A piano is a great way to bring music and life into your home. Not only is it a beautiful instrument, it's also a fabulous piece of furniture.
Since buying one is a very personal decision, our Jill Scott went with Joanne Polk of the Manhattan School of Music to the Steinway Store to get some tips on how to find one that strikes the right cord with you.
"First thing is the size of the room and that would affect the size of the instrument," said Polk.
"There are rooms that can physically tolerate a large instrument, but if it's small, the sound will be so overpowering you won't be able to hear yourself, so it has to be proportional."
Even though it's common, the living room may not be the best place if privacy is important to the person practicing.
Also, Polk says to consider the musical needs of the players. All players should be present when buying the piano to test the keys. A beginner should look for a lighter action, because the player needs to build up the muscles in his or her fingers before negotiating a stiffer action.
Since buying a piano is a very personal decision, our Jill Scott went with Joanne Polk of the Manhattan School of Music to the Steinway Store to get some tips on how to find one that strikes the right cord with you.
Polk says the tone is also very important.
"It's really what you are wanting from an instrument," she said. "Some people want a very bright sound, some like a more mellow sound, and some like a lush sound, but every piano has a different sound and you have to sit down and see what it is the feels good to you. I've seen people who have never played the piano sit down and say, 'I like the sound of this,' but not be able to put into words why."
Once you have decided on a tone, then it's time to pick a piano that fits your style.
If you choose to buy a piano privately instead from a dealer, make sure to have a registered technician check it first.
"You have to watch out for little cracks in the soundboard, you have to make sure all pedals work, you have to make sure the hammers aren't so used that you will have to replace it," said Polk. "It's like buying anything else used: you have to find out how much money you will have to put in to bring it up to playing capacity."
Once you have your piano, you need to take care of it. Never put it near a radiator or by a window and you should have it tuned at least twice a year, even if you haven't played it -- because the longer it sits, the more likely it is to lose its pitch, and the longer you wait, the harder it is to get it back.
But once you and your piano are in tune, it's sure to offer a lifetime of pleasure on a grand scale.