Upright pianos have vertical strings and come in many different heights. Spinet, Large Spinet, Console and Full Upright are all types of Uprights. Spinets come in heights ranging from 36-38″. Large Spinets are from 40-42″, Consoles are usually 45-46″ and Full Uprights are the tallest and range from 50″-56″ in height.
In a Grand Piano the strings are horizontal. There are three types of Grand Pianos classified by size. The Baby Grand is the smallest in size and measures anywhere from 4′ – 5′. These are typically found where space is a concern or in studios as practice pianos. The Standard Grand Piano ranges in size from 5′ -7′. This is the size most people think of then they use the term “Grand”. The longest in length is the Concert Grand Piano. It measures between 7′ and 9′. Concert Grands are used for what the name implies… concerts and large settings and are the #1 choice for performing artists around the world. The longer the piano means the bigger the sound board and thus the bigger the sound resonator. So if you are choosing a grand piano lamp, be sure of your instrument’s measurements.

When choosing the proper lamp for your piano it is best to stick to those lamps designated specifically for your type of piano. If this is not easily determined, then at least follow these general guidelines: A Spinet piano lamp may be used for any upright piano but an Upright Piano Lamp is too short for most spinet pianos. Lights listed as Grand Piano Lamps are usually too large for a Spinet or an Upright Piano. Sheet music is typically 12″ wide and a well positioned lamp will be about 3-6 inches above the music. The light should be directed towards the music away from the player’s eyes to avoid glare. Overhead room lighting is never sufficient enough light for playing music for any length of time and may cause eye strain and headaches.

Piano lamps do double duty as desk lamps because they are so good for reading (as long as they are not the clip on variety) and so are well worth the cost. Because these lights offer a way to direct the light specifically onto the reading material (gooseneck lamps work especially well for this) they are purchased by many non-piano-playing folk as well. The lamp’s ability to avoid glare (due to the construction of the lamp shade and the special treatment of the inside of the shade) make this ideal for reading and seeing notes on a page so that the piano player can effortlessly flow from page to page easily without eyestrain.

Chuck R Stewart recently purchased a piano lamp and a small piano light for his theater’s two pianos.

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There are several different designs that a person can choose from. Many designs will let your friends know what type of music lover that you are. My father had two passions in life one was playing piano the other was playing golf. He loved them both equally. His piano bench cover had a golf design. It was a gift from our family and it became quite a talking piece in our family room. It went very well with the decor. I can still remember him playing the piano whenever he had free time. Take time to pick out your own cushion. I know that a person can also find a style that matches their own likes and personality.

Another good reason to have a piano bench cover is to raise the height of a smaller player. Many younger players can develop bad habits when they are younger because of the larger size of the piano. Piano bench covers come in different size of thickness. A thicker bench cover will raise the young piano player to the correct height giving him the advantage of having his or her arms and hands in the proper alignment, making it easier to play.

A lot of times I have heard customers wanting to replace an unsightly piano bench for several different reasons. Piano benches made of wood can be easily damaged by age, humans, or even pets. An unsightly bench can be an eye soar and can detract from the piano. A lower cost solution would be to purchase a piano bench cover. Just by simply adding the cover it can add to beauty to the musical instrument. Having a piano is a long term investment. If a persons decorating mood changes it is also inexpensive and easy to change the piano cover. There are several different sizes and colors to choose from. The possibilities are endless.

As I mentioned before comfort is the key. A person will do an activity or skill longer if comfortable, just as a runner or walker will walk farther if they are wearing a comfortable pair of shoes. I have spoke to many professional musicians and they agree that they will play better and longer being comfortable using a piano bench cover. There are several advantages to purchasing a piano bench cover. For people who love a customized, personalized look a piano bench cover can come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, sizes and designs. The style choices are endless and you can easily find the right one for you!

Chuck R Stewart owns and operates a top ranking web site to help people find a piano bench cushion to meet their most special decorating tastes. The site specializes in offering a large range of piano benches and offers piano bench to fit any type of piano, decor and budget.

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A robotic piano instructor can be a much better teacher indeed. So first to go will be the piano instructors, as superior artificial intelligent Piano Instructors are introduced, next those who play the piano will no longer be needed, as you can have an artificial intelligent robotic computer play a perfect performance without the flaws of human piano players. There will be no jobs for human piano players either.

How likely is this future? Well, pretty likely. At one time I respected piano teachers and instructors and admired piano players as well, yet today after observing some of their behavior, human psychological flaws and poor attitudes it seems to me we may as well replace them all with robots. Just like we will soon replace dog crap scooper patrols in our parks and lawn mowers. Consider all this in 2006 Ed.

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

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The major difference between them is; the internet can display hundreds of thousands of search results for a single search. And, although a search engine like Google can give you many relevant results, it makes it hard sometimes to filter through it all and find what you’re looking for. The choices are often overwhelming.

For example, a Google search for piano lessons reveals a million and a half results. How would you even begin to sift through it all and find yourself a piano course that’s right for you? Try it yourself. Do a search and visit some of these websites, you’ll find thousands of online piano lessons and thousands of different piano methods.

Most of these sites do very well at pitching you why they’re the best method for you. Most focus on the beginning piano player. Why? Because, it’s an audience that know the least and it’s easy to appeal to their emotions. Bold selling statements like, “learn to play by ear” and “impress your friends by playing all your favorite music after only 1 hour” and “the secret piano method that makes the pros jealous!”

I admire these people for their ability to pitch. In fact the internet has made it possible for anyone with an idea and a few copy writing courses to sell just about anything. And, it works. But, what is the aftermath of learning one of these so-called shortcut piano methods. Do they really teach you how to play in and hour? Can you really learn to play by ear overnight? Well, not really.

Certainly, it’s possible to learn how to play by ear and to learn how to play all your favorite songs but for most beginning piano players these are just completely outrageous claims.

What should you look for instead, in order to avoid getting sucked into these “learn to play fast” schemes? First of all, if you’re even considering learning how to play from an online course I would recommend that you do a little research on who is actually giving the course. Are they professional musicians or just someone with a little knowledge? Do they have backgrounds in music? Do they have recordings that you can listen to? Or, are they offering only shortcuts to amazing playing?

Once you’ve done your research on the teacher then look for anyone else who has taken their courses. What are they saying? Do they give any testimonials as to the effectiveness of the courses? Do other students give any proof of their new piano playing abilities?

What I’m trying to point out is; if you dig deep enough you’ll avoid spending your hard earned money on bogus schemes that simply do not work. Learning to play the piano is a lengthy process and should not be taken lightly. It can be fun, but it still takes practice. Anyone who thinks otherwise simply does not understand or does not have enough experience to know any better.

So, let’s say you do find yourself a true professional; someone with a lot of experience, a great track record and plenty of proof to backup it up. What’s the number one reason why you should learn online from this person rather than find a local teacher?

For starters, your online teacher will likely have way more experience and credibility that your local teacher. But, the main reason to learn online is price. A local teacher of any credible stature will be charging at least $75 an hour. An hour online video lesson will run you an average of about $25.

There are other benefits such as; you can learn at your own pace, there are no travel expenses, it’s anonymous, it’s stress free and your lesson is always available for review at any time. But, for most people it’s a question of economics. It’s way cheaper to study online than in person.

So, the next time you do a search for “piano lessons” on Google, please use the above information above to help you choose the right piano lesson for you.

Online piano lessons should be fun, educating and inspirational. Paul Tobey is a professional award winning concert pianist who can train you to learn piano so that you can play effortlessly. Sign up today for his free one-hour video piano lesson.

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When electricity and the light bulb came along it was not long afterward that the same issue with an electric light bulb arose. The light bulb was safer than the candle, to be sure, but the glare in the eyes of the piano player was rough on the eyes. The cover as placed on the front of the light bulb to reduce the glare and the piano lamp light fixture was a staple for anyone serious about playing a piano.

There have been some ultra-fancy piano lamps that are called candelabras. These are multi-light arrangements that typically sit on top of grand pianos. They are very formal and a little bit on the expensive side, costing $200 to $1,000 dollars depending upon the style you are interested in purchasing. The candelabra is attractive, as most piano lamps are, but the primary function of the lamp is still to display light on sheet music and the piano keyboard. They are not limited to use with grand pianos. Piano lamps fit well with console, studio and upright pianos.

While most piano lamps sit directly on top of the piano, several models are vertical lamps that raise from the floor. These models have advantages in that they can be arranged to display light from many angles at just about any height that the player wishes to have it be displayed. The common theme among different models of piano lamps is that they are all hooded to reduce the direct glare into the eyes of the player while lighting the keys of the piano. Many players purchase a piano lamp to further display their piano as a showcase of their house. They can be beautiful as well as being very functional.

Piano lamps come in many different styles and are made of many different materials. Brass and chrome are the most popular materials used to make a piano lamp but many enameled surfaces are used in the manufacturing process to allow for more affordability and style.

The shelf style (sits on top of the piano) piano lamp is usually height adjustable, and many feature a weighted base to allow for increased stability. Many times the base is made of a high quality material such as marble, to add beauty to the lamp as well as a great weight which serves the function. A very practical feature of a piano lamp is a counter-weighted arm, which most piano lamps have, preventing the lamp from getting top heavy regardless of its positional setting.

Piano lamps are manufactured to be either plug-in or battery-powered. Several companies also manufacture piano lamps that clip-on directly to the sheet music. An electric piano lamp is normally designed for either one or two light bulbs of 40-watts or less.

You can purchase these piano lamps at furnishing stores, music stores or online. The price in US dollars of a piano lamp can range from as low as forty to as high as hundreds of dollars.

From their very inception, piano lamps have replaced the need to use candles to provide light and add a nice mood to a piano recital or concert. Modern piano lamps are much safer and can be even more beautiful than the nicest candelabras from times of old.

Chuck R Stewart owns and operates a top ranking web site for piano lamps called http://www.PianoLamp.com

The site specializes in offering a wide variety of piano lamps to fit any type of piano for every type of budget.

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