September 28th, 2009 — Collectibles, Grand Pianos, Music, Pianos
The first pianos to be called “grand” were manufactured in 1777, and soon became status symbols that the wealthy and affluent all wanted to own. A grand piano can command a room. Usually, it’s the largest piece of “furniture” in a room, and draws the eye the moment you enter. It turns any space in to a musical one, making it clear that there’s no room for any other purpose but music and grandeur. While grand pianos are beautiful and rather majestic looking, the difference between them and upright pianos goes far beyond mere size and scope.
In an upright piano, the strings are perpendicular to the keys, necessitated by the shape and size of the instrument. The chief benefits to owning an upright piano are the price, which is much less than a grand or baby grand, and the mobility. They’re easier to move, they can be placed against a wall and fit into a relatively small space for such a large instrument. The grand piano, however, takes up a huge amount of space. They’re large and more difficult to move, and pretty much demand a huge room that they won’t overwhelm with their size.
The strings in a grand piano stretch outward the length of the piano. This is what gives the grand piano, and even the baby grand, a much richer sound than an upright. The length of the strings allows for a truer tone and more resonance. Concerts and performances aren’t given on a grand piano just because it looks impressive on the stage—the sound quality is unparalleled. If you want to buy a grand piano, make sure you have a room large enough to do it justice. The ceiling height is an important consideration. A higher ceiling allows for more resonance of sound, while a ceiling that’s too low will only dampen the rich sounds of the piano.
When you decide to purchase a grand piano, you can choose a used or new instrument. This is a matter of personal preference, of course, but a well-loved and often-played instrument brings with it its own sense of history. While the sound of the instrument should be the most important consideration, you’ll want to make sure the wood is in good shape, the finish is true, and whether it’s original or has been renovated. A refinished grand piano can be a beautiful instrument, and better than one in bad condition, but you’ll want to know these details before you make a purchase.
Also keep in mind that grand piano lengths do vary quite a bit. If you’re looking to buy one simply for the appearance, then even a baby grand piano will give you the look you’re after in a smaller amount of space, and for a smaller price. But if the sound is important to you, and it should be, a longer grand piano is a better purchase than a shorter one, whether you’re buying used, antique or new. The longer the strings are, the truer and richer the tones will be.
Originally posted 2008-11-13 05:06:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts -
45 Records Collectables -> Radio, Phonograph, TV, Phone -> Phonographs, Accessories Many of us remember, and many of us still own, 45 records. While all vinyl records went out of vogue in the 1980s thanks to the popularity of digital media sources, vinyl records are still manufactured and sold though mostly for...... -
Pinball Machines Collectibles -> Arcade, Jukeboxes and Pinball -> Pinball-> Machines Pinball machines are very special to many people and over the years, they have become very collectible. Whether you are looking for a pinball machine to restore or one that is in perfect order, they are a great addition to any...... - Tapestries Collectibles -> Linens, Fabric & Textiles -> Tapestries Tapestries are more than just beautiful wall hangings, they're woven art that served to tell stories in ancient times. The Odyssey and the Iliad were both “told” in woven form as large, rich tapestries. Every period in history has had major events......
- Personalized Shot Glasses Collectibles -> Barware -> Shot Glasses For the person who has everything, personalized gifts can be some of the most thoughtful, so why not choose personalized shot glasses? There are many advantages to this type of collectible item, both as a gift, and as something you collect yourself. Personalized shot......
-
Gramophones Collectibles -> Radio, Phonograph, TV, Phone Collectibles Gramophones are a truly unique collectible and when they are in good condition, they offer not only enhanced value, but you may actually be able to use it. When you are shopping for a gramophone, there are a few things that you need......
Related Websites -
Guide to Buying the Oboe Learning how to play a musical instrument can be an exciting and rewarding adventure. Finding the right instrument is an integral part of learning how to play beautiful music on this intriguing and exciting instrument. If your mission is to purchase a brand new oboe, then it is important to...... -
Fiddling Instruments: A Primer pt 3 ... Continued from pt. 2 Sarangi One of the most foremost out of all of the bowed relatives is the sarangi, which is an instrument capable of making a voice like and evocative sound that is one of the best of the instruments from north India as well as Pakistan....... -
Acoustic Musical Instruments Glossary, pt 2 Bucking - Bucking is characterized by the cancellation of one frequency component or signal by another signal that has the equal amount of amplitude but an opposite polarity. Capo - Short for capotasto, a Capo is a moveable bar that is attached to the finger board of any fretted instrument...... -
Introduction to Bass Guitar Tablature A guitar tab, or guitar tablature is a system of letters, symbols, notations and other visual representations that dictate how music should be played, rather than following traditional musical notation. Guitar tablature gives directions to the bass player or guitar player regarding how they should play a musical piece. What...... - Buyer's Guide for Banjos There are a number of elements to consider when buying a banjo. The main thing to look for is a banjo that is comfortable, easy to play, and does not hurt your hands. Push down on the strings up and down the neck to make sure they have enough give......
Online Stores Online Stores
September 11th, 2009 — Accordion, Collectibles, Music
An accordion is a fascinating and unusual musical instrument that requires bellows, buttons or keys and reeds to make music. Though it looks like a fairly sturdy instrument, it’s actually pretty fragile on the inside and should be handled with care. When one part of the instrument breaks down, the whole instrument becomes quickly unusable, since all the parts of an accordion work together to make the sound.
While you can buy accordions in online auctions, it’s best to stick to someone who specializes in accordions and is willing to give you a written guarantee. The very best solution is to buy an accordion in person so you can be sure the instrument plays properly. Or have the seller play it a bit for you to be sure it’s in working order.
Though few people think of an accordion as a fine musical instrument, it is. And it requires tender loving care, just like every other musical instrument. In fact, it may be even more fragile than most instruments. An accordion contains several reeds—usually metal reeds. If one comes loose, the whole sound suffers. The reeds are usually attached with some sort of resin or beeswax, so this needs to be replaced by a reputable repair person every several years or so.
Not many manufactures ever dealt with creating the accordion. Scarlatti is a Chinese company that manufacturers accordions, and Delicia and Serenelini are Czech and Italian, respectively. These might be the most likely names you’ll find when look at accordians. If you do choose to buy an accordion from an online seller, be sure the case comes with the instrument. If the seller opts to ship the accordion without a case, you’ll most likely end up with a damaged instrument.
An accordion should be stored on its bass end, vertically—usually four or five little feet become apparent on closer inspection, offering a base on which to stand the accordion. It should be kept in a dry place, out of direct sunlight, in its closed case whenever possible. If you have the instrument apart at any time, don’t touch any of the metal inside, including the reeds. Where you touch it, it will rust. Also, don’t blow on a reed, as if to blow away dust. The moisture in your breath can also cause the reed to rust.
One of the key things when buying an accordion, is to make sure it’s in good condition. If you want the instrument to be playable—and you should want one that’s playable because those are the ones that have value—the cost of repairing the instrument can be very limited for some. It can cost a thousand dollars to have every reed replaced, so the better condition the accordion you buy, the longer it will last before it needs repairs or an overhaul. Few people want to purchase a collectible instrument only to have to pay over $1000 to have it restored. Contact an accordion dealer or repair person and ask questions before purchasing.
Originally posted 2008-12-05 05:00:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
Related Posts - 45 Records Collectables -> Radio, Phonograph, TV, Phone -> Phonographs, Accessories Many of us remember, and many of us still own, 45 records. While all vinyl records went out of vogue in the 1980s thanks to the popularity of digital media sources, vinyl records are still manufactured and sold though mostly for......
-
Caring for Doll Collectibles The term collectible refers to just about anything that you can imagine, as long as it is something that can be collected, and something that holds value to someone, somewhere. For example, many people enjoy doll collectibles, so much so that doll collectibles are some of the most popular collectibles...... -
Ebay Collectibles To make a living with ebay collectibles, you need to have a good way to find a stream of products to sell. Ebay can be a great marketing tool, but an ebay collectibles business will fail if you don't constantly find more items. The best advice is to get sellers...... -
Buying Wine in Restaurants Ordering a bottle of wine at a restaurant can be confusing and even daunting. Many times, what little information available is incomplete or even wrong. To make matters worse, not many restaurants have a wait staff that is knowledgeable about the wines in question, leaving them to be of little...... -
Fountain Pen Collectables -> Pens-and-Writing-Instruments -> Pens You can walk into almost any store today and purchase a fountain pen. Technically, the modern ballpoint pen is a fountain pen, at least by definition. But the type of fountain pen most people think of is a vintage pen that's refillable and has......
Related Websites - Wookin' Pa Nub: Search Yourselves Silly. Four months and 115 articles later, it's officially time to add search functionality to Pye in the Face. If you'd like to revisit something you read weeks ago, and don't know where to look, simply type an appropriate keyword into the search box on the left and see what happens.......
-
Accordion 101 The accordion is closely related to another instrument, the concertina. Both of these instruments are essentially glorified mouth organs that utilize reeds that are generally made out of tempered steel. These tempered steel reeds are set in vibration using a rectangular shaped bellows. The bellows are operated using the left...... -
Introduction to Woodwind Instruments, pt 1 Woodwind instruments are musical instruments that produce sound when a player blows air against the opening in or edge of the instrument. This action causes the air to vibrate within a resonator within the instrument. Most commonly when it comes to these instruments, the player is blowing against a thin...... -
Different Ways To Do Your Best To Shop For Food Ethically. I am sure that you know by now that every single dollar you spend on something has an affect on people somewhere down the line of manufacturing. From where you buy your clothes to where you get your food, every step along the way is affected by the step above...... -
What Is Your Dollar Really Worth? I have been contemplating the worth of money lately. I know what you're thinking, "A dollar is worth a dollar, dummy"...but I'm not talking about the numeric value. My wife and I haven't always been on the same wavelength when it comes to some of the little splurges in......
Online Stores Online Stores
