Advice for Beginners
ENJOY LEARNING THE PIANO
Learning the piano is a very creative and rewarding experience. For children it develops concentration and perseverance as well as emotional expression. It has even been linked with mathematical ability! Many adults tell us it is something they have always wished to do but have never had the chance before with all of the other commitments which always seem to come first. It is often used by professional people to provide a regular moment of relaxation in the day.
Whatever the motivation, learning the piano is a special thing to do and is well worth making the time for. It should be fun and it is good if you can find a teacher who you really get on well with. Regular practice is important though and it is essential to have a good instrument to use to begin with.
We are very pleased with the choice we made. The children enjoy playing the piano much more and appreciate the sound compared to the old one
Starting off with an old piano that doesn`t stay in tune is very discouraging, worse still when some of the notes just won`t work. The biggest risk here is to lose the interest and enthusiasm which you have built up just because the piano doesn`t play right. To get used to the right pitch and develop proper technique you do need a piano that stays in tune and works properly.
So the problems often found with older pianos are just as relevant for beginners as for anyone else. Would you really consider buying an old car, `a bit sluggish and brakes iffy, but OK for a learner driver`? In our view, there is no such thing as an old piano `suitable for beginner`, so do read our section on used pianos carefully.
The choice between a real or digital piano is also important when you are learning. A real piano allows the pupil to develop much more feeling and expression in their playing. If this skill is not built in at a fairly early stage, it can be more difficult to learn later.
Despite advances, the key touch on a keyboard or digital piano is still very different and they always rely on a sampled sound. It can therefore be unsettling if you have to switch over to a real piano at grade exams for instance.
We believe it is best to begin with the instrument you eventually want to play so that you can develop the proper techniques right from the start. If you do start off with digital for the initial stages but eventually want to play the real piano, then monitor progress carefully with your teacher to decide when you need to move up.
HOW TO GET STARTED
We know from many customers that all this can present something of a dilemma: how do you get started? You need a good piano to practice on but just aren`t sure about the cost involved when you don’t know how you or your child might get on.
There is no obvious answer to this and it will depend on your particular circumstances but we can help you consider the possible options so you can choose the best course of action.
"The choice and help given from people who are clearly both passionate and knowledgeable about music, combined with after sales help was very important. Rental option was essential to us"
Generally we advise that where music has been a previous interest or a long held wish, or if several family members want to use the piano, it is a pretty safe prospect to go ahead with purchase. Pianos do keep their value well compared to many products and when you buy from us you can expect a good amount back after several years if you happen to find the piano isn`t being used.
When there is only one person just starting off, perhaps at a younger age, and you are really not sure how it will go, we have a rental purchase scheme you can use. This allows you to progress a bit before you decide to buy, and a large part of the rental goes towards purchase. The scheme is subject to availability and approval, but this can be a flexible option to begin with if you need. Contact us for more details if you want to consider this as a first step.