Kids and Pianos [was Re: Scaling problem]

[Farrell]

Oh, great Z (or anyone else)! Teach me about pianos!

> "Oh yes yes, that is a good idea.  I think she will like that."  Makes me
> wonder how much of an input she had (if any) in selecting the current
piano,
> which is beneath her playing skills.

Anyone care to discuss the concept of a pianist outplaying a piano? Whether
it be the 10-year old that has been progressing well through four years of
lessons trying to play "fur elise" on the 1962 worn-out Baldwin spinet - or
the greatly advanced pianist/student having trouble playing the
"Pathiatique" on the cheep-cheep unmaintained 1982 Young Chang 160 cm
grand - or even a newer, better piano, but one that might be less than what
Glenn Gould would have been happy with.

I guess what I am asking is what makes a piano "beneath her playing skills"?
How do we determine what her needs are? How do we explain to a client these
concepts?

Now Beethoven played concerts on pianos that were below today's performance
standards (at least as projecting on a stage goes). And my information is
that he was able to make some pretty nice music. Was his pianos not beneath
his playing skills? (Of course, I have read that he sent many a nasty letter
to piano manufacturers describing how lousy their pianos were!) How do I
explain to Mrs. AnypianowilldoforSusie that tenth-year-of-lessons Susie's
playing progress would benefit from a good quality grand piano rather than
that old ratty spinet. And what can we do about these %&*# piano teachers
that teach on some gastly holding-together-with-scotch-tape-and-super-glue
old &+#$ uprights? How do we tell them??????

Arg. Now I am getting mad. Well, I think that is enough for now. I have
wondered these things for quite a while. Very curious for any thoughts.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Z! Reinhardt" <diskladame@provide.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, May 21, 2001 11:07 AM
Subject: Kids and Pianos [was Re: Scaling problem]


> So why don't more parents bring the kids with them when shopping for a
> piano?  Does it occur to them that if they want the kids to enjoy
> practicing, they will have to let the kids be a part of the decision
> process?  I've lost count of the number of times I've overheard
> conversations between salesmen and  sets of parents about "a piano for the
> kids" (who were nowhere to be seen) at these "Warehouse Sale" events.
>
> Only once have I come to a used piano where the house pianist (a
> then-9-year-old girl) picked out the piano of her choice.  The parents had
> wanted her to select something a little cheaper and a little better
looking,
> or at least something that would fit into the livingroom decor.  But
because
> she got the piano she wanted, she had "bonded" with it and practiced every
> chance she got.  The story goes that she wanted to host the annual recital
> so that her teacher and the other students could play her piano.  Alas,
the
> family has since moved out of state.
>
> OK -- I got off the subject a little by talking about used pianos.  But,
> I've seen/heard the same thing happen around new pianos.  The parents
select
> the piano for the kids in their absence, then expect the kids to practice
> without question because it is a new piano.  The parents are concerned
with
> how it looks (and how cheaply they can have that look) whereas the kids
are
> more interested in how it sounds and feels.  I've often wondered how many
of
> these parental piano selections would have been vetoed by the kids, if the
> kids were there to voice an opinion.
>
> Just a couple of weeks ago, I urged a family to upgrade to a better piano,
> and to bring their daughter to select something she is comfortable with.
> "Oh yes yes, that is a good idea.  I think she will like that."  Makes me
> wonder how much of an input she had (if any) in selecting the current
piano,
> which is beneath her playing skills.
>
> Z! Reinhardt  RPT
> Ann Arbor  MI
> diskladame@provide.net
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@KSCABLE.com>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2001 5:19 PM
> Subject: Re: Scaling problem
>
>
> >Fortunately most owners cant hear the problems.
>
> I wish they could, so they'd buy something else.
>
> >>>snip<<<
>
> ...daughter taking piano lessons is telling
> Mom "Tell him to fix that funny sound down there when he tunes it".
>
> The kids always were better and more discerning customers than the
parents.
>
>
> Ron N
>
>
>