Piano includes in itself various forms. Grand pianos have different settings as well as the player pianos have different settings. Grand pianos of the earlier kind have a open up top and extended mainframe which requires the player to maintain and function manually. But nowadays with the entry of player pianos, the piano world has changed up. Player pianos have an inbuilt work frame which is not open up like the old grand counterpart and machine inbuilt which regulates the working of the piano rolls and technicalities. Again there are electric pianos which use electromagnetism to incorporate sound variations. Over the changing times and updated modern technology, the piano has taken a new outlook and change in itself providing better functions and new synchronizations in it.

For a person to be an expert piano player, practice is regularity. It is essential most for the player as irregularity in practice leads to loss of hand in the pieces. The person looses the hold of the pieces and tends to forget them. In such a case, regular piano playing enables the perfection and the tempo along with the flow of the piece required. The practical playing will enable the player to ease his take on the technicalities and tactics of the playing. A student may know the demonstrations, but he needs top have the right show of the techniques in order to be his piece to be perfect and in the right timing. In this moment, practical helps him a lot.

Piano practical also makes the student sharpen his ear for music. The person improves his grasping and attention quality and can easily and attentively listen out a tune and play it out in the piano. He develops the tune sense and hearing sense required and seemed the first priority in music playing. Any instrument player, undoubtedly, should possess the quality to hear out music and play it in his instrument. That is one of the indispensable qualities of a musician.

Piano theoretical gives the learner a broader and more knowledge base of playing and, henceforth, the player gets the advantage of a better insight of the piano. The theoretical knowledge and basically staff notation learning is very important for any piano player to learn. It is because; through this the piano player will be able to recognize notes from staff in concerts and orchestras. As every piece of music doesn’t come in hearing, it would then be easier for the person to read written music and play accordingly.

Theory also helps the person to understand scales, their findings, assortments easily. Apart from that, the way arpeggios are created and chords are collected becomes easy for the player to grasp. Even such, music only on paper is not good in itself. The person should have the ear to identify music and play it out perfectly on the piano. He should have a sharp hearing for music and a great sense to tune out music on the piano.

For the person to master over the techniques easily, he should be aware of the different parts and functions a piano offers. Piano playing requires perfect and subtle placing of hands. The hands should be on the piano in balance with the body and should not be too spread out. It should be bending at the knuckles and formation of the ‘paw’ should be maintained. The body should be straight upright and not too close to the piano, a simultaneous distance should be maintained. The player requires a good idea about the right pedal maintenance and simultaneous playing is required.

The technique of playing rests in the maintenance of speed and proper accented notes to be played. Weight in a note produces high or low sounds, and as such, the person should know which notes are to be accented and which not. The accented notes require playing with a slight greater weight in synchronizing with the pedals to produce the desired sound effect. Again, the speeds at which notes are played have to be good enough to not make the audiences go weary of your playing. Having mastered these technicalities, the piece becomes a unique and melody in playing itself.

The major breakthrough for Yanni came in the year 1994 when his album and video ‘Yanni live at the Acropolis’ released. The album was Yanni’s first live one and featured some of the best of his work. The album was coordinated with his band and under the supervision of Iranian conductor, Shahrdad Rohani. The album remained top in charts for more than a decade and still going on and has sold over around 10 million copies up to date. Yanni music has been featured in most programmes, television shows and also in concerts. His music has been categorized by him as ‘contemporary instrumental’.

Over the times, Yanni released many other albums and conducted tours and concerts. His Ethnicity album was a great hit as well his ‘Yanni live’ tour during 2005-2006 as well as his 2010 tour ‘Yanni Live in South America’. Again the release of his album ‘Yanni Mexicanisimo’ comprised a tribute and mix of Mexican music and his own personal style. The release of Yanni autobiography Yanni in Words relates his life and early childhood and he various moments of his life.

Whether you should buy a new less costly upright piano or a second hand piano will depend on your tastes and preferences. Some people will want to impress their friends with an older version because it looks exquisite while for some people would simply like a piano for practice.

The amount of money you will spend is obviously affected by the quality of Upright piano you will buy. The taller the Upright piano the longer the strings and the soundboard and therefore the more clear the tone.

The space where the piano will be kept should be adequate. A space of about 5 feet x5 feet deep area is adequate. This also gives enough space for the bench and for the pianist to maneuver.

Shopping for the piano

Visit as many retailers as possible to enquire about the cost. This should also be complimented by visiting as many piano websites as possible. You can also visit auction sites like e-bay and amazon.com which have quite a range of products. Most of piano websites are in English though you may prefer to look through other websites that are in French, Chinese and German.

You should be willing to negotiate the price as most retailers will be willing to offer you discount. After deciding on the piano that you wish to buy ask for a warranty of at least six months. Finally the Piano should be checked by a certified piano technician to ascertain its quality as new upright pianos are quite expensive.

Examples of brand names and their cost. The brands below are found in the UK market.

-Wilh Steinberg upright       £6500

-Essex EUP  123 Upright      £ 5150

-Wendl&Lung Model 110     £ 2400

-Boston UP 132 Upright         £8000

-Brodmann BU-132 Upright   £4500

Other reputable brand names which you may want to check for prices on the internet are gulbransen

Pianos, Hamilton pianos, Winter pianos, Sohmer pianos, Brambach pianos and Howard pianos.

These brand names are found in the west but with the growing Chinese and Indian economies there has been a rise in the number of Chinese and Indian pianos that are flooding the western market. These pianos are thought to be cheaper though they lack in quality sometimes.  

The antique upright pianos were quite lucrative business in the United States and UK in the 19^th and 20^th century as they were the only form of recreation and entertainment during that era. However as western culture has spread across several countries in the world; these pianos are now more common in Third world countries like India, China  and Brazil. The companies which manufactured these pianos were prosperous. Some of the antique pianos produced during that period are:

-Mirror pianos (These were manufactured during the Second World War)

-Player Reed pianos (Produced in the 1870s and 80s)

-Post-depression upright pianos which were manufactured in the 1930s.

-Victorian square piano

-Victorian parlor piano

The early Victorian upright costs between $8000 and $ 14500.The most common manufacturers of this type of piano are Chickering, Steinway & Sons, Kranich & Bach.

A late Victorian antique piano costs anything between $8000 and $17500.Some of the reputable manufacturers of this pianos are Wing & Son, Behr brothers and Smith Barnes.

There are also Victorian baby pianos that cost anything from $17500 to $81000.

Antique pianos are a good reminder of the past and hence can serve as beautiful reminders. An antique piano exhibits a high level of skill and craftsmanship that modern pianos lack. It is original and some people who value originality might pay anything for it. Antique pianos also have aged soundboards that provide unequalled richness and clear sound. These qualities definitely improve the quality of sound and make one’s music stand out. The purchase of this type of piano is clearly a sound investment that should be encouraged especially for musicians who perform in concerts and would like to give their fans something really memorable.

Value of an upright antique piano

You can use the serial number located inside the antique piano to determine the age of the piano. This can be followed by looking up the serial number in the “Pierce Piano Atlas”. Alternatively you can consult a piano professional who will give you an expert appraisal of the piano. This is important especially if you want to insure your piano.

Another alternative is to conduct your appraisal online. The piano professional will ask for photos of your piano so that he may compare it with other similar photos of documented antiques so that the value may be determined. Remember that appraisals are expensive and it is prudent for you to shop for the best value for money.

However remember that refinishing and refurbishment of upright antique pianos does not diminish the value of the piano. In fact professional refurbishment increases the value of your antique piano because over time strings are worn out and they become loose hence requiring repair. Therefore refinishing is a smart investment. So next time you want to throw that old upright piano away remember that it could have actually appreciated in value and need not be thrown away.

In conclusion an antique upright piano is a sound investment that will add value to any home. It is refreshing, relaxing and quite a contrast to modern digital pianos that are monotonous and lack originality.

The Baldwin pianos were founded by Dwight Baldwin in 1862 but the first batch was introduced in 1890.He was a celebrated organ and violin teacher. He built both the grand and upright pianos. He produced his first pianos in the United States but eventually started exporting to UK, Germany, France, Netherlands and other western countries. The business weathered the storms of the financial depression but was severely affected by the Second World War due to a ban on piano manufacture by the US government as all the factories were to produce weaponry and arsenal. Today Baldwin is the largest piano manufacturer in the United States. Its brands are highly revered and are quite expensive.

Some of the Baldwin model grands include:

Baldwin US grands:

Model SF10E concert grand

Model SD10 concert grand

Model R1 artist grand

Model M1 Artist grand

Model L1 Artist grand

Model 227E artist grand

Model 226E Artist grand

Model 225E Artist grand

There are also digital brands which include:

Model RP380

Model RP 350

Model RG5700P

Model RG380

Baldwin upright piano models

Baldwin import verticles: These include:

Baldwin BZ242 series

Baldwin BZ243 series

Baldwin BZ247 series

Baldwin BZ252 series

Baldwin BH110 series

Baldwin BH112 series

Baldwin BH112 series

Baldwin BH 115 series

Baldwin BH 121 series.

Baldwin US verticals. These include:

Baldwin model 2000E

Baldwin Model 248E

Baldwin Model 5000E

Baldwin model 660E

Baldwin model 6000E

Baldwin retired verticals. These include:

Baldwin Model 5000E

Baldwin Model 248E

Baldwin Model 243E

Baldwin Model 2000E

D.H Baldwin 560 series

D.H Baldwin 570 series

The Hamilton H310 series

The Hamilton H350 series

The Hamilton H360 series

The Hamilton H370 series

Checking the age of your Baldwin

The age of a Baldwin piano is checked by looking at the serial number in the piano and then comparing it with the date of manufacture. Serial numbers are made corresponding to certain years of manufacture and therefore you should have a serial number index to help you.

How to buy a Baldwin upright piano

Before buying a Baldwin upright piano make sure you do thorough research on its price, quality and the various kinds of models available. It is advisable for you to search online on the relevant websites so as to compare prices. Prices in UK, US, France, Netherlands and other western countries are cheaper when compared to other countries. However with the rising imports from China you are also likely to find cheap Chinese imports. Make sure that you ascertain its quality. You can also seek professional appraisal if you can afford their services.

Maintenance of an upright Baldwin Piano

Baldwin upright pianos should be constantly refurbished and refinished to make sure that the strings are tight and the frame is strong. It is advisable to check the strings tightness especially as it affects the quality of the sound produced. It is advisable that you take the piano for tuning every six months. Make sure the frame is not exposed to any other forces such as a child sitting on it as this shortens the life of the piano. Remember that a well maintained piano can last more than 150 years.

Bechstein pianos were founded by Carl Bechstein who was born in 1826.Hw attended the French school of Piano building and was inspired to produce pianos which could withstand great forces. He therefore established a piano manufacturing company in 1853 in Berlin which grew in leaps and bounds. Apart from his native Germany he began to receive orders from as far as USA, France, Netherlands and the UK. Though the company withstood the great depression it was severely affected by the Second World War and never really quite recovered to its former position. It therefore entered into several mergers and acquisitions.

The Bechstein pianos are preferred because of tradition, rich heritage, precision, quality, optimum investment in resources, materials and generally a good value of money.

Just like the other models of pianos it comes in two forms:

a) Bechstein upright piano

b) Bechstein grand piano.

Model A which is 5ft 11in (182cm) long. However it has 85 notes instead of 88.

Model B which is 6ft 8in (203cm) long

Model C which is 7ft 4in (225cm) long

Model D which is 8ft 2in (250cm) long

Model E which is 9ft   (275cm)   long

Model M which is 5ft (178cm) long. Model M replaced model A though it has 88 keys and not 85.

Model S which is 4ft 7in (140cm) long

Model K which is 5ft 1in (155cm) long

Model L which is 5ft 6in (168cm) long

The majority of the above brands are made from Ebony and Mahogany.

Bechstein Upright pianos are also classified as below:

Model 10: This is also called the V model and is 127cm tall and has 85 notes.

Model 9: This is also called model IV and is 122cm tall. It has 85 notes.

Model 8: This is also called model III and is 127cm tall. It has 88 notes. It is available in      maple, ebony, walnut and rosewood.

Model 7: This is also called model II and is 138cm tall and has 88 notes.It is made from ebony or rosewood.

Model 6: This is also called model I and is 145cm tall and has 88 notes. It is made from ebony or rosewood.

Some of the bechstein piano brand names are:The millennium, classic 118,Classic 124,Contur 124,Elegance 124,concert 8.

Bechstein serial numbers

If you want to know how old your bechstein piano is you can check its serial number and then look it up it up in the serial index. Here are a few serial numbers and their corresponding years.

Serial No.   Year

180311-       1989

182103-       1992

183219-        1994

184580-         1996

188400-        2001

How to buy

When shopping for pianos to buy do a thorough research. Pianos are an expensive investment and it is only fair that you get the best value for money. Shoppers in western countries like the UK, US, Germany, Netherlands and France definitely have more options to look for pianos than those in the developing countries like China and India.

Sample prices for bechstein pianos

Bechstein Model M Grand piano £17,999

Bechstein Model C Grand piano  £11,500

Bechstein Model III upright piano   £6,500

Bechstein Model 8 upright piano    £8,500

Bechstein Model 9 upright piano    £ 4,000