Piano for Beginners 6th ED - 2016 UK

Getting started

Acoustic pianos produce a naturally rich sound and

are favoured by more accomplished pianists

Acoustic pianos

Acoustic pianos are considered a percussion

instrument as felted hammers strike steel strings

inside once you press down on a key to produce

a note. The vibrations in the string then travel to a

soundboard, which amplifies the music. Generally,

the harder you press a key, the louder the sound.

Professional pianists generally favour acoustic

pianos as they feature up to eight octaves and

create a more natural, fuller sound. Due to the way

they are built, acoustic pianos do require some

level of maintenance, which means you’ll need to

have them tuned at least once every six months.

This process involves tightening the strings to

improve pitch. Although acoustic pianos are

generally larger in size, there are different styles

available, which vary in dimension.

Acoustic pianos come in different shapes

and sizes but largely fall under two main

styles: upright and grand. Upright pianos

are the smaller of the two as the interior

strings are housed vertically, meaning it

doesn’t require a large back like a grand

piano, where the strings lay vertically.

Although you can get slightly smaller

varieties of upright acoustic pianos, they

don’t differ too dramatically in size. Grand

pianos on the other hand, although large,

do come in varying sizes including small

baby grand, slightly larger parlour grand

and concert grand. The larger the back of

the grand piano, the longer the strings, and

so the richer the sound is that is produced.

Of the two acoustic varieties, grand

pianos tend to be the more expensive.

Their beautiful build and design also

makes them popular as centrepieces in

large rooms.

When compared to digital pianos,

acoustic varieties seem to offer you a lot

less for your money; however, the natural

piano tones that are produced surpass

those of an electronic model, which is

why they are favoured by professional and

traditional pianists.

Different acoustic pianos

What style of acoustic piano suits your style and needs?

Pros Cons

Richer and more natural sound quality Requires more space

Up to eight octaves available Needs regular tuning and maintenance

Beautifully designed Is not portable

Is acoustic right for you?

Pedals

You can use the pedals on your piano

to adjust tone. The left pedal (una

corda) will soften the sound, and

right pedal (sustain) lifts all the felt

dampers inside while you play, which

are usually used to stop sound

Keyboard

The keyboard on your acoustic piano features a

total of 88 keys, 52 of which are white and 36 black.

Traditionally white keys were made of ivory and

black keys wood. Once you press a key, a hammer

inside will strike the string to produce sound

Piano lid

Nearly all acoustic pianos will have a lid of some

description. Make sure this is closed when

you’re not playing as it’ll prevent dust getting in