Author Archives: Steinway Piano Galleries

Piano Review: Roland HPi-7 Digital

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The Roland HPi-7 is a fantastic example of the type of Roland Digitals which Atlanta musicians have been enjoying for years. It allows the enjoyment and fun of creating music in your own home to even higher levels. It incorporates the technological advancements of  a color LCD screen, interactive visual lessons and great connectivity to provide an instrument which will encourage and reward anyone seeking to learn the piano regardless of their age and experience.

The Roland HPi-7 digital piano features an easy to read, wide color LCD display screen which enhances the unique Roland Digiscore notation and makes the interactive visual lessons easier to follow. The lessons provide a readily available music tutor with three programs for practice allowing music exploration for pupils of any age. The 128-voice polyphony feature together with the innovative key off resonance of tones combines to produce an authentic acoustic sound. This unique sound benefits from subtle tonal changes which occur when the keys become released.

roland_digital_pianoThe HPi-7 also benefits from the library of Roland stereo sampled sounds of the latest pianos. This creates a realistic and authentic piano samples which creates a rich resonance of sound. There are a number of nuances of acoustic pianos which have been cleverly emulated and integrated into the software of the HPi-7 including damper resonance, hammer response, string resonance and velocity sensitivity of the keys.

Roland has filled it to the brim with innovations including the Digiscore screen which has been built into the music rest for optimum viewing. This feature allows the display of notations for all internal songs, recorded performances, midi files and downloads. There is a “bouncing ball” cue which helps the musician keep time as you are playing, while the pages are “turned” visually on the screen. This makes it an excellent teaching piano. There is a split screen facility which allows for a metronome to be set while looking at playback notations, or show the lyrics and notations simultaneously.

NKB 05Connectivity is also impressive on the HPi-7. The ports for midi and USB together with two headphone jacks have been conveniently located for easy access on the front panel of the instrument. This makes it easy to play without the need for excessively long cords and cables.

The editing functions allow finger numbering to be added directly to the notations. It will also allow changes to song length and editing of individual notes within the music files. This can be easily accomplished while looking at the screen display of the music. You can even save notations to your music files as a bitmap, which can be transferred to your PC for sharing or printing.

info_02R_MRoland’s HPi-7 provides visual lessons which can act as a personal music tutor. The interactive lessons feature three courses which include independent music exercises and songs with variable difficulty levels together with check, practice and review screens. This provides an excellent basis for learning and can supplement formal lessons, or teach on an independent basis.

If you are looking for digital Roland pianos, Atlanta musicians should seriously consider the HPi-7. It provides the optimum balance of authentic acoustic sound with all the innovations of an interactive digital piano. Right now we have one that just came into our used stock. See the Used Pianos.

Steinway 1098 Upright Piano Review

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Steinway 1098 Piano

When anyone thinks of a piano, the name Steinway is always the first to come to mind. The brand name of Steinway & Sons is synonymous with beautiful timbre and fantastic quality.  Steinway has been crafting pianos since 1853, when master cabinet craftsman Henry E Steinway produced his first piano, built in his own home. By the time he had formally created the company and established Steinway & Sons, Henry had built over four hundred pianos. The first officially produced by Steinway & Sons sold to a family in New York for the sum of five hundred dollars and was identified as number 483.

For the next three decades, Henry together with his sons revolutionized the development of the modern piano. They patented over one hundred inventions which were based on scientific developments and research which emerged including theories on acoustics by renowned physicists. These amazing designs were coupled with superb craftsmanship to create a nationally recognized quality of piano creation.

While many people think Steinway piano ranges are limited to large grand pianos, their hand-craftsmanship and quality have actually been used to produce a number of upright piano models including the Steinway 1098. Steinway & Sons pride themselves on using the same craftsmen, techniques and processes which they use on a typical grand piano to produce a superior quality upright piano.

Steinway Upright Piano

While many of the world’s most talented and accomplished pianists from all genres of music prefer a Steinway piano, the upright models such as the 1098 remain more practical for many musicians. The 1098 allows for much of the quality and tone of a larger grand piano without needing an excessive amount of space. Steinway uprights are still made using over one hundred patented processes and features to ensure a superior quality of sound.

The frame is constructed from solid birch and maple to provide a great deal of stability and vertical strength. The braces are taped to ensure that the back frame remains straight and allows for consistent tuning.  The soundboard is constructed in a similar manor to that of a violin to allow an even and free response across the whole scale. The design and shape allows a great freedom of movement which creates a rich and longer tonal response.  The keys are individually weighted and are created to be stain resistant and chip proof to ensure the lasting beauty and functionality of the piano. The key bed is hand milled to promote a snug fit and a solid mounting which allows uncompromising and prolonged and precise action.

The Steinway 1098 provides a clarity of sound which is unrivalled by any other upright brand of piano. It makes a beautiful feature in any room and generates a satisfaction and love of playing in the most untrained novice to the most experienced aficionado. With a little care and attention, it can provide wonderful sounds and timbre of music for generations.

Through Steinway Piano Galleries of Atlanta you can order a new one or perhaps find a nice pre-owned Steinway Piano.

How to Take Care of Your Piano

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If you are the proud owner of a new piano in Atlanta, you may be searching for ways that will help you keep it functional, beautiful and elegant at all times. However, you must remember that taking proper care of your piano is a task which will require some of your attention and time. So, if you’re ready to really invest time in your piano and its maintenance, give the following aspects your attention.

Temperature Care

temperatureOne of the most important factors that you have to take care of in Steinway Pianos is the amount of heat and humidity you let in the room. The wood is extremely sensitive, so you can’t expose it to sudden changes in temperature. In a perfect world, you would have a good quality humidifier to maintain the humidity levels at 45 – 70%, and keep the temperature constant at about 20˚C.

Keyboard Care

cleaning piano keysIf you’ve had your piano for a long time, it is mandatory that you keep it clean and absolutely dust-free. For this, you only need to moisten a leather cloth slightly and clean the keyboard with it. Remember to apply minimum pressure as a lot will damage the internal strings. Also, to ensure the long life of the piano, make certain that you shut the lid every time you finish playing.

Location Care

Most good quality pianos, and especially high end pianos, such as the Steinway or even Yamaha Pianos, need a lot of care and looking after. Therefore, you also have to consider where you are placing the instrument. Experts suggest that the piano be kept somewhere against the wall of a room and as far away from the window as possible. Bear in mind that no matter what, keeping it away from the window is a must or else the wood of your piano will be damaged in a few years. Ultraviolet rays will over time damage the finish on the piano.

Maintenance and Repair Care

With any piano, you should carry out maintenance at a regular intervals as this is something which will keep the instrument running longer. A well maintained piano is one which will rarely require the need of repair. Even so, it is smart to have the number of a good piano servicer in your contacts list just in case. Having your piano serviced from time to time will ensure your ability to use it for years to come.

Transport Care

First of all, you have to know that transporting a piano is dangerous because it is a highly sensitive musical instrument and it may not arrive in the exact same playing condition than it left in. However, if you are moving it to another location, it is best if you bring in specialized personnel to take care of the job. Also, you may want to make certain that your piano is insured in case accidents take place.

How To Buy A Used Piano

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A piano plays a vital role in music. Very often, no melody is complete without a piano to carry its tune. With so many pianos out there to choose from, you must first decide the purpose for which you will be purchasing one. For example, will you be training children or for casual playing at home. Buying a new Steinway Piano in Atlanta can be costly and depending upon your situation it may be better to look into a used Steinway piano.

However, not all used pianos are created equal. Here are a few questions you should ask before buying a used piano. Especially if you’re looking for a top Steinway piano.

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What is the Reason for Sale?

The first thing you should know is the reason a person is selling a used piano. Their answer is usually helpful in determining if the buyer is being truthful or not as many buyers aren’t expecting the question. In a dealership or piano store this is also a good question to ask. Many times at a piano store or dealer it’s possible that new arrivals have replaced the older versions. These older pianos are sometimes offered as “used” even when they are not. These are often very good finds as they offer great value for a piano that is essentially “new”. Finding out if there are any of these is a smart question to ask as well.

How Often Has the Piano Been Tuned?

piano_tuningMany of the higher end pianos – especially those by Steinway, Essex, Yamaha, and the like –  require to be tuned at least twice a year for maximum sound performance. If care is not taken, you’ll end up paying extra money for its maintenance after the purchase. If not tuned, then make sure you have a certified piano tuner take a look at the piano before purchase to make to know the cost of getting back to it’s top playing condition.

You should also know who did the piano’s last tuning and maintenance. Remember, Steinway Pianos should always be tuned by an authorized Steinway piano technician and not by just any tuner. An accurate and detailed tuning record is a sign of a well cared for piano.

Where It Has Been Stored?

The details of where the piano has been stored must also be taken into account. Make sure that it hasn’t been cramped up in a place experiencing seepage, water outflow or extreme temperature variation. If a piano has been stored in a garage, stay away. These factors can seriously affect a piano’s performance and appearance.

How Much Movement Has It Experienced?

piano_movingIs this the first owner? Or has the piano changed hands a few times? These are good things to be aware of in determining how well the piano was cared for. Find out how often the piano has been shifted from one place to another. Inspect it for dents, scratches or defects which might affect its performance.

How Often Has The Piano Been Used?

You should be well aware of how often the instrument was been used. This is also often a key indicator of how well the piano was cared for. Don’t be alarmed if the person used the piano every day. A person that uses a piano often is much more likely to be one who has taken great care of it.

Keep these in mind while shopping for a used piano and you will definitely get the best value for your money. Or, you can just let the pros do it for you. You can always swing by Steinway Piano in Atlanta to view the used pianos available anytime.

Always remember that either is it a piano or any other musical instrument, proper tuning and care must be taken for best result.

6 Reasons Why Your Child Should Learn Piano

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There are many highly defensible arguments for encouraging children to learn to play piano. Not the least of which is that over the past several years a great deal of research has produced an ever expanding amount of evidence showing that music can have a distinctly measurable and undeniably positive impact on the brain and its processes.

Robert DeFazio writes in the Feb/March edition of Amercian Music Teacher, “… the value proposition of music is not merely that a student will learn to play scales; it goes far beyond that. With musical training, a student could also read better, develop a facility with language that enables him to express himself more accurately and capably, and acquire a foreign language more rapidly and effectively.” Many other studies conclude that early piano training also has a direct effect on the development of the brain’s neural circuitry, actually improving intellectual development and helping to create and maintain certain “connections” in children’s brains that might not otherwise ever form.

Well… All this “Brain Stuff” is very well and good, but what does it actually mean out in the real world? A very interesting article by Liz Ryan, CEO & Founder of Human Workplace, an online community and consulting firm focused on reinventing work and career education for humans, reveals some incredible advantages not commonly associated with piano training.

Ms. Ryan challenges the concept that a college degree in “computer science or accounting” prepares a child for the real world. In a February 4 blog posted to DenverPost.com she writes…

“Here’s what prepares a kid for real life: growing muscles. Musicians grow those muscles from an early age, because every kid in class can get an A in Algebra, but not every kid can be first chair in the concert band. There is competition in music (as in life). It goes with the territory.

Here are other things that go with the musical territory:

  • Coming back from a disappointment (not getting the part, the solo or the chair you wanted), doing the gig or the show anyway and learning from it.
  • Working on something hard, like an upcoming audition, for weeks while your friends are having fun without you.
  • Digging in to surmount an obstacle (a vocal wobble, e.g.) and getting past it.
  • Staying within yourself and in the music when a million distractions loom.

In high school, music kids get labeled nerds and wonks, but music kids are hardier than most.” All that competition, the hard work of self improvement and the repeated bouncing back from disappointment helps a musician grow not only muscles, but a thicker skin and ability to roll with life’s punches that many kids never approach (paraphrasing).

Finally, there are also real societal benefits derived from playing the PIANO. The following is taken straight from literature provided by the Boston Piano Company (a division of Steinway & Sons) giving us the 6 reasons that your child should learn piano.

  1. For the shy child, piano is self expression.
  2. For the awkward child, piano is coordination.
  3. For the impulsive child, piano is a way to channel energy into a rewarding accomplishment.
  4. For the easily distracted child, piano is concentration.
  5. For the uncertain child, piano is poise and confidence.
  6. For the child who gives up easily, piano is perseverance.

How different would our lives or our world be if we could all experience more self expression, be more coordinated, achieve more rewarding accomplishments, and have higher levels of concentration, confidence and perseverance? Any takers?

About the Author

Ike Van Meter is the Director of Institutional Sales for Steinway Piano Galleries of Alpharetta Atlanta, GA a graduate of Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music and member of the Grammy Award winning Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus.

Steinway Model M Grand Piano Review

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Just when you thought there couldn’t possibly be a special buy on a hand crafted Steinway and Sons Grand Piano, this beautiful Model M Grand takes the cake. It is what we would called a slightly used, SLU for short….a new never-sold product that has been a floor model for several years. This particular one happens to be almost 7 years old but still looks and plays like a brand new 2012 model. It measure a mid size 5′ 7″ so it fits in the smaller rooms but also is long enough to accommodate the larger rooms too, making it Steinway’s most popular grand piano size.

While it is mostly used in homes, it is also suitable for a smaller practice room or studio at a University or Music Conservatory. This piano typically has a very nice, mellow sound ideal for smaller spaces. The action is very responsive as it is equipped with Steinway’s Accelerated Action (as are all Steinway pianos). This makes the action much faster and more responsive than any other manufacturer’s action design. Along with nearly 125 other Steinway patents, this is the highest quality piano money can buy in this size range. It is finished in that beautiful lustrous satin black that Steinways are famous for.

What make this particular Steinway so appealing is that it is equipped with the latest technology in player piano systems, the current top-of-the-line Pianodisc IQ System, and it is completely controlled by an Apple Ipad so there isn’t that unsightly box on the front of this rare Steinway Grand Piano. And talk about loaded…..this Ipad comes complete with the music of over 100 CD albums (over 720 songs) and over 80 Videos, in other words, thousands of dollars of software already preloaded in the Ipad that comes with the piano.
Imagine listening to the immortal Ray Charles singing his classics while the Steinway accompanies him live in your home.

You will be able to listen to the world’s greatest pianists, Billy Joel, Norah Jones, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Barry Manilow, Diana Krall, and the immortals like Horowitz and Rubinstein performing for you in the privacy of your own home. In addition, the videos allow you to watch the world’s greatest entertainers and pianists play and sing their greatest hits for you while the piano plays live, its accompanying part. Artists like Ray Charles, Michael Buble, Andrea Bocelli, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Rod Stewart, Tony Bennett, and the list goes on and on and on, will entertain you and your friends for hours on end.

With this iPad – should you desire more music – you can download new music for the piano directly from a special website or you can connect to a radio streaming service to hear endless music played directly through your piano. With Pianodisc and Apple, there is no end to what you can do and accomplish with this player system, and, whether you play or not, to enjoy all of this music on the world’s greatest piano, is heaven on earth.

You can inquire about our Used Steinway Pianos here.

First all-Steinway initiative piano arrives at Brenau

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“Number 481, a handmade Steinway & Son’s Model D Concert Grand piano, arrived at Brenau University earlier this week – the first in a new collection that will help Brenau gain the prestigious distinction as an “All-Steinway School.

The concert grand, destined for use in historic Pearce Auditorium, is the first acquisition in the $1.5 million campaign to acquire about 30 Steinway-branded instruments for all of Brenau’s Gainesville rehearsal and performance venues. It is also the most expensive piece, representing about more than 10 percent of the cost of all the pianos Brenau ultimately will acquire.”

See Full Article here.

Boston Piano Review – Baby Grand GP156 Performance Edition

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This Boston Baby Grand Piano GP156 is 5 ft. long and is also apart of a family of Steinway-designed pianos with over 30 design elements and patents from Steinway themselves. It is the third and newest edition of the Boston line-up and goes under the “Performance Edition” moniker since it is a piano for a more serious musician or student looking for an extremely high quality piano in a mid-price point

Like all Boston pianos, they have a wide-tail design that allows the 5’ 1” Boston baby grand piano to have the same soundboard area as larger grand piano, generating the power, richness, and feel of playing a much larger piano. It truly sounds bigger than any other instrument of it’s size from the current competitors on the market.

Beautiful walnut or mahogany veneers are available in either satin or polished finishes as optional upgrade alternatives to classic ebony black.

Some of the key improvements in the Boston “Performance Edition” line
are:

1. Hard-rock Maple inner rims for added stability, longevity and
improved tone and projection.

2. “Octagrip” pin-block – recent patent on a new pin-block design that
more closely resembles the actual Steinway pin-block. It improves tuning
stability and grips the tuning pins more effectively.

3. Plate bolts (as opposed to Phillips-head screws) that allow the plate
to be tightened down into the case more tightly – again increasing over
all stability and longevity of the instrument.

This is a great piano for homes and for institutions where the pianos
are being played a lot more than in most home settings. Steinway Piano Galleries of Atlanta is running some great deals on Boston pianos currently. Check them out.

Message from Tsuey Wei Seah

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“It was such an honor to be invited to perform at Franz Mohr’s Lecture “My Life with the Great Pianists” on November 8, 2012 at Alpharetta showroom.  I played the Liszt-Paganini Etude no. 6 in A minor to open the lecture and it was an unforgettable experience.  I feel so grateful to be part of the teaching team at The Music Academy at Steinway Piano Galleries.”