What makes a good upright piano

We specialise in affordable high quality upright pianos — assuring you of a pleasing tone, responsive touch and high standard of finish, at a relatively low price. As a guide, upright pianos are usually between cm — cm in height, around cm wide and 60cm deep, the height being the major difference between models.

Upright pianos are popular because of their efficient use of space. While baby grand and grand pianos may appear more attractive, for the space-concious, tall upright pianos are capable of producing a strong tone, wide dynamic range and a good amount of leverage in the keys and action, taking up minimal floor space. Tall uprights are usually only a few cms deeper and wider than shorter models.

Modern design and engineering is very effective — and worth so much. Bluthner, Bechstein or Grotrian Steinweg are very attractive on price vs. However, they simply do not match up. Add to this the fact that they has been subject to around 20tonnes of combined string tension for over 80years, probably been moved over 10 times and been heavily played, the result really is a substandard instrument that cannot compete with a good quality modern piano.

What does that say? Where is the biggest improvement in most upright pianos, in performance for size? At cms in height, most good quality upright pianos will outperform even higher quality cm uprights — and still be more affordable. This is the most effective upgrade in upright piano specification, between 2 consecutive sizes, for the least difference in price. Better tone, better feel. Tone: Longer strings and greater soundboard area extends the depth of tone in the lower-mid and bass registers.

If you have no idea where to look, start with these brands:. The biggest draw of buying a second-hand acoustic piano is its price. Good-sounding acoustic pianos can be expensive, so a second-hand one is a good option for those without a big budget. However, this can be a risky decision, because second-hand pianos don't come with factory warranties, which is crucial for acoustic pianos as they are vulnerable to wear and tear.

You risk paying hundreds of dollars of repair fees. Thus, before purchasing the piano, find out when the last maintenance was done and whether the piano was kept in a healthy environment.

I strongly advise you to hire a registered piano technician to check the instrument before you make the purchase. While second-hand pianos are cheaper, tuning services are more frequently required for older pianos and will increase your costs.

Besides, a second-hand piano could have dents and scratches. You might have to hire a piano refinisher to fix these damages, which will increase the cost yet again. Overall, a second-hand piano is a good option if it is in good working condition. Otherwise, a brand new acoustic piano is still a better long-term investment. Digital Upright Piano.

Digital Portable Piano. Digital Baby Grand Piano. There are three types of digital piano: the grand piano, upright piano, and portable piano. When purchasing a digital piano, you have to look out for:. The digital piano produces sound by playing pre-recorded sounds of acoustic pianos. The method and equipments used to record these tracks affect the quality of the sound. A good digital piano should sound warm and less digital, closely mimicking an acoustic piano.

With that said, everyone prefers different sound quality, and it is important to choose a piano that sounds nice to you. Apart from the general quality of the sound, you should also listen for the articulation and the decay—the start and the end—of the sound. A digital piano with better control over articulation and decay more closely resembles an acoustic piano and thus sounds more natural.

A full-sized piano consists of 88 keys. However, some digital pianos come with only 61 or fewer keys. For advanced piano players, a piano with 88 keys is required. Polyphony refers to the maximum number of sounds that a piano can produce at any time. This means that a piano with note polyphony can produce up to 32 notes at once. Intermediate players should get pianos with at least note polyphony. For advanced pianists, getting a piano with note polyphony or more is desirable.

One question that I frequently hear is this: a full-sized piano has 88 keys, why should there be a piano with note polyphony? This is because the use of the sustain pedal allows the piano to produce many notes at once.

Touch-sensitivity refers to how responsive a piano is when you play a key with different amounts of strength. The keyboard is able to sense the velocity with which you play the key and correspondingly produces a sound of appropriate volume. Weight of the keys. A digital piano can have keys without added weight, semi-weighted keys, or fully-weighted keys. Manufacturers introduce weighted keys to mimic the heaviness of acoustic piano keys. A digital piano with fully-weighted keys is considered the best option, because its keys most closely resemble those of an acoustic piano.

It is a good option for pianists who are planning to buy an acoustic piano eventually. Other Instrument sounds. A digital piano has the capability to produce sounds of almost any instruments, ranging from a saxophone to a choir. Learning tools. These features act as learning aids, which are especially useful for beginners.

However, not all learning tools are useful. Made in Japan, Yamaha designed the U1 for experienced and beginner pianists alike to enjoy the integrity of their pianos in a smaller size. For this reason, the U1 provides professional sound quality while being ideal for compact apartment spaces and homes.

Check out Lindeblad's selection of Yamaha pianos here. Do you have a favorite compact acoustic piano in your apartment or small room in your home? Let us know in the comments below which piano brands you would recommend and why! Olivia is a content strategist, writer entrepreneurially-minded thinker and artisan. She loves helping connect people with businesses and their stories. Specs: Height —