Piano Lessons- Music Theory Lessons

Hi Robert,

Where are the steps and half steps in the major scale?

I mean, why is the half step between the 3rd and 4th notes (E and F) and not between 4th and 5th, or 5ht and 6th…?

Ricardo

Ricardo,

This is a great question. In fact, centuries ago the half steps were found in different places. These were called modes. Basically, if you start a scale on different notes, the half-steps will occur in different places. Think of playing the white keys starting on D and ending on D instead of going from C to C. Instead of having half-steps between the 3rd-4th and 7th-8th notes, as in a major scale, they would be between the 2nd-3rd and 6th-7th notes creating what is called the Dorian mode. You can start modes on any scale degree creating different modes.

Eventually, the major/minor tonality caught on. One reason for this is the power of the raised 7th. While the minor scale is actually a version of the Aeolian mode (which are the notes starting on the 6th note of the major scale) it is most often found in 2 altered forms, the harmonic minor (which has a raised 7th) and the melodic minor (which has a raised 6th and 7th). What is so powerful about major/minor tonality is that some tones are stronger than others. There are active tones which must resolve to restive tones. Just try playing a slow major scale ascending and stop on the 7th note. You will feel incredibly compelled to play the last note. That is the power of tonality!

Hi Robert;
I have a 7 foot Steinway piano. During these terribly cold months, it has been going out of tune.

I have a damp chaser. Would a microfiber blanket be safe to cover the INSIDE of the piano?

Also, what temperature should my gas heater be kept at night?

please let me know. I read your e-mails; they are very helpful.

Thanks,
Mary

Mary,

Your piano will keep its tuning best in a stable environment. The rule of thumb is if the piano is sitting in a place you would be comfortable sitting day and night, your piano will probably be fine. A string covering blanket could be helpful. However, the underside of the soundboard will still be exposed. Fluctuations of temperature from the 60’s to 70’s shouldn’t present problems. Avoid direct sunlight on the soundboard. This can change the tuning rapidly.

Can You Play the Piano Too Hard?

This is a very common question I get all the time. However, it’s mostly a concern for parents with young children who are worried about the damage that might be done when their children bang on the keys of the piano. I find it very funny actually – as I see this quite a bit – where a young child will go to the piano and start banging on the keys and the parents tell them, “don’t do that; you’re going to break the piano!”

The truth is your kids won’t be able to harm your piano simply by playing it with their fingers. Now, it’s a complete thing altogether if they drop something heavy or sharp onto the keys – that can cause some serious damage. But just playing the piano with their fingers is little – to pretty much zero – risk of any sort of damage.

A concert pianist playing Liszt or Chopin or other composers will play the piano with such force that even if a child hitting the keys with their fists they would never be able to equal the power of the pianist. Pianos are designed to withstand a tremendous amount of force.

Now, the question of whether or not you can play the piano too hard is a bit more involved. When it comes to sound quality, it is possible to play the piano too hard – to the point where the sound quality is degraded. For example, a concert level Steinway or Baldwin or other top-tier pianos (voiced on the mellow side) would be able to withstand an extreme level of playing and produce a very nice and clear sound. However, a cheaper piano – or one not regulated properly with harder hammers – would not be able to withstand the same amount of force without sacrificing some of the quality of the sound; you will most likely get distorted tones.

The biggest factors when it comes to sound quality and playing the piano too loud are the quality of the instrument and the hardness of the hammers (or how the piano is voiced). A piano that is voiced bright will have to be played a little more gently. I find this to be common when it comes to European pianos. They tend to be voiced a little more on the bright side and it is easier to overplay them.

The best guide is to simply use your ears. There might be a Steinway that is voiced too bright and there might be a Bechstein that is voiced on the lower end – it’s all up to your ears and you as the player to tell what is working and what isn’t when it comes to sound.

Is there any indication that you can be playing the piano too loud? Other than looking around the room and seeing if anyone is covering their ears there is the possibility that room acoustics can play a very important role in the loudness of the piano.

This took me a very long time to learn properly but the room in which a piano is placed has a lot to do with how it sounds. There is a possibility of an undersized piano for a room – where it will sound too quiet and the pianist will play the instrument harder to get more sound – and there is a possibility of the piano being too big for a room as well – leading to sound degradation and unhappy listeners. This truly is a topic for another video, but again just listen and make your own judgment as to whether or not the sound quality is ok.

Hi Robert

I’ve been watching your tutorials on YouTube and found them inspirational, I too wish to one day play the piano professionally. I’ve just got a keyboard atm because my home can’t support a piano.

What do you suggest I practice on a daily basis to become better and more fluent in music? Do I need a tutor? I’m just really unsure on those topics and it worries me.

Thanks,

– Varis

I wish you great success in music! If you want to work as a pianist, there are many different possibilities. So, the preparation necessary will be determined by the specific goal you have. In any event, having great training is essential for the vast majority of people who make careers in music. I suggest immersing yourself in music and piano and developing some sort of vision as to what you want for yourself. Then you can work backward from that point. You may realize that having a piano and lessons are important facets to assure progress depending upon the nature of the career you aspire to.

All the best-

Hi Robert,

I asked about the Grotrian because there is one I’m considering in Chicago, a 2010 Charis model (6’10”), pre-owned. But I’m just not sure about the piano. It has a gorgeous sound, but it’s badly regulated, with uneven action, problems with p-pp playing in some registers, many keys remain sticking up when you push them up. I’m concerned about what happened to that piano when it was privately owned(in Colorado).

Is this normal for a new piano? Any guess on what happened to it?

Could you recommend a reputable tech in Chicago? Thank you again.

Brian

I would be very cautious about the Grotrian you are considering. It is not normal for an almost new piano to have these sorts of problems. It calls into question the history of the instrument. If it is being liquidated at a fire sale price, it could be worth the risk. Please let me know what they are asking for the piano. It would be wise to get a technician to look over the instrument to make sure there isn’t something severely wrong with it.

Best wishes-

Living Pianos: Classic Restored Pianos grew out of a live show I have been performing for a number of years, Living Piano: Journey Through Time: Historic Concert Experience.

I noticed that at so many of the concerts I performed that I was the youngster in the room! I felt their should be a way to bring young people into the fold. That is when I had the idea for Living Piano. In music conservatory, I majored in piano and French horn! In fact, through much of my career I was focused on music technology owning a recording studio producing music for film and video and presenting my Keyboard Showcase performance offering audiences a glimpse into how computers had impacted music.

Eventually the technology grew to the point where the live performance became almost irrelevant as looped based composition/music production replaced performing. So, I went back to my roots as a performer and acquired historical instruments, learned how to play them and began bringing them to audiences at universities, colleges, art centers, museums and even a Living Piano cruise!

Today I perform a wide range of musical events including Living Piano: Journey Through Time: Historic Concert Experience in which I bring young prodigy performers I work with in period costumes of Mozart and Liszt. It ceases to amaze me the universal appeal of the story of the development of the piano. I have performed Living Piano for audiences of all ages and offer my program in a variety of settings including fund-raising events for worthwhile causes including schools and arts organizations facing the challenge of acquiring concert level pianos.

There is really no ONE part of a piano that is more important than all of the others; however, there are TWO pieces of a piano that are absolutely fundamental to the health of the instrument.

The first piece is the cast iron plate. Structurally, the plate needs to be solid for the health of the instrument. There are over 20 tons of string tension exerted onto the plate – its integrity is essential for the proper function of a piano.

Can piano plates crack? The answer is yes. It is very rare to find a cracked plate, however, there are certain models and designs with thin sections of the plate which are prone to cracking. Also, a piano that has been dropped may suffer cracks in the plate.

If you are looking to buy a piano that has a cracked plate, it can be a deal breaker. It can be like buying a house with a crack in the foundation. It’s usually fatal unless the crack is on the perimeter of the plate and is self-contained.

Hi Robert,
I have an old piano that has been performing beautifully but recently a few strings have been causing trouble. It is 60 years old, a Challen, British made and upright. The Piano tuner has taken a string away and will replace it. I have heard however that a piano that needs a new string is a sign of other problems, perhaps even a need to buy a new piano which we do not want to do. The piano I own is a family friend and has traveled the world with us.
Any advice?
Michael

Sorry you’re having trouble with your piano. A broken string is not necessarily a big problem. However, if there is significant rust or corrosion and you start breaking strings on a regular basis, this could indicate that you need restringing which is expensive. However, one or two broken strings over a period of time are no big deal. Hopefully you can enjoy your piano for years to come without major work.

Robert,
I have a Chickering that folds down into a table. I found it while cleaning out of a storage unit.
It sounds great and looks good. Was wondering if you knew what year it was made or where I could find out?? thanks for any help

Larry

These pianos are a relic from the past – kind of a detour in the development of the piano. They are terrible instruments and parts are hard to come by. If you know the brand name that could help determine its value. The age could possibly be from the 1860’s. If you can locate a serial number on the unit somewhere, that along with the brand name is all you would need to figure out the date of manufacturer. These are strictly furniture pieces unsuitable for serious playing.

Thanks for contacting me. Please feel free to let me know any other information I can help you with.

Hi Robert,

Two questions, please:

If a large grand piano was delivered to a house, would it have to fit through a door fully assembled or could the legs be removed and the body be tilted vertically?

Also, installing a MIDI system (regardless of the brand), could that be installed by a technician at the house or would it have to be installed at a “workshop” before it gets delivered?

Thanks Robert!

Brian

Thanks for the great questions! All grand pianos are moved on their side with the pedals and legs removed. They are put on what is called a grand board and rolled in on a 4 wheel flat dolly. Professional movers make it look easy because they know exactly what they are doing.

Player installation is an involved process. So, it must be done in a workshop and preferably by a piano technician since it involves some surgery that must be performed correctly to avoid any compromise to the piano. My installers are 1st rate piano technicians who specialize in player installs.

I may be able to include the cost of delivery in the purchase of the piano since I have so many pianos crisscrossing the country. Please feel free to fire away any other questions that occur to you.

This is an excellent question. Sometimes bigger is not always better when it comes to putting a piano in your home. There are occasions when too big of a piano can cause too much volume yet having a piano that is undersized for the space can create too many demands for the instrument. This video and article will explain how to tell what size piano is right for you and your home.

There are two things involved in selecting the size of your piano: the volume of air in the room and the acoustic properties (or the number of reflective surfaces you have).

The general rule when it comes to pianos is that all things being equal, bigger is better. It’s especially crucial for experienced players to have a large grand to practice on because you will most likely be performing on 7 or 9-foot pianos in performance and it’s always easier to transition to a smaller piano.

In my loft, I practice on a 9-foot concert grand (Baldwin SD-10). There is a lot of volume to the room – the ceilings are very high, and there is a lot of open space – and the acoustics lend very well to a larger piano. However, I used to live in a house and would practice on the same piano – it was in an enormous room and had vaulted ceilings – but when I practiced I would need to wear a pair of earplugs at times because the sound was just too much to handle.

Now on the other side, you can have a piano that is too small for a room. As a result, most players will only play harder to get more sound out of it. Playing too hard on the piano will cause the piano to age prematurely – I have seen this many times before in schools and churches where the piano is undersized for the space.

If you have a small room with very high ceilings – let’s say 20 feet tall – you can have a much larger piano because you have a tremendous amount of air in the room. On the other hand, if you have a larger room with low ceilings, you might need to get a smaller piano.

If you have a room with carpet, drapes, and soft furniture, that will tend to absorb a lot of the sound of the piano. If you have hardwood floors and not much in the room you will have a lot more reflective noise generated.

The best thing to do is stand in the room you plan to put your piano in and clap your hands. See how much sound you get. Sing a little bit – does it seem like your voice is enhanced (like singing in the shower)? If you tend to get more sound by clapping, talking, or singing in your room you have a loud room; you will probably be able to get by with a smaller piano.

Now if you want to have a larger piano and you have a loud room, there are ways to fix this. You can put a rug under your piano and cut down on the sound quite a bit. You will certainly tell the difference in the amount of noise coming out of the instrument. Remember, half the sound of the piano is generated underneath the piano from the soundboard.

Thanks again for watching and reading. Hope you enjoyed this information and please, keep those questions coming!

Robert,
What do reshaped hammers mean? I have seen this in some of the pianos you have on your site and am wondering as to what this means.
Sonja-

Good question! When hammers impact the strings, over time they develop deep grooves which are compacted felt. It creates a brittle tone. Hammers that are really worn can even flatten a bit. So, you can bring new life to hammers by reshaping them to the egg-shape which produces the best tone. Better than that, you get down to virgin felt which has a warmer sound. You can only reshape hammers so many times until you get to the wood – then you have to replace the hammers. These hammers have plenty of good felt to work with, so years down the line they can be reshaped again a number of times.

I may use this question and answer in my next video newsletter!

Robert,
Why isn’t the pin block made of metal? It does not need to transfer sound and metal would not have to be replaced.
– Kenneth

You ask a very good question. In fact, before the turn of the 20th century, Mason & Hamlin did indeed produce a limited number of upright and grand pianos that had metal, threaded pinblocks – not wood! These were referred to as “sidewinders” because the pins were parallel to the strings, not at right angles like in traditional pianos. They abandoned the design in a few short years and I am not aware of any other piano manufacturer utilizing metal pinblocks.

There are several benefits to wood pinblocks. First, the pins are threaded very finely. This allows for precise tuning. It is difficult to have metal machine screws with the geometry and strength to allow for the extreme fine tuning necessary in a piano. The fact is, there are over 20 tons of combined string tension in a piano. With a traditional pinblock when you restring the piano, you can use slightly larger pins and get excellent tuning stability. With a metal pinblock, the machine screws don’t allow for that possibility. Worse yet, if the metal breaks, it can be very difficult repairing. In traditional pianos with a wood pinblock, you can even replace the pinblock if necessary.

So, there are good reasons why nearly all pianos have had wood pinblocks for hundreds of years.