If You Are Buying An Upright Piano Read This First!
Most people would like to be able to own and play a concert grand, still regarded as the version that produces the finest sound. However, the cost and huge size of the grand makes it impractical for the average player and the average house. Enter the upright piano. Upright are much more affordable and can stand relatively unobtrusively against the wall of most rooms. Before you buy your upright piano here are some factors to consider.
The emergence of the digital, or electronic piano, in the 1980s has complicated the choice of which upright to buy. Before then there was only the different makes of acoustics to consider. The modern digital has a good performance and has the advantage of being much smaller and lighter than its rival. Prices also are a lot more reasonable.
When it comes to the sound that is produced many people still favor the acoustic over the digital. Certainly the early digitals had a very shallow sound and were not regarded as serious competitors. This isn't the case nowadays, however, as technology has improved the sound produced by them to the extent that the top of the range models are virtually indistinguishable from most acoustics.
One aspect of playing that is very important to any player is the feel of the keys. The way in which acoustic instruments are made gives their keys a weighted feel, which means that the softness or loudness of the note played depends on how hard the key is pressed. Many digital pianos at the cheaper end of the price range don't have this feature. If they do it is often a bit crude compared to playing a traditional acoustic.
A disadvantage of the acoustic's construction is that it needs to be well looked after if it is to remain in tune and keep its easy action. Frequent servicing of all the mechanical parts is a necessary part of ownership. The electronic version doesn't require any maintenance at all and will stay in tune for many years of use.
The choice between purchasing an acoustic and a digital upright is becoming a very difficult one as technology improves the performance of the latter. Personal preferences and the space you have available for the piano will play a large part in any buying decision. The previous paragraphs should have helped you in deciding which of the two might be right for you and will make it easier to find the ideal piano.
The emergence of the digital, or electronic piano, in the 1980s has complicated the choice of which upright to buy. Before then there was only the different makes of acoustics to consider. The modern digital has a good performance and has the advantage of being much smaller and lighter than its rival. Prices also are a lot more reasonable.
When it comes to the sound that is produced many people still favor the acoustic over the digital. Certainly the early digitals had a very shallow sound and were not regarded as serious competitors. This isn't the case nowadays, however, as technology has improved the sound produced by them to the extent that the top of the range models are virtually indistinguishable from most acoustics.
One aspect of playing that is very important to any player is the feel of the keys. The way in which acoustic instruments are made gives their keys a weighted feel, which means that the softness or loudness of the note played depends on how hard the key is pressed. Many digital pianos at the cheaper end of the price range don't have this feature. If they do it is often a bit crude compared to playing a traditional acoustic.
A disadvantage of the acoustic's construction is that it needs to be well looked after if it is to remain in tune and keep its easy action. Frequent servicing of all the mechanical parts is a necessary part of ownership. The electronic version doesn't require any maintenance at all and will stay in tune for many years of use.
The choice between purchasing an acoustic and a digital upright is becoming a very difficult one as technology improves the performance of the latter. Personal preferences and the space you have available for the piano will play a large part in any buying decision. The previous paragraphs should have helped you in deciding which of the two might be right for you and will make it easier to find the ideal piano.