Featured on “When Words Fade” — http://bit.ly/nYryXK — an album (with bonus DVD) by the Anderson & Roe Piano Duo on the Steinway Record Label.

“Der Erlkönig”

Music by FRANZ SCHUBERT
Arrangement for piano/four-hands by ANDERSON & ROE
Performed by the ANDERSON & ROE PIANO DUO ( http://www.andersonroe.com )
Directed by MATTHEW BROWN ( http://www.vimeo.com/matthewbrown )

Filmed June 27 – 30, 2011 at the Steinway Piano Factory in Astoria, NY

Let’s start by asking the world’s best pianist, a classical concert artist.  In 2010, and as in the past, ninety eight percent of these classical artists chose Steinway and Sons for their performance with a major symphony orchestra.  Almost every artist demands a Steinway piano, and in most cases these performance pianos are no older than 7 years.  As Steinway does not provide free pianos or endorsements to artists, these same artists often own their own Steinway piano at home or at their studio, so that they can continue to consistently practice on the instrument that they will most likely use in their performance.     Steinway is  the overwhelming choice for music schools, churches and hotels, and since a Steinway piano is still entirely hand-made and requires over a year to complete, the attention to detail will not be hurried in the process.  At Steinway & Sons, it is an ongoing process to continue to improve the product, so it is evident that today’s Steinway with its improvements and new patents is without question the best Steinway that has ever been produced!

So what does that say about rebuilt Steinways?  There is something to be said about a hundred year old soundboard or a beautifully carved “art case” piano, and when properly restored it can have elements not found in a new piano.  Proper restoration starts with all Steinway parts.  Generic replacement parts are available from Germany, England or Japan and they will “fit” into the piano, however nothing surpasses genuine Steinway factory parts for performance and resale value.  Using these parts also creates a piano of lesser design than was originally intended by Steinway.  Out of respect to the true beauty of Steinway, it again is logical to only use the finest replacement parts manufactured by Steinway, for Steinway.  All technicians are not created equally, and there’s no substitute for training and experience.  Buying a restored Steinway from a new Steinway dealer insures that the very best people are doing the job properly.  It also guarantees that your investment will be backed by the most reputable dealership in the area, lest they would not be the Steinway dealership.    Buying from a private party or from a rebuilder who operates out of his garage or small shop may offer the lowest price but also has the highest risk.

In closing, a new Steinway a Sons piano will give you the greatest musical experience.  A restored one can be a good value or a very unique instrument.  Do your homework, look and listen carefully and good luck in your musical search.

                                                                                Musically Yours:

                                                                                 Al Jacobs

Any item that one purchases new has the reassurance that there is a strong manufacturer’s warranty to back it up. Dealing with a reputable dealership that has a history in the community should also very important for peace of mind. New vertical or upright pianos today can range between $3,000.00 to $30,000.00, so pricing will also become a consideration. The used market can present not only questions about reliability, longevity, and stability of tuning and action, but leaves the buyer on his own after the sale. If you are confident that you know what to look for and how to judge what you find, then you may find some bargains out there. You know very well, the down side!

BUY OR RENT?

Sometimes you just know that your child, spouse, or you are destined to play the piano, so go for it! Owning a piano can bring such joy to one’s life, that to live without the satisfaction is a heartless deprivation. Over the span of a family’s lifetime, owning a piano is the least expensive way to approach things, for as the years roll by, you’ll always have this wonderful source of happiness in your life.

Sometimes you just don’t know whether it is the right thing to do. Maybe you or your spouse are too busy to commit to the practice schedule. Maybe youwant your children to learn to play more than they want to themselves. Maybe you are thinking of relocating soon and dread the thought of moving your piano. There are hundreds of other reasons that sometimes it is just the best idea to rent a piano. The term of the rental will be approximately a one-year commitment and usually companies will allow you a rental credit that can be applied to a future purchase. One should expect to pay for moving and tuning, and with the accumulation of the actual rental payments that will accrue over the next year, you may have wrapped up between $1,000.00 to $2,000.00 into a piano that is forfeited should you decide not to continue, however if it works, then you’ve answered a lot of your own questions.

UPRIGHT OR GRAND?

This decision is usually driven by space concerns in the house or apartment. Besides looking great, baby grands are far more efficient and sound better than most any upright, however they will take up some of of your living room. Perhaps think of putting the tail of the piano (the opposite of where you will sit to play it) in a corner that is now occupied by a lamp, chair that no one ever sits in, or a decorative table. Most of us have the room if we just take another look at our furniture layout and what we currently have just gotten used to, rather than how a piano would look there instead. There are some very well-built smaller baby grands, and if that is what you have your heart set on, you’ll find a place for it. An upright is commonly a family’s first piano for obvious reasons. It is less expensive and will definitely let the beginning player have a good introduction to learning the notes and operating a piano. If you want to get started, pick an instrument that you like to look at, one that sounds good, and one that will fit into the decor of your home. Now, practice!

BUY FROM A STORE OR PRIVATE PARTY?

I addressed the new vs. used above, and generally one buys a new piano at a store, however now that many of us shop online, there are some cautionary tips that I’d like to offer. Occasionally one may find a piano advertised as new that is being offered from a private residence. Sometimes these pianos are even still boxed and in their original packing, complete with warranty cards and shipping papers. BEWARE!!! Authorized dealerships are authorized for good reason. That reason being, that should you have a warranty issue, your dealership will be able to get the repair done at the manufacturer’s expense. These pianos that appear new have already been purchased from somewhere, therefore, you are purchasing a USED instrument, and the only warranty that you have is whatever you may be able to get the person with his little illicit operation to pay for, providing you can locate them later!

There are good buys out there in the private market, but should you find something that interests you, hire an independent expert who will assist you by coming to see the instrument and examining it for playability and structural integrity. You’ll pay for this service, but you’ll be much better off knowing the facts.

NAME BRAND OR UNKNOWN?

Most of us are not familiar with piano brand names, and even if we are, the piano industry has changed so much in the last 20 years, that the names we may remember from our childhood may not even exist today. There are some very popular brands, among them Steinway, Kawai, and Yamaha very likely top the list. Even though most would agree that these brands are popular, depending upon age and condition, when considering a used piano from a private party, even these brands may not be good choices. A general rule that I suggest consists of two steps. First, look the piano over. If you see water rings from where plants, drinks without coasters, or other indications that the piano was not a high priority in the home, then there may be more neglect hiding on the inside. Secondly, play each note one-at-a-time from low to high and listen and feel for any glaring irregularities. If every note works properly and you don’t hear anything that just sounds horrible, you are probably on track to having a professional tuner examine it. Depend on your gut feeling. If the people representing the piano take care of their home and other furniture, they probably have taken good care of their piano as well. You may have to tune it a couple of times after delivery, but if it passes the former tests, all should settle in nicely over the next thirty days.

Well, we hardly ever play our piano, so we only tune it once every 5 years.

It sounds fine, so we have never tuned our piano since it was new.

The salesman told us that the piano was so well built that we really needn’t worry about tuning it.

For those of us in the business, whose lives are totally consumed by pianos, the statements above have a thread of unity. That common thread is concern, but yet a real misunderstanding of what is going on inside their piano. Most consumers make an attempt to learn about the products that they purchase, but stop short of really giving much thought to what changing the oil in their car, oiling the chain on their bike, changing the filter on their home heating and cooling systems, or regular tuning of their newly purchased piano really means.

All pianos are under tension. That is why they sound like they do, and after several months of simply existing in a home, classroom, church, or studio, they go out of tune, even if they are not played! Humidity changes, heat and cold, moderate to heavy practice schedules, and drafts from open patio doors and windows can cause the piano to go out of tune.

What does going out of tune mean, because it sounds okay to me?

To get technical and describe this in terms of physics, pitches are established by frequencies of vibrations of the strings. If a string vibrates at 440 cycles per second, it will emit the tone of the note. On a piano, there are between one to three strings assigned to each pitch. If this note is in perfect tune, then all three of the strings are vibrating at 440 cycles per second. If one of the strings were to slip out of tune, either by the string stretching a bit or the tuning pin losing its grip, then that particular string may vibrate at 438 cycles per second. This is where it begins to sound out of tune, as the frequencies between strings start to conflict. Now granted, the situation I just described is a minor change and may be hard to distinguish by anyone other than one with a highly developed ear, but as nature takes its course and the piano slips farther and farther, the out of tuneness becomes more and more obvious.

Regular maintenance of a minimum once-per-year tuning and check-up will help your piano establish its stability and ability to stay in tune longer. The piano begins to know its limits, strings stop stretching, pins become more stable, and the enjoyment factor is increased many fold. Do yourself a favor and tune your piano at least once a year, more if it is played frequently or subject to the changes mentioned above. If you need a recommendation for a piano tuner, email us at info@fieldspianos.com. We’ll be happy to find someone in your area. Happy playing!