Learn like a Concert Pianist

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 it is primarily used to soften the sound.

On a grand piano, the left pedal shifts the keyboard...

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 Cristofori in 1700. I wrote more details in the article Who Invented the Piano?.

As for the types of...

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 them. Anything or anyone can depress a key and the same pitch will be heard. Its pitches are almost...

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 Steinway M, but it’s so expensive and I’m only an intermediate player. Should I buy a Boston...

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 of many Roland digital piano models impresses me, particularly in their upper-range models which...

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 result of many factors. This article will focus on a piano’s fair market value and discuss some...

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 standard, 88-key piano is A, and the top note is C.

However, the piano’s compass (its range of...

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 the piano. Today we refer to the piano’s right pedal as “the pedal,” but the number...

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 Vienna have a several-week waiting list, I was determined to take matters into my own hands…

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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 reply: What you’ll need to look for is not piano insurance in particular but rather the more...

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. While it is true that a better piano in better condition will have a higher market value compared to...

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 I’ve worked hard on, I try to play the piece on other pianos and it’s like I never looked...