strings can continue to vibrate freely and undamped and then stimulate each other to vibrate while playing. This gives the sound a sense of depth and space. First of all, it doesn't matter whether you practice and play on an acoustic piano or a digital piano. Good digital pianos are now incredibly sophisticated and can really give the player the feeling of sitting in front of a real instrument. The digital pianos do not need to hide from the mechanical instruments in terms of sound quality, sound beauty and feel. They imitate the real pianos very realistically and are a good substitute for every amateur and professional musician. Only the depth of sound and the richness of overtones when playing the pedal of an acoustic piano is not available with an electric piano. Anyone who has taken a real piano under their hands over a long period of time will clearly notice the differences and will not want to do without them again. The advantage of electronic instruments, however, is their variety of sounds. Depending on the model, you have at least ten different sounds to choose from, so you can not only play on different types of pianos, but also on an organ, harpsichord, marimba, choirs, strings and much more. In the meantime, manufacturers no longer clearly distinguish between the individual types of instruments and the boundaries are increasingly overlapping. A large spectrum of hybrid forms between synthesizers, workstations, organs and keyboards brings even more variety and an even greater range of functions to the market. However, if you are only fixated on playing the piano and want a few different sounds in between, you can confidently do without the technical bells and whistles and enjoy playing the piano on a digital piano or stick to the roots with an acoustic piano. Choosing the right instrument First of all, it is important for you to find out whether you want to play an acoustic piano or a digital piano. Here are some decision criteria for you: In order to acquire good workmanship and sound quality, you should always choose instruments from brand manufacturers. The low prices of the low-cost providers usually come at the expense of the durabitlity of an instrument, may have low material and processing quality and carry the risk of materials and paints that are not uncritical to health. In addition, these instruments usually do not sound as good as the models of the brand manufacturers, can have a loud mechanics and their key mechanics can be much less precise. Digital piano The price for a digital piano starts at around 400 euros. To get a good instrument for higher demands, you should expect a purchase price of at least 1500 euros. Electronic pianos have the advantage that they require less space than their acoustic cousins and are also much lighter. If you move often or if you like to choose a different location for your piano from time to time, this will definitely be a purchase argument for you. A common digital piano is usually mounted on a solid wooden, metal or plastic frame and weighs between 20 kg and 120 kg, depending on the version. Do you want to perform often or play in a band? Then you should consider buying a stage piano. These instruments are built for transport and are usually delivered without a stand. The stand has to be purchased separately and, depending on the manufacturer, is available as a portable version or as a heavier home version. Stage pianos are manufactured as 76 or 88 key instruments. The advantage of 76 key instruments is their compact design, which makes them suitable for any trunk. This type of instrument is also well suited for a large part of the current piano literature. When purchasing a stage piano, however, it should be noted that these are usually manufactured without speakers in order to save weight. So you need an extra sound source for such an instrument. Another advantage of electric pianos is their variety of sounds, which starts with the simple models with ten different sounds and extends through to the arranger models, which can already compete with the large keyboards and workstations in terms of their range of functions and their variety of sounds. The advantage of the headphone connection must also be mentioned. With good headphones you can practice at any time of the day without any problems and only the sound of the key mechanics will be audible. An electric piano is a worthy replacement for an acoustic piano, but never has the depth of sound of a real piano. If you are not sure about the choice of your instrument at the beginning of your piano career, then an electric piano is an inexpensive and completely adequate introduction. Acoustic piano The acoustic piano is available in two versions: as a pianino or as a grand piano. In my description I refrain from the grand piano, as it is rarely used in the layman's field and concentrate on the two designs of the pianino. All forms of the piano define their price through the materials used and the quality of workmanship. The choice of these criteria determines the volume of the sound and the precision is therefore crucial for long-lasting enjoyment of your instrument. When purchasing an acoustic piano, regardless of its design, you always have to do with the fact that a piano is heavy and, once set up, will remain in its place. Even the smallest designs weigh around 180 kg and the weight of the larger models can increase to up to 300 kg. When buying a piano, it is very important to check the future location to see whether it is suitable. In addition, pianos are largely made of wood and therefore need constant humidity. Especially in winter, pianos can be severely damaged by very dry room air and cause enormous repair costs. For you, this means constant monitoring of the room climate. For this, the additional purchase of a hygrometer and a good humidifier is highly recommended. Another cost factor is the tuning of a piano. Depending on the quality and intensity of playing, a piano must be tuned at least once a year. The strings of a piano are under great tension and even an unused piano will lose its tuning and thus its good sound in the medium term. The costs for this amount to at least 80 euros per year, depending on the piano maker. In any case, the acquisition of a good piano represents a large investment for many musicians. Most music stores therefore offer buyers loan purchases and similar forms of payment in installments to make the investment a little easier. The pianino is available in a small and a normal design. The small design of a piano is lower than a normal piano because it uses a much smaller frame. It is an inexpensive variant of the normal design of the piano, weighs less and is therefore easier to transport. Of course, the more compact design means that the sound volume of an instrument is lost, which can be somewhat compensated for by good workmanship and good material. The small pianino is definitely a good choice for home and amateur use and start at 1500 euros or new at 3500 euros. The normal design is the most common type of piano. It has a powerful and voluminous sound that carries well in large rooms and even in small halls. This design starts at 3500 euros and new at 5000 euros. Nowadays, the digital revolution has also arrived in acoustic pianos and you can now combine the feel of a real piano with the advantages of a digital piano. Such a piano can also be used with headphones, which is an enormous advantage for families and residents of apartment buildings. Used instruments When buying a used acoustic piano, I generally advise you to consult a piano maker as an expert to inspect the instrument. It is more advisable to purchase a refurbished instrument from a specialist dealer. This saves you unpleasant surprises and a lot of trouble after delivery of the piano. Unfortunately, there are a lot of instruments that I call home furniture in the used market. They no longer really live up to their name as a musical instrument, even if they look incredibly good with their candlesticks and inlays made from natural wood. Many of these instruments have not been played for decades and if they can be saved at all, then the cost of a general overhaul quickly adds up to the value of a newer used piano. As mentioned before, the advice of a good expert is a good investment here. Caution is also required with used electric pianos. So far, my students have had good experiences on the used market. However, I would like to point out that you will no longer receive any guarantee if you buy it and if it is defective you will either have to accept the complete loss of your instrument or face considerable repair costs. With high-quality digital pianos, however, repairs can be worthwhile and doable. In any case, I am at your disposal within the scope of my possibilities with my advice before buying an instrument.