Importance of Music in Education

Buying a piano can be an exciting project, but before you can choose the size or model of piano, you need to know where you're going to put it. So keep in mind what spaces you have available in your home and which ones are best for pianos.

Here are some of the acoustic (sound-related) considerations to keep in mind when choosing the site for one or more pianos in your house.

1. Amount of space

The room your piano is in will need more than just the space required for the piano, piano bench, and piano player. For a piano to sound at its best, you'll have to have an appropriately sized room. The larger the piano, the larger the room should be.

For example, a grand piano may sound overwhelmingly loud in a small room, which is one reason why this model of piano is better suited to huge open halls and vaulted ceilings. A small spinet piano, on the other hand, would have trouble filling the entire space with sound if placed in a huge hall with vaulted ceilings.

2. What else is in the room

A room that's completely covered in soft, lush furnishings may not let your piano's sound ring out in a full and resonant way. That's because all the cushioning can reduce the amount of resonance (created by sound waves) when sounds hit the walls and floors of the room.

Your piano may sound better in a room that has more moderate levels of soft furnishings. Of course, this can also be a matter of personal preference. And it can vary by situation as well; for instance, if you have neighbors who don't like a lot of noise, placing the piano in a soundproofed room may be best.

3. Proximity to neighbors

If you live in an apartment or duplex, you'll need to consider who else might be inadvertently listening in when you play your piano. This is especially important if you play the piano loudly, aren't very proficient at it yet, keep an odd schedule, or have neighbors who need to sleep during the day (such as for a night shift).

If all other things are equal, try to place the piano in a room farther away from your neighbors' walls. But at the very least, place it on the farther wall, not on the wall directly adjoining a neighbor's apartment.

These considerations can help you think of the acoustic reasons for choosing one room above another. Keep in mind that other considerations, such as actually getting your piano to the spot, can be important as well. If you need more help deciding which room is best for a piano and what piano you can fit there, contact a piano store today.