Acoustic Pianos in Decline?
Although the piano was originally invented in the 1700s, it did not come to prominence as an instrument until the late 1800s known as the Victorian era. Factories were beginning to mass produce 3 main types of piano, the upright, square grand, and grand piano. The availability increased and costs decreased to where average families were able to afford and have pianos in their homes for the first time. By the early 1900s, the development of the modern piano was realized and the ‘golden age’ of the piano had begun. Technology advances in design and materials………
Shopping for a Used Piano? Here Are Some Tips (Copy)
I’ve found that when it comes to approaching buying a used piano, it is somewhat common for technicians to apply certain prejudices to the advice they give, whether it be against certain designs, or manufacturers, or price brackets. Here I have tried to, by means of four characters present helpful information for clients with budgets great and small, and possessing different priorities in the style or function of the piano they are seeking.
An Overview of Steinway Spirio
The Steinway Spirio is an advanced player piano system that allows the piano to perform music with remarkable expressiveness, exactly as a human pianist would. Using state-of-the-art digital technology, the Spirio system enables the piano to play pre-recorded music with an unparalleled level of nuance and detail, replicating every subtle dynamic, tempo variation, and phrasing nuance of the original performance.
Piano Tuning; What Goes Into a 1 Hour Service Call?
One hour service calls are, on the whole, best suited to maintaining the current level of your piano. Through efficiency and planning it is often possible for us to make a big difference in a piano over a short period of time, but the task is usually great and the time short. As a company, our values push us to always do our best to provide the greatest possible value.
Hidden Treasures
With the long history that many pianos have, you never know what you may find inside!
Understanding Piano Dampers: The Unsung Heroes of Sound
When you sit down at a piano, you’re often swept away by the instrument's rich tones and expressive capabilities. But behind this beauty lies a crucial component that plays a vital role in shaping the sound: the damper. Most pianists only think of dampers like an on/off switch. The note is either sustaining or it is not. Proper regulation of dampers actually goes quite a bit deeper and is more complex than first meets the eye.
Modern Piano Brands: Yamaha, Kawai, Steinway (and more!)
In Missouri, the piano has a long history. From Sedalia to St. Louis, Scott Joplin to the 1904 World Fair, and beyond, the piano has been, and in many cases retains, some importance as a fixture of the American home and American life. However, within the last generation, a great many piano manufacturers have shuttered their establishments, and many familiar makers, such as Baldwin, Kimball, Wurlitzer, Knabe, Everett, and others, are either defunct or exist only as stickers pasted over a generic product made in a remote factory location.
Wessell, Nickel & Gross (WNG) - Part 3
A Review of Wessell, Nickel & Gross (WNG) - Part 3
See Part 1 Here:
https://www.vanguardpianoservice.com/intunepianoblog/wngpart1
See Part 2 Here:
https://www.vanguardpianoservice.com/intunepianoblog/wngpart2
Wessell, Nickel & Gross (WNG) - Part 2
A Review of Wessell, Nickel & Gross (WNG) - Part 2
See Part 1 Here:
https://www.vanguardpianoservice.com/intunepianoblog/wngpart1
A Review of Wessell, Nickel & Gross (WNG) - Part 1
A Review of Wessell, Nickel & Gross (WNG) - Part 1
Furry Friends of Vanguard Piano Service
Furry Friends of Vanguard Piano Service
Just a few photos of the helpers we love seeing on our piano service trips!!
Piano Deep Cleaning
So much can be hiding in your piano action and cabinet, especially in homes with children and pets. Deep Cleaning is a great way to care for your piano.
The Origins of Tone: An Abridged History of the Piano Sound
I remember the specific day that it struck home to me how personal and personalized musical instruments have always been. The year was 2016, and I was visiting Germany on an internship through my university. Surrounded by about 70 different kinds of horn instruments, I pondered how ordinary people who also tilled fields, hunted for sustenance, or engaged in early trades, also built musical instruments that fit their lifestyles and their music. A carpenter might make early harps or violins, a farmer carve reed pipes or hollow out rams horns, a blacksmith might also make bells or drums. In archeological sites across the whole world we find musical instruments made of the most readily available materials, whether of reed or bone, brass or wood(1). The whole of human history has truly been full of music.