Kawai Baby

Kawai Baby

'What Is There To Say ' (Vernon Duke) Version 1 - Solo jazz piano on Kawai Baby grand

Main Types of Contemporary Pianos

There are two main types of modern pianos, with many different variants of each category.

Grand Pianos

The first type, the "grand" piano, is fashioned horizontally, with the frame of the piano along with strings placed on the exact horizontal plane of the key board. Grand pianos are constructed in a number of sizes with the biggest being the "concert grand which is almost a entire 10 ft . long right down to the "baby grand" that is considerably shorter at just under 5 ft . in length. In between the grand and the baby is the "parlor" or "boudoir" grand which is a little bit more than seven ft . in length.

The bigger grand and parlor styles have a correspondingly longer string length which will create a richer and much more robust tone over a baby grand. Likewise, the lengthier stings of the concert grand vibrate more accurately to the note performed compared to the smaller and larger strings of the baby grand.

The action of a grand piano is unique from different models in that it's equipped with a repetition lever for each of the 88 keys. If the music being performed requires a key be pressed quickly and frequently, this repetition lever halts the hammer close to the strings. This assists the pianist with both the command and pace of repeated notes.

Upright Pianos

Upright pianos (also sometimes referred to as vertical pianos) take a lot less space when compared with any of the grand pianos for the reason that both the strings and frame are designed vertically. Upright pianos are generally categorized by the size of the cabinet along with any necessary alterations to the action.

A "studio" piano will be between 45 and 42 inches high. This is the minimum total amount of vertical space which will accommodate a full size action mounted above the keyboard.

A "console" piano has a altered action with smaller hammers and is a few inches smaller than the studio.

A "spinet" piano is made with a top which is just a bit taller than the keyboard. In this version, the action is highly customized and is mounted under the keys and worked with vertical wire connections connected to each individual key.

Regardless of the design chosen, when effectively tuned and taken care of any piano will be able to supply years of happiness to their owners.

About the Author

More about piano lamps and other piano accessories can be found at Piano-Lamp.org

PIANO EXPERTS - What do you think of a Kawai Baby Grand Piano (GM-10K)???

Any opinions? Comments? I think the sound is better than the Yamaha counterpart that i almost bought! Let me know what you think....

Besides the better sound, however, the Kawai grands, in general, do not approach the Yamaha grands in their piano action which translates in quickness of scale performance. And with proper string tuning and stretch scaling, any Yamaha grand can be adjusted to sound fuller with a deep bass.

On another subject, if you are a casual pianist, would you ever consider "renting" the Kawai grand for a short time in order to truly determine that it's the piano of your dreams.

Good luck!