Thank you to those who donated to Piano Society in 2017.

Help with some terminology please?

Discussion in 'The Piano' started by bclever, Jan 15, 2008.

  1. bclever

    bclever New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2007
    Messages:
    194
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hello friends, I'm trying to explain to my non-musical significant other why I need to spend
    upwards of $40,000 on a piano but I just can't find the right words. I'm trying to find the words
    that describe the sound a cheapo upright has that a piano LOSES as you go from upright to baby
    grand to grand up to the concert grand stage. It's easy to describe the expensive grand sound:
    every note sounds like a perfect chime (or chimelike I guess), but do we have a word in English
    that politely describes the way the less expensive pianos sound?
     
    bclever, Jan 15, 2008
    #1
  2. pianolady

    pianolady Monica Hart, Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    8,710
    Likes Received:
    1
    Last Name:
    Hart
    First Name:
    Monica
    yucky, crummy, tinny...I know...not very polite. How about crappy, garbage - oops, still not polite.
    Just tell her that you are serious about your piano playing and have to have a grand. That's what I did.
     
    pianolady, Jan 15, 2008
    #2
  3. Nicole

    Nicole New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2006
    Messages:
    167
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Piano Teacher
    Location:
    Canada
    Home Page:
    Last Name:
    Muller
    First Name:
    Nichole
    *********************************************************************************
    Am sparing undeserving forum victims from my abundant opinions.
     
    Nicole, Jan 15, 2008
    #3
  4. nathanscoleman

    nathanscoleman New Member Piano Society Artist

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2007
    Messages:
    725
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Louisiana, USA
    Last Name:
    Coleman
    First Name:
    Nathan
    Ok, then ... next question ... where do you get the 40+ thousand dollars? :? :D
     
    nathanscoleman, Jan 15, 2008
    #4
  5. bclever

    bclever New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2007
    Messages:
    194
    Likes Received:
    0
    Yeah, that IS the next question :)
     
    bclever, Jan 15, 2008
    #5
  6. juufa72

    juufa72 New Member Piano Society Artist

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2006
    Messages:
    2,387
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Obamanation, unfortunately...
    Last Name:
    Grocholski
    First Name:
    Julius
    "You get what you pay for!" Use that saying. It is true. It's like firearms, sure you can buy a $100 shotgun. But the craftsmanship, the quality of materials, and the feel of it will be less than desirable. That shotgun will also not last as long because of the sub-par reasons mentioned above. If however you spend $10,000 on a shotgun, it will be made with the highest craftsmanship, the strictest standards, the best materials, and will feel as if it is an extension of one's own body. It will also last a life time.

    The same goes with anything and especially with a piano. Why spend $600 on something that will only last you 5 years (or less depending on how much Rachmaninov you play on it :wink: )?

    A lesson to be taught and learned is that one should buy the highest quality "thing" (whether it is a shotgun, a camera lens, or a piano) that one can afford. But just to have a piano regardless of the price is a theory not to be appreciated. Myself makes a good example: I don't have a piano, I have an old digital keyboard. I could easily buy a $700 upright piano. But I know for a fact that it will not last long or sound that great. Therefore I withhold myself from buying a real piano until I have enough money to buy a quality instrument which will last me three lives.

    I hope this helps.

    -jg
     
    juufa72, Jan 15, 2008
    #6
  7. pianolady

    pianolady Monica Hart, Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    8,710
    Likes Received:
    1
    Last Name:
    Hart
    First Name:
    Monica
    Brian - you don't have to spend $40,000. I think that is an average price for a Steinway living-room sized grand. I paid half that for my Yamaha grand and it has a very good tone. Sometimes, I dream about buying a Steinway when I can't make my piano do something the way I want it. But it's always very, very picky and subtle things that nobody would notice except me, and it's probably not even my piano's fault, but my crappy playing. So, yes, I would take a Steinway, but you can get a decent piano for a lot less.
     
    pianolady, Jan 16, 2008
    #7
  8. nathanscoleman

    nathanscoleman New Member Piano Society Artist

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2007
    Messages:
    725
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Louisiana, USA
    Last Name:
    Coleman
    First Name:
    Nathan
    and shop the used pianos ... there are some really nice old pianos out there .... sometimes for better price than and quality than newer
     
    nathanscoleman, Jan 16, 2008
    #8
  9. pianolady

    pianolady Monica Hart, Administrator Staff Member Piano Society Artist Trusted Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2006
    Messages:
    8,710
    Likes Received:
    1
    Last Name:
    Hart
    First Name:
    Monica
    Yeah, you're right about that. My neighbor recently asked that I come to the piano store with her to help her with buying a used grand. The store has a large room in the back where they have dozens of used pianos. We ended up finding a twenty-year old Yamaha grand, I think a six-footer, that came from a man who was moving and didn't even know how to play piano, so hence, it didn't get played much. It was practically new, but she got it for around $10,000. I played it, and it sounded great. Brian, if you're serious - go to Hendricks piano store in Downers Grove.
     
    pianolady, Jan 16, 2008
    #9
  10. Nicole

    Nicole New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2006
    Messages:
    167
    Likes Received:
    0
    Occupation:
    Piano Teacher
    Location:
    Canada
    Home Page:
    Last Name:
    Muller
    First Name:
    Nichole
    **********************************************************************************
     
    Nicole, Jan 16, 2008
    #10
  11. bclever

    bclever New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 3, 2007
    Messages:
    194
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thanks everyone for the great suggestions! Juufa you are right, except for me the example is telescope gear not shotguns. Almost every clear night I wheel the equivalent of a small Steinway out into my driveway :)
     
    bclever, Jan 16, 2008
    #11

Share This Page