1. Tune it Regularly

Even if you’re not playing the piano on a regular basis, it’s important to have it tunned around once a year. Invest in a reputable piano tuner who will be able to ensure your instrument stays in great condition and in perfect tune. If you have moved the piano recently, wait a few weeks and then have it tuned. This will maintain the health of your piano and keep the strings in good condition. It also keeps your instrument sounding fantastic.

2. Be Careful When Moving

If you need to move your piano from one property to another or even from one room to another, do not treat it like any other piece of furniture. It’s much easier to damage a piano or knock it out of tune. Contact a reputable moving company that specializes in moving pianos if you need to move your piano. Transporting the piano yourself or enlisting the help of a regular moving company could mean that you risk breaking parts of the piano or leaving it exposed to damage if it is not covered properly.

3. Monitor the Room Temperature

Pianos don’t require a huge amount of care, but one critically important thing is the temperature of the room it lives in. Your piano should be consistently kept at a temperature of around 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to keep your instrument in great condition, it’s essential that the temperature stays consistent all the time rather than changing drastically throughout the year. Keep a thermometer in the room so that you can accurately monitor the temperature and adjust the heating or air conditioning as needed.

4. Clean Your Piano

Clean your piano regularly and remove any dust which has settled. Depending on the type and size of piano you have and the environment, you might find that dust settles quickly and in larger amounts. You should use a soft cloth to ensure the finish of the instrument is not damaged or compromised. Avoid using any liquids, wax, or cleaning agents on the piano, and instead, use either a very slightly damp cloth or a dry cloth. Rub gently but firmly to remove any visible marks on the surface of the instrument.

5. Keep It Away from Sunlight

Direct sunlight can damage your piano in more than one way. You should avoid keeping a piano near windows or glass doors where it will be exposed to direct sunlight. Instead, keep the curtains closed or ensure your instrument is out of the way of the sunlight.

Sunlight can cause the wood to fade and can also ruin pianos that have a glossy finish. Even just a few days in direct sunlight could leave your instrument permanently damaged. Leaving your piano under direct sunlight could also cause it to go out of tune, bringing additional costs to have it re-tuned.

Finding Your Perfect Piano

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned professional, finding your perfect piano in Tampa has never been easier. Dave’s Piano Showroom has a wide variety of pianos available to buy, as well as piano moving services and restoration. It’s simple to find the instrument of your dreams and get all the piano services you need in Florida.

The post How To Take Care Of Your Piano appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

Cristofori worked for the Florentine court of Grand Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici during 1688. His task was to look after harpsichords and other instruments. In 1700 as mentioned by Medici instruments, Cristofori invented an Arpicimbalo i.e. an instrument that resembled the harpsichord. It had a brand-new hammer and damper mechanism with two keyboards and a range of four octaves (49 keys).

Later in 1711 Scipione, a journalist and poet described this invention as “Gravicembalo col piano, e forte’” or Harpsichord with loud and quiet sound. It is here when pianoforte found its name.

Composers Felt The Need to Expand Their Range of Music

Just after people came across Cristofori’s amazing musical invention, composers started working on more and more music for the piano. However, the four-octave range of the instrument was limited which made piano manufacturers design new pianos having more keys to let composers like Mozart and Haydn write challenging materials for a fuller keyboard.

Later when Romantic composers such as Liszt and Chopin started writing music in the mid-1800s, pianos started to have seven octaves that allowed them to compose pieces having more ambitious range such as bafflingly virtuosic ‘La Campanella’.

The Invention of the 88-Key Piano by Steinway

By the late 1880s, Steinway a piano manufacturing company created an 88-key piano and since then this model has been the standard and still in use. This model had seven octaves and three additional lower notes (B, B flat, and A) below the bottom C. It comes with 52 white keys and 36 black keys (sharps and flats), with each octave made of seven white keys and five black keys.

Why Didn’t The Piano Manufacturers Go Beyond 88-Keys?

Most composers today write piano music fitting within the range of the 88-key model. The manufacturers also accept it as the limit because anything beyond it is considered too low or high for the human ear. However, there are exceptions. In 2018, Stuart and Sons came up with their 9-octave piano having 108 keys.

There is another piano with 97-keys sold by Bösendorfer having nine extra black colored keys helping to distinguish this model from the standard 88-keys. However, the additional keys are rarely used but their extra bass strings do add harmonic resonance contributing to the rich, overall sound of the instrument.

If you are looking to buy a new or a used piano in Tampa Bay, FL, contact Dave’s Piano Showroom. They have a wide variety of pianos for sale suiting almost any budget and requirements.

Picture Credit: Freepik

The post Why Do Standard Pianos Have 88 Keys? appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

Schimmel pianos are handmade in Germany. As a result, they are rated higher than Yamaha and in the upper echelons of the quality scale, as are all German-made pianos. This is according to all piano connoisseurs and aficionados, such as Larry Fine, author of “The Piano Book”.

If you are considering a Yamaha, Kawai, Boston, Essex, or even vintage Steinway baby grand piano, in a brown wood tone, you will absolutely want to put this piano on your must-see list; certainly, if you live in Tampa, Clearwater, St. Pete, or beyond!

New handmade German pianos can cost $50,000, $80,000 and even over $100,000! At just $12,500 this is truly an exceptional value!

The post Schimmel Baby Grand Piano | Handmade in Germany – $12,500 appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

Fine writes “Proof that a 43” piano can be made musical, and it’s made in the U.S.A.”

Click on the following link (pianobuyer.com) to see for yourself why if you want a handmade vertical piano, made in America, Charles Walter is the best option.

 
If you are searching for a high-quality piano such as a Kawai, Yamaha, Steinway, Boston, Ritmüller, Essex, Baldwin, or the like, you will absolutely want to visit Dave’s Piano Showroom of Tampa and add this to your list of must-see pianos in Tampa Bay, Clearwater, St. Pete, Bradenton, Sarasota or beyond!

The post Like NEW Charles Walter Upright Piano – $18,000 + NEW, Just $7,990! appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

While the pinblock and action age only by usage, the curvature of the soundboard, which is necessary for tonal projection is a linear degradation and constant loss overtime.

No matter if the piano is played eight hours a day or eight hours a year the 40,000 – 50,000 pounds of tension, which is applied when the strings are tighten to pitch slowly robs the piano’s ability to produce full dB production. In other words, pianos get quieter with age.

Facts to understand:

The Chinese number 1.4 billion and music participation is in the 50th percentile.

In the United States music participation is in the teens and there are only 350 million of us.

For this reason, the largest cello producers, violin producers, drum manufacturers and yes pianos builders come from China.

Before you dismiss these instruments it worth mentioning, the vast majority of what Yamaha manufacturers and sell globally are no longer built in Japan. The bulk of their pianos come from China, Indonesia, Taiwan, etc.

Additionally, a significant if not dominant percentage of what Steinway sells globally they do not manufacturer! Pearl River manufactures the Essex for Steinway and Kawai manufactures the Boston for Steinway.

That is right! Kawai and Pearl River are the official builders for much of what Steinway sells globally!

Thought experiment: Would Pearl River, which derive 100% of their revenue from producing pianos, agree to manufacture a superior piano for a competitor?

Of course not!

In my opinion, it is absolutely absurd to spend thousands more on a legacy brand which is producing the bulk of their product in China, Taiwan, Indonesia, etc.

When we look at all of these facts analytically, it is easy to see why a new 2022 Pearl River piano is the smart choice.

Make Steinways choice your choice, choose Pearl River!

The sale includes:

• 10 year manufacturer warranty
• Local, ground floor delivery
• Matching bench
• One in-home service
• Lowest price in the United States guarantee!

The post NEW Upright Piano – Steinway & Sons’ Official Builder (Essex) – World’s Largest Piano Manufacturer! – $5990 appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

1. Improves neuroplasticity: Neuroplasticity is the capability of your brain to recognize and form synaptic connections typically as a response to learning or treatment after injuries. In simple terms, this is the capability of your brain to convert to another form and function specifically for it when it is stimulated with physical activity. Playing the piano positively changes your brain. Studies indicate that music is responsible for stimulating the brain in a manner no other kind of activity can.

When you are playing a musical piece on a piano you are making additions to the brain in terms of neural connections. It primes the brain for other kinds of communication. Therefore, when you are thinking that you are only working on a difficult piece you are improving your attention span, memory, language, speech, math, and spatial skills, and also your capability to convey emotions vocally.

2. Improves hand-eye coordination: Piano playing needs you to have good hand-eye coordination. Research conducted recently suggests that a person playing piano changes the cortical mapping of his brain for increasing the finger speed. For people with lesser motoring skills, piano playing can challenge their brains for making newer connections and develop motor skills. It also helps kids and also the adults to improve hand-eye coordination later in life.

3. Greater stress relief: Studies indicate that piano playing is good for improving your mental health. People that play the piano are less likely to experience depression and anxiety than the non-musical counterparts. Playing the instrument just for a few minutes every day may improve your self-esteem and make you feel positive. It can also reduce your blood pressure. It is significant to note here that piano lessons are commonly used as a kind of therapy for ADD.

4. Good for split concentration: The split concentration is also termed as divided attention. It is an integral part of piano playing and helps in sharpening the concentration. For playing this instrument you are required to make use of both hands, read the music, work with pedals, and also listen to the notes you are playing on the machine. That is a lot you have to do all at once. If you can become adept at playing with split concentration you will find improvement in your multitasking abilities in the actual world away from the piano as well.

The wonderful part of playing the piano is that it is possible to share the event with family and friends. Music is one language that crosses all forbidding barriers such as ethnicity and age. It is also a great way of bringing together big communities and small groups of friends and families. If you want to buy a piano in the Tampa, FL area you can get in touch with the licensed firm Dave’s Piano Showroom for a reliable purchase.

Picture Credit: Freepik

The post Benefits Of Playing Piano On Your Brain appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

However, the industry in the last 10 years has evolved quite a bit. Yamaha has been and continues to be more focused on their digital and player piano lines and has done nothing to perfect the art of piano making. In fact, I would argue that it has gone backward. Readers need to understand that 85% of what Yamaha sells today is not built in Japan. Globalization has shifted production to countries such as China and Indonesia, where labor rates are favorable.

Leaving Japan and going to China is not at the heart of the problem.  Yamaha or any other piano manufacturer is fully capable of producing a quality piano anywhere in the world. The issue is for some peculiar reason Yamaha strips out all of the refinements they are known for, from their Chinese, Indonesian and Taiwanese made pianos. Why this is done is not clearly understood. One piano craftsman in Japan costs $75,000 per year. In China, it is less than 20% of this amount. This means there is a significant amount of monies left over to refine the piano. It is widely believed Yamaha does not produce a Japanese caliber piano in China, because if they did, not a single tremendously more expensive Japanese made piano would ever sell again.

With the Japanese resting on their laurels and the Internet age coming alive; the European hybrid formula was born. The definition of a European hybrid piano is the fusion of European componentry assembled where labor rates are favorable. In these pianos, the absolute best materials are used. Every tangible component that can be measured or observed, in each step of the building process, is incrementally or substantially better in a piano such as a Ritmüller, than that of a similarly priced Yamaha.

Ritmüller pianos date back to the late 18th century. Recently they were completely redesigned by Lothar Thomma, with the goal being to fuse the best components the world has to offer, chiefly from Europe, with the most accurate forms of modern construction, such as the use of more precise CNC machinery.

The importance of Lothar Thomma’s involvement can not be overstated. For decades Lothar sat at the helm of the engineering department at the world’s highest rated piano maker, Bechstein; a handmade piano built exclusively in Germany. Thomma was hired by the world’s largest piano manufacturer, a brand which also is the official builder for Steinway’s Essex line of pianos, to breathe new life into an old standard. Thomma has achieved world wide success and notoriety with his new Ritmüller designs.

This is illustrated perfectly in the Piano Book by Larry Fine and is likely the single most powerful point that can be made with regard to the quality of a Ritmuller piano. You will notice in the following chart that there are three areas of concern.

https://www.pianobuyer.com/Articles/Detail/ArticleId/243/The-New-Piano-Market-Today-Staff-Picks

Classical / Perennial Favorites – This is essentially what is popular.

Musical Standouts – Amongst
connoisseurs and aficionados what is considered musically sublime.

Good Value – Best bang per buck

Most people respond that musical standout status of these three categories is the most important and this is precisely what I would like to bring your attention to. But before I point this out, it is important to know that size matters in pianos. The longer a grand piano is the larger the soundboard is, which is the speaker in the piano, and the longer the strings become. String length and soundboard size determine decibel production or overall volume. Therefore, smaller pianos are more difficult to make musical. While larger pianos are easier to make musical.

Scroll down and look at baby grand pianos between 4’10” – 5’4”. Is Yamaha or even Steinway present as a “musical standout”? They are not! Ritmüller is! Fine writes, “Amazingly good performance from such a small piano”. He also naturally checks the boxed under “good value” for this piano.

If one wants a “musical standout” from Yamaha one would have to spend $57,000 for a 6’7″ semi concert grand.

At least this is less than the nearly $90,000 Steinway O, which measures5’10.5”

Ritmuller somehow finds a way to make an inherently nonmusical size piano a “musical standout.”

This NEW Ritmüller baby grand in Winter White has a list price of $19,195.  It is being offered for sale at just $16,900 only at Dave’s Piano Showroom of Tampa Bay!

The sale includes:

* Tuning

* Prep work

* One tuning

* 10 year Ritmüller warranty

* Matching bench

The post 2023 Ritmüller Baby Grand – Winter White Edition – $16,900 appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

1. Pianos are heavy

You can look at the instrument and can tell that it is quite heavy. Are you aware of how heavy? The smallest upright pianos available in the market viz. Spinet pianos weigh close to 300 pounds and the larger ones weigh anything between 500 to 800 pounds. The largest of the lot are grand pianos that weigh close to 1300 pounds. The reason behind the weight of the piano is that many internal components of the instrument are made from cast iron and the other major parts of the piano such as the soundboard and the casing are made from solid wood. The piano moving companies are equipped with special equipment for the move such as moving trucks having motorized lifts for lifting the load of the piano.

2. Pianos are expensive

When you have decided to move the piano the first thought that comes to your mind would be how to maintain the costs involved to a minimum. Although this thinking is understandable keep in mind that pianos are expensive. Depending on its model and make a piano can cost from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. You have in all probability paid a fortune for the instrument and damaging the product in a DIY attempt will not help the cause much. You are also required to tune the piano after the move which will cost around $200. It is a better option is to leave the move to the pro piano movers.

3. There is a sentimental value to the pianos

Pianos are terrific musical instruments and in most cases, they have a sentimental value for the owners of the machine. Unlike the branded furniture that you do not care about, most people love their piano and would be eager to have it placed in the new house. For many people, the instrument will go with them no matter what it takes. Sometimes the piano in the home is a family heirloom passed on to the next generations for years. Therefore you should think twice before placing yourself and the piano in any danger rather than hiring a professional piano moving company.

4. Possibility of moving day accidents

There is one thing you need to keep in mind right from the beginning. No matter how significant or valuable the great musical instrument is to you, there are things that more important and valuable such as your health and the health of your family. Because of the heavy nature of the machine, its delicate nature, and the excessive dimensions, the piano move falls under the category of one of the more dangerous things to do while moving.

The DIY attempt can lead to an accident on a moving day and can cause an injury of some sort. Of course, the professional piano movers will charge you for the move but they will get it done quickly and safely. If you live in the Tampa, FL area the Dave’s Piano Showroom can help you with a professional move.

The post Reasons For Hiring A Piano Moving Company appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

Imagine controlling your piano using your iPhone, iPad, laptop, or android device.

Stream music for free 24/7, without commercial interruption or subscription fees.

Watch Elton John, Billy Joel, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, etc. live in concert, while your piano is in perfect sync with the performance.

With the optional PianoDisc player system you will see no boxes hanging underneath the keys or on the pedal assembly. In other words, the new player system is completely invisible. Your guests will not know that your piano is capable of playing itself until the keys start moving.

The new HD system is capable of 1024 different levels of expression.

We will load you up with nearly 1000 tunes to start; classical, jazz, vintage favorites, theme, musical, popular, sacred, holiday, etc.

These are all capabilities of the IQ HD system by PianoDisc, the world’s best selling piano player system.

The definition of a European hybrid piano is the fusion of European componentry assembled where labor rates are favorable. In these pianos, the absolute best materials are used. Every tangible component that can be measured or observed, in each step of the building process, is incrementally or substantially better in a piano such as a Ritmüller, than that of a similarly priced Yamaha or Kawai.

Ritmüller pianos date back to the late 18th century. In 2007, Ritmüller pianos were completely redesigned by Lothar Thomma. The goal being to fuse the best components the world has to offer, chiefly from Germany, in conjunction with the most accurate forms of modern construction, such as the use of more precise CNC machinery.

The importance of Lothar Thomma’s involvement can not be overstated. For decades Lothar sat at the helm of the engineering department at the world’s highest rated piano maker, Bechstein; a handmade piano built exclusively in Germany. Thomma was hired by the world’s largest piano manufacturer, a brand which also is the official builder for Steinway’s Essex line of pianos, to breathe new life into an old standard. Thomma has achieved world wide success and notoriety with his new Ritmüller designs.

This is illustrated perfectly in the Piano Book by Larry Fine and is likely the single most powerful point that can be made with regard to the quality of a Ritmuller piano. You will notice in the following chart that there are three areas of concern.

https://www.pianobuyer.com/Articles/Detail/ArticleId/243/The-New-Piano-Market-Today-Staff-Picks

Classical / Perennial Favorites – This is essentially what is popular.

Musical Standouts – Amongst connoisseurs and aficionados what is considered musically sublime.

Good Value – Best bang per buck

Most people respond that musical standout status of these three categories is the most important and this is precisely what I would like to bring your attention to. But before I point this out, it is important to know that size matters in pianos. The longer a grand piano is the larger the soundboard is, which is the speaker in the piano, and the longer the strings become. String length and soundboard size determine decibel production or overall volume. Therefore, smaller pianos are more difficult to make musical. While larger pianos are easier to make musical.

Scroll down and look at grands between 4’10” – 5’4″. Is Yamaha, Kawai, or even Steinway present as a “musical standout”? They are not! Ritmüller is! Fine writes, “Amazingly good performance from such a small piano”. He also naturally checks the boxed under “good value” for this piano. Yamaha, Kawai, and Steinway only achieve “musical standout” status in the upper 6′-7′ range!

If one wants a “musical standout” from Yamaha one would have to spend $57,000 for a 6’7″ semi concert grand.

A Kawai would set you back $78,000 in a handmade Shigeru 7′ concert grand.

Both of which are less than the $87,000+ that one would have to outlay for a Steinway model O (5’10”).

Ritmuller somehow finds a way to make an inherently non musical size piano a “musical standout” at a fraction of the cost of the standard brands.

The sale includes:

• Local, ground floor delivery
• Tuning
• Prep work
• One tuning
• 10 year Ritmüller warranty
• Matching bench

The post Ferrari Red – German Designed Ritmüller Baby Grand Piano – $14,990 appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.

1. Actually practice: Most children and adults these days lead busy lives and so it is easy to make the mistake of not paying sufficient attention to practice. Sometimes you make piano practice a second priority than compared to other commitments. Everyone goes through a period where they struggle to find time for practice. But if you start to enjoy playing piano this practice can be something you will look forward to. Try to provide a certain time every day for the practice and make it a part of the daily routine.

2. Set up the piano in a place where it is easily visible: You should not set up the piano keyboard in a backroom you rarely visit. Or worse, some people may place the keyboard in a cupboard with the intention of using it for practice sometime. It is not an encouragement to piano practice. Rather place the piano keyboard in a prominent position such as the dining room or living room where it can be easily accessible and just the sight of the piano will act as a reminder for the practice session.

3. Do not practice what you already know: It might be enjoyable to play the songs you already know or have learned but are you learning anything new this way? Most students are excited when they feel that they have made progress in their efforts to learn playing the piano. This results in them playing the chords they have learned instead of making an effort to learn new things. In most cases, this is followed by discouragement and boredom. Try to learn new things in all practice sessions by keeping things interesting.

4. Revise the pieces for a healthy repertoire: After having made the point above, it might surprise a few people to find out that several students after learning a piece are not inclined to practice it again. They rather try to move on to the next piece. It is the addiction to completing the levels and it may lead to a situation where these students are unable to play any pieces for family and friends as they are not through learning the current piece and they have forgotten what they have already learned. You need to maintain a balance here between learning new things and practicing what you have already learned.

5. Use correct fingers: All fingering you will ever need for playing the piano is printed on the music sheet and for a reason. Using correct fingers has many advantages and one of the significant ones is that it leads to the correct sequence of fingering for all pieces. Apart from mentally learning a song, it is also important to learn the physical shape of movements. If you are not consistent with the fingering you will be insecure while playing in front of others.

There are several ways you can take piano lessons from home, but if you are looking to move your piano to another place, get professional help in the Tampa, FL area from Dave’s Piano Moving that is a licensed company and will move the instrument safely into a new place.

Picture Credit: Unsplash

The post Tips For Practicing Playing Piano appeared first on Dave's Piano Showroom.