“For Students”
Guide to Purchasing a Piano Or Keyboard
Guide to Finding the Right Teacher
How do I find the right teacher?
You’ll want a teacher who will inspire and nurture a student’s musical growth and install lifelong love of music. When seeking a music teacher:
• Consult with friends, family & others who are acquainted with teachers in your community
• Ask for recommendations from local music teacher organizations, music stores, schools or churches
• Arrange to interview prospective teachers, in person if possible, before making a commitment
• Ask permission to attend a recital of the prospective teacher’s students
How do I interview prospective teachers?
Teachers are willing and eager to explain their techniques and objectives. The following are types of questions to ask during the interview:
• What is your professional and educational experience in music?
• What is your teaching experience? What age groups do you teach?
• How do you participate in on-going professional development?
• Are you nationally certified by MTNA?
• Do you have a written studio policy? Will you review it with me?
• Do you regularly evaluate student progress?
• What instructional materials do you use?
• What kinds of music do you teach?
• What other elements are parts of your teaching curriculum?
• Do you offer group lessons?
• Do you require students to perform in studio recitals during the year?
• Do you offer other performance opportunities for your students, such as festivals and competitions?
• Do you use technology in your studio, such as computers, music instruction software and digital keyboards?
• How much practice time do you require each day?
• What do you expect of your students? Their parents?
What is the parent’s role?
Parental support in the learning process is vital. Whether or not you know anything about music, take time to listen to your child play, provide exclusive practice time on quality instrument, and celebrate his/her continued accomplishments.
How is music beneficial for all learners?
Today there are unprecedented reasons for making music a part of everyone’s life. Students taking music lessons now will determine the place of music in America and the value society places on music tomorrow. Regardless of what these students ultimately choose as a profession, music making will remain a part of their lives, whether it’s listening to music, attending concerts or serving as leaders in art associations, and community and church music programs.
Benefits of Music Study:
• Hearing music stimulates the mind
• Music instruction enhances abstract reasoning skills
• Grade school students who took music lessons generally scored higher on cognitive development tests
• In older people, music helps lower depression and decreases loneliness
• Playing an instrument strengthens eye-hand coordination and fine motor skills
• Music lessons teach discipline, dedication and enable students to achieve goals
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF PIANOS?
• Spinet – this piano is similar to an upright but usually much shorter. The sound quality is below the uprights and grands, but so is the price!
• Upright – this piano sits vertically (the strings are mounted vertically) with a “cabinet” that can be almost five feet tall.
• Grand – this piano sits horizontally (the strings are mounted horizontally)
HOW MUCH DO PIANOS COST?
• Spinets and cheaper uprights can start around $2000 brand new – possibly less if used. High quality uprights could be closer to $8000 brand new.
• Grand Pianos can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 brand new. The price difference depends primarily upon the brand and size of the piano.
WHAT PIANO BRAND NAMES ARE AVAILABLE?
There are many brand names out there. Below are listed some of the most well-known:
• Baldwin • Bechstein • Bosendorfer • Boston • Bechstein • Essex • Estonia • Everett • Hobart M. Cable • Kawai • Kemble • Mason & Hamlin • Pearl River • Petrof • Samick • Steinway & Sons • Story & Clark • Yamaha • Young Chang
SHOULD I BUY A USED PIANO OR A NEW PIANO FOR MY PIANO LESSONS?
This depends mostly upon the condition of the piano. A high-end used piano might be better than a lower-end new piano for the same amount of money. However, the opposite might be true as well – if the used piano is in poor condition, then buying a lower-end newer piano might be a better deal. When buying any piano, it is a good idea to consult a piano technician first. Ask him/her questions about what brands they would recommend, and offer to pay them to inspect any piano before you buy.
WHAT SHOULD I CONSIDER WHEN BUYING ANY PIANO?
• Tone. How does the piano sound to you? How does it compare to pianos in a similar price range?
• Functionality. Do all of the keys work? Do the pedals work?
• Key Touch. You should also consider if each key sounds just as loudly and clearly as all the other keys (this has to do with “voicing”).
• Tuning Stability. It would be nice to know if the piano you are considering buying will stay in tune fairly well. All pianos must be tuned at least twice a year in order to maintain their peak operating condition.
WHAT FEATURES ARE THERE TO CONSIDER WHEN BUYING A KEYBOARD?
Usually the features that it has in common with the acoustic piano are the primary considerations for students interested in taking piano lessons.
• Number of Keys. Most teachers like students to have keyboards with at least 61 “full-size” keys. 88 is the number an acoustic piano has so the closer you can afford to 88, the better.
• Touch Sensitive. This means that the sound varies in loudness depending upon how quickly you depress the key (much like in an acoustic piano).
• Pedal Attachment. While most beginning piano students don’t use the sustaining pedal right away, students do usually play pieces requiring this pedal within the first year or two of lessons. Some keyboards have a quarter-inch “female” plug in the back of the keyboard where a “pedal attachment” can be plugged in (usually purchased separately).
• Weighted Keys. Keyboards with this option have greater resistance when depressing the key – similar to an acoustic piano. These keyboards are also usually much more expensive than keyboards without weighted keys.
• MIDI. MIDI stands for “Musical Instrument Digital Interface”. Keyboards with this capability can be plugged into peripheral equipment and computers that can do a myriad of alterations to the electronic signal from the keyboard. Few piano teachers really look for this option in their students’ keyboards.
• Voices. While selecting a keyboard with many cool sounds can be fun, it is rarely necessary for piano lessons.