An acoustic phenomenon that helps make a piano sound beautiful is sympathetic resonance. If we play a note on the piano, other, compatible notes vibrate in sympathy as long as there are no dampers...

How to buy a used piano

A properly crafted piano can be a magnificent instrument that will last for ages and produce the most beautiful sounds. Buying a used piano can therefore be an excellent...

Creating a Healthy Environment for Your Piano

If you have an acoustic piano you'll want to take the best possible care of it, and the most important factor is the room environment. Once you...

The Useful Tips You Need to Know

Learning how to clean a piano is a very important to enhance the durability and the functionality of your instrument. Regular cleaning will not only keep your piano...

For generations – centuries even – pianists have sought the secret to playing with a beautiful tone. Teachers have attributed a beautiful sound to a certain type of hand and shape of...

A piano keyboard may look confusing at first, but the layout of piano keys is actually very simple. While it would be nearly impossible to identify individual keys if all we had were the white...

History is full of famous piano players in all musical genres. This article focuses on the most famous and innovative piano players in classical music history. They are the “Big 5,”...

A Pianist’s Review of the AvantGrand

I recently had an opportunity to play the AvantGrand, the new Yamaha digital piano that represents the current state of the art, and wanted to share my...

It was a harpsichord maker named Bartolomeo Cristofori who invented the piano in 1700. Cristofori (pronounced kris-TOFF-or-ee) (1655–1731) was from Padua, in the Republic of Venice in...

Question: I was wondering, what are the notes on a piano?

– Lily (Corpus Christi, Texas, USA)

Albert’s reply: I assume you’re talking about the names of the keys… but...

Question: I have a Concord upright cabinet grand piano, serial #22580. I want to sell it but am not sure what to charge. I’ve been researching for a while but can’t seem to get...

Question: What does u.c. mean?

Albert’s reply: u.c. stands for una corda and it refers to a piano’s leftmost of the three piano pedals. It is also called the soft pedal because...

Question: Who invented the piano? When, and what types of pianos are there?

– Sam Willequette

Albert’s reply: The piano was invented by an Italian harpsichord maker named Bartolomeo...

The piano is an unmusical instrument, in some ways the least musical of all instruments. It is by nature impersonal, a purely mechanical device. Its hammers are totally indifferent to what triggers...

Question: Hi Albert,

Thanks for this great site! My question is, I have a Yamaha upright that’s about 20 years old and I’m thinking about buying a new piano. I fell in love with a...

Although as a classical pianist I play an acoustic piano, there are people and situations for whom a digital piano is a practical solution, and I get asked for recommendations. The excellent action...

What factors determine piano values, and how much is your piano worth? While a piano, like anything else, is ultimately worth whatever a seller can get for it, a piano’s real value is the...

Question: What is the full scale of the keyboard/piano, and what is the first note on the keyboard?

– Patience (Salem, South Carolina, USA)

Albert’s reply: The first key on the...

What are all those piano pedals for, and how did they get there? This article explores the pedals and their history.

The piano pedals have by no means remained constant throughout the history of...

A Blessing in Disguise!

My piano’s right pedal broke the other day. The piano pedal didn’t break off or anything; it just got disconnected. Since it seems all the piano technicians in...

Question: Can anyone recommend a source for piano insurance? I’ve heard of Heritage, etc., and the closest source I’ve found was pianoinsurance101.com and Piano World.

Albert’s...

The purpose of piano appraisal is to determine a fair price for a piano. Fair market value should not be confused with a piano’s worth as a musical instrument, or even its actual quality....

Question: Hi Albert,

I have three pianos: two digital Rolands and a Steinway upright. All three have a very light touch. The problem is that after learning a piece with fast runs that...

Question: Finances keep me from getting a piano. Can a keyboard help while one is getting started?

– Caleb (Phoenix, Arizona, USA)

Albert’s reply: Keyboards can certainly be fine for...

Many people looking to buy or sell a seek to appraise its value by means of a so-called “blue book” of pianos. A blue book of pianos is a compilation of prices of new and used pianos,...