rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I need your wisdom! My DD is 10, and her piano teacher says that it's time for her to have a grand piano. My DD can't practice many of the things the teacher is asking her to do, and the teacher says it's because she's not on a grand. She says my DD can try to compensate but that it isn't fair to a student if it's not necessary to put them through that. She even went so far as to tell me that it wasn't really worth paying the extra money for lessons with her (this teacher is double the price of her old teacher) if we aren't going to commit to a grand sometime soon. We could cut back on things and find a way to afford it, but it hasn't felt right to me and DH. It feels so extravagant for such a young child to have such an expensive piece of equipment. I guess I am very worried about the message it would send her to spend that kind of money on her. I guess I could see spending that kind of money when she's 13 or 14, but it feels like the wrong thing to do with a young kid. How the heck would I keep her grounded if I spend that kind of money on her? To be fair, she has shown tremendous dedication and has practiced piano for 60-90 minutes almost every day for about 2 1/2 years. She's working on a Chopin waltz that is level 7 or 8 (the one in B minor--I think it's his easiest). I'm not worried about her dedication or seriousness about piano. She loves it and this is her life. Are DH and I worried about nothing? Or is there something to our worry? We don't live an extravagant lifestyle (1 tiny car, small house, clothes from thrift stores), so this is new territory for us. Any wisdom? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post EmseB Posted March 12, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted March 12, 2015 My first thought is that teacher sounds pretentious and ridiculous. There are ways to get access to a grand piano without buying one, but even so, my husband is a dedicated classical pianist and we have a hand me down spinet. Is it ideal? No, but to say he can't learn stuff because it's not a grand seems ridiculous to me. If he was pursuing a career in that direction, he'd probably find find one to rent time or use a church piano or something. 53 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 My concern is that the teacher is looking to make a commission on the piano she wants you to get. My dd's piano teacher was fine with dd doing A LOT on a Yamaha keyboard and never pushed us for more piano than we had. DD's piano teacher was the guest conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony, so she was a professional musician of the highest caliber. This doesn't seem right to me that a 10yo needs such an expensive instrument. If you really do feel that she needs the grand piano I would not worry too much about setting a precedent, because you don't sound like an overly indulgent parent and that would be your real problem. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I don't think a good piano would spoil a kid. At least, I can't imagine how that would work...... And if you have a small house, I think it's reasonable to ask just how big of a "grand piano" you are talking about here. They do take up quite a bit of space. It might be cheaper to rent studio time somewhere for her to practice once a week on a real "grand". 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I normally hate yahoo answers, but I did like this: https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070326220728AAFmUrE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I don't think it would spoil a child but the reasons for getting one don't make much sense to me. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I don't know....... All of the practice pianos for music majors at the university I attended were uprights. The piano majors got some time on the grand in the department chair's office, but until prepping for senior recitals no one had massive amounts of time with the performance grand. Unless you are a performing professional I am not sure why you would have to have a grand. (Said the passable pianist with a piano minor. :) ) 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 It really depends on the teacher. With ours, I know if she suggested that she'd be genuinely meaning it and not looking to make a buck, and I trust her deeply. With some of my other teachers in the past? Not so much. If you can afford a nice grand, do it. They're wonderful instruments. But if your house cannot handle the size or your budget cannot handle the hit, even buying a nice used one on Craiglist, there are so many beautiful uprights to choose from that produce a balanced, rich tone. And quite frankly, having played on full size concert grands, higher end uprights, and my little digital clavinova, the range of expressiveness among solidly made new pianos is getting slimmer and slimmer. This isn't the world of parlor spinets and sticker brands anymore - even the 'lower end' instruments from South Korea and China are quite nice these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I agree with the others. (1) No, I cannot see how it would spoil the child, and (2) the teacher's reasoning does not make much sense to me (though I don't have expertise in this area). 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 I don't think it would spoil a child but the reasons for getting one don't make much sense to me. My understanding is that the reason is the action of an upright being lesser to a grand. Tone can be comparable, but action is no comparison. The teacher kept asking her to practice trills or things that have to do with touch, and my DD can't do it on our upright. I went to get a better upright and kept being told that I would only get another year or two out of a better upright before I would regret all those moving costs and not just upgrading to a grand in the first place. But, I have no idea what I'm doing. I just try to keep up at this point! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 My first thought is that teacher sounds pretentious and ridiculous. There are ways to get access to a grand piano without buying one, but even so, my husband is a dedicated classical pianist and we have a hand me down spinet. Is it ideal? No, but to say he can't learn stuff because it's not a grand seems ridiculous to me. If he was pursuing a career in that direction, he'd probably find find one to rent time or use a church piano or something. Um, yeah. A grand piano is nice to have for a serious piano student, but there are many, many professional, classical pianists who primarily practice on uprights. If you want a grand, get a grand, but don't do it because of pressure from your daughter's teacher. In fact, after that kind of pressure, I'd be seriously evaluating whether or not we wanted to continue with that teacher. 24 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Ok - I personally think that is ridiculous and my oldest was playing similarly leveled repertoire at that age. Now he's 14 and pretty advanced (has done concerto competition, has won piano merit scholarships, has been selected for honor recitals). I just think to say now you need to drop 10K plus and give up major real estate in your home for this is pretty obnoxious on the part of your teacher. If you have the space and would love to have a grand in your house, great. I don't think that would spoil a child actually. But I do not think it's a necessity. I will also say I now know a number of precocious young musicians who have either backed off on their instrument during the teen years or have broadened their music to include other instruments and/or voice as well. That said, if you have something like a poorly maintained spinet, it might be time for an upgrade. I know professional pianists who were absolutely raised without a grand. We have gotten a ton of mileage out of a fully rebuilt antique full upright. I actually think it would be hard for us to do better than that without going to a big grand. Even some baby grands don't sound as full as this piano IMO. I also think getting studio or piano time somewhere once a week is a great idea. I know our church would let us use their pianos (they have 2 grands) if we wanted and probably for free. ETA - do NOT buy a piano used off of craigs list or from an independent seller without having at inspected by a technician (you can pay someone to inspect a piano before you move it). I know more than one person who has done this and ended up with a large piece of firewood that could not be repaired without spending thousands. Some places will sell used pianos with a warranty. That is a good way to go too. 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 I don't know....... All of the practice pianos for music majors at the university I attended were uprights. The piano majors got some time on the grand in the department chair's office, but until prepping for senior recitals no one had massive amounts of time with the performance grand. Unless you are a performing professional I am not sure why you would have to have a grand. (Said the passable pianist with a piano minor. :) ) Thanks--this really helps! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Not a teacher here, but in our experience, it's the longer strings in a grand that help develop finger strength (because you have to strike harder? Someone needs to page FaithManor on this one). we had a parlor grand (6'5") and my kids were stronger players than their peers at the same age, and could better vary between a light and loud touch. Was that all due to the strings? Who knows. We just got a great deal on the piano, had space and a gramma that chipped in for it, and loved the way it sounded. You can get long strings in a upright piano and even a good studio piano. I think your teacher sounds pretty snobby. It's awfully assuming to think every student can afford a grand, either in price or space to house it. A serious student should get off a keyboard at some point, to me that's a bigger issue than what sort of piano to purchase. For students a few years in who are very serious, a grand might be a wonderful investment. But again, I'm no professional, I've just learned a bit through our experiences. Four different teachers over the years and none of them ever made that demand or even that recommendation to us. Paging Faith Manor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 My understanding is that the reason is the action of an upright being lesser to a grand. Tone can be comparable, but action is no comparison. The teacher kept asking her to practice trills or things that have to do with touch, and my DD can't do it on our upright. I went to get a better upright and kept being told that I would only get another year or two out of a better upright before I would regret all those moving costs and not just upgrading to a grand in the first place. But, I have no idea what I'm doing. I just try to keep up at this point! lol Even among grands there is immense variety in touch and responsiveness. A trill on a baby grand is not going to feel the same as a series of them on a concert grand. A trill on the Steinway of the same size will not feel like a Young Chang, a Kawai, a Bosendorpher, or a Yamaha. And that says nothing of the variations in tone, character, and tuning differences among them! Every time a pianist sits down at an instrument there is variation - immense variation - in the touch, responsiveness, tone, and character of each instrument. If this teacher cannot teach technique without the aid if a top end piano, there is something wrong. Far too many accomplished pianists have learned on mid range and even poorly maintained instruments for there to be much basis in what she has said. Definitely, definitely buy as much piano as you can afford. A quality instrument is such a joy to play, and in some ways it does make certain technique and repertoire differences. But nothing so earth shattering that your daughter shouldn't be studying at a high level if she cannot access a $70,000 instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Unless she is a true prodigy, then probably I would say no to the grand piano. It wouldn't spoil her, but I really doubt it is necessary. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 And if you have a small house, I think it's reasonable to ask just how big of a "grand piano" you are talking about here. They do take up quite a bit of space. It might be cheaper to rent studio time somewhere for her to practice once a week on a real "grand". Our house is 1200 sq. ft. for the four of us, and the grand we looked at was a 5'3" Yamaha. Pretty small, but it had a beautiful sound to me, and my DD liked the action. But, I don't play, and going on the recommendation of a 10 year old isn't ideal. lol I like the idea of trying to find a studio for her to practice at once or twice a week. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Unless she is a true prodigy, then probably I would say no to the grand piano. It wouldn't spoil her, but I really doubt it is necessary. She's definitely not a prodigy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Ok - I personally think that is ridiculous and my oldest was playing similarly leveled repertoire at that age. Now he's 14 and pretty advanced (has done concerto competition, has won piano merit scholarships, has been selected for honor recitals). I just think to say now you need to drop 10K plus and give up major real estate in your home for this is pretty obnoxious on the part of your teacher. If you have the space and would love to have a grand in your house, great. I don't think that would spoil a child actually. But I do not think it's a necessity. I will also say I now know a number of precocious young musicians who have either backed off on their instrument during the teen years or have broadened their music to include other instruments and/or voice as well. That said, if you have something like a poorly maintained spinet, it might be time for an upgrade. I know professional pianists who were absolutely raised without a grand. We have gotten a ton of mileage out of a fully rebuilt antique full upright. I actually think it would be hard for us to do better than that without going to a big grand. Even some baby grands don't sound as full as this piano IMO. I also think getting studio or piano time somewhere once a week is a great idea. I know our church would let us use their pianos (they have 2 grands) if we wanted and probably for free. ETA - do NOT buy a piano used off of craigs list or from an independent seller without having at inspected by a technician (you can pay someone to inspect a piano before you move it). I know more than one person who has done this and ended up with a large piece of firewood that could not be repaired without spending thousands. Some places will sell used pianos with a warranty. That is a good way to go too. The bolted must be emphasized. There are so many wonderful used instruments, but bring along an experienced teacher if you cannot bring a tech. Do NOT purchase used without expert assistance. There are more clunkers than screaming deals, and many overpriced pieces of junk. A tech will be of great assistance in figuring out which is which :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 A quality instrument is such a joy to play, and in some ways it does make certain technique and repertoire differences. But nothing so earth shattering that your daughter shouldn't be studying at a high level if she cannot access a $70,000 instrument. Definitely not a $70k instrument--it was $13k, but that still feels extravagant to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Huh? This makes no sense to me. Parents often spend large amounts of money on their children when their children are involved in sports or music study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 The bolted must be emphasized. There are so many wonderful used instruments, but bring along an experienced teacher if you cannot bring a tech. Do NOT purchase used without expert assistance. There are more clunkers than screaming deals, and many overpriced pieces of junk. A tech will be of great assistance in figuring out which is which :) I've only been looking at the 3 established shops in our area because Craigslist has felt so fraught with the kind of thing you describe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Huh? This makes no sense to me. Parents often spend large amounts of money on their children when their children are involved in sports or music study. Spending something like $13k (in addition to an expensive teacher) just feels different to us. I take her to all kinds of activities, but never anything as expensive as this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 There are a million reasons not to get a grand piano. Spoiling would never occur to me. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 There are a million reasons not to get a grand piano. Spoiling would never occur to me. I may be overthinking it. I needed a reality check. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 a kid who is serious about piano would not be spoiled. (and I've seen some youtube videos of a six yo who would do it justice.) HOWEVER - I doubt this teacher is pushing a grand because your dd needs it to be a better pianist. I seriously question this teacher as she seems more obsessed with the instrument than developing ability. there is such a thing as a musician outplaying the instrument. (where the instrument doesn't keep up with the musician's ability. and you can hear it.) My niece shared the story of being asked by several fellow professional orchestra members when she was going to get a better instrument. (the sound of her inferior viola was bugging them.) which put the idea in my head. I'm not much of a musician, but I've had opportunity to hear many classes of soloists with varying quality instruments - I've heard "it" twice. and it does sound "off". a friend's high school daughter putting on a fund raiser concert, and listening to her - she needed a better instrument. I was like "wow", I really heard the difference. Another time a professional organist was playing a Widor Toccata on our church organ and all I could think was what a piece of junk instrument (that is just fine with most players playing hymns) and it wasn't doing him justice. but for a 10yo to *require* a grand to have an instrument that kept up with her, she would have to be a prodigy. eta: just a question. does the teacher come to your house for lessons? or do you go there? how different is the keyboard your dd plays on vs the teachers and is she having trouble adjusting to the difference? (either of those could be the real problem.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 eta: just a question. does the teacher come to your house for lessons? or do you go there? how different is the keyboard your dd plays on vs the teachers and is she having trouble adjusting to the difference? (either of those could be the real problem.) This is exactly the problem. We go to her house, she has a relatively new concert grand, my DD practices on a 40 year old Baldwin studio at our house, my DD can't adjust on the fly very well, teacher gets frustrated that this is slowing down my DD's progress, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I don't think quality art materials are any more spoiling a child than investing in owning quality literature in the home. But I also think the teacher sounds like a pretentious snob who is at least mildly full of poop. Many many fabulous pianist can't have a grand whether they want it or not. Those things are big and even well used are expensive. And yet those pianists don't seem to be stunted ability wise and I would suspect most of them are likely further along in study than your daughter. I think if this were truely the case many a pianist would have never been! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Unless she is a true prodigy, then probably I would say no to the grand piano. It wouldn't spoil her, but I really doubt it is necessary. LOL - this is a complete aside, so sorry! My kid has been called a prodigy to his face when he was younger. He does have perfect pitch and took to music and music teachers like him. I just think many kids called prodigies are kid with natural tendencies. But they also are willing to practice and have good parental support and are strong, confident performers. My own kid is over confident if anything and I think that sometimes comes out as "prodigy". I do not think he's a prodigy. I used to joke I needed a bumper sticker that said "my GT kid can't tie his shoes". :lol: If you do not know a kid or his parent, please do not approach and ask if they're a "prodigy". I'm glad my kid is "tall" and has a teen air head thing going on right now. A better thing to say is "Wow - you must practice hard and like playing!" or "I really enjoyed your performance!". Anyway, whether or not a child had the prodigy label slapped on them by someone (there is no standard definition or test) would not matter to me one iota as a parent on the decision to buy a piano that can run the same price as a vehicle! :) If you are supporting your child through music lessons and already own a piano, you are already doing something many parents can't or will not do. Our teacher has 2 grands in his studio. Our music school has 2 50K concert grands. Sometimes our teacher will reserve time on those pianos. My kid could easily go into music too. It's great to have time on nice pianos. Do I think I need to give up a large portion of my living space and a huge chunk of my kid's college funds to upgrade the instrument? Ummm ... no! And the fact that a few people have labelled him a prodigy at one time doesn't shake my resolve on that at all. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skimomma Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I agree with others that a good instrument for a talented and dedicated child is not "spoiling." But I do think your teacher is asking FAR too much. My dd is a very talented violin player (I stop short of prodigy) and she is outplaying her current instrument by a long shot. We know it, she knows it, and her teacher knows it. We simply cannot afford to upgrade right now and still pay for lessons. Dd's teacher understands this and is perfectly happy to work with what we have until another solution can be found....which might be a very long time. I would be extremely upset if dd's teacher tried pulling the sort of drama yours is. Am I the only one who first thought "where in the world would be PUT a grand?!?!" 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildiris Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I need your wisdom! My DD is 10, and her piano teacher says that it's time for her to have a grand piano. My DD can't practice many of the things the teacher is asking her to do, and the teacher says it's because she's not on a grand. She says my DD can try to compensate but that it isn't fair to a student if it's not necessary to put them through that. She even went so far as to tell me that it wasn't really worth paying the extra money for lessons with her (this teacher is double the price of her old teacher) if we aren't going to commit to a grand sometime soon. We could cut back on things and find a way to afford it, but it hasn't felt right to me and DH. It feels so extravagant for such a young child to have such an expensive piece of equipment. I guess I am very worried about the message it would send her to spend that kind of money on her. I guess I could see spending that kind of money when she's 13 or 14, but it feels like the wrong thing to do with a young kid. How the heck would I keep her grounded if I spend that kind of money on her? To be fair, she has shown tremendous dedication and has practiced piano for 60-90 minutes almost every day for about 2 1/2 years. She's working on a Chopin waltz that is level 7 or 8 (the one in B minor--I think it's his easiest). I'm not worried about her dedication or seriousness about piano. She loves it and this is her life. Are DH and I worried about nothing? Or is there something to our worry? We don't live an extravagant lifestyle (1 tiny car, small house, clothes from thrift stores), so this is new territory for us. Any wisdom? 1. The Chopin Waltz for a 10 year old is standard and not extraordinary. Don't let the piano teacher mislead you. 2. A grand piano is not spoiling nor is it necessary yet, but the piano teacher does have a point about playing a grand piano vs and upright. The action is different so the quality of sound has greater depth. 3." My DD can't practice many of the things the teacher is asking her to do, and the teacher says it's because she's not on a grand. " A suspect statement and would have me questioning the quality of piano teacher. 4. Me-4 kids have played piano. 2 of the kids played piano for 10 years or until they were 15. These two quit and move onto more portable instruments. 1 quit after 5 years, and 1 is still playing. She is 11. We have 1 grand piano and 1 upright. The grand we found through a church member. The upright we bought used. Grands can be affordable. Look around. Does your child want to compete? Does your child do any kind of music exam? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 I agree with others that a good instrument for a talented and dedicated child is not "spoiling." But I do think your teacher is asking FAR too much. My dd is a very talented violin player (I stop short of prodigy) and she is outplaying her current instrument by a long shot. We know it, she knows it, and her teacher knows it. We simply cannot afford to upgrade right now and still pay for lessons. Dd's teacher understands this and is perfectly happy to work with what we have until another solution can be found....which might be a very long time. I would be extremely upset if dd's teacher tried pulling the sort of drama yours is. Am I the only one who first thought "where in the world would be PUT a grand?!?!" I definitely think the teacher would understand if we couldn't afford it. She knows we could afford it if we chose to, and the fact that we aren't getting something good based on a reason other than affordability is frustrating her. I have a small house, but there is room in my living room. I have been less worried about the space than I am about setting a weird precedent for a little kid. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 We have a grand piano in our home, and we bought it when our ds started taking lessons, but I can't imagine why a young kid would need one. We bought our because we wanted a piano and thought a grand would look nice in our living room, not because we felt it was some sort of necessity. Grand pianos take up a LOT of room, so if you have a small home, that space could probably be better filled with something other than a gigantic piano. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 1. The Chopin Waltz for a 10 year old is standard and not extraordinary. Don't let the piano teacher mislead you. 2. A grand piano is not spoiling nor is it necessary yet, but the piano teacher does have a point about playing a grand piano vs and upright. The action is different so the quality of sound has greater depth. 3." My DD can't practice many of the things the teacher is asking her to do, and the teacher says it's because she's not on a grand. " A suspect statement and would have me questioning the quality of piano teacher. 4. Me-4 kids have played piano. 2 of the kids played piano for 10 years or until they were 15. These two quit and move onto more portable instruments. 1 quit after 5 years, and 1 is still playing. She is 11. We have 1 grand piano and 1 upright. The grand we found through a church member. The upright we bought used. Grands can be affordable. Look around. Does your child want to compete? Does your child do any kind of music exam? I've tried my very best to be clear that my DD isn't extraordinary. I did think it was important to know what level songs she's working on, since that helps with knowing whether action is important at this point. Her teacher does want her to compete. She is working on the waltz for her first competition in April. She takes the syllabus exams every year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I've tried my very best to be clear that my DD isn't extraordinary. I did think it was important to know what level songs she's working on, since that helps with knowing whether action is important at this point. Her teacher does want her to compete. She is working on the waltz for her first competition in April. She takes the syllabus exams every year. Her teacher may have the best of intentions, but I truly believe she is wrong when she says your dd "needs" a grand piano. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Her teacher may have the best of intentions, but I truly believe she is wrong when she says your dd "needs" a grand piano. :iagree: The teacher shouldn't be frustrated, either, that you haven't chosen to purchase a grand. That's just a little on the control freak & pretentious side to me. Most piano students, even great ones, don't have a grand taking up space their living room. If you buy it, how are you going to feel if your daughter moves away from piano and to another instrument? For instance, my oldest loves piano, but spends most of his music time on the drums now. I know I would be irritated at the space the piano took up if my child decided they wanted to go with another instrument. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I think you should PM Faithmanor. Spoiling wouldn't cross my mind. We've bought expensive horses for our kids and didn't feel that we were spoiling them. However, I wouldn't care to fit a grand piano in a 1200 square foot house. Something seems off about this teacher. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammi K Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 We have a Yamaha upright and I remember at the time we purchased it I was interested in getting a grand. We were told that we could purchase this very nice quality upright for the same price we could purchase a really poor quality grand. We were told that both by the store sales person and our piano teacher. I don't have enough knowledge to know that the advice was completely accurate. But, I do know that my daughter played the piano all the way through college ( piano performance major) and every time we get it tuned the tuners always comment along the lines that our upright is "an excellent piano that will last you many years!" I have never regretted NOT pushing for a grand. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 We have a Yamaha upright and I remember at the time we purchased it I was interested in getting a grand. We were told that we could purchase this very nice quality upright for the same price we could purchase a really poor quality grand. We were told that both by the store sales person and our piano teacher. I don't have enough knowledge to know that the advice was completely accurate. But, I do know that my daughter played the piano all the way through college ( piano performance major) and every time we get it tuned the tuners always comment along the lines that our upright is "an excellent piano that will last you many years!" I have never regretted NOT pushing for a grand. This is good to know! I'll go back and look at the Yamaha U3 instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildiris Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I've tried my very best to be clear that my DD isn't extraordinary. I did think it was important to know what level songs she's working on, since that helps with knowing whether action is important at this point. Her teacher does want her to compete. She is working on the waltz for her first competition in April. She takes the syllabus exams every year. If it were me, I would start looking around for a good used grand that a piano tuner evaluates before plunking down $$. It costs to move the piano, then tune it once again when it has settled into its new home. If you find a reasonable grand before your DD is a freshman or sophomore in highschool buy it if piano still excites her; otherwise, a good upright will build finger muscles and serve your student well. Over 17 years I've seen a lot of good piano students come and go--and I mean astonishing young pianist that drop piano in high school when they realize only a few outstanding pianist get to be world-class concert pianists. Why doesn't the piano teacher work with her on the grand during their lessons? What kind of upright do you own? The U3 is awesome. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I think my kids would have to be in the practising 6 or so hours a day looking at a music career league before I'd do it. I wouldn't consider it spoiling but our house has only so much space and we only have so much money and it has to cover everyone in the house. Putting that much into one area would limit other areas so I'd want to know that it was THE one area best suited to our kid and wasn't affecting the other kids unreasonably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Why doesn't the piano teacher work with her on the grand during their lessons? What kind of upright do you own? The teacher does work with her on the grand during the lesson. The teacher has a fairly new concert grand, we have a 40 year old Baldwin studio at home--my DD tries to compensate for the difference between those two on the fly during the lesson, my DD struggles with the transition, the teacher feels frustrated that they could be working on other things rather than struggling with something that may be solved by having a better piano. However, to me, getting a better piano meant a new upright, not a grand. It sounds like it's completely unnecessary, that I can go with my original plan, and as a bonus feel better about the spoiling thing. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I've tried my very best to be clear that my DD isn't extraordinary. I did think it was important to know what level songs she's working on, since that helps with knowing whether action is important at this point. Her teacher does want her to compete. She is working on the waltz for her first competition in April. She takes the syllabus exams every year. Most 10 year olds are not practicing 60-90 minutes a day or playing Chopin. She is most certainly hard working and dedicated which will serve her well in life no matter which direction she goes! :hurray: I do think some music teachers have a flair for the dramatic. LOL. Our kids are so deprived, right? I think my kids would have to be in the practising 6 or so hours a day looking at a music career league before I'd do it. I wouldn't consider it spoiling but our house has only so much space and we only have so much money and it has to cover everyone in the house. Putting that much into one area would limit other areas so I'd want to know that it was THE one area best suited to our kid and wasn't affecting the other kids unreasonably. See that's the thing to me. If I chose to spend 13K in this area, that is 13K I don't have for other educational needs or interests that might come up. Did I mention my 14 year old pianist is now also taking (classical/theatrical) voice and guitar? Most music majors cannot take a piano with them to college with them anyway (and certainly not a grand!) and good music schools have nice practice options on campus. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I'd listen to Wooly Socks and read all her posts twice. :D I know this lady, and she knows gifted child pianists and their reasonable needs (equipment and training) to soar to very high heights of competition and performance, WAY higher than just pleasing a local piano teacher. Seriously. Hope I'm not embarrassing you, Wooly Socks. :) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I'd listen to Wooly Socks and read all her posts twice. :D I know this lady, and she knows gifted child pianists and their reasonable needs (equipment and training) to soar to very high heights of competition and performance, WAY higher than just pleasing a local piano teacher. Seriously. Hope I'm not embarrassing you, Wooly Socks. :) ROFL - I'm blushing. I'm pretty sure I haven't told you lately I love you Tibbie! :001_wub: Tibbie may have been subjected to a video or 2 of my kid playing piano. I would also say she has some very gifted musicians at her house too! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzberrymom Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 I do think some music teachers have a flair for the dramatic. LOL. Our kids are so deprived, right? Yes, I think this hits the nail on the head. To try to convince me and DH, she explained that one of her slightly older students had just received a grand, the girl wanted it in her upstairs bedroom so she could practice in private, and so the parents actually cut a hole in the side of the house to get the grand in there. This is the teacher's frame of reference, so it was hard for me to make my case that maybe a grand wasn't prudent for my 10 year old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lang Syne Boardie Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 ROFL - I'm blushing. I'm pretty sure I haven't told you lately I love you Tibbie! :001_wub: Tibbie may have been subjected to a video or 2 of my kid playing piano. I would also say she has some very gifted musicians at her house too! Thank you! :D Yes, I think this hits the nail on the head. To try to convince me and DH, she explained that one of her slightly older students had just received a grand, the girl wanted it in her upstairs bedroom so she could practice in private, and so the parents actually cut a hole in the side of the house to get the grand in there. This is the teacher's frame of reference, so it was hard for me to make my case that maybe a grand wasn't prudent for my 10 year old. I don't know grand pianos but we'll have to cut a hole in the wall to fit another banjo in this house...(just a little joke - we're folk musicians with five times as many instruments as people in a very small house) I would have thought a grand piano would weigh too much for the upstairs of a normal house, but I just looked it up and found they can be as small as 500 pounds. I guess I'm thinking of the 1200 pounders as I imagine this little girl's bedroom. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 I may be overthinking it. I needed a reality check. Nah. Your piano teacher does. :lol: 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Most 10 year olds are not practicing 60-90 minutes a day or playing Chopin. She is most certainly hard working and dedicated which will serve her well in life no matter which direction she goes! :hurray: I do think some music teachers have a flair for the dramatic. LOL. Our kids are so deprived, right? See that's the thing to me. If I chose to spend 13K in this area, that is 13K I don't have for other educational needs or interests that might come up. Did I mention my 14 year old pianist is now also taking (classical/theatrical) voice and guitar? Most music majors cannot take a piano with them to college with them anyway (and certainly not a grand!) and good music schools have nice practice options on campus. My sister in law has a grand piano at her mom's home in NY state. My SIL is 30. She's lived in Florida, Kentucky and South Carolina. The piano is still in New York State. SIL wants the piano. But moving it is expensive and as a young family, having the space for a grand piano may be a long time coming. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Yes, I think this hits the nail on the head. To try to convince me and DH, she explained that one of her slightly older students had just received a grand, the girl wanted it in her upstairs bedroom so she could practice in private, and so the parents actually cut a hole in the side of the house to get the grand in there. This is the teacher's frame of reference, so it was hard for me to make my case that maybe a grand wasn't prudent for my 10 year old. :001_huh: :blink: :thumbup: ROFL! I guess that would warp teacher's world view a little bit! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.