How to choose a grand piano?
Are you an experienced pianist or are you taking piano lessons at the Conservatory? Is your child taking piano lessons and you don't know how to choose your grand piano in Switzerland? Do you want a new piano? A concert piano? A study piano? A second-hand piano? A classical piano? An acoustic piano? A digital piano? Choosing a grand piano can quickly become an ordeal. Here we give you all the information you need to make the right choice when buying or renting a piano.
You can directly discover the grand pianos in our virtual showroom.
Introduction
The grand piano is an instrument with horizontal strings, which are struck by hammers operated from the keyboard. This is in contrast to the harpsichord, whose strings are plucked and which is not the ancestor of the piano, as is often claimed. The sound power depends on the length of the strings, which can exceed three metres in length. There can be up to 40 tons of tension on the piano frame.
The soundboard influences the quality and depth of sound. Shorter pianos are called "half-top" and "toad" pianos, among others.
Advantages of a grand piano
A grand piano has a more powerful sound, a pleasant and elegant touch, a richer sound and greater interpretative possibilities than an upright piano.
The aesthetic aspect of this instrument is also unique, it attracts the eyes inside every room.
Piano size and dimensions, how to choose?
The size of your grand piano influences the touch and volume of sound. Grand pianos have a double escapement mechanism that allows the note to be repeated more quickly, without the need to go all the way to the top of the key.
The quality of the materials has a huge influence on the sound and resonance. For this reason, a small quality piano is preferable to a poor quality grand piano, where the cabinet is the only suitable part. The soundboard, made of spruce, is the heart of the piano. It will totally influence the sound of the piano and will allow to go through all the piano registers if it is of good quality.
Each brand will have its own sound identity, a specific timbre. Thus, some brands produce grand pianos more used for jazz or others for classical music, for example. Materials such as mahogany, spruce and walnut are used to make a grand piano.
How much does a grand piano cost?
The price of a grand piano is on average higher than that of an upright piano. You should generally expect to pay at least 10,000 francs for a new entry-level grand piano. The purchase of a second-hand grand piano starts at 5,000 francs depending on the range and condition of the piano.
Don't forget to include the accessories for your piano; piano seat, bench, lamp, metronome, piano score.
Prices vary according to brand, the main ones being Bösendorfer, Bechstein, Yamaha, Kawai and Petrof.
Maintenance of a grand piano
A grand piano is a highly specialised musical instrument made from quality materials. Regular maintenance is necessary, and we advise you to tune your piano at least once a year, as well as to have it serviced. This way you can guarantee a perfect sound quality and your piano will be in excellent condition for many years.
A test of the grand piano?
Are you a virtuoso? Are you still taking music lessons? We suggest that you test your future piano to make the right choice.
If you wish, we invite you to arrange a free test or advice on a grand piano.
Our strengths
We offer piano hire and sale, concert piano hire, piano transport, instrument hire and silent piano installation.
We deliver your grand piano in the cities of Lausanne, Geneva, Fribourg, Sion, Neuchâtel, Bern, but also in the resorts of Zermatt, Verbier, Gstaad and Cran-Montana. On request, we can deliver your grand piano anywhere in Switzerland. We are even able to transport your piano by helicopter for delivery.
Do you have other projects?
Find out in the following article how to choose your upright piano.
