Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Digital Pianos - Electronic Pianos - Synths & Keyboards taking lessons on a very heavy grand. is it time to upgrade?

My own thoughts, for what they're worth:

1. A good player will bring out the best in _any_ instrument. Players have their own likes, and dislikes. It can be anywhere from "annoying" to "frustrating" to "painful" to play on an instrument you don't like. But the audience will not know that. All they should hear is the music.

Of course, if it's "frustrating" or "painful", you're less likely to practice, and less likely to improve. So getting something _adequate_ is important.

2. "Guilt" isn't appropriate, here. She's got 88 weighted, touch-sensitive keys, and the virtual strings are all in tune:

. . . she can learn to play on that, at least for a few years.

And so can you.

When her teacher starts muttering about subtleties of phrasing, dynamics, pedal use -- then maybe it's time to think about an upgrade.

3. A better piano will probably not make you a better pianist. It might, if you were playing at the technical limit of the DP's key-repeat rate, and were thinking about half-pedalling all the time that you were playing. But I think you're a beginner:

. . . The technical limits of your playing are in your fingers,
. . . not your instrument.

So enjoy what you have.

Somebody, here, put things very well. He said something like:

. . . The goal, in buying a DP, is to get something that will
. . . last you for a few years, and whose touch and sound you
. . . can accept.

That's a very fluid goal. It means a Steinway (and no DP will do) for some people. It's a P105 for others.

. Charles

PS -- I'm a bit of a gearhead. I don't always follow my own advice, but I try hard.

excellent points by bennevis and Cohen. where's the Like button? lol

hooray for fakeness, or variety

Even if you buy a good grand piano, your daughter (and you) will still experience issues any time you play on an instrument you haven't been practicing on. Those students playing Chopin Etudes on your teacher's grand have much more experience. They've gone through the phase where it takes them forever to get accustomed to the teacher's piano and it's usually at the end of the lesson by then. Then they go home and the whole thing starts over again.

At some point, you've played enough different pianos where you learn the quirks and needs of a new one you're playing. It may take a bit of time to discover everything and to be able to adjust based on how it sounds. But this does take years to get there, and of course, you do have to expose yourself to playing on different pianos during this time outside of just playing your teacher's piano.

When your teacher brings up the fact that the DP is holding you or DD back, then it's time to upgrade.

I have calmed down quite a bit and I don't think I'm running to a piano store to buy a grand anytime soon. Actually, writing a check for this month's preschool tuition brought me back to reality.

I'm finally going to order a stand and a chair for the PX150. Until now, we had it set up specifically fro DD's height and I couldn't practice on it without hurting my arms and wrists. I was dragging my feet since I thought we might get a different DP for me.

I had talked to DD about her hitting ghost notes during lessons as it was happening more frequently and she says she was doing it on purpose because she loved the idea of ghost notes for Halloween. I told her that they had nothing to do with Halloween and she has to STOP. I'm not sure if she's being 100% truthful but it sounds plausible.

One day, when DD gets close to an intermediate level, we'll look into a grand or another solution but yeah, we probably won't cross that bridge for many years. We might end up getting a better DP in between anyway but for the next year or two, we'll be okay with what we have.

Thank you for the support and advice!

I know she should not be doing it obviously, but forgive me if I find that simply adorable

Your daughter should also become accustomed to playing at the correct height since she will at any lesson or recital. Be sure to splurge and get an adjustable bench - not a chintzy one that you can get for most DPs. It doesn't have to be the Jansen artist bench, but something along those lines will be great for both you and your daughter. If she can't reach the floor, you can give her a short step stool for her feet, but unfortunately that will have to be taken away for pieces that use the pedal.

LOL how cute!

This is rather late but I wanted to give an update and also to thank everyone for the kind advice.

The cabinet-style (?) stand and adjustable bench arrived about 10 days ago and we moved the piano to a smaller, carpeted room. We are so much happier with the setup and it even sounds much better due to room acoustics.

I had another lesson and while DD's lesson focuses on note-reading and keeping a steady tempo, my lesson is about making the piano sing with the right tone...maybe I lack imagination but I find it hard to aim for that on a DP. Still, I can hear my progress and I'm less frustrated.

Since we moved the piano, DD has been on it for hours a day and she won't let me practice while she's awake. So I practice after she goes to sleep with headphones on and it really is nice to have that option.

For now, I can say I'm glad that I heeded everyone's advice and focused on doing the best we can on what we have.