im glad I've got it memorised now but I seriously can't pull of some of the hand positions in the second part, how do you transition so fast and not in pain? I know its probably something to do with practice but I have really weird and short ligaments in my hands so I struggle even with something bigger like bass or guitar
Thank-you for all the extremely helpful information, ideal for a lay person looking for an instrument. When I was looking for a piano last year, I came across a very nice Bechstein in a dealership, played a scale on it, and found one note that was way out of tune. The piano salesman didn't exactly get a red face, but he certainly looked unpleasantly surprised. Thanks to videos like yours, maybe it was even yours(!), I already knew what a single out of tune note might mean, and moved on.
Thanks for this. I got one for free. This person or whoever saw stuck keys and gave up. I just put the rods back in and it’s fine now. almost to pitch but it’s an American made upright and uh. Aw. I love itt. Gonna have it tuned up to pitch soon but I’m already loving it and playing music on it
Do restorers typically replace all pins? Is that a standard thing or does that usually mean big problems holding tune? I know of one that seems to do it for almost everything. I have a Story & Clark from 68 that has two notes that are somewhat muted. Alignment of hammers?
If it's a rebuild then new pins are mandatory. But on pianos with loose pins (not a rebuild) it is very often possible to tighten them without having to replace them, by tapping them further into the pin block. To do this there must be space (approx 1/4 inch) between the coiled string/s (around the pin) and the bushing/s around the hole the pins are driven into. This tightens the pin/s. But solving this problem creates another one: as soon as you tap a pin, all tension is released from the string/s...if it's just a couple of pins then an amateur can rectify this. If there are many loose pins, it is definitely a skilled technician's job. Once the tension on the whole piano (or a large part of it) gets released, it requires several tunings and a lot of skill...and extra follow-up tunings.
MY OPINION: I rather buy a good quality Digital Piano (not a synth or a keyboard). I have never seen an acoustic piano, regardless of location, someone’s home, hotel, anywhere, I have never come across a piano which was completely in tune. Unless you spend a lot of money (£10k and over) do you think you will get a good acoustic piano which will maintain its tune. A cheap one will lose its tune quickly, depending on the location; too humid, too hot, too cold. If you spend over £1k you can get a very good sounding fully weighted keys digital piano which will never need tuning or any maintenance. If you are a beginner, amateur or semi-professional, buy a digital piano and save yourself money and aggravation. Ps. I play the piano and keyboard for 37 years.
Depends on your level of ability. Digital pianos are essentially just a recording of a piano played back . They don't really have soul. OK for someone learning up to the middle grades as they are relatively cheap, and you never know whether the learner will continue.
Wow, the video really opened my eyes about piano conditions. I just got a 1968 Kimball Le Petite baby grand piano. One of the key was very stuck until it stayed in our California house with less humanity for about two days. I thought that key was the most important issues but it is not. I will need to hire a professional tuner to check it first before deciding what to do.
In my opinion, this is the best video that I’ve seen on finding a used piano. Very clear and thorough. Also liked how you explained the types of pianos in the beginning. Thank you!!
I'm learning that a piano is a lot like a car: It needs regular maintenance, even if you leave it parked in your garage and never drive it. And like a car, it needs to be driven -- it will deteriorate faster if you just leave it parked than it you drive it periodically. And like a car, it has a limited life span -- eventually it will be more expensive to repair than the car is worth.
All this valuable information and yet, not once did he ask for anything in return. And this type of info is priceless when your new, such as myself. Thank you sir!!
4 times a year? I haven't turned my piano ever and it still sounds okay. It's been probably 20 years since it was last maintained and its played every day
I have the chance to buy a lovely piano Yamaha G1 from 1975 this weekend. It is a good price €2000 as it has some scratches on the outside frame at the end of the keyboard. I have some videos of the owner playing it, Could you possibly advise from what you can see and hear if it is worth the investment. It is an ex studio piano so it has been used a lot. I would be so grateful if you could listen to these videos and advise. Thank you! @ @ @
I've been fortunate to get a few pianos at Estate auction that were good playing and good sounding for the chump change prices of 1-5$. USA console pianos are a favorite bargain, and I certainly didn't get ripped off. Thank you for this good advice... I hate to see OK Estate pianos go to scrap. My story is backwards, as an electronics technician, I repaired strobe tuners. I used the strobe tuners to set up and adjust guitars. I THEN learned to tune pianos, because I already had a strobe tuner.
The way you have tied th scarves was beautiful. Im on chemo n have lost my hair n have a formal function later this week i must attend. Are th scarves silk or a more coarse fabric to grip n not slip while twisting th ends ? Plz help. When at home i dont cover my head so i need to practice. Thank you
