Are you thinking about buying an upright piano? Perhaps you have decided that becoming a pianist is your new goal in life and you are keen to buy an instrument that will motivate you to practice. Then again, you may already have been playing piano for years but are ready for a new piano to take your playing to the next level.
For many people, purchasing an upright piano is a good choice and comes with plenty of benefits. However, other choices are also very worthy of consideration. Let’s take a look at what an upright piano is and see how it compares to other possibilities.
What Is An Upright Piano?
If you visit a piano showroom the majority of pianos that you see will be upright pianos. Upright pianos are great for beginners as they tend to be priced more affordably than grand pianos. The strings in an upright piano are vertically strung, putting them perpendicular to the keyboard. This makes them easier when it comes to space as the piano is more compact than a grand piano, we’ll discuss this further below.
The strings being vertical does have an impact on the overall performance of the piano. Hammers rely on springs to bring them back to the at-rest poison which means that fast repetition is more limited than playing on a grand piano. If you are already an experienced pianist then imagine playing trills on an upright and then on a grand piano. The grand piano will handle these repetitive moves with ease, an upright will fall a little behind.
Of course, the fact that an upright piano may perform a little lower than a grand piano should certainly not put you off purchasing one. For beginners, intermediates and even experienced pianists, a well crafted upright piano is wonderful to play on.
How Is A Grand Piano Different To An Upright Piano?
Grand pianos are strung horizontally so the hammers return to their at-rest position under their own weight, making repetitive movements very smooth, as noted above. That being said a poorly crafted grand piano may very well perform at a much lower standard than a high-quality upright piano.
Grand pianos are not only an instrument but, for many people, they are works of art within the home. However, that piece of art comes the need to have a considerable amount of space.
Being strung horizontally a grand piano will take up far more floor space than an upright which may limit you to where you can have it in your home if indeed it will conveniently fit into the home at all.
The Electric Piano Alternative
Whilst acoustic pianos, whether upright or grand, are wonderful instruments, there is also the option to purchase an electric piano, whether as an upright or a grand.
These days the electric piano market has a wonderful choice of high-quality instruments to choose from and is certainly worthy of consideration before making your final decision.
Final Verdict
Is An Upright Piano Right For You?
If you are looking for an instrument that plays well, won’t take up too much space, and can provide you with years of musical improvement, then choosing a well-crafted upright piano could be right up your street.