A guide to buying your first piano
LikeBuying a piano is a big expense and if you have already started to look at prices in music shops or on the online market, you will have noticed that many of them cost a lot. However, don't panic just yet. Since you are thinking about starting to play the piano there are many cheaper options.
Let's see what types of pianos there are, how they differ and which one you should choose to start your piano lessons.
Choose the piano according to your level
This is the first question you should ask yourself, because if you want to learn to play piano from scratch or if you already have an advanced level and want to pursue a career as a professional musician, your needs will be very different.
If you have never taken a piano lesson, the idea of having to spend a large sum of money before you start studying may seem daunting. But there are also inexpensive pianos that are accessible to all budgets, without having to make too many sacrifices.
Let's take a look at all the different types of pianos, starting with the cheapest and ending with the most expensive ones.
Electric piano: The best piano for beginners
Also sometimes known as a keyboard. This is definitely the cheapest piano and also the most accessible. It may be the best choice if you want to enrol your children in children's piano lessons or if you are looking for beginner piano lessons for any age. At that stage, you still don't know if your love for piano is just a hobby or if it will become something bigger. In any case, later on, you can always exchange it for a better one.
The basic models usually start at around 100 pounds. If you want to go even cheaper, you can look for a second-hand piano. If you are looking for a better sound quality, look at the most recent and high-tech models, but the price could go up to more than a thousand euros for a high-end keyboard.
If you are looking for a mid-range piano, the cost will be from 200 pounds, over double that of the low-end keyboard. However, this is the minimum price for a good quality electric piano. This is an instrument that is already much more complex in terms of manufacturing and technical features, so it can easily reach 500 pounds.
An electric piano may be more suitable for those who are already quite convinced of their choice of wanting to learn or continue playing, as it can be a real investment. The sound quality is excellent and the difference to a traditional stringed piano is practically unnoticeable to the untrained ear. In addition, an electric piano is more aesthetically pleasing and can also be considered a piece of furniture.
Upright piano: Ideal for the highly motivated
For those who are oriented towards the purchase of a string piano, this is in some ways the most viable option, firstly because it takes up much less space than a grand piano. Here the prices start to rise considerably. The minimum investment for an upright piano is usually at least 700 pounds, but finding a good piano for this price will not be so easy.
If you have ever seen what a piano looks like on the inside, you will surely have noticed the tangle of strings and hammers. The complex construction of a piano therefore justifies these high costs.
From an aesthetic point of view, it is very pleasing to the eye, but requires a certain amount of space, as the dimensions of an upright piano start are somewhat larger than a keyboard or electric piano. This means that the cost of transporting the piano to your home will have to be added to the purchase price. Another cost to take into account for those who want to buy a stringed piano is that of tuning the piano, which should be done by a professional at least once a year.
Grand piano: How much does it cost and who is it worth buying it for?
This type of piano can almost be considered more of a luxury good than an instrument. It is an item aimed more at professionals, concert pianists and music schools.
Finding a grand piano at a good price is no mean feat but not impossible. A low-end grand piano costs at least 10,000 pounds, while a good quality grand piano costs at least 30,000 pounds.
It goes without saying that there is no comparison in sound quality with other models. Even from the point of view of the experience of being able to play a grand piano, it is a different story compared to the others.
But the good news is that in order to be able to play the grand piano, it is not strictly necessary to buy one. You could enrol in a music school, so that when you go to lessons you can use it, or you can look for a private music teacher who gives lessons with a grand piano, so that you can enjoy the experience without having to incur such a large expense.
What is the best option for private piano lessons?
We have seen the price ranges of the different types of piano and also a brief description of the services they can offer. Everyone evaluates which piano to buy according to their budget, but in the following we would like to give a brief summary of what may be the best purchase in each case:
- Piano for children and beginners: we recommend an electric piano. You won't lose anything from the point of view of learning and enjoyment, and it is easily replaceable and resellable in case you want to replace it with a better model in the future.
- Piano for advanced lessons and amateur pianists: an electronic piano is, in our opinion, the most suitable. The costs are still low, the space required is not excessive and you can avoid the expense of having the piano tuned, as it is not necessary to have it tuned.
- Piano for concert pianists and professionals: In this case, the expense of a stringed piano is justified. If you play the piano every day, either because you do it for work or because you really love music, then you will never regret buying a good piano.
Last tip: don't get hung up on which brand of piano to buy, because there aren't that many available. The best known and most popular is Yamaha, which makes pianos of all types and prices.
Also, if you go to a good musical instrument shop, you can ask the salesperson for all the information you want and even try playing the different types of pianos in the shop, so that you can get a better idea. If you have any doubts, remember that you can always ask your music tutor for advice, who will surely be able to guide you on the best choice for you.
