| Ask the man in the street about upright pianos and he | | | | escape and be directed around the room. This is, in |
| will probably tell you it is the poor cousin of the concert | | | | fact, why grand piano lids are opened -- but in a |
| grand, and that most pianists would prefer to buy a | | | | domestic setting, the sound from an upright can sound |
| grand (or perhaps a baby grand) if they had the | | | | just as good as a baby-grand, surprisingly. Certainly the |
| money. But is this lower-class reputation that is | | | | sound is perfectly good enough for most purposes, |
| attached to upright pianos -- especially used ones -- | | | | and while the keyboard action will not match that of a |
| really deserved? | | | | grand, most people playing at home will not need that |
| There are in fact many positives to buying an upright | | | | level of flexibility. |
| piano instead. Obviously there is the cost, where the | | | | What's more, this is the perfect instrument to learn to |
| "poor cousin" obviously wins -- and used upright pianos | | | | play. What it comes down to is: will an upright piano |
| are obviously even more inexpensive than brand new | | | | meet your requirements? The answer for most |
| ones. It also wins in terms of practicality -- since it can | | | | people is Yes: it is a fantastic compromise between |
| sit flat against a wall, it can fit into many rooms in a | | | | the cost and quality of a grand and the |
| house, needing less space than a couch. If you keep | | | | inexpensiveness but (some would say) the |
| them clean and polished, even a used instrument can | | | | characterless quality (lacking harmonies and tones) of |
| add a touch of class to a home, and are very | | | | an electronic keyboard. |
| attractive pieces of furniture -- let alone practical | | | | An upright piano is a traditional musical instrument that |
| musical instruments. | | | | will, with a little care and attention, not only provide you |
| The sound a piano makes is perhaps its most | | | | with years of musical pleasure, but will also be an |
| important characteristic. In an upright, the sound is | | | | attractive piece of furniture that is a real investment |
| emitted from the rear, so if it is up against a wall you | | | | for the future. |
| will usually open the piano's lid to allow the music to | | | | |