The Art of Selecting your Steinway & Sons Piano
How to select your Steinway
Once someone decides to acquire a piano from Steinway & Sons the question they face is ‘Which Style, Model and Finish to select?’ This starts a most wonderful experience, to be shared with friends and family. As the Sole and Exclusive Southern African Importers for Steinway & Sons, we help pianists’ dreams come true every day.
However, for those who do not play or are not knowledgeable about what to look for, this experience can be daunting. However, everyone is capable of selecting their Steinway using the following useful information.
To begin, it is important to understand that no two Steinways are alike. As individuals, we each have a unique voice and special characteristics that appeal to others. Each Steinway has its own voice and special characteristics too. Every Steinway piano is handcrafted to bring out its individuality. The question that you need to answer is which one meets your particular expectations, needs and personality.
To do this we need to explore the "4 S's of Selection." - Style, Size, Sound & Sensation
Style
One consideration is the style and feeling you want to convey in the room in which you will place the piano. If the room is designed in a specific period style, you may want to consider our art case pianos. For example, we have an English Chippendale, an 18th Century Ball and Claw design, in Hepplewhite, as well as an 18th Century French, Louis XV-styled piano. Or perhaps you will want to choose from our Limited Edition, or Crown Jewels ranges or even design your own or commission a designer to cerate your own unique design.
For a more traditional look, there is our classic spade leg design. To blend into a predominately wood-coloured room, a Mahogany or Walnut piano may be suitable. Click here to view a selection of wood veneer finishes avaiable. For a look that conveys a classical understated elegance, an ebonized piano is a good choice.
For those who require a special color piano, we can color match to meet your needs. Click here for a comprehensive colour chart.
Size
Of course, one must consider the size of the piano. A 9ft Concert Grand in a 15' x 15' room is as out of place as a 45" vertical piano on the stage of Carnegie Hall. One general rule is that if you will be selecting a piano for its tonal quality and harmonic richness, you will want to get the largest instrument possible for the room.
Since every room is acoustically different, it is hard to establish a rule of thumb for everyone; however in an effort to simplify matters, it is generally best if a room is at least 4 times the size of the instrument. If the room opens up to larger open areas, one can modify this rule to a room that just fits the piano.
In trying to plan your room and visualize the piano in it, you may want to take home with you one of our floor patterns. This has proven helpful time and time again for arranging rooms before the piano arrives.
Sound
To a pianist, Sound is paramount. Steinway pianos are legendary for their unique singing tone. The importance of the sound of the instrument is first and foremost. In fact, there are artists who keep two Concert Grands, in their music room. In these cases the pianists need for sound outweighs concerns about aesthetics.
The sound of the piano can be categorized into many areas. Some break it down into clarity, richness, level of brilliance, depth and even loudness. For simplicity’s sake, we will look at this issue on two levels. The first is the surface, or initial sound you hear and the second is the sound below the surface, or the soul of the piano.
The initial sound you hear is dependent on the level of brilliance of the piano, due to the hardness of the hammers. The harder the hammer, the more brilliant or brighter the tone.
The soul of the piano is what you hear and feel after the initial impact of the hammer. Some pianos will sound warm, some shallow, and others will sound deep. This quality of the piano is dependent on the sum of the parts of the piano, in particular, the woods. Even though Steinway uses the same quality and species of structural woods for every piano, the sounds are different because the woods vary. No two trees are alike, just as no two human voices are alike.
This variation is desirable. By maintaining high design and workmanship qualities of the piano and adding the tonal variability of the woods, we produce an instrument that is the finest in the world and that appeals to a variety of tastes.
You are the final decision-maker here. There is no good sound or bad sound. There is only the sound that you prefer. Your preferences are based on your past experiences, expectations and the type of music you play or listen to. For example, if you like romantic music you might choose a warm sounding piano. If you play Beethoven you may want to choose a piano with more brilliance. These are only possibilities. With our assistance you will be able to listen to a variety of pianos and make the choice that’s right for you.
Bear in mind that our Steinway & Sons factory trained technicians will voice your piano in your home, after delivery, to adjust to your room acoustic.
Sensation
The term sensation pertains to the touch or feel of the keys. This is another important area of concern for performers. Once the tone is selected, the touch is next in line. Steinway instruments are as famous for their Touch as they are for their Sound.
All Steinways have an action designed to allow the performer the greatest control over the tone of the piano. However, variations occur that will influence the decisions of performers. These include differences in the weight of the keys, the resistance of the keys, the quickness of repetition, key touch depth and the unique fitting of an action within a particular instrument.
The weight of the keys can be described as the amount of energy that one must exert to get the key moving. Today, through our close relationship with the concert artist community we have developed a lighter action than those used years ago. A piano built in 1920's, for example, will feel very heavy and laborious to a player today.
The resistance of the keys is the resistance or tightness of the key when traveling down to the key bottom. A key with no resistance would be uncontrollable, like the action of a used piano that through years of playing becomes loose and sloppy.
As a general rule of thumb it is best to select a key weight and resistance that will afford you control of the keyboard comfortably. Another point to consider when selecting is whether the piano will be primarily a practice piano or a performance piano. For example, a student may desire a heavier than normal action to for the sake of building up their hand strength. However, a piano for someone to play at home for their own enjoyment would probably employ a lighter action.
Our Steinway & Sons factory trained technicians are able to adjust the action within the available range after delivery.
The fifth "S" stands for Steinway & Sons Partners
Someone once remarked, "If you don't know your diamonds, know your jeweler." This is true when acquiring a piano. The integrity of the house of Steinway & Sons is known throughout the world and their world-wide Partners honour this.
Steinway & Sons pride themselves in having a select group of Partners throughout the world. Besides an in-depth knowledge of the makings of a Steinway, each and every one of their partners plays and owns a piano. We are proud of our 100% Client Satisfaction and are dedicated to ensure that you get what you expect from Steinway & Sons.
Our selection of Steinways is extensive and meticulously prepared. This allows you the variety necessary to find your own Steinway any day of the week.
And finally, our technical support team consists of experienced piano technicians, trained at the Steinway & Sons Academy, who are able to complete the simplest of tasks and performing restoration of your Steinway when required after many years of use.
In addition to this, the Steinway & Sons factories offer factory rebuilding of Steinway instruments where this has become necessary or desireable. So whether you select a Steinway, Boston or Essex piano from the Steinway & Sons Family of Pianos, you can be confident you will be getting the best instrument at the price with a lifelong intrinsic value and excellent assistance in selection and service.
Conclusion
When selecting your Steinway, keep in mind the "Four S's of Selection," Style, Size, Sound and Sensation. These will be extremely helpful in leading you to the right piano for your needs.
As Steinway & Sons Partners, we take the selection process seriously. We ensure that your experience with Steinway & Sons, from the selection to the delivery of your piano, is an exciting and memorable one. We value every client and realise that satisfied clients lead to new ones. Once a Steinway is in your home you will be surprised at how many people will ask you about your new "Steinway." We will, of course, love to welcome them into the Steinway family too.
Pianoforte has developed extensive expertise and experience in providing Steinway & Sons instruments to many Private Clients, Schools, Conservatories, Concert Halls, Churches Hotels, and Restaurants since 2006. Please refer to endorsements from our satisfied clients.