Pianos prices online in the Philippines March 2021

Piano, which is a shortened name for pianoforte or called in Germany as a German Klavier, is a keyboard musical instrument that has wire strings that makes a sound when struck by felt-covered hammers operated from a keyboard. The standard piano of today usually contains 88 keys and has a compass of seven full octaves plus a few other keys. The vibration of the strings is transmitted to a soundboard by means of a bridge over which the strings are stretched; the soundboard amplifies the sound and affects its tone quality. The hammers that strike the strings are affixed to a mechanism resting on the far ends of the keys; hammer and mechanism compose the "action". The function of the mechanism is to accelerate the motion of the hammer, catch it as it rebounds from the strings, and hold it in position for the next attack.

Modern hammers are covered with felt; earlier, leather was used. The modern piano has a cast-iron frame capable of withstanding the tremendous tension of the strings; early pianos had wood frames and thus could only be lightly strung. Modern pianos are therefore much louder than were those of the 18th century, an increase in loudness necessitated in part by the size of 19th-century concert halls. Of the three pedals found on most pianos, the damper pedal on the right lifts all the felt dampers above the strings, allowing them all to vibrate freely. The left pedal shifts the keyboard and action sideways to enable the hammer to strike only one of the two or three unison strings of each tenor and treble key (the bass notes are only single-strung), and the middle pedal (generally available on grand pianos but also found on some upright pianos) usually holds up the dampers only of those keys depressed when the pedal is depressed.

Choosing your Own Dream Instrument

Choosing your first piano or keyboard can be quite confusing, a bit overwhelming, and downright exhausting, but it doesn't have to be. Because before you begin searching, it is important to have a clear focus on what you actually want on a piano. I know you want a keyboard or piano, but you really have to be more specific than that if you don't want to find yourself a month later, exchanging you expensive piano for something else or worse yet, leaving it alone in a corner gathering dust.

1. The first thing you should ask yourself is that, Where are you planning to place it? Will it be in a shared space or in a bedroom? Does it need to have an amazing factor or is it simply meant to be a functional piano without concern for form? Will you be moving the instrument around frequently?

2. Are you hoping someday to play at your church or somewhere with your group of friends or your own band? Do you move fairly regularly, or are you in a spot you'll be staying for years? Weight and size are important aspects to consider depending on those answers.

3. Who will be using it? Be sure that you have this conversation with everyone in your home that potentially is going to use it on a regular basis. Trust me, everyone will appreciate being able to offer their input.

4. What time of the day will you be using it? If you or any budding pianist are planning on practicing late at night or early in the morning, it will be especially important to choose a piano that offers the ability to use headphones so a keyboard would be recommended. This is just one of the many questions you need to ask yourself before buying a Piano or Keyboard.

Piano Specifications

Octave Span

Modern piano keyboards ordinarily have an octave span of 164–165 mm which measures around 6.5–6.5 in, resulting in the width of black keys averaging 13.7 mm or 0.54 in and white keys just about 23.5 mm (0.93 in) wide at the base, disregarding space between keys. Several reduced-size standards have been proposed and marketed.

A 15/16 size (152 mm (6.0 in) octave span) and the 7/8 DS Standard (140 mm (5.5 in) octave span) keyboard developed by Christopher Donison in the 1970s and developed and marketed by Steinbuhler & Company.

U.S. Pianist Hannah Reimann has actually promoted piano keyboards which have narrower octave spans and has already made a U.S. patent on the apparatus and methods for modifying existing pianos to provide accessible and interchangeable keyboards of different sizes. There have been plenty of variations in the design of keyboards to address technical and musical issues currently present.

The earliest designs of keyboards were heavily based on the notes used in the Gregorian chant and because of this it would often include B♭ and B♮ both as diatonic white notes, with the B♮ at the left side of the keyboard and the B♭ at the right.

Because of this, an octave would have eight white keys and only four black keys. The emphasis on these eight notes would be continued for a few centuries after the creation of the "seven and five" system was adopted, in the form of the short octave: the eight mentioned notes were arranged at the leftmost side of the keyboard, which compressed in the keys between E and C.

Amazing Brands to Choose From

1. Bösendorfer is one of the oldest luxury piano makers in the world, having started in Vienna, Austria in 1828. Ignaz Bösendorfer founded the company and was endowed with the honor of "official piano maker" to the Emperor of Austria in 1830. Bösendorfer is famous for inventing the extension to the 88-key keyboard with the Imperial Grand that boasts a 97-key keyboard, giving 8 octaves. This extra range made the Imperial Grand one of the most loved concert grands in the world, which continues to this day. The extra keys were so popular that Bösendorfer has extended the keyboard on many of their range. Bösendorfer offers luxury and exclusive pianos, they make only a few hundred pianos a year and each piano is handmade. Their pianos are known for a darker or richer sound than the purer but less full-bodied sound of other pianos.

Pros:

- One of the oldest piano manufacturers

- Exquisite tones and sounds

Cons:

- Some novice players may have difficulty with larger key pianos

- Some people may not enjoy the deeper and richer tones from this brand

2. Another great piano manufacturer from Germany, this time located in Leipzig. In 1853 Julius Blüthner started the company that is still run and managed by the Blüthner family. Forty-seven years later Blüthner had become the largest piano maker in Germany, producing over 5000 instruments a year. Despite its age, Blüthners Piano's are still renowned for their quality and a clear tone. Wilhelm Kempff, the acclaimed pianist, praised their pianos as 'precise' and having "unrivaled beauty". A Blüthner grand was the first piano to be ever used in an airborne recital, the company had amazingly built a piano for the famous airship Hindenburg which crossed the Atlantic Ocean together with the piano. But sadly World War Two impacted the piano maker quite heavily and their factory was destroyed by an air raid in 1943, fortunately, it was rebuilt in 1945.

Pros:

- Time tested quality

- Not many brands can match this name

Cons:

- The tones may seem weak-bodied compared to other brands

- Tuning can be quite difficult as it is best done by specialists

3. Steinway & Sons are possibly the most well known and revered piano manufacturers in the world. Every Steinway & Sons piano takes over a year to be built by their master craftsman and each piano is made of more than 12,000 parts. Heinrich Engelhard Steinweg began making pianos in his kitchen in Sessen, Germany at the ripe old age of 20. Twenty-five years after building his "kitchen" piano and 482 instruments later Heinrich decided to move to America. In New York, the now Henry E Steinway founded possibly the most famous of our piano makers, Steinway & Sons with his family in 1853. Steinway & Sons are actually the company considered to be the founders of the modern piano and have an amazing amount of patents 127 patents to this day. To be exact, to date there are 1700 professional pianists swear by their Steinway & Sons piano and many other musical institutions use them. Steinway & Sons is actually still building pianos across New York and also has a factory in Hamburg. The company produces grand and Upright pianos and also has two bespoke lines called Crown jewels and Custom for the customer who wants a real statement piece.

Pros:

- One of the most well-known brands in the world

- This brand has made many innovations to pianos

Cons:

- Can be very expensive

- Some models are hard to find

4. Bechstein is celebrated for producing pianos with great tone and beauty. As with all the elite piano makers listed here, Bechstein did all of his amazing work by hand. Remarkably Bechstein is another German piano manufacturer that was formed around 1853, this time it was built in Berlin. Carl Bechstein built his first piano for the vigorous and energetic player as well as the subtle and delicate pianist. In 1885 Bechstein had grown so much that it had opened a store in London and the amazing work of the manufacturer was massively enhanced when Queen Victoria bought a gilded Beckstein grand of her own. The London store grew to be the largest showroom in Europe and the company went on to build the Bechstein Hall, which we now call the Wigmore Hall. Many other stars and artists have tirelessly been supporters of the brand including the Beatles, Elton John, and even Freddy Mercury himself.

Pros:

- Made in Germany

- Very respectable heritage

Cons:

- Many competitors offer similar quality

5. The next brand we have is Fazioli Although the company only began in 1981, Paulo Fazioli has created one of the best piano makers in the world. As a concert pianist and the son of a famous cabinet maker Paulo Fazioli had the perfect background to create his very own unique piano. He went well beyond this with a passion to create an instrument with unrivaled touch and tone and without compromise. Simply put Paulo Fazioli wanted to make the best piano money could buy. This young piano maker has really made a mark producing exquisite instruments with an unrivaled reputation and respect. If you can afford it a Fazioli is a really beautiful instrument and, given the low production numbers, has a real potential to be a great investment.

Pros:

- The brand gained fame in a very short amount of time

- Very unique brand with a distinct tone

Cons:

- Many brands have been around much longer

- Some people do not like the tones of this brand

6. The last on this list will be Shigeru Kawai, Shigeru Kawai is a bespoke brand that spans out of the Kawai Piano stable. Kawai pianos were founded in 1927 by Koichi Kawai, his son Shigeru took on the company and built on his father's dream of building the world's finest piano. Nothing but the finest quality pianos come out of this premier Japanese piano maker. Shigeru Kawai pianos are a blend of traditional craftsmanship, technical innovations, and state-of-the-art materials. The soundboards are built using 10-year aged wood from the rare Ezo Spruce that is found in snow-shrouded mountains of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island. This is combined with a piano action, the Millennium III, which is made from modern composite. This action has received many plaudits, with some saying the Millennium III is the most significant development for the piano in our generation – some accolade.

Pros:

- The brand sets a standard for a new generation of pianos

- Very up-to-date material composition

Cons:

- Some people may prefer old traditional styles of pianos

- Some brands are much older

A Few Things to Take Note Of

Now there are plenty of questions that everyone asks about pianos but here are common ones that most new musicians will ask.

･ How often should a piano be tuned?

- As a matter of standard maintenance, a piano should at least be tuned twice a year. And a new piano should be tuned 4 times the first year its bought to compensate for string stretch and normal settling. Regular service by a qualified technician will help you to avoid expensive repairs in the future.

･ What is a Pitch raise or Pitch adjustment?

- When strings stretch above or drop below its optimal tension a pitch adjustment is necessary to bring the piano back to the pitch standard of A-440 this is the international pitch of a Piano. This will usually require the tuner to make 2, 3, or even more passes/tunings for every string the piano has.

･ When does a piano need rebuilding?

- A piano's touch, tone, and exterior will decline with age as with any other instrument, and depending on the quality of the piano, its usage and the maintenance performed on it will determine how soon it may need rebuilding again. The best way to decide when to rebuild your piano is to have the piano evaluated by a qualified technician to determine what the individual piano needs.

Trivia

･ Did you know that the piano was invented in Italy in 1709 by harpsichord maker Bartolomeo di Francesco Cristofori? One of Cristofori's original pianos still actually exists and its currently at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

･ The first pianos were too expensive for even the very wealthy to own. For nearly a century only aristocrats and royalty were even allowed to own pianos.

･ The piano has the widest range of tones of all instruments. A piano plays a note lower than the lowest note on a double-bassoon and higher than the top note of a piccolo – an entire orchestral range in one instrument!

･ When seated at a piano, the deepest bass range is the first key on your left, and the highest treble is the last key on the right.

･ There are 18 million non-professional piano players in the USA alone? And lastly, something worth taking note is that Pedals on pianos are called – from left to right – una corda, sostenuto, and the sustain pedal.

September 03, 2020