To respond to the OP's question re pedal placement on uprights vs grands: my experience - have never measured any - is that the distance to the pedals is greater on grands. Presumably this is because the upright's pedals have to sit in front of all those pesky vertical strings ........

Certainly I have always found grands easier to play, partly because of this, but the ratio between an individual's leg length and arm length means some would prefer a closer pedal placement and some the opposite.

My guess would be that grand pedals are generally further away than upright pedals, purely because they can be and piano manufacturers have researched [edit] (I got cut off in my prime!) the matter and placed the pedals accordingly.

Thanks Sandal. Yeah, maybe it's a matter of some people's bodies being more suited to a grand's geometry because of the proportions of their arms, legs, torso, etc.

So I noticed last night that my upright is about 29 and 1/2 inches from the ground to the top of the white keys. Steinways seems to be at 28 and 1/2. I guess there is some variation of key height too, which would also affect posture a bit I suppose...The saga continues....

Another factor re geometry. Having played uprights and, now, probably, most of that time, grands for over 60 years, I have an arthritic neck. Would not have connected it especially with the piano, except I have recently acquired a DP. The music stand on the DP allows me to have a good neck posture (posture is a new concept to me, in my advanced years, but does it reduce pain!). Returning to the grand I immediately noticed I was looking up at the music. Raising the stool - thus compromising the arm position somewhat and shifting the geometry of the legs for the pedals - enable me to have a better posture. Less pain. So it is well to bear in mind to have the music at least level with the head, preferably lower, if at all possible.

Incidentally, the DP has pedals just a wee bit too close for me, even though they could be sited anywhere.

Thanks Sandalholme. I have thought about the fact that on my upright the music is lower - right above the keys, where it seems that on most grands, the music is higher - more at eye level. I could imagine that looking down at the music / keys all the time could strain my neck. I've heard that with computer monitors, for example, you are supposed to be looking straight ahead, to keep your head / neck in a natural position. On the other hand, having the music lower near the keys seems to make it easier to glance back and forth quickly from where the music is to where your hands and the keyboard are.

mwm - you wrote -



I'll have to look into that! That would make it much easier to move my monitor back and forth when I want to read music off of the computer screen. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to get that up and running after all.

So I recently discovered how much of a difference it can make to the player on a grand when the music desk is up vs. when it's down (or if you take it off). Now I'm thinking that I want to get a music desk that is not solid - maybe a wooden one with large holes cut out or a metal one with bars. Has anyone ever seen Pianomania? They use one in that movie that is like what I'm talking about.

By the way, I posted a thread about music desks to hold music a while ago, in case anyone wants to read that thread.

http://www.pianoworld.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1941455/Re:%20Board%20to%20Hold%20Piano%20Music.html#Post1941455