Piano's

[alittlebitfrench]

One of the little ALBF's is learning to play the piano. I would also like to learn as well as frog in doors.

So we need to buy a piano.

Anyone out there who could offer advice on the type, make we should be looking at.

We have been to a shop and yes, they are a tad expensive aren't they. Big breath. But there is also a lot to take into account in terms of the type we need to buy for the long term.

We could buy a beginners piano but I don't really want to replace it in two years time for an upgrade.

So any advice on this matter would be grand. Forget the pun. Lol.

[Patf]

ALBF - I'm making an exception in my ban on not replying to you, because I do know a bit about this.

I don't know how much shops ask (new or 2nd hand?) but I bought a small modern Yamaha upright 2nd hand on ebay 15 years ago for 1000€. From Bordeaux.

I've had a lot of pleasure from piano playing since I was about your son's age, but now can't physically manage for more than about 15 mins at a time.[:(] So I'm trying to sell it, but no good for you as we're too far away and transport of pianos is V expensive.

My advice would be to try ebay.fr for your area to see if there's anything that interests you.  There's always a lot on there.You MUST go and try it out first. Maybe take someone knowledgeable with you, and try to judge the condition, sound quality etc.

I went to try 4 different pianos in the Midi Pyrenees before I bought mine.

A small modern upright would be my choice. Your son isn't going to enjoy his playing if it sounds cheap and tinny, or sort of resonant as many older pianos do. You want a sharp clear sound.

Good Luck!

[alittlebitfrench]

Thanks for your advice and breaking your self imposed ban Patf.

It is my little girl who is learning. She wants to become the next 'Cour De Pirate'. I love this song.... well worth a click if you don't know it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQUzXjGpERc

I am not sure I want to go down the Ebay route. I don't know enough about piano's. I can play the guitar....but that does not help.

I have been googling away and 'FEURICH' grabs my attention.

What do you think ?

[Patf]

Oh yes I know them well [:D]

But I think you're on another leg-pull :

https://robertspianos.com/print.php

[alittlebitfrench]

No it is not I wind up...I promise. Never heard of Feurich until today.

Pianos in Oxford are not much use to me to be honest....but interestingly they do seem more expensive than those for sale in France.

http://www.linstrumentarium.fr/pianos/pianos-neufs/485-feurich-115-noir.html

[mint]

Get someone to recommend you a piano tuner.  This person is likely to be able to advise you and might indeed know of pianos for sale.

Mine is a Knight, handmade and expensive but it is indeed a UK piano and, as Pat says, transport ideally should be done by a firm used to handling pianos though it's not so essential with uprights.

I agree with Pat also that a modern upright is best. If you were nearer the Dordogne, I could take you to a couple of very good music shops but we all already know what you think of the Dordogne and so you'll have to manage all by yourself without my help[:D]

PS: ALBF, no need for that apostrophe[;-)]

[idun]

When my husband wanted one, we drudged round music shops and they were expensive, well, at least the ones he wanted were. And so I told him to look at the work's notice board and in the local paper and that is how we got ours.

People buy them, then petit Jean-Marie, or Marie-Pierre, don't want to play anymore and they want rid.

We did bring ours back to England with us.

Our son did start learning when he was young, but the separate solfege lessons just got him down. And his Dad did not understand why they had to do them 'sec' and uninteresting like that. Later he (son not Dad) learned guitar and keyboards, and plays well.

[woolybanana]

I like the apostrof! Otherwize ut wud b pionoziz.

[Lehaut]

I would not rule out a Yamaha Clavinova. Weighted keys to feel and sound like a piano, easy to transport and no tuning required. We have a friend who is a concert pianist and she has played ours and was very complimentary.

[mint]

I considered one of those when I was thinking of buying a second piano but only for about 5 minutes.

[mint]

Sorry, wasn't being helpful earlier.  I don't know whether there are shops in France where you could rent a piano and try it out and then have an option to buy?

Here is a link for you to consider: [url] http://www.weberpianos.com/uprights.htm[/url]

I have played on a Weber piano and I loved the feel and the sound of it.  If anything, I think the prices have come down a touch since I looked and tried one about 30 years ago.  This could be because the company was sold to new manufacturers in Korea.

[Patf]

As Idun says, most young children get a craze for playing a musical instrument, and eventually realise how difficult it is, lose interest and give up.

As for buying an overpriced piano as a starter - maybe if you want to impress your visitors, they're beautiful pieces of furniture too, if you can afford it.

Otherwise as Lehaut wrote, start off on an electric keyboard and promise a proper one if they persevere.

[alittlebitfrench]

Thanks for all the advice...including my punctuation.

I would love to go around the Dordogne with you Mint looking at pianos. Sounds like fun.

Patf/Idun...you make a good point about kids giving up. That is my biggest worry.

Having said that, I would learn how to play even if they give up. I have always wanted too. I would not give up.

Does anybody recommend a 'Feurich'.

One of my biggest worries is the colour. I like white...lol. I know it sounds stupid, but the colour is important.

P.S We have a electric keyboard. But even as a non piano playing person yet someone who can play an instrument.....I can tell it is not really the same. It does not inspire me.

Anyway, a piano is cheaper than a swimming pool which is what we were going to spend the money on. Good job really, I hate swimming.

[richard51]

Like white! Perhaps the Liberace influence?

[alittlebitfrench]

I was thinking more John Lennon playing Imagine.

[mint]

ALBF, I sense that you are a bit like me in that we always want the best that we can afford.

It doesn't matter if the child likes it for a bit and then gives up.  I think I speak for many here that even if you give up after a few years, it's one of those things you do want to get back to at some time in the future.  Maybe frustration at having given up, maybe maturity or having more time on your hands and perhaps a bit of nostalgia too.

If someone progresses, it's virtually impossible to stop them, in my experience.  Before you know where you are, you'd have a job prising the child from its piano!

I find a piano is just so good to have in the house for all sorts of reasons.  Have a tinkle, play some simple tunes and it's the most stress reducing activity you can think of to do.

[Patf]

Another thought - you're going to have to arrange for piano lessons , so the teacher should be able to give local advice.

Mint is right about interest in playing music. Starting early can make it lifelong, even though you lose interest at times.

We sent our 2 girls for piano lessons when they were 6+, (we already had a nice old piano), but neither of them continued. A few years later though the older one took up the violin and played in a small orchestra. She sings in a choir too.

Our 2 boys were never interested when they were young, but the younger eventually took up the clarinet, and later, classical guitar. He sings too.

Eldest's wife is musical and plays the flute, (she started off on the recorder) and their son, now 15, is a very keen cello player. They live in Kuwait BTW, where western classical music playing is encouraged.

And for me - I have to be satisfied with listening to youtube now.

What does your wife think, ALBF? Take her advice.

[idun]

My husband is a talented musician and can play many instruments. He learned his solfege whilst playing during his lessons. He reads  the notes to a tune that is new to him and can hum it, so however they did it in England when he was a lad, worked!

In France,  at least where I lived, solfege is strictly apart from any instrument.   And I asked if they were going to change it when my kids were young and they said 'si' and they did, from two years to THREE!!!!

My eldest HATED it, enjoyed learning to play the piano, but without the solfege lessons there was not going to be any piano lessons.

Now some kids don't mind, even like DRY AS A BONE LOOKING AT NOTES & SCORESet al, but my sons did not. In fact I have heard of some music teachers insisting on solfege even before an instrument is touched, ...... where is the joy......... I do not get it, at all, if that happens.

[alittlebitfrench]

@ Patf Mrs ALBF wants to learn too but I don't think she has the patience. Don't tell her I said that.

Good advice Mint, I learnt the guitar at 14 and never took it seriously although when I need to de-stress I always pick the guitar up. In fact I enjoy it more now. It is better to learn the basics when you are young. I guess it it like learning a language.

I think learning to play an instrument will stay with you. Even if you give it up you can always go back to it in later life.

[Gardian]

Yes richard51, my first reaction was the famed American !

Perhaps ALBF should in future stand for ‘A Liberace Bouffant Frise’?

A more serious question which I’ve always wondered about (although I don’t lose sleep over it) - does it help to have long fingers in order to play the piano? There was a young woman on the TV last night who had exceptionally long fingers & I thought “I’ll bet she’s a piano player”.

[Patf]

I think you're right, Gardian:

http://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/instruments/piano/pianists-hand-span-infographic/

That's one of my problems - since breaking the first knuckle in my left  little finger I can't even stretch an octave.

[idun]

Why am I the ONLY ONE mentioning actually learning how to read and understand musical scores....... apparently seeing Lang Lang, or even Stevie Wonder sans partition means that this board's budding pianists are planning on doing just the same.

It is all very different in France and it seems that no one else has experienced  the french system as beginners.

[alittlebitfrench]

@ Idun

My daughter has two lessons a week. One on reading music and one on playing the piano.

[idun]

OK and she likes the solfege??????

[alittlebitfrench]

To early to say Idun...I am crossing my fingers though given I might have to fork out for a piano.