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Mine is mostly always closed up with music scattered flat on the lid. I developed this habit because I discovered the DC system really works better with the piano all closed up, especially in the winter when it's so dry; also keeps the inside of the piano clean and dust free. I've grown to quite like the sound as well with everything closed up - kind of woody and mellow.

My music room is fairly small (and my yamaha fairly loud), so I don't often play with the lid on full stick. I'd love to have a beautiful big room where I could do that! For chamber music I might use short stick, but for practising and for accompanying singers I generally fold back the front part of the lid only. If it's late at night I don't even do this, but just open the fallboard and rig up a stand on top. I keep the cover on the piano most of the time, and close it all up overnight.
I've just got myself a Zoom H2 (that's another thread ) and am experimenting with recording positions - short stick seems to be best so far.

Probably because his dammp-chaser would be more effective, would be my guess.

Relative humility would also matter.

For scales and exercises first thing, I just lift the fallboard. For most other practice, it's open on the half stick. For recording, or occasional indulgence, I put it up to the full stick.

Best wishes,
Matthew

Just the fallboard, nothing open on the top, not even the hinge that uncovers the music desk (use a foldable stand on top). I find that opening my piano makes it too loud.

I'm just being extra kind to the piano.
Nothing is absolute.
I think if humidity was extreme that even with the dammpchaser it would be extra protection for the piano to leave the lid down.

Just more of Overkill-Kenny in action.

Closed all the time.. I prefer a more intimate sound level.

I've noticed with customers that leave them open 24/7 on the long prop, that the lid tends to warp towards the back end of the piano from the amount of weight on the lid. When they do go to eventually close it say to move the piano, it doesn't always want to close well after a long time of leaving it open. The little prop doesn't seem to affect this nearly as much as the longer prop does.

This is intersting hmmm. With some quotes from another similar thread. So who knows, I guess it varies with the piano.

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Originally posted by Roger Ransom:
My piano is always open...It's 45 years old, the lid is not warped, and it looks fine.
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Originally poste by Sy Shuster
Just FYI, lids are more likely to warp when left open on the short stick.

I practiced on pianos that had the lids closed. One of the pianos (at an estate) was in a room that was stoned lined and the sound carried when the room is empty to other parts of the house (piano was a Knabe baby grand). It is not only the piano, but also the acoustical makeup of the room the piano is in...

- Mark

You know, hotkeys, that is very humorous. Now it makes me wonder just which brands of pianos are warping? But, I don't have that answer. I can't rememember that far back. What did I do 5 minutes ago again? :-)

I usually keep the lid closed for normal practising. I'll open it up when I really want to work on performance aspects and get the complete sound

Mine only has half stick or full stick.

Half the time one, half the time the other.

Just by whim.

I sincerely believe that the choice of full or half stick is dependent on which composer's music one is playing.

For me, I find it most gratifying to practice with the lid fully open for the following composers:

- Better yet, the full list is in the "New Grove Dictionary of Music".

For all others, I tend to leave even the fallboard closed.

(Even when "learning notes", I love to glory in the full, unrestricted sound of my piano.)

At home I play a Baldwin Model L Artist Grand (6'3"). On the question as to degree of openness when practicing, the front part of the lid is left permanently open, and I do all "mechanical" aspects of practicing with the lid in that position only. (I find it's much easier on the ears, plus it reduces the amount of dust getting onto the strings and soundboard.)

Second, once I turn attention to the aspects of musicality in playing a work, I next raise the lid on the shorter singer lid prop. That enables a richer sound. I also might use the singer stick for a piece that is either very loud or quite soft in dynamic.

Finally, once I've brought the piece along to the point where I want to do a performance "try out", then I fully raise the lid so that I can luxuriate in the full sound of the piano. If I experience rough spots, then the lid is put down again for a return to intensive practicing.

I should also mention that when I record, the lid is fully open so that I can obtain optimal results from the instrument.

Relative humidity plays no role, as manipulating the piano lid is a music-related decision only.

Since the answer to this question could be based - among other things - on
- size of the piano relative to the room
- brightness or mellowness of the piano
- size and acoustics of the room
- whim of the moment

why would anyone even care to ask where my lid is when I practice?

Regards,

When the piano is not in use, the lid is closed.

At home I play a Baldwin Model L Artist Grand (6'3"). On the question as to degree of openness when practicing, the front part of the lid is left permanently open, and I do all "mechanical" aspects of practicing with the lid in that position only. (I find it's much easier on the ears.)

Second, once I turn attention to the aspects of musicality in playing a work, I next raise the lid on the singer stick. That enables a richer sound.

Finally, once I've brought the piece along to the point where I want to do a performance "try out", then I fully raise the lid so that I can luxuriate in the full sound of the piano. However, if a piece is either very loud or very soft, I might use the shorter singer lid prop, as it helps to manage the dynamics better. If I experience rough spots, then the lid is put down again for a return to intensive practicing.

I should also mention that when I record, the lid is fully open so that I can obtain optimal results from the instrument and the condenser microphones.

Relative humidity plays no role, as managing the lid is a musical decision.

Even after adding some bookcases and a tapestry to a smallish dining room (now the music room), and even having a bit of voicing down on the piano, I find that I prefer the sound with the lid down and the music rack part flipped back. I like a warm, dark tone, and this seems to be the best way to achieve that.

Another question--does anyone know of any info out there that explains the physics behind this? I've read that having the lid down dulls the higher frequencies (maybe blocks some of the partials?) but something more technical would be nice.

On my Walter 190 I leave the fallboard open and the half lid (music desk) open. Most of the time the main lid is kept closed though unless we're having a concert or something.

For finger exersizes and real short repetitive work (like the climbing intervals on Polonaise Heroic intro (!!)), only the fallboard is up. For practicing, it will be on the short and half stick. When i have the house to myself - full stick! Like BruceD mentioned, some of it is whim of the moment and music selection.

I love the fact that the piano takes on different tonal personalities depending on what's open and closed and whether the music desk is up, down or removed. My favorite is full stick with the music desk removed. Room acoustics, volume and a concern for hearing loss limits my mood for this to about two or three times a week.