Should You Buy an Upright Piano? Essential Questions to Consider

[Kref]

I'm from Germany and started to learn piano when I was 8. My parents bought a rather small Rippen piano (a small Dutch manufacturer, probably totally unknown in the USA), maybe 105cm high. I stopped playing when I reached a level where I could not improve anymore. I was faster than the piano. But it was a really not so good piano to beginn with. The 115cm Schimmel of my piano teacher was much faster and much more responsive.

Of course I told my parents that I do not like to play on this thing anymore, but they have never played an instrument and did not really udnerstand my issue - the fact that I stopped playing regularly BECAUSE of the terrible instrument was reason for them to say: If you do not play regularly anymore, why would we spend much money on a better instrument.

I started to play again only less than two years ago after a 20 year break, first with a Clavinova, now with a 190cm grand piano and I am really happy with this thing.

Having said all of this: I think that uprights are not shown the love and respect they deserve, especially in the USA where the grand is much more common than the upright. In Germany there are 10 uprights for one grand. I played on many uprights half a year ago when I was looking for my instrument and I played many very, very fine ones. I remember a really nice August Förster concert upright and it was marvelous.

Robert's comment that the grand will help to develop your skill if you plan on doing professional rehearsals and maybe concerts are perfectly right. But he is looking at it from the perspective of a concert pianist. If you look at it from a hobbyist, the world looks differently. I would like to play more, but I have to work. I cannot say how long I play daily, because this differs between 0 and 3 hours. Over a week I play maybe 7 to 10 hours. This means that I will never progress to a really advanced degree. I will always be home in the intermediate level. I love some Haydn and Mozart sonatas. Beethoven's easiest sonatas might be in reach but I have not tried them. Some of Schubert's Impromptus. Some easier Waltzes from Chopin. And that is where I will probably end.

And that is ok. I do not have any intention to ever go out onto a concert stage and present my intermediate skills. I also do not seek anybody's attention or appraisal. I just want to sit in my living room and play just for me and enjoy the act of playing itself. And being not a very good pianist - something which one should not be ashamed of, if you do not have the time to put the effort of a professional in it, do not expect to ever play on a pro level - I will probably never reach the point where a high class upright would limit me. And that a concert grand would feel different and strange is no problem, because I play 99.9% on my private piano anyhow.

Now I have a really nice mid sized grand of very decent quality and beautiful tone. But honestly: A high class concert upricht (135cm) might even sound fuller and nicer and the disadvantages are not relevant for people like me. And this is why quality uprights always were popular. For most hobby pianists they simply are more than good enough.

[DandGBears]

Still love my Baldwin Hamilton I bought from Robert last year. It sounds and plays great. Maybe in like 3 years or so I will have to visit Living Pianos again. Great thing is he told me as long as I care for it (most certainly I am) he would buy it back from me helping me towards a grand.

[irodragon]

This is why I love your vids Robert, you dont waste my time, you tell me the facts and let me make my own opinion, and in today's environment that's rare even your longer vids fell just like they say all the info you need :)

[Lypning]

And what about digital pianos like the Yamaha's CLP series for exemple ? (645/675...)

[sebastianzaczek]

2:06 so yeah, i wanted to get Ligeti's Musica Ricercata, but practicing the 2nd piece on my upright Piano is not going to work... those quick repetitions are a pain to play on an upright indeed! I don't even want to think about Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody Nr. 6 in this context...

[whyjadie]

I feel like the grand piano vs upright thing is a bit odd. Just look at the kind of space you have or are willing to work with, then run to a few music shops and just play all kinds of pianos in your budget and just see what feels right for you! It’s all super personal if you ask me but then again I’m definitely no expert so this might just be my own silly opinion.

[ivanfrangugic]

is the action the only reason why i shuld buy a grand piano?
i am dreaming about sk5
pleas give me little explanation and some "bigger " reason. i have an ibach upright.
tnx Robert

[katiegrundle]

after becoming quite deaf, i love the tall upright pianos, ht esound in your face works well for me. i could not get grand larger than a 5 foot in my apartment, so im happy with my 2 55 inch uprights, or cabinet grands they are coined. anyone else perfer the uprights

[jayveeaurea]

I started with a digital piano. Hahaha 😆

[mechellturner]

we only have a spinnet, small one at house. loved it growing up. and church. My old salvaged upright, now good for a fish tank. a grand still will not fit in my small house.

[paybackjake]

I still got got a 61 keyboard piano for 3 years

[JoanKSX]

I started with a mid-height shorter than standard exam piano size 1971-made upright Kawai KST-5.

I don't know whether it's the action or my skills...
I always could possibly hit the presto pace but never able to master delicate music that require much tender and gentle sounding pieces like those Romantic period composers' composition... they are really very hard for me... but I really like the sound, that's why I bought it in the first place back in year 2003...

[jenniferCastellano]

I practiced on an upright for the majority of my 20 years of piano study.

[sissyhhh]

Why don't they just put in springs in the upright to make it faster?

[youyouranxiety]

is it bad that i store an upright behind a window?

[vidishasharma]

I think even for the online diploma exams, you’ll have to get an acoustic whether an upright or a grand

[lucaalexandercurd]

Hi robert im 12 years old i am faster than my current piano and i consider myself an advanced pianist and i really want to get a baby grand piano but my parents wont let me its like they dont understand that i am faster than my piano any advice anyone.?

[diegopenablamey]

Hey Robert, i’m a piano student in my local music school, and i have been always studying with a digital piano, but when i change to a real piano it seems like my playing turns very clumsy, should i buy a real piano? Sometimes i think my digital piano doesn’t give me all the piano characteristics that i need to play in a real piano... i hope you could answer me, thank you!

Thank you for your videos, always good content!

[quinton]

The ending of the theme for this video sounds like a chime from old versions of windows😂.

[marianpalko]

No. Go for a grand, whenever possible.