Upright vs Grand Pianos | Which is Better for You? | Common Misconceptions & Myths

 

As one of North America’s largest piano retailers, we’re blessed to get to interact with piano shoppers looking for upright, grand and digital pianos face-to-face, every single day.

As a result, we’ve been able to observe many of the common misconceptions a lot of people have with regard to upright vs grand pianos - specifically, as to how these two types of piano relate to one another. There are misconceptions surrounding every musical instrument, and pianos are certainly not immune.

In today’s article and companion video, we’re going to cover the 6 most commonly held misconceptions and myths we encounter related to comparing upright and grand pianos. Our goal is to clear up these misconceptions and hopefully shed some light on the conversation, especially if you’re trying to decide between these two types of acoustic pianos.

Let’s get into it.

Upright vs Grand Pianos - Background

Anyone who watches our YouTube channel or reads our blogs with any regularity will know that our company President and in-house piano reviewer Stu Harrison has a soft spot for great upright pianos.

This sentiment has definitely trickled down to the rest of us here at Merriam Pianos, and as a result, we often find customers shopping for a used or new piano surprised when we articulate some of the many virtues of the upright piano since some people have the idea that grand pianos are automatically superior to uprights.

This simply isn’t the case, and the topic requires much more nuance - you’re not necessarily compromising even if you have less space and have chosen to go with an upright. That’s really the impetus for this article - to clear up some of those biases lingering around out there that are simply not rooted in fact.

Here’s myth #1.

 

Myth #1: Grand Pianos are Always More Expensive than Upright Pianos

This myth simply isn’t true, but we need to add some additional context. Upright pianos vary in price with regular production models starting at around $3,000 and $4,000 and going all the way up to eclipsing the $70,000 mark. Of course, there are grand pianos that can be much higher priced than $70,000, but generally speaking, the vast majority of grand pianos that get sold cost somewhere in the $10,000 to $30,000 range. In other words, there's tons of overlap.

Now, why are the most expensive grand pianos more costly than the most expensive uprights? The single biggest reason for this price difference is the grand piano's rim. There are several different manufacturing techniques and material options that various manufacturers use ranging in price, but no matter what, constructing a rim greatly increases production time.

Generally, a good rule of thumb that we've used for guiding customers in this is if you want an equal quality upright to grand, then you generally have to double the price of a grand piano to get the same as what you're getting on a comparable upright. A Yamaha U1 for example will outplay just about any new equally priced grand piano.

 

Myth #2: Grand pianos are Louder than Upright Pianos

Just like our first myth, on its face, this myth is false. An upright piano with a similar-sized soundboard and similar-length strings will produce exactly the same volume as a grand piano with the same dimensions. For example, if you were looking at a 52” upright with approximately a 51-inch bass string length, a 5’8” to 5’10” grand piano will give you approximately the same size of the soundboard as well as string length.

We actually did this experiment for ourselves and measured the decibel output of a 50” C. Bechstein upright piano against a 6’2” Shigeru Kawai SK-3 and found that the volume output was exactly the same, and arguably even the overall sound quality.

As a result of inherent design differences and the reality that most people keep their upright piano lids closed, grand pianos will generally have better projection and sound louder, but this disparity lessens if the upright piano lid is opened. The other factor is that larger grand pianos from about the mid 6’ range up to 9’ simply don’t have comparable upright piano alternatives, thereby creating the impression that grands are simply louder than upright pianos.

 

Myth #3: Grand Pianos are for Advanced Players, Uprights are for Beginners

Out of the three myths so far, this one is closest to the truth, although, just like the other two, there are plenty of instances where this is simply not the case. Sure, at a certain level of advancement as a pianist, a grand piano is probably what you’ll want to have if you're preparing for performance, or doing some recording, but that only applies to certain people.

Grand pianos and upright pianos have several physical differences, but one of the most important differences is the action, and that’s very relevant here. On a grand piano's action, the hammer returns to its rest position almost entirely due to gravity at a low dynamic level and a combination of gravity plus rebound from the hammer striking the string when we're in an upper velocity or higher dynamic range (often referred to as escapement).

On an upright piano, gravity plays a role, but the hammer is not directly returned to its resting position because of gravity and its own weight. Instead, a piece in the action called a bridle strap helps reset the key. And it's a bit of a clumsy motion. In higher dynamic ranges control is just fine, but in lower dynamic ranges that control gets a little bit compromised.

Those differences between upright and grand actions mean that for advanced players (especially classical advanced players), a grand piano is going to give you a level of control and consistency that most uprights simply are not capable of.

Now, 99% of all piano buyers and players simply are not at that level which means that for beginners, hobbyists and even for people playing up to conservatory level 9 or 10, a really good upright piano is going to deliver a great musical experience without much or any compromise.

One other factor is if you’re practicing advanced repertoire and specifically need a sostenuto pedal you might think that an upright piano is out since the middle pedal is typically a mute pedal (the other two pedals are still the traditional soft pedal and damper pedal), but there are many fine uprights that are available with sostenuto pedals instead.

Myth #4: Upright Pianos Have a Lighter Touch than Grand Pianos

We hear this one a lot - sometimes from piano lesson teachers, other times from people who have owned a grand piano at some point in the past or know someone who has. A common phrase is, "An upright piano is okay to start with but to really build your finger strength, you need to get on a grand piano."

It is true that larger grand pianos usually have a slightly heavier touch. The reason for this is that larger grand pianos will tend to have larger hammers because they are striking longer strings.

But for a smaller grand piano where there isn’t the need to have a hammer that's any larger than what you get on an upright piano, there's actually no technical reason why a manufacturer would choose to have a grand piano with a heavier feel than an upright piano of a similar size in terms of string length or soundboard size.

If there is a difference, there's a very good chance that it’s because the grand piano has been under-regulated or under-lubricated, and the less expensive the piano, usually the less time is spent lubricating and regulating the action at the factory level.

If you've got a $10,000 upright piano, and a $10,000 grand piano, that upright piano is probably going to feel lighter because it’s received more lubrication and regulation. Pay a technician to regulate the action of that $10,000 grand and suddenly the weighting difference disappears.

 

Myth #5: Upright Pianos Have No Bass

This myth is false on its face and largely relates to the first myth about grand pianos being louder versus upright pianos being softer.

There's a huge overlap in bass string length and soundboard size between upright pianos and grands, and since the bass tone is largely (though not exclusively) a function of the length of the string and soundboard shaping, there's no reason why you can’t have a 52” upright piano producing about the same bass response and lush overtones as a grand piano up to about 6’ in length.

Anything beyond that size, and of course a larger grand piano is going to have longer bass strings and a larger soundboard, equaling a more powerful bass presence.

A 9’ foot Steinway D certainly has a better presence than any upright piano, and just about any grand piano will have a better bass than a spinet upright, but there are many vertical pianos that will outgun many baby grand pianos and other smaller grands in terms of bass response.

 

Myth #6: Grand Pianos Offer More Control than Uprights

This is probably the myth that’s the closest to being true out of the six on our list. Relating back to the technical differences we covered regarding the action mechanisms, grand pianos do offer a higher degree of control than uprights, assuming we’re talking about two instruments of the same quality.

As we mentioned, this is due in large part to gravity assisting in getting the hammer back into the rest position on grand pianos. The other reason grand pianos tend to offer more control is due to having longer key sticks, which means you’re working with a longer lever which in turn delivers the player greater control.

But again, there are going to be plenty of instances where a high-quality upright is going to offer superior control to a lower-quality small grand, so some nuance is required here.

To sum up, if we’re comparing apples to apples, then yes, a grand piano will offer superior control to a similar quality upright piano, especially in the hands of a professional pianist, and there’s no upright piano that matches the control of a good quality 9’ concert grand piano.

 

Closing Thoughts

We hope you’ve enjoyed this article covering the 6 most common myths we run into regarding the differences between upright and grand pianos.

We find some combination of these myths comes up constantly among folks shopping for a new upright, new grand or even a used piano of either persuasion, both among folks looking for a piano for their living room, and even committees shopping for a space somewhere short of the concert hall.

Thanks for reading!

The post Upright vs Grand Pianos | Which is Better for You? | Common Misconceptions & Myths first appeared on Merriam Pianos

2359 Bristol Cir #200, Oakville, ON L6H 6P8

merriammusic.com

(905) 829-2020

Upright Piano Buyers Guide | How to Choose an Upright Piano

When it comes to acoustic pianos, there are a lot of 'best of' lists and new piano buying guides out there with a ton of different information on different models. What these lists tend to neglect is a systematic way that you, the buyer, can sort through this information and zero in on the most important considerations affecting your decision.

In today's article and video, we're going to list the things you should be considering when looking for an upright piano and placing them in a very specific order of importance. We've already done the same thing for digital pianos, and we received positive feedback that people really found that helpful.

We're confident that if you apply our formula to your shopping process, you're not only ensured to be thrilled with the piano you end up with, but you'll also do so in much less time.

Piano Dimensions

The very first thing that we're going to suggest you start with is size. Not budget, not country of origin, but size. Here's why. The size of an upright piano directly determines its volume and the fullness and clarity of the bass register. It doesn't matter how well a piano is made - If it's not loud enough or it doesn't have a clear enough bass, there are no other factors that can ever make up for that.

There are upright pianos that can be as small as about 42" in height, and they generally get to be as tall as about 53" with sostenuto pedals. Although that only sounds like about a 20% difference, the proportional difference in string length is actually much larger. This is why that height difference can have such a big impact on how full the tone is and how much sound you need the piano to produce.

Be careful if you're looking at a small used piano as you'll want to ensure it isn't a Baldwin Spinet model - these instruments feature highly antiquated action designs and should be avoided.

There are several factors which might influence your needs in this area. One could be the size and acoustic makeup of the room where you'll be placing your piano. If you're planning on putting your upright piano into a very large space with high ceilings, you might have the need for a larger piano. If you're going to be recording with this instrument, you'll probably desire strong bass clarity, so you're not going to want to go lower than about 47" in height for example.

What are the risks here if you pick the wrong size piano? If you pick a piano that's too small for your needs, you are going to be training yourself to operate an instrument that behaves very differently than other pianos that you might experience out there. This is more of a consideration for students and professionals who might be doing recitals or performances on a concert grand piano, which offers an experience that is very different than that of a small upright.

If your needs really are a 48" upright, then don't go looking for a 42" by trying to exchange size for a more high-quality instrument - if you need a taller instrument, don't compromise here.

Sound Quality and Tonal Profile

After you've established the size that's appropriate for you, the next thing you'll want to focus on is picking a tone that satisfies your ear and excites your musical soul. Sometimes we can't explain why we like the tones that we like, but the point is, you want to pick something that is going to truly excite you and make you want to play.

Several things go into what gives a piano its tone. Country of origin can have an indirect influence because certain countries' piano industries are known for construction practices, designs, and overall quality control. If you buy a piano from Germany, you know that you're going to get a piano with great tonal clarity due to the quality of craftsmanship that's consistent across German piano manufacturing. If you have the ear for it, you'll be able to hear the difference between a very clear tone and a tone that's a little dirtier, and this is a compromise you may be unwilling to make.

The style of the piano may also come into play as there are certain instruments which are designed to create a maximum level of color and dynamic response. Bechstein upright pianos come to mind for example when you hear this type of description. Other instruments known for extreme clarity and beautiful shimmering sustain would be Schimmel uprights.

Things like hammer selection, soundboard material, and scale design also go a long way in determining sound quality and tonal profile.

In a mid-range price category, Kawai uprights are one example with a very colorful sound profile. Yamaha won the other hand would be a little clearer with less color.

So, it's important to understand what you want out of the tone of your piano as finding the sound you connect with will really inspires you to play. You may find that there's consistency either in a country of origin or possibly in a specific piano brand that does this for you. Check out the video to hear some playing examples of different uprights with very different sounds.

Piano Action (Touch and Response)

Once we know how big the piano needs to be and we're centered in on a style of tone that we really resonate with, our next focus should be on how we physically interface with the piano - in other words, the piano action.

Some people might suggest that touch is the most important consideration, especially for piano technicians, but we've put it third for a reason - great touch is never going to make up for bad tone. It's also never going to be able to compensate for missing volume or bass presence that only a certain type of piano can provide.

Touch can be described in a variety of ways. People will say use terms like light touch or heavy touch, but this is often actually referring to the dynamic response of a given instrument. A piano could actually have a fairly heavy touch, but if it has an immediate and big dynamic response, your mind might still perceive that as a light touch.

So, this is more of a perception thing as opposed to something totally objective. A medium sensation is usually the balance people look for between a sense of control and a sense of ease with the dynamic range. The heavier you perceive a piano's touch to be, the harder you'll have to play to get access to the full dynamic range. When an action feels too light, it will typically have a huge dynamic range, and this is quite difficult to control in the lower dynamic ranges.

Figuring out how heavy or how light you want the sense of touch to be is quite important and has less to do with quality and more to do with stylistic subjective differences from builder to builder. Even two German-made upright pianos of the same general quality level can have radically different feeling actions.

We would definitely suggest that if you're in the market for a premium upright of any kind, spend an extended period of time in the showroom or music store to make sure that that sense of weight and resistance is going to be comfortable for you over long periods of time.

Another thing that almost never gets talked about is the surface of the piano keys and how rounded the edges of the keys are. You might not think this is a big deal, but if you don't like how the keys feel, this is something that will pop up very soon after you have the instrument at home. You're going to want to make sure that you like the actual tactile feel of the keys on your fingers, along with the rest of how the action feels.

Your Budget

The fourth consideration to look at is budget. The reason budget is fourth and not first is that if you follow our first three considerations in order, you're going to come into a subset of instruments that still has a fairly wide range of prices.

When our salespeople consult with customers on their piano buying musical journey, whether it's their first time and first piano or fifth piano, we go through the above-noted considerations and sometimes wind up at a range as wide as $8,000 up to $40,000 of pianos that will fit the needs of the customer based on the above criteria.

Once you've got that subset of instruments down, this is where budget should come into play. You now know the flavor you want, and from here it's just a matter of how refined you want that flavor to be, and potentially how long you'd like your piano to last.

The quality of a piano definitely does have an impact on its longevity. Budget usually reflects this because as you move up in price, the piano is generally made with better materials and a good quality piano design that will maintain its integrity over a longer period of time.

Whether the budget is strict or flexible, at this point in the process you'll be able to refine things down to the best piano for your budget.

Resale Value (Used Market & Brand Considerations)

The fifth and final consideration you'll want to make is resale value. This has less of an impact when shopping for a baby grand piano, but it has a very large impact when you're shopping for an upright piano.

Upright pianos, in terms of brands and in terms of models, have a much higher rate of turnover in the piano industry than grand pianos do. Because upright pianos are not often thought of as aesthetic complements to a home in the way grand pianos are, people will only pay top dollar for an upright used piano that has brand recognition or model acclaim.

You're simply not going to get good resale value if you go with a brand which is either quite new to the market, unknown to the market, or is from a company known for churning brands put pretty consistently like some of the stencil brands that come from China.

Now, we're not saying pianos that fit this above description can't offer really great value. What we are saying is that if you think there's a high likelihood that you will be selling or upgrading your instrument within 5 to 10 years of purchase, this is where brand and model selection can have a major impact on resale.

Here's an example. If you were to buy an upright from an unknown brand for about $7,000 or $8,000 and you cared for that instrument really well to the point that it was in perfect condition for 10 years and you decide to sell, there's a good chance that you will have to sell that piano for $3,000 to $4,000, or possibly even less.

We're talking about a 50% hit to your original investment. If you'd spent the same amount of money on a known model or something with brand recognition, there's a good chance that you'd be able to sell that piano for within 20% to 30 less than what you bought it for, meaning you've preserved 70% to 80% of your original investment.

Follow these 5 considerations, in this specific order, and we're confident you'll end up with the right piano for you. Now, here's a list of some of our favorite upright pianos from every price range.

Merriam Music's List of Notable Upright Pianos

This is hardly an exhaustive list, but these are some models we think would be deserving of a closer look. We carry over 50 upright pianos here at Merriam Pianos and there are close to 100 out there in the wider piano universe.

Here are some favorites that we're sure you'll come across in your research.

Starting at the entry level, we've had positive experiences with the Pearl River 118 and 121 sizes as well as their premium Ritmuller UP and UH models. Kawai has the ND21 model, which is a 48-inch Indonesian-built instrument which has been highly popular in Europe, Australia, and here in Canada. It's generally not available in the United States, but if you can find one, it's pretty much impossible to beat for the price when you consider what it offers musically, plus Kawai's excellent warranty coverage.

Moving up to the mid-range and we've got the Kawai K300 and the Yamaha U1 - probably the most fierce upright piano matchup in the industry. There's also the taller Kawai K500 and the Yamaha U3, which is another great rivalry. These four instruments simply dominate the mid-range piano market due to the fact that they're all very well built, professional quality instruments with highly musical playing experiences, yet cost a fraction of a German instrument. Piano tuners love servicing these pianos too.

Moving up into the European range, the W. Hoffmann T122 along with the Wilhelm Schimmel W118 are two instruments that have been immensely popular. The W. Hoffmann is made in the Czech Republic, while the Wilhelm Schimmel is made in Poland meaning the manufacturers here are able to take advantage of slightly more affordable Eastern European labor, but still deliver fantastic material and quality control from their German parent companies, Schimmel and Bechstein.

Once we move into the premium range, the Bechstein A124 has been a huge hit all around the world. Bechstein reps have told us that they simply cannot build enough of these particular instruments to meet global demand.

Right at the very top of the industry we've got the C. Bechstein Concert 8, Bosendorfer 130, Steinway & Sons K52, and the Schimmel Konzert Series - these are simply some of the best instruments money can buy.

Of course, there are many other great upright pianos out there, these are just some we have had excellent personal experiences with.

Final Thoughts

Thanks very much for reading. We hope that you'll check out the video as well for an even more in-depth explanation of the top considerations you should make when choosing an upright piano, as well as some playing examples of fine musical instruments.

We truly believe that if you follow the guidelines above, you'll have a wonderfully productive experience next time you visit a piano retailer.

The post Upright Piano Buyers Guide | How to Choose an Upright Piano first appeared on Merriam Pianos

2359 Bristol Cir #200, Oakville, ON L6H 6P8

merriammusic.com

(905) 829-2020