Of the five senses, touch is the one most often linked to pleasure. Think of the touch of cool water against your skin on a hot summer day, the loving embrace of a dear friend or the feeling of digging your hands into a chunk of play-doh as a small child. Touch is important to nearly every aspect of our lives. That’s why when you touch the keys of a piano, you expect the responding sound to be enjoyable. The pressure as you slowly press the key into the key bed is almost as pleasant as the tone of the corresponding note and the vibrations across the instrument itself. Indeed, the touch of a piano is a great experience, but the touch of a grand piano is pure bliss.

Of course, a upright piano is great for plenty of applications. They make beautiful music and they are quite suitable for homes, music classrooms and other smaller spaces. They’re great for learning and an older upright piano can be full of many special memories. However, when it comes to power, beauty and sound, nothing can compare to a grand piano. Its size is daunting and the vibrations that result when a concert pianist is busy at work can often be felt even to the very back of the concern hall. However, it is often the touch of the keys that people love most.

Often we allow our mind to overpower the natural responses of our senses. Although your brain might tell you that all piano keys feel the same, this is obviously not true. Some keys have greater resistance than others – some feel weightier or thicker while some feel thinner or lighter. Everyone has a different idea of what makes the best touch. Before you invest in a piano – especially a grand piano – it is important to identify which type of touch you prefer.

The action of every piano is slightly different from the next and this depends on several factors – namely the manufacturer and the materials they use. In previous times, most piano touches were heavy. In other words, the resistance of the keys was higher and thus it took more power to press each key and create each note. Today, however, this is not always the case. Some pianos have retained that high resistance feel while others are much lighter. Often people are more drawn to the touch to which they are most familiar.

Newer grand pianos allow for greater touch flexibility, and this is one of the reasons why their touch is most preferred. Whether you are a “heavy handed” piano player, or you have a lighter touch, you will feel at home. Some professional switch from heavy to light numerous times throughout a single piece and grand pianos respond well. When it comes to pianos, the sense of touch and the sense of sound are very connected.

Now, please take time to share with us. What type of touch do you prefer? Do you like higher or lower resistance keys? How do you play?    

Do you remember your first time hearing a grand piano? Maybe you were a small child, eyes wide in wonderment over the enchanting melodies swirling about the room, or maybe you were a full grown adult finally ready to get their feet wet in classical music. Maybe you first heard a grand piano at an elaborate concert performance – or perhaps it was at a five star restaurant. Whatever the case, it’s highly likely that your first encounter with a grand piano left an indelible impression. This is because grand pianos are some of the most powerful and recognizable instruments in the Western world. We equate these pianos with wealth and sophistication – and that’s for good reason.

However, as you sit and listen to the beautiful tinkling and deep vibration of a well played grand piano, it’s unlikely that you take much time to consider its inner workings. Like most things, unless you make the instruments yourself, we take pianos at face value. They are beautiful on the outside and make beautiful noises – but why? Underneath the lid of a grand piano lies a multitude of small pieces and intricate parts. Each and every piece of the piano, however small, plays an important role in creating the sound. If just one of these pieces were to break, the entire sound could be compromised.

As is already obvious, a grand piano is a great deal larger than other models. The power behind its sound is mostly due to its sheer size and the fact that each part has to be designed to scale. Because the sounding board is horizontal rather than vertical, and because the piano itself is very large, the strings of a grand piano are longer than the strings of upright pianos and baby grand pianos.

The sound a piano makes when a key is pressed is due to the hammer hitting the string. In a grand piano, the hammers hit the strings from underneath before falling back into their resting position. The vibrations of the strings are then translated into the sounding board which amplifies the sound. This creates the rich, beautiful sound we hear – or, in some cases, the cringe worthy cacophony when the piano is played poorly. Either way, these longer strings create larger and more violent vibrations which result in a louder and more powerful sound.

Generally, grand pianos have about 230 strings and, over time, piano manufacturers have learned a great deal about which sorts of metal alloys are most durable and how the density of these wire types affect the sound. In modern pianos, the metal wire stings are wrapped with copper and steel which makes them stronger and improves the sound.

One thing to keep in mind about the strings of a grand piano – especially an older grand piano – is that they may break due to rust. If this happens, it is in your best interest to replace the broken strings immediately. If you choose not to do so, the hammers could wear unevenly and you will eventually face further and more costly repairs. When it comes to a grand piano, it’s important to treat it with special care.

Now share with us – when was the first time you heard a grand piano?      

There is no doubt about it – a grand piano has the most powerful sound of any piano style available, and anyone who has ever played or heard a grand piano in a concert hall designed with proper acoustics can attest to this statement. The rich, beautiful tone carries over the audience and captivates each and every listener as though the notes are soaked in some fantastical spell. This sound can instantly instill the feeling of unbridled joy, deep sorrow, excitement, confusion, wistfulness and nearly every emotion in between. Indeed, a well played grand piano can alter a person’s very mood. Any instrument with this type of power should be cherished and, as is the case with most grand pianos, it is.

However, for those who have not yet delved into the science behind how pianos work, you may be wondering – what could possibly cause a grand piano to ignite such a stir? The trick to the power behind a grand piano is actually nothing more than simple physics and a larger sounding board. While this may sound very ho-hum to most, the sounding board of a grand piano is actually very interesting and has a foundation deeply rooted in ancient history.

Before the early 20^th century, piano sounding boards were made quite differently. Because the technology of modern times was not yet available, these instruments were constructed in a very complex and intricate manner. Looking at the inside of a piano today, it’s hard to believe there could be anything much more intricate. However, older pianos contained all sorts of specially shaped pieces that worked together to produce the sort of powerful sound that can only come from something designed by expert hands.

A sounding board of a piano is so important that some even refer to it as the “voice” of the instrument – and in a grand piano this voice is quite loud. As you may already know, the sounding board is responsible for translating the forced vibrations of the hammers hitting the strings into an amplified sound. However, the sound created by the sounding board depends on multiple factors and, as piano experts are aware, the more violent the vibrations the stronger the sound. The piano sounding board is constructed of thin slats of wood, and the higher the quality of the wood, and the more pronounced the grain, the better the sound of the piano.

Some people have remarked that they want the sound of a grand piano, but in a smaller vertical piano that they can keep in their living rooms. The reason this is not possible is due to the larger sounding board. If you look down at a grand piano from up above, you will see that the sounding board takes up a great deal of space because it lies horizontally. In upright pianos, the sounding board is vertical. While there are many high quality vertical pianos that make powerful and beautiful sounds, the power of a grand piano is still unmatched.

Do you think modern technology has affected the sound of grand pianos negatively or positively?

If you’ve ever seen a car commercial, you may have heard a phrase that says something like “To hold your precious cargo.” Generally this type of phrase is used to signify that a car has a high safety rating and is ideal for families. To better illustrate the idea, the term “precious cargo” is accompanied by imagery of sleeping children in the backseat.  This is a way for automobile manufacturers to express that their vehicles are top quality and made from durable materials that will hold up under the stress of daily use. In this way, an automobile is not much different from the case of a grand piano. Like a car, the case holds a great deal of sensitive and precious cargo and, like a car, the case must be able to withstand years of regular use.

If you’ve ever shopped around for a grand piano, you may have heard a sales person talk a lot about the inner and outer rim – and you may not have understood exactly what this meant. Essentially, a grand piano is built in layers.

First is the case, which is basically a shell. The case is what people see from the outside – the flawless, shining finish that gleams under stage lights, much like the outer metal shell of a vehicle. Inside this shell, however, is another layer that is often referred to as the inner rim. This is the piece of wood that the sounding board and plate are attached to with a special glue. Generally people do not see the inner rim unless the lid is lifted and they look down inside and, even then, the inner rim is covered with the sounding board and the frame.

Most of the time the inner and outer rims are made of durable woods such as laminated beech, maple or spruce. In some of the best quality grand pianos, the inner and outer rims are created out of one piece. The reason for this is to provide not only additional support for the piece inside, but also to ensure top quality sound. In other pianos, the inner rim is built first and the outer rim is built around it. However, regardless of the method of building the rims, the overall quality of the piano depends largely on the manufacturer and their attention to detail.

When you compare grand pianos for purchase, be sure to ask about the materials from which the inner and outer rims are fashioned. Although lower quality woods may bring down the price, they will also reduce the quality of the sound and the durability of the instrument.

Another thing to keep in mind about the inner and outer rims of a grand piano is that these are the pieces that hold the sounding board into place. Generally, the sounding board is referred to as the piano’s voice because this is where the vibrations of the strings are amplified into audible sound. In other words, if the inner and outer rims are the vehicle, then the sounding board and strings within are the precious cargo.

Have you ever seen the inner workings of a grand piano? What did you notice about the quality of the parts?  

Imagine you are on the market for an expensive, imported sports car. Like many people, you’ve worked hard your entire life in order to buy a few luxury items in your later years. For months, you’ve purchased every copy of every car magazine you could get your hands on and eagerly scoured the internet for photos and information on the best cars in each class. You have wanted a sports car for so long that you can already feel the whip of the wind in your hair and the grasp of your hands on the wheel. You may have even picked out the color of the interior.

However, while you’ve spend numerous hours researching automobiles, you still wouldn’t trust yourself to choose a car without a little guidance from an expert. After all, a sports car isn’t cheap and you don’t want to make the wrong choice. In this way, a piano is not unlike a fine imported sports car or any other luxury item you’ve waited a lifetime to purchase.

A piano is a special sort of investment and one that takes plenty of careful thought, consideration and savings. When you’re on the market for a new piano and you want an instrument that will last for generations, you wouldn’t go to just anyone – you would seek out the assistance of a highly trained expert. That’s why when people are serious about buying one of the best pianos on the market, they visit Cooper Piano.

Here at Cooper Piano, we don’t think of ourselves as just piano salespeople – we are true music lovers and highly skilled piano experts. There’s something about being in the business for four generations and counting – it starts to become your whole life. We don’t just learn about pianos for work, we take time to research and investigate every new piece of information available because we want to make sure that when we answer a customer’s question we give them a thorough response. We aim not just to provide our customers with helpful advice, but to guide them towards the piano of their dreams.

One thing worth noting is that we only sell the highest quality instruments from the most reputable manufacturers in the industry. Here, you don’t have to worry about whether or not your new piano is constructed with reliable materials or whether the insides have been replaced with low grade parts. We take pride in our pianos because we know we offer the best of the best.

At Cooper Piano, we live by the mantra that we can build a better world through music education and we do our best to infuse this belief into our daily customer interactions. Whether you’re looking to invest in a piano for your home, your business, or simply looking for some trustworthy information, we’ve got you covered. A piano is a once in a lifetime purchase, and we make sure that your piano will last at least a lifetime – that’s the Cooper difference.

Are you ready to find the piano you’ve always wanted?  

Buying a piano is generally a once in a lifetime occasion. It’s a significant investment of money and will provide generations of musical joy to your family and loved ones. A good piano creates music, but a great piano creates memories. Here at Cooper Piano, we want to make sure that when you choose your piano, you are choosing the instrument that will inspire fond memories your children and grandchildren will hold dear for many years. In order to help you find your special piano, we ensure all of our staff members have the extensive knowledge to answer all of your questions and lead you to the right decision.

We want to make sure you love your new piano – from the day it is delivered to your home and for the next several decades. As a company founded deeply in music education, we feel that knowledge is power. By having at least a loose background concept of what you’re looking for before you enter our store, you are much more likely to be fully satisfied with your purchase. Here are a few tips to consider when shopping for your new piano.

Choosing the right piano may not happen in one trip. Although you may feel fully prepared to invest in a new piano, it is not uncommon to feel a little overwhelmed by our inventory. Cooper Piano sells many of the highest quality pianos by the most well-known manufacturers in the industry. If you do not have a few hours available to learn about the intricacies of multiple pianos from our piano experts, then you may want to break up your visit into multiple trips. We want to make sure that when you leave with your new piano, you have no regrets and – all too often – a snap decision can be the wrong one.

Keep an open mind. Some people enter our show room with a vision of the piano they want, but this piano may not be the best instrument for their needs. Remember that each piano style is built for different applications. Additionally, some pianos, like grand pianos, are built for concert halls and large expanses of space while others are built for homes, such as vertical pianos. Take time to review multiple piano styles before you choose your instrument.

Learn about maintenance before you make the purchase. A piano is an expensive investment, and a great piano is worth every dime. However, in order to ensure your piano will last a lifetime, and keep its beautiful sound, you need to keep up with regular maintenance. Tuning, cleaning and voicing will need to be completed regularly by trained piano experts.

Listen to the piano experts. Our highly-trained staff can tell you everything you need to know to choose the piano of your dreams, but you need to take their advice to heart. For the past four generations, Cooper Piano has been remained a leader in the local industry and we employ only the best and most competent music experts in the business. Customer satisfaction is our ultimate goal.

At Cooper Piano, We live by the owner’s credo: Build a better world through music education. By educating our customers not only in music itself, but in how to choose the right piano, we are helping to spread happiness through our instruments.

What are you looking for in your new piano?

Traditional pianos are acoustic pianos, with sound produced when keys are touched, causing internal hammers to hit strings that vibrate and produce musical notes. A acoustic digital piano, however, is an electric piano with additional capacities that sounds just like an acoustic piano and therefore is often called a digital acoustic piano.

Digital Acoustic Pianos

A acoustic digital piano uses a variety of tools such as speakers, amplifiers and digital sounding boards to create the same sounds as a traditional acoustic piano. The keys weigh similarly to a traditional acoustic piano so that playing the digital acoustic piano feels much like playing a traditional piano.

Digital Acoustic Piano Components

A digital acoustic piano has a weighted keyboard and a set of sensors that feel the strength of which the keys are pressed to create the corresponding sound, using a microchip that understands the right kind of sound and volume necessary according to the way that each key is pressed. There is also a set of amplifiers, a sound back and speakers, as well as headphone jacks so that the musician can hear the sound privately.

An acoustic digital piano buyer should note that digital pianos may also offer other sounds and electronic choices, such as the ability to create the sound of a harpsichord or an organ.

Benefits of a Digital Acoustic Piano

Digital acoustic pianos look very much like a traditional acoustic piano but have some additional benefits, such as weighing less than a standard piano and the ability to disassemble the piano if necessary.

In addition, a digital piano does not go out of tune and does not require the same repair, maintenance or tuning that a traditional piano will need on a regular basis. The volume on a digital acoustic piano adjusts or eliminates with headphones.

Of course, there is the benefit of technology, since a digital acoustic piano attaches to a computer, iPad or other technology to help compose, play, record and play back music.

Disadvantages of a Digital Acoustic Piano

While there are many benefits to a digital acoustic piano, there are also some drawbacks.

For instance, the tone of music made by an acoustic piano can change slightly or dramatically, creating sweeping changes in volume, tone and composition. Since a digital piano produces digital sounds, no matter how sophisticated, the sound will never be precisely the same as a traditional acoustic piano, which should be considered as an acoustic digital piano buyer.

Purchasing Tips

When deciding on what piano to purchase as an acoustic digital piano buyer, test out many floor models. Play the digital piano aloud and bring a set of headphones so that you can hear how it will sound through headphones as well.

Check out the features of each digital piano and consider the specific characteristics that you are seeking for the piano for your purposes. Select a digital piano that meets your needs and is not necessarily the newest or coolest model on the floor.

Spend time playing each digital piano and experiment with the feel of the keys, the response of the pedals, the range of the speaker system, the different electronic options, the range of the tone and the sound, and play different types of music at various volumes to see how you like the resulting sound.

What do you think? Which is better, a traditional acoustic or a digital piano?   

If you have never seen a player piano, it is a piano that appears to play on its own, with keys moving independently and a roll of paper that scrolls across the top front of the piano, providing the music that the piano makes using foot pedals and electricity. While antique automatic pianos have been around for a long time, modern player pianos now connect to modern technology such as an iPad to create amazing music.

About Antique Player Pianos

Player pianos look a lot like modern pianos, with a keyboard and foot pedals. However, there is also a roll of paper embedded in the front of the piano that moves in accordance with the keys and the pedals when the piano is turned on and operating.

The rolls of paper have tiny notches that indicate the notes that play thanks to the foot pedals that operate using suction. A player can add or release pressure to the foot pedals to add volume and other dynamics to the music, as well as using a set of levers on the front of the piano to add or slow the tempo of the music.

Player pianos were most popular from 1900 and 1930, at which point the record player was introduced and became the primary form of musical entertainment in the home. These pianos then became less popular in the home although they remained popular in many saloons and dance halls.

While the interest and fun of automatic pianos is largely found in the automatic motion of the piano, the pianos can also be play by hand, with or without the paper roll mechanism.

Finding Antique Player Pianos

Player pianos are available in many places, although the condition of the piano varies widely and may or may not have all the necessary parts or the music rolls. Original music paper rolls are very difficult to find in good condition, although copies are available and often produce a very realistic sound and reproduction.

Antique automatic pianos are often available for sale online, through individuals or in piano stores. Consider the condition of the piano, any necessary repairs, tuning and the cost of moving the piano when you look at antique automatic pianos as an investment. While the piano itself may not seem to cost very much, the cost of restoration and the piano repair may be extensive and require consideration as well.

Modern Player Pianos

Modern player pianos look just like standard pianos, with beautiful wood cases such as polished mahogany. The difference is that these pianos can connect to a personal smartphone, Apple iPad or iPod, providing a wide variety of playlists and amazing automatic performances using specific software.

To hear an example of the kind of music available through a modern player piano, click here.

Cooper Piano

Automatic pianos, both antique and modern, are lots of fun and can offer hours of entertainment and beautiful music. Contact us at Cooper Piano for more tips and information on how to find, restore and repair an antique automatic piano or to purchase a modern piano that can be used with modern technology to create an amazing sound and performance. For more information about antique and modern automatic pianos, contact Cooper Piano in Atlanta.