Tutorials

Level 1: Beginner

Many things dictate a beginner pianist. Most people at this level have only been playing for a short period of time. While this level has some specific criteria, there are several types of beginners. For example, a beginner might choose to teach themselves to play or take lessons. The outcome of your skill level depends on your initial choices. Here are some beginner level characteristics:

Level 2: Intermediate Pianist

There isn’t a specific moment where a pianist thinks, “I’m finally at the intermediate level.” Getting to this level merely happens after a fair amount of practice. Pianists at this level have a good grasp of reading sheet music. They also have basic music theory knowledge and can play major and minor chords. Here’s a list of intermediate characteristics:

Level 3: Advanced Pianist

An advanced pianist has worked to improve their skills for a long time. They are fluent with sheet music, have great technique, and have a broad knowledge of music theory. It can take several years for a beginner to reach this level. Here are some traits that define a level 3 pianist:

How To Get To The Next Level

Getting to the next level may not be as challenging as you think. You can do it with this 3-step formula: consistency, efficiency, and having a plan. To get to the next level, you should practice at least 4 times a week. These sessions don’t need to exceed an hour, as long as you’re efficient. It’s best if you create a plan for yourself.

Though it can be hard to follow a plan rigorously, it can still benefit you and help you stay on track. You should include practicing scales, songs, technique, pedaling, dexterity, and fingering in the plan. However, too much focus on the technical details can burn you out. Remember, the most important thing is that you’re enjoying it. The ability to play songs is a very satisfying skill to have. On top of the self-satisfaction, you can also entertain people around you.

Conclusion

As you were reading, you may have appointed yourself to one of these levels. If you want to improve your skills, there has never been a better time. With the COVID-19 pandemic, we've seen a dramatic increase in people wanting to learn this instrument. By following the 3-step formula of consistency, efficiency, and having a plan, you’re sure to reach your goals.

Don’t get caught in the mindset that you have to practice for hours a day to get better. This thought process makes the hurdle grander than it really is. If you’re a beginner, start working on the aspects that classify an intermediate pianist. Do the same thing with advanced pianist traits if you’re an intermediate player. Though the art of music can be competitive, it’s to be enjoyed, first and foremost.

Things To Do Before Selling a Piano

To get the most money back for your piano, you have to do some things first. Here are some of them:

Who Can You Sell To?

You can sell a piano privately or to a dealer. A dealer is the quickest option you have. If your piano has some worth, they’ll likely take it off your hands. The only downside to this option is the money return. A dealer might not give you as much as a private buyer. This lower selling price is the price to pay for getting rid of it quickly.

If you want the most money out of your piano, you should try to sell it privately. There’s a price to pay with this option as well, and it’s the time. It might take much longer to find someone interested in your piano.

To give yourself the best chances, you should list the piano on every selling website you can. Some of them include eBay, Craigslist, OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, etc. If all else fails, you can always sell it to a dealer to get it off your hands.

Additional Tips For Selling Your Piano

An overlooked aspect of selling pianos is the room they’re presented in. If the room is cluttered or messy, you should clean it up before potential buyers look at it. Though this aspect is nutty-gritty, it actually makes a difference. Many subconscious thought processes go through people’s minds when determining if they like something. A cluttered room could turn a potential buyer off before they even look at the piano.

Another beneficial thing you can do is create fliers. Make a list of gathering places where you could put them up. Churches are an excellent place because they often need new pianos.

Figure out a plan for getting it out of your house. Since pianos are heavy hunks, you definitely need to know how to move them. Buyers will also enjoy it if you have a moving plan. To move a piano, all you need is a small 4-wheel dolly. Uprights and grands have very similar moving methods. The most significant difference is the added weight of grands. You’ll likely need many people to help tip it onto the dolly. The last thing you want is for it to break before it gets out of your door.

How To Determine If It’s Worth Selling

The biggest question is, should you put effort into selling it, or should you just get rid of it? Both choices are appropriate for different scenarios. Look no further than the piano’s brand. Is it a well-known or lesser-known brand? If it’s a cheaper Asian brand, it might not be worth very much. However, if you have a Fazioli, Yamaha, Or Steinway, it’s almost certainly valuable.

Another factor is the condition of the piano. There comes a time when a piano’s issues and malfunctions outweigh its actual cost. However, don’t confuse poor shape with being out-of-tune. Many times, people incorrectly attribute out-of-tunedness to poor condition. With a $100 tuning service, the piano might sound great.

Some things to look out for are broken strings, damaged keys, scratches, and other broken parts. Even if some strings are broken, it still might be worth it to get them repaired and sell it. Minor repairs are cheap and can go a long way to help you sell your piano.

Before you sell it, assess its sentimental value. Many people keep pianos in memory of loved ones or happy times. If you’re torn between selling and keeping it, you might just keep it. Selling it could lead to regret, and by then, it’s too late.

Selling a Digital Piano or Keyboard

Digital pianos and keyboards can usually sell for 50% to 80% of the original value. Similar to acoustic pianos, digital pianos can be sold privately or to a dealer. You should prep Keyboards and digital pianos in the same way as real pianos. Since they’re much smaller, the prepping processes are simpler. Electronic pianos are constantly improving, so you could even trade it in for a new one. The top brands are Yamaha, Casio, Korg, Roland, and Nord. Since digital pianos and keyboards are in high demand, you should have no trouble selling yours at a reasonable price.

Conclusion

Selling a piano can be a difficult process if you don’t take the right steps. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to make it easier. Figuring out the piano’s value is the first thing to do. After that, it’s time to prep it, and it takes a series of high-quality pictures to post on selling websites.

If you don’t have the patience to sell it privately, there’s always an option to sell it to a dealer quickly. Regardless of who you sell it to, it’s excellent to learn more about it. The process will be much simpler if you can showcase confidence and knowledge to potential buyers.

If the piano doesn’t sound great, it could just be a lack of tuning. Before selling it, you should always get it tuned beforehand. It’s extremely rare for buyers to take a piano without trying it out. Though it’s inconvenient to spend an extra $100, it can be the difference between selling and dumping it.

If you sell it privately, be sure to put it on every selling website you can. The more people that see it, the better your chances will be. To go the extra mile, you can even print out posters to put in churches and other gathering places. If you follow these guidelines to sell a piano, you’ll have the best chances of success.

Why Do Keys Get Stuck?

Keys can get stuck for a number of reasons. The root of the problem can be simple or a little more complex. Luckily, there’s always a fix, no matter the issue. Here are some ways keys can get stuck, from most common to least common.

Sticking Keys On Keyboards and Digital Pianos

Though it’s less common for a keyboard to have sticking keys, it still happens. The most common problem is a bend in the keys or something stuck in between them. If a key is bending slightly to the right or left, it might get caught on another. To mitigate this issue, press down on the stuck and adjacent key. When they’re both down, use a screwdriver to wedge them apart. If there’s something in between the keys, you’ll have to use a thin and long object like a paper clip or knife. In some cases, you can blow out the obstruction using canned air.

Sticking Keys On Uprights And Grands

If a key sticks on an upright or grand piano, there’s good news and bad news—mostly good news. The bad news is that there are more working parts and possibilities of error. The good news is that you can easily access most of those parts. These pianos are also easier to disassemble than digital pianos and keyboards.

Cost Of A Piano Technician To Fix The Problem

A piano technician is always a safe and easy way to unstick a key. You might wonder, how much do they charge to fix this problem? The answer is anywhere from $10 to $80. If the problem resides in the keyslip, the cost will be lower. The more work that the technician has to do, the more it'll cost. If you cannot identify the problem and have the extra money, it’s worth hiring a piano technician.

How To Know If A Key Is Broken Or Stuck

Since the problem will largely affect the time and effort, it’s good to determine whether a key is broken or stuck. Though the difference is subtle, there’s a simple test you can do. Lift up the stuck key to its normal position and see how it reacts when you take your hand off it. If the key falls back down, that’s an indicator that there’s a mechanical malfunction. However, if the key stays in the right position, that could mean that it's stuck.

Should You Hire A Professional Or Do It Yourself?

The bottom line is this: Do it yourself if it’s an easy-to-fix predicament. Some of these lighter issues involve the keyslip and obstructions between the keys. However, if the root of the problem is deeper, it’s probably best to hire a technician. They can quickly and efficiently fix the key with no worries about damaging it.

Conclusion

Having a stuck key is frustrating when you’re playing the piano. It’s all fun and games until the song requires the broken key. Fortunately, you can resolve the issue on your own most of the time. Follow the steps I provided in this article to fix your stuck key or keys. There’s no shame in hiring a piano technician if it’s necessary. Once the key is repaired, you’ll be a happy pianist once again.

History of Piano Keys

Is It Unethical To Own An Ivory Piano?

Thousands of ivory pianos still exist on the market today. Though they aren’t being produced, many piano stores still have used ones for sale. If you have an ivory key piano, it can be hard to decide whether or not it’s ethically sound.

There are several ways to look at it. The elephant is long gone, and its ivory was already used to make the keys. Your piano is also an antique. It can be comforting to know that elephants aren’t being killed for their ivory anymore.

However, if you’re strongly against illegal poaching, it can be quite conflicting. You may not feel good playing on ivory keys. If you value the craftsmanship of your antique piano but are highly against the keys, you could get a key replacement quote from a piano technician. For a price, the technician can replace them with plastic keys. In terms of responsiveness and touch, most pianists agree that modern plastic outshines ivory.

Why Are Piano Keys Arranged Unevenly?

How to Determine What Piano Keys You Have

If you don’t know the material of your keys, you’re not alone. If your piano was made before 1950, it almost certainly has ivory keys. Also, if the keys are yellow, it’s probably ivory as well. Besides the color, you can also distinguish ivory keys by looking at the key structure. Unlike plastic keys, each one is made of 3 pieces: The key, stem, and front. If you look closely, you can see a fine line intersecting the key and stem. The stem is the long and thin part of a white key. One last way to distinguish ivory is by looking for chips and cracks. Ivory chips easier than plastic because it wears faster.

How To Fix Chipped Piano Keys

If you have broken key tops, it’s possible to fix them yourself. However, if the piano has lots of chipped keys, you might be better off hiring a piano technician. They can fix the keys without the risk of further damage. Now, let’s dive into the process.

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