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Hi all - just wondering if anyone know there is any piano practice room available for rental? I am currently studying for AMEB Grade 5 and would like to boost my confidence by playing at different pianos?

Thanks

Have you tried the various churches in your area. I'm sure there are many pianos in churches that don't get much use. You could offer to chip in for the tuning, heck you might even get offered a job to play for some prayer meeting in exchange for the use of the piano.

We have them available at Allans music in Melbourne at $5 per half hour.

I don't think Allans Music (Burke St Store) has what you are hoping for. They only have some old yamaha u3 pianos in their practice rooms. I have tried them and they were out of tune as well.

Since you are preparing for your grade 5 exam I think it would be better if you can practice on a grand piano.

Can others give us an idea on where can we find piano practice room in Melbourne? I am very interested as well.

Totally incorrect,kawaifans1025,the pianos are Kawai K5 uprights.

Thanks guys - I am overwhelmed by the response as I am new to the forum and just getting these responses are very encouraging.

Yes - I have tried Bourke Street Allans Music practice room but I have to say (sorry Lushey1) that sound isolation between each practice room needs some improvement.

Whenever I used the practice room, I can hear people playing guitar next door and also a few rooms down people playing the piano too. Furthermore, because the space of the practice room is small with wooden floor, the sound that generated from the piano just too loud to be able to play expressively. This normally leads me even more nervous because trying to control the sound instead of focus on playing.

I am thinking a floor with carpet with perhaps a mattress behind the piano (or some materials to absorb the sound) might help?

Note - this is solely my personal experience at Bourke Street Allans Music.

From memory - the piano is yamaha upright - not Kawai.

Anyway, I am just thinking if all the adult learners in Melbourne can chip in and buy a piano (to share) at some accessible location - then we can take turn to play and occasionally can organise some recitals for us!

Let me know what you think

Just curious Saveyourwork, what is your situation? Are you unable to have a piano where you live? Whereabouts are you located? Do you have a piano anywhere that you can use?

Regards,
Andy

From his OP I think he does have a piano. Just wants to try playing on different pianos.

saveyourwork - If you are anywhere near Cranbourne go into Cranbourne Music. I think they have piano rooms.

Oh yes, you are right! Sorry, I should have read that.

Where are you located? You are welcome to play my piano if you live in the northern suburbs. It's just a Yamaha U3 though.

Hey ando - yes I have a Yamaha digital piano at home. However, sometimes I found that by playing on different pianos or different events (under stress), it will pick up a lot of different mistakes during my performance.

That's why I think if there is a place around Melbourne that provide piano practice room rental for adult learners, even have occasional recital events so that everyone can get a chance to experience how they performing under stressful condition, I think this will improve the performances.

Also normally I go to Allans music to practice when I am going nowhere with a piece (accuracy) and perform not as the way that I wanted during my piano lesson.

Thanks raskdog, might try Cranbourne music....

Anyone in Melbourne who has similar situation let me know what you think.

I know Lushey is the piano sales consultant at Allans Music, but the piano I played in one of their practice room is a Yamaha U3. I am sure because I owned a Yamaha myself too and I did open up the top cover to confirm.

The acoustic of the room needs work. There was something buzzing when I played some notes - can't remember which ones though.

I might be wrong - a while ago when I used the right most practice room, there was a display label that says the piano is a Yamaha model and around $6500 (from memory). That's why I thought it is a Yamaha model.

However to be fair, I didn't check recently though unless the piano has changed.

That could be right...... The last time I visited it was like 8 months ago.

Since last post in this topic, I made a great discovery today - the new library at Docklands has two practice rooms, one equipped with piano - the piano is one from the streetpianos.com.au, I assume it was previously placed in some famous corner of Melbourne for public to play.

The piano is OK - the practice room is amazing, the window overlook the water. The sound of the piano is warm-ish, which I like.

Best of all, it only cost me $2 for an hour to be in the practice room! I will definitely go back there again.

Did I say the library is amazing too? It is the best public library in Melbourne so far!

Hope to hear more from you now. How have you been getting on in the 4 years since you posted?

For Grade 5 AMEB, the exam will almost certainly be on an upright (U3 or K equivalent would be a guess) - until you do your A.Mus will the exam be on a grand in most cases.

However I agree that practising on several pianos would be advantageous - particularly if you've got a digital yourself.

AMEB - quite expensive. They will have a bank of pianos used at exam times - and they'd have practise arrangements but maybe only for diploma students (on the grand piano/s) - not sure if Victoria does.

I'd still try Churches in the area. I've had people coming to practise (and I did myself 30 yrs ago) on our Church pianos (and organs) on quite a few occasions - we never charged, though some of them gave a nominal donation, and paid for a key.

Schools may be a possibility. I had students practise on some of our school pianos, but never had requests from non-students.

Have you asked your teacher? He/she could be able to link you to another student - maybe you could do a swap arrangement or a rotating roster.

Community halls often have pianos - you could ask.

Some of these might expose you to horrible pianos - which, though not ideal to practise on long term, will give you experience in the big bad world of neglected pianos. I remember working away from home for 4 weeks, only 2 months before my A.Mus.A exam, and I arranged with the Uniting Church to practise on their hall piano. The piano was - relatively poor - but, hey, it was a piano, everything worked. And, being away from my family, I could spend a lot more time practising than if I hadn't been away.

Thanks for the reply. Didn't realise that it was four years ago now, time flies. I ended not doing my AMEB 5 exam but completed the AMEB 7 three months ago. I am disappointed with my playing performance in the exam, and it seems the more I learn, the more I find I don't know a lot of things.

Anyway, I currently owned a Yamaha Clavinova 480 ebony black, which I really like. The sound is just amazing, despite this is only a digital. It is very enjoyable to play. However, same story with playing on different pianos, I believe it not only tests you on the spontaneous response to the sound generation, but also put you under pressure (due to different environment).

That's why when I discovered yesterday that the library has a practice room with piano, I was quite excited and happy.

Allans music at Bourke street used to have something similar but no longer offer this service anymore. But the staffs in the shop are very kind and said I could play all the ones on the floor (i.e, some grand ones too!) if I like, but I am a bit hesitant playing in public.