Hello, I was wondering if someone here could help me out.

My piano is no longer suitable for me to practise on. It's not that it has a bad sound quality or anything, but the TOUCH is too light. It's supposed to be a medium-weighted touch (according to the tuner) and he said he couldn't change it for what the piano is worth. Thing is, it has been fine for me up till now. Now I am playing Beethoven - of which the 3rd piano concerto is one - and we all know how much power Beethoven requires. Thus I can't exercise that strength on my piano, it is basically impossible. So what I did was, I go practising on somebody else's grand which helps a lot, but still you can't go every day.

Thus my question: do any of you know how or where on the Net perhaps can I find pianos that are good, but not too expensive, and if you have any other alternatives for me that could help? Thanks a lot!

-- Charlene (noname_poster@yahoo.com), June 06, 2001

Answers

Remember that the power in Beethoven is spiritual or musical in nature. It is not about playing the keys with a lot of force – a very unmusical way to play. When you are practicing on a piano with a light touch, you need to adjust so that your playing is musical and you don’t overplay the instrument. It is good to be able to play lightly. People who play with a lot of force sound to me like they are yelling and screaming on the piano, rather than making music. A good teacher can show you that playing fortissimo doesn’t require a lot of strength or power, only the knowledge of how to proceed correctly. I agree that it is a good idea to play on different pianos. I'm sorry I don't know where you can get an inexpensive good piano.

-- Alan (noname poster@yahoo.com), June 07, 2001.

Charlene,

I don't know anything about your particular piano, but I do know that if it's worth much at all, it may be able to be regulated to have an easier action. I have recently spent $400 on my older grand piano. It is sounding MUCH better. It also had a harder action on some of the keys and just needed to be regulated. So perhaps you need someone else to look at it. It's kind of like a car or appliance. It may cost more to fix than you think it's worth. But it's better than buying a new one. The sales tax on a new piano would be more than you might spend regulating your action. What kind of piano is it?

-- Flo Arnold (flo@pianimals.com), June 07, 2001.

I just had the action regulated on my piano. I paid about $400 for the work, which seemed like a lot of money UNTIL I went down to the music store & saw the price for a new piano (same model as I presently own): $15,000! After seeing that price tag, I decided that $400 was a bargain, because now my piano plays & sounds like a brand new one. It's over 25 years old; the tuner said it can go at least another 10 years before any more major work needs to be done to it. In that amount of time, I can set aside money & save up for a new one.

-- Music Eduator (noname_poster@yahoo.com), June 07, 2001.

In response to Alan: yes, that is true about Beethoven and please understand when I meant power I DID NOT mean hammering and banging. I am not that kind of pianist (you know the flashy bangy type). But you have to admit that Beethoven works harder on your wrists and has some huge chords demanding huge jumps and demands STRENGTH in the fingers.

Have you played his 3rd concerto before? I cannot adjust to my piano simply because if I play on it the notes don't come out, because it presses in so easily it goes up to a stage where if it presses in totally the note doesn't sound. That is why I have a problem, and believe me I don't bang.

-- Charlene (noname_poster@yahoo.com), June 07, 2001.