I can never seem to make up my mind when it comes to lid position. I know a lot depends on room size, acoustics, etc. Half stick is pretty nice, but to me, it just seems like there's something missing in the sound. Anyone else experience this? After playing on half for a while, I went back to all the way open and the sound is fuller & more enveloping.

Unfortunately you won't get a concensus on this question.

Some say keep it completely closed at all times and even close the front of the lid and put the music desk on top of it. They are also concerned that the lid will warp.

Others (like me), keep it completely open all the time because I like the way it sounds and the way it looks. My piano is 50 years old and the lid has never warped.

Others close it when they aren't playing it and open it when they do.

Some keep it at 'half stick'.

I think it comes down to the sound of the piano, the acoustics and your preference.

I say, put it where you like it best.

I keep the lid closed on my Yamaha C7, with the fly-lid folded back and the music desk up all the time. It still has plenty of volume and the tone is nice. I do open it on the full stick on occasion. I rarely use the short prop.

On my former grand, I opened the lid full stick whenever I played, and closed it at night. I got plenty of exercise opening and closing the lid...

Like Roger said, whatever you like best is fine...

Rick

Is it bad for the piano to open and close the lid daily? I generally open the lid fully in the AM, play throughout the day, then close it up fully at night. I worry about the hinges where they screw into the rim.

I can't help myself from opening it to the full 90, the sound puts a smile on my face.

It isn't dangerous!!

I think the lid hinges are pretty sturdy and can take a lot of opening and closing... of course, that is just my opinion.

I'd keep a check on the hinge pins to make sure it doesn't work its way out of the hinge; they are actually made to be easily removable.

Rick

I keep my piano closed when not playing to keep dust out. When I play in the morning before I leave for work I open the music desk only, then close it when I'm done. On the weekend or when I'm sitting down for a longer session, I open it up all the way. I never use the half-stick position because if I have the time to open the lid, I like the full-stick position best. Most of the pianos I've ever seen have a very sturdy lid and hinges, so I've never worried about warping or wear, even though I open and close it everyday. I've always thought there are far more delicate parts of an acoustic piano that will need maintenance or replacement first. Just my opinion.

I like half stick and full stick, but I think full is a little too much for my current room. Maybe a 3/4 stick would be nice??

I recommend a "string cover" if the lid is kept open all or most of the time.

A string cover in another whole topic.

Some say: of course you need a cover, it keeps dust out of the piano and protects the strings from early corrosion etc. They will look new much longer

Others say: what? cover all those beautiful strings with a piece of cloth? I want to be able to enjoy them and I can dust it now and then. I want to enjoy it's appearance now.

Again, neither are wrong or right, just differing ideas. Do what works for you.

Definitely sounds different. If you don't have it fully opened it sounds a bit nasal. That occurs with all grands. For the sound I prefer to have it open but for the volume I prefer closed (pretty small room here). So i usually practice with lid closed and then open it when I'm finally having all the notes down.

At night I usually close it, to avoid it accumulating needless dust. Cleaning the inside is much more work than cleaning the outside.

Just depends. We usually keep it fully open unless the sound is interfering with a school project in the house. If we need to tone it down a bit, we close the lid. I like how it sounds more with the lid open, but it sounds great with the lid down, too.

We also close the lid when we're away from home.

I have a relatively small piano in a large room, so I need the lid all the way up to fill the room with sound. My piano teacher has two relatively large pianos in a very small room, and she always keeps them closed completely.

If I covered up the strings, what would my wife have to watch when I'm playing? She'd probably have to look at me instead, it's a mercy to leave the strings uncovered.

Our piano sounds best with the lid up. Not a whole lot worse at half-step and it sounds unbalanced and muffled with the lid down. So it stays all the way up, all the time. If it warps one day I guess it won't matter since it stays up anyway!

So this is interesting....I originally said that on half stick, it was almost like something was missing. The piano projects through an archway into a large-ish living room. Maybe I'm losing too much of the sound this way?

I put the lid on the shortest stick, and the sound seems fuller and it actually seems like there is more sustain and resonance (at least from my seat). I suppose more of the sound is directed at me and staying in the room?