More Than Just A Piano Store

The Piano: Play It, Live It, Love It

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The piano is a sensational instrument that is at the pinnacle of music making as we know it. Its rich past and continued success has made it the most important instrument in the western world. Most children start learning the piano, as opposed to any other instrument. This is because the instrument allows for a visual representation of the twelve available tones and very little technique required to produce these tones. While the piano is simple to understand at a basic level, learning how to play it proficiently takes much more time, focus, and determination. It will all be worth it, though, as the piano is undoubtedly one of the most versatile and dynamic instruments available to the budding musician.

• If you are a musician of any type, I would suggest taking piano lessons. If you are a vocalist, it helps bring a theoretical context to the songs you sing. If you play the saxophone, it can help you visualize the abstract tones you play. If you play guitar, it will make reading sheet music much easier. If you wish to make electronic music, most tones are created using electronic keyboards, so piano lessons will only help expand your options as a musician. In fact, people who graduate from college with a music degree in any realm of music must become somewhat proficient on the piano as a prerequisite of their graduation.

• The piano has a rich history and a dynamic future. Acoustic pianos come from thousands of years of musical evolution and the grand piano we know of today is a marvel of human creativity. After the 1950s, when the grand piano and upright piano were firmly established as the “perfect” keyboard instruments, electronics started to take effect in the musical world. While electronic guitars were taking off, it seemed that an electronic keyboard would always sound electronic. Not until very recently has digital technology improved to create a keyboard that sounds very much like an acoustic piano. Roland, in particular, has created a digital piano with a crisper tone than some uprights!

• The piano can play many different types of music. From rock, to pop, to electronica, to jazz, and all the way back to classical music, the piano is incredibly prominent. The piano’s 88 keys give it a gargantuan range of tone, rivaled only by electronic instruments and the organ. It can also play multiple notes at once, something that the human voice cannot. Keyboard instruments can create more notes at once than any other instrument, which is why the piano is often considered “an entire orchestra in one instrument.”

• Lessons are easy and affordable! Finding a piano teacher in today’s society is not a very difficult thing to do by any means. In fact, right now, at the Houston Piano Company, you can sign up for an upcoming piano summer camp! Believe it or not, the piano can be a very fun experience for you and your children. Music brings joy and the piano is the best means for creating music. If you have been thinking about piano lessons, think no more and take advantage of the great offers available to you now.

• The piano has presence. Just the sight of an upright piano in your living room can uplift a person’s spirits. Aesthetically, pianos satisfy a need that few other instruments can. They are practically pieces of furniture themselves. And if taking up space isn’t your idea of a good buy, digital pianos are incredibly versatile and transportable instruments. You can even rent a piano if you’re not sure that the instrument is right for you.

So, with the rich history, exciting future, and versatile capabilities, the piano is one of the most worthwhile investments I can think of.

Styles Of Piano Playing

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The piano is not just a stuffy instrument that is played by elitists and old classical lovers. The piano has gone through some incredible evolution over the years and people have yet to realize the true versatility of the instrument. If you are just beginning lessons, you may think that the piano is all about reading notes and counting time, but there is much more. Once you have a little bit of classical training, you can start to branch out and incorporate different styles into your playing. Although the written music by the masters of composition are always a pleasure to learn and play, trust me when I tell you that there is much more to the piano. Read on to figure out different piano styles you can work towards mastering.

• If you bought or want to buy a piano, chances are you have some of your favorite music in mind. If this is the case, from the Beatles to Bill Evans to Elton John to The Jonas Brothers, you must know the blues. The blues involve an emphasis on the major and minor pentatonic scales, with a flattened fifth or third (minor or major, respectively). Robert Johnson and Elvis Presley often used the 12 bar blues form, which uses the I, IV, and V chords of a scale for the harmonic movement.
• Rock piano is a form of blues that took on a life on its own with louder and faster playing chords through slightly more complicated progressions. Rock blossomed out of the blues, but went a little further. To play either of these two types of music, you must be able to form simple chords on the piano, whether inverted or in root position.
• Jazz piano encompasses a gargantuan range of different technique and styles. Fusion jazz incorporates digital keyboards and electronic instruments, but jazz’s roots are in the blues. Many piano styles incorporate ideas burrowed from jazz, such as improvisation and an emphasis on extended chord forms.
• Cocktail piano is a style of piano that incorporates great technique into popular songs. You’ll here show tunes or popular tunes played in a cocktail bar or lounge with lots of notes, runs, flourishes, and chordextensions.
• Ragtime piano is also know as stride piano. The bass note and chords must be hit with the left hand, so stride pianists must have a great feel for the entire length of the keyboard. Ragtime uses syncopation in its melodies by placing melodic notes between the stressed beats of the rhythm. Ragtime is considered a style of jazz playing, although it emerged earlier than most jazz styles.
• Minimalism and new age piano involves less chord changes than other styles, instead relying on simple two-chord progressions and polychords. The modal jazz of John Coltrane began experimenting with simpler chord changes as it gave the improviser more freedom to express him/herself. Phillip Glass composed very long and repetitive pieces of music from a minimalist perspective.
• Traditional scared piano involves being able to read most four part harmonies and sometimes even figured bass reading. This style involves liturgical songs and hymns that can vary from simple two-note chords to incredibly complicated masses. These styles involve a strict reading of notation.
• Gospel piano playing is sort of an amalgamation between sacred playing, blues, and jazz. It has four part harmonies, but more freedom to play more notes, as long as "it sounds good.” Accompanying choirs is the most important job of a pianist in this setting, so the musician should be hitting harmonically palatable chords that help guide the singers in the right direction.
• Lastly is the classical piano style. It is varied but still very old and considered the proper grounds for musical instruction. Most all music theory derives from classical music and to master it requires intense training. While classical music may be considered the high point of music, this is not necessarily so. Players who are “classically trained” often have difficulty improvising to jazz or playing the blues sincerely.

Regardless of how you want to play, this requires practice and an in tune piano. Make sure that you practice the piano as much as you can and even if you want to be a certain style of pianist, there is much to learn from every style of playing.

New Or Used Piano?

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If you are thinking about buying a piano, you have to weigh the options. This task can be very daunting as there are a lot of options to weigh. Remember that every person has a different set of needs, so there is no universal answer to what piano to buy. Sometimes, if you are just starting out with piano lessons, it is a good idea to rent a piano. But if you are certain that you want to buy one, you will have to decide whether you want to buy a brand new piano or a used one. Below you will find the various pros and cons regarding these two types of pianos, so read on to figure out which of the two options is best for you.

• The most important thing to take into account when shopping for a piano is cost. The initial cost of a used piano is always less. This is a huge reason to purchase a used piano over a new one. Yet, if you buy a used piano that has not been properly refurbished, you may have a myriad of different costs to fix it and tune it so that it sounds good. Buying a used piano from a reputable piano dealer ensures that the piano is in playing condition. If you are looking to spend less money, used pianos are the best.
• If you are buying a used piano from a private seller, second hand store, or vintage shop, you run the risk of buying a bad piano. Unless you know plenty about pianos, buying one of these is a very bad idea. Sometimes when going to check out pianos for purchase, it is a good idea to pay a certified piano technician to take a look at the instrument before you write the check for it. Some pianos are beyond repair and if you purchase something with permanent damage, you’ll never live it down.
• The bottom line is you pay for what you get. Musically, what you want is good action, touch, and tone. Aesthetically, it’s up to you. New pianos, especially if they are top tier, will undoubtedly deliver quality sound and feel. Unless the used piano is kept in exceptional condition and was already made by a great manufacturer, it will not compare to a new one. If you have the money to afford a new piano, I would highly suggest it. Yet, it is not always the case that a new piano is better than whatever used one you’re looking at.
• New pianos come with a manufacturer’s warranty. So even if the dealer you buy from does not offer a warranty, the manufacturer will. This gives you piece of mind, especially if you just spent a large sum of money on the instrument. New pianos will almost always come with a dealer’s warranty, too. Now, regardless of whether you bought a new upright or grand piano, the dealer will definitely at least move it to your house. If you are particularly good at bartering, you can probably get a free tuning or two for your new piano. For a used piano, it’ll be harder to negotiate these various perks.
• Do your research. Before going to buy either a used or new piano, look at how some pianos are rated. The quality of piano manufacturing goes up and down, and sometimes pianos from the same company are quite different in quality depending on the year they were made.

The more you know about pianos, the easier it will be to make a decision as to which one you want to buy. Take cost into account, but also take quality into account. The are a lot of different makes and models out there. In a nutshell, I think you should simply buy the best piano you can stretch to afford, whether it is new or used.

The Piano As A Work Of Art

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Many people consider music to be artistic. A piece of music, with all of the time and emotion injected into it, is often considered a work of art (if it’s good enough). There is no denying that Beethoven was an artist in the way that he constructed his sonatas, quartets, and symphonies. Yet, the mechanical process of creating a piano is not always seen as an artistic endeavor. The truth of the matter is, pianos are extremely complicated instruments and take quite a lot of time and expertise to create. Every piano brand makes their acoustic pianos differently and many still hand-build their pianos. The construction of one of these instruments takes an exceptional amount of training and work. Read on to find out the basics to piano construction.

• Making pianos is a long and difficult process. Pianos of high-quality are an artisan product that can take many years to produce. For example, Mason & Hamlin makes only a couple hundred pianos a year, each instrument taking months to produce. That being said, building, or even assembling a piano, is a difficult and rewarding process and an artistic endeavor. From the wood, to the strings, to the felt covering on the hammers, to the finish, pianos are wonderful pieces of art, every single one, and should be treated with the utmost respect.

• Building a piano first needs a design to be drafted. Grand pianos and upright pianos have different designs to them. One of the trickiest parts of designing a grand piano is to curve the frame around. The bend in the frame takes soaking in water and careful precision utilizing industrial strength bending mechanisms. Whatever wood is used for the case must be cut into pieces of varying lengths, depending on the size of the piano being built.

• After the case has been assembled, the soundboard must be constructed and inserted. The soundboard is a wooden board with a curve in it that helps amplify the sound being produced by the strings. The soundboard is essential for a audible sound that stays true to western music’s overtone series. Based on the tonal qualities desired, piano soundboards are constructed by laying strips of birch over “bridge” pieces underneath. The soundboard, after being constructed, must be carefully lowered into the case.

• On top of the soundboard goes a cast-iron plate, or a “harp.” The harp is intended to strengthen the integrity of the instrument while giving the strings a stronger mechanism to hold on to. In grand pianos, the cast iron plate is incredibly important to keep the piano from disintegrating over time.

• From here, the instrument must be strung. Every piano is different, but follow the same general rule. There are one, two, or three strings per key. The lower keys usually have only one or two strings while the treble notes usually have two or three. As you go lower on the keyboard, the strings become thicker.

• The keyboard and action are the last parts of the piano to be added. This is the mechanism that makes a piano, a piano. While all of the other parts have to do with subtle tonal differences in the instrument’s make, this “action” is where the power of your fingers is transferred to the strings. Only qualified piano technicians know just how the action to the piano works. Basically, the felt hammer strikes the string as you press down a key with your fingers.

• After the action and keyboard are set up, the piano just needs a finish to be applied to the wood. After undergoing a cleaning and polishing, the piano is ready to be shipped to a piano dealer.

Pianos are fascinatingly complex instruments, beautiful in not only the sound they produce, but also in the manner in which the instrument is created. Before buying or renting a piano, I suggest researching the wonderment of these instruments' genesis.

Piano Playing Styles

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Every person has a unique way of playing their instrument. Some people play Bach on their violins, while other people play bluegrass. Some people prefer metal guitar, while others like to play funk guitar. Some people play jazz saxophone, while other people play ragtime. For these instruments, there are a few different styles and it makes sense that people highlight these various styles depending on their musical personality. While there is versatility available for these instruments, none compare to that of the piano. If you are taking piano lessons, once you are confident with the basics, it is important to realize that your options really open up. The piano is the most versatile instrument in music and, as such, has a wide variety of playing styles available.

The easiest and most readily used style of playing is that of rock and pop. Rock and pop piano playing requires less technical skill then many of the other styles. To play rock and pop, you essentially need to play certain chords at the right time. With less syncopation than other styles of playing, this is not incredibly demanding. Highlighting the correct harmonies to accompany the singer is all you need to do!

If you have a digital piano, you probably want to play more than classical music. Rock and pop have utilized electronic keyboard sounds while funk and fusion do as well. Electronic sounds are very cool to use, but nowadays I see many people sacrificing technical mastery over the keyboard for further exploration of different possible timbres. Even if you want to make synth pop or experimental electronic music, learning how to play fluidly and proficiently is still very useful.

Jazz music, at its purest form, is one of the most influential types of music in existence. To play jazz piano, from bebop to modal jazz, you need to know all of your chords and scales. Utilizing chord extensions and altered scales is the next step to acquiring the ability to play “cool” music. Jazz requires a very complex and confident understanding of both tonal and modal harmonies. Even more so, an ability to improvise is also demanded of a jazz pianist. Improvisation is a skill that comes with studying your music theory, listening to improvisers of the past, and practicing extensively. Articulate and cohesive improvisation is one of the most difficult skills in music, so this can be something you work up to as you embark on a pianistic journey.

Classical music requires technical skills plus the ability to read music. Learning how to move your fingers swiftly across the keyboard is what you are working up to when focusing on classical music. While learning jazz music is more about gaining a “feel” for the music, learning classical music is more about perfecting your technique to gain virtuosic understanding of the instrument. Reading music is also a must for those who wish to learn classical piano. Whether you are just renting a piano or have put in the money to buy one, you have to practice everyday to gain the skills necessary to play difficult classical music. Usually, classical music is played on an acoustic pianos, but a good digital piano can still do the music justice.

Liturgical and gospel music is played in the church. While classical liturgical music requires an understanding of reading music and sometimes even a familiarity with figured bass, the world of gospel music is more heavily influenced by jazz and it is up to the performer's musical ear to decipher which notes would be accompany the chorus.

Since there are many different styles of piano playing available, it is important to know what you want to study. If you are trying to learn how to play “Satin Doll,” you should not be trying to study classical music. Yet, all of these styles only become available after you have learned the basics, so sign your kids up for piano summer camp now and let them learn the tools necessary for creating beautiful music of any genre.

Incredible Kingsburg Pianos

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When people think of pianos, whether digital or acoustic, the first name that comes to mind is probably not Kingsburg. This is not because of the quality of pianos, but rather because the company is relatively new. While companies like Steinway and Bosendorfer have made names for themselves, the price is far too high for the product being made. While these companies do create top of the line pianos, they are not necessarily that much better that they have to charge an arm and a leg for their products. If you are thinking about buying a new piano, or even a used piano, you do not have to empty your bank account just to have a nice brand name. Kingsburg offers the consumer the opportunity to have a nice acoustic piano in their home for an affordable price.

Kingsburg’s full name is Yantai Kingsburg Piano Co., Ltd, and was founded in Yantai, China. While it may be not be as old or renowned as some of the more famous piano manufacturers, the company has technology on its side. As a relatively new company, they are not stuck in old traditions that slow down production time and increase the amount you pay! Also, Kingsburg is located on the Shandong peninsula of China, where the humidity averages 64%, a great climate for piano production and longevity. With a great location on its side, the company is in a position to succeed in the piano market.

Yet, it is not just the climate that creates a great instrument. While many companies have a plethora of different techniques and features that they advertise as specialties in order to raise the price of their piano, many of these features do very little to enhance the longevity and performance capabilities of it. Kingsburg started over and redesigned their pianos from the ground up. To design their pianos, they called on Klaus Fenner. Klaus Fenner is a respected designer, and has designed pianos for Yamaha, Selier, Baldwin, among others.

In terms of uprights and grands, Kingsburg has quality pianos that will satisfy the needs of most any private piano owner. With some of the best instruments in the industry, it is no surprise that they’ve recently won so many awards. Every piano, from their professional series to their hand-crafted concert and artist series pianos, is crafted using only the best materials imported from around the globe. German and Japanese made hammers and action components, American Hard Rock Maple pin blocks, German Röslau piano wire and the best wood available make every Kingsburg piano top notch quality.

Because every piano is tuned and voiced professionally by the staff of artisan piano builders, they reasonably put a hefty warranty on their pianos. No matter where you buy your Kingsburg piano, you will receive a warranty with the purchase. This makes sense, as Kingsburg works with DOREMI to fly in expert piano technicians from Japan to fully prepare each piano individually. This includes concert level tuning, voicing, and regulation for every single piano before they leave the factory. This crucial step in preparation ensures that you, the customer, are receiving an exceptional piano from day one.

Yet, even with their top tier service and professionalism, the pianos are incredibly inexpensive compared to their more famous counterparts. If you really want to have that special named piano in your house, you’ll probably have to save up quite a bit of money. Are you really willing to make that sacrifice when a perfectly sensible compromise is staring you in the face?

While it may be a new company in the piano world, I guarantee it is a high-quality instrument that will save you a great deal of money in the long run.

Space Saving Pianos

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There is an undeniable wonderment attributed to grand pianos. The way the light shines off of them, the way you can see the hammers bounce as the instrument is played, and the tone that resonates from such a magnificent instrument, all are factors that you cannot replace. Yet, if your fascination with the piano goes beyond the aesthetic value, you can find alternative options to the expensive and space inefficient grand piano. Digital keyboards and upright pianos serve as perfectly suitable alternatives that require very little compromise. While a grand piano might be the ideal option, it is most certainly not the most realistic option. Not only does a grand piano cost a heap of money, but it also takes up quite a bit of space. And what’s more, they are very difficult to move. Unless you’re dealing with a qualified professional, you’ll struggle to relocate your instrument. Read on to find out about the benefits and features of space saving pianos.

Basically, you have two options for a space saving piano: digital or upright. Both have pros and cons, but both can be very satisfying options. The first factor you need to consider is cost. While the best digital pianos can cost quite a bit of money, they generally run cheaper than vertical acoustic pianos. You can get a decent used upright piano for the same price as a decent new digital piano. If you are looking for a digital piano that replicates the sound of a grand piano, you’ll have to pay a little more. If you want a well crafted new acoustic piano by a good name brand, you’ll be paying a lot more, just to put things into perspective.

Digital pianos do take up less room than uprights. If you have about five feet of wall space to put either instrument, then it shouldn’t be a concern. If you do not plan to move your digital piano much, I would suggest getting an acoustic, as it takes up the space with a stronger presence. If you have just a little space in a bedroom, a digital piano is probably your best option. Remember: there is no “perfect piano.” There is only a “perfect” piano for you!

Digital pianos are much easier to move than upright pianos. While both can be moved more easily than grand pianos, digital pianos take the cake on portability. A digital piano, especially if you get a carrying case for it, can be transported by only one person. You will need at least three people to move an upright piano and even then I would suggest hiring a professional.

Acoustic pianos will always have a better “feel” than a digital. While weighted keys and special designs have vastly improved the ability for a digital piano to compare to acoustic pianos, they still come up short. The only way to get that piano sound and touch is to have an actual piano. While I am not a purist and think that most any piano student can be satisfied by a modern day digital piano, I also think that there is a noticeable difference between the two.

Digital pianos have electricity on their side. While you can not only switch between a piano sound, organ sound, rhodes sound, vocal sound, and a myriad of others, you also have the ability to plug them in. You can connect your piano to an amp, PA system, or even your computer via MIDI connection. The capabilities are astoundingly vast, and when it comes to the breadth of the instrument’s ability, digital pianos are the better option.

So, compare and contrast. Play each piano you are thinking of buying and take every little thing into consideration. This is an investment here, so choose wisely.

Why And How You Should Buy A Piano

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The most important thing to think about when going out to buy or rent a piano is what your specific needs as a pianist or parent of a pianist are. If you are raising a young one who is just starting out on the piano, a used piano is probably the best purchase. Investing in a brand new piano when the student may or may not continue with his/her piano studies is a risky maneuver. Renting pianos is also a good idea for new and beginner piano players. If you or your child are starting to show promise or a strong aspiration and desire to play, it might be time to invest in an affordable upright piano. If you are a seasoned player with the required money, maybe spending it on a new grand or baby grand piano is the right move for you.

• I would always suggest buying the best piano possible for your children. The most money you can spend is the amount of money you should. But the piano’s cost should never break a bank account. If the piano becomes neglected down the road, it will be an unfortunate reminder of a hefty financial loss.
• Take your time and see as many different pianos as you can. While it might be an exciting time to go buy a piano, I would not suggest buying the first or second piano you come across, however tempting it might be. Get to know the different types, makes, models, brands, and qualities of every individual instrument. With digital, upright, grands, and many variations within these, it is important to do as much research and playing as possible to attempt to understand how deep the gamut of pianos goes. Do not hesitate to ask as many questions as you would like in regards to the pianos that you are interested in. Also, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to bring a little notebook with you to jot down anything you learn about the pianos. This will help you make a better final decision.
• Play the pianos you may or may not buy. Do not be shy as to the abilities you display. Whether you are a beginner or have been playing your entire life, sitting down and getting to know the feel, tone, and character of the different pianos for sale is essential. Listen closely to the sounds that come out and pay attention to the intricacies and details of the tone. Ask the sales representative or one of your piano playing friends to show you the range and depth of the piano. Most pianos have one of four discerning sounds: soft, mellow, brilliant, or loud.
• The bigger the piano, the better the sound. Size plays a huge role, when it comes to these instruments and large is most certainly in charge. If you do not have the money or space in your house for a large piano, it’s okay to settle for a smaller upright or spinet. The taller the upright, the better the sound, but the more expensive it is. Same goes for grands: as they increase in length and tonal quality, the price of the instrument rises in a coinciding fashion.
• Pianos are incredible instruments that are paralleled by none other. While I would most certainly like a concert grand in every household, this is unrealistic. Introducing your family to the wonders of this instrument is most certainly worth it. If you have a piano that is no longer played, it is not impossible to sell your piano.

It is highly recommended that you conduct as much research about the instruments as you can before you venture out to purchase one. The more you know about your purchase, the happier you will be about it.

Why Should You Buy A Used Piano?

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If you think that buying a used piano will result in a failed purchase for you, think again. These days, buying a used piano is a decision you can make confidently. If you are considering buying a new or pre-owned piano, make sure you conduct some research before you buy one. The pros and cons of a used piano is pretty straight-forward, but you have to actually proactively seek out these answers. Read on to figure out where to buy a used piano, how to care for one, how to tell if it is a well-maintained piano or not, and how to move them into your house.

• Buying a used piano is much cheaper than buying one new. If you buy from a certified piano dealer, you can make a purchase knowing that this pre-owned instrument has been properly tune, cared for, and maintained. Piano companies have a responsibility to make sure that every piano in their warehouse is in the best condition possible. A majority of used pianos have been restored so diligently and carefully that the quality of the instrument can compete with that of brand new units.
• If you buy from a private seller, thrift store, or secondhand store, you run the risk of buying a piano with internal damages. If a piano is dirty, that means that the owner has not been too concerned with the general upkeep of the instrument. If you play one note and two strings ring, that means that you should not buy that piano. If you look at the hammers, especially the upper register of the instrument, and there are deep grooves in the felt, that means that the hammers have been worn too much and will eventually deteriorate unless the entire action is removed and every hammer is individually replaced. This is an extremely costly fix. Lastly, don’t buy the piano if there are tinny buzzes or rattles from the inside when you play it. This means that the integrity of the instrument has been severely compromised.
• The best places to buy used pianos are local piano dealers or music stores. Buying from the internet, individual sellers, or antique stores means that you might be buying from somebody who does not know pianos. If you are buying from a dealer or music store, check the company’s background and read some testimonials to educate yourself as to the validity of the company. Older companies tend to have reputations to uphold and therefore produce higher quality used and new pianos. Regardless, make sure you know what you’re getting into before making a purchase.
• Make sure that you inspect the piano you are going to buy before buying it. If you are buying from a dealer or music store, play every piano you might be interested in and remember how they feel. Play your favorite two back to back. The more pianos you play, whether over the course of a week or a lifetime, the better your understanding of what makes one piano feel and sound better than another. The longer you’ve been playing, the more you’ll be able to differentiate between a good piano and a great one. 
• If you want to learn how to play the piano, piano lessons are your best bet. And buying a used piano if you are just beginning is a much safer decision than putting down the money for a brand new one. If you are unsure about used pianos still, maybe consider renting a piano.

All in all, the idea that a used piano is a severely worse decision than buying a new one is a flawed idea. Some used pianos, if built with the right material and maintained correctly, can sound and feel better than a new one!

Joseph Brodmann and Brodmann Pianos

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Most pianos go through similar shaping, building, and stringing processes in order to create the final product. The variations from one company to another most often vary in materials used and the intricacies of building the action. Shaping the frame of a piano is a technique perfected by different companies in different ways. It is because of slight variations in the intricacies of piano building that they create different sounds. Aside from these slight variations in complex stages of piano building, it is in the company’s history that sets them apart from one another. In Europe, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there was a man named Joseph Brodmann who helped push the design of the piano forwards in the most innovative ways. To this day his legacy lives on as one of the most influential piano builders of all time.

• Joseph Brodmann was born in Germany in 1763. He began his youth as a clavier player and gained an appreciation for the inner workings of the keyboard instruments of the time. It was a few years later that the young Joseph Brodmann moved to Vienna, Austria and began apprenticing under the guidance of well-known piano maker Frederick Hoffman. By now, Mozart and Haydn had composed enough music in Vienna to make it the indisputable music capital of the western world, which meant that this young piano maker would be immersed in the center of all that was “piano.” By the turn of the 19th century, Joseph Brodmann was in the Lexicon of Musicians as an “instrument maker, excelled in constructing horizontal fortepianos of solid finish.”
• As Romanticism struck, composers and pianists demanded louder and tighter strings, which took its toll on the piano’s soundboard. Many older pianos had cracked soundboards as composers would play too hard on the increasingly tightly wound piano strings. Joseph Brodmann solved this problem by greatly improving the stiffness of the soundboard. It seemed like a simple enough solution, but changing the build of an instrument to produce a beautiful tone while at the same time being durable enough to endure harsh playing for years is a demanding task.
• In 1828, Brodmann’s apprentice, Ignaz Bösendorfer, took over the company. Bösendorfer would go on to start his own piano company, which would eventually become on of the competing pianos in the world, along with Steinway, Bechstein, and Brodmann. As Joseph Brodmann was one of the world’s greatest piano builders, his company upholds this tradition to this day.
• Brodmann pianos are still based out of Vienna, Austria, and are built with the same care that they were in the past. Currently, the company provides pianos to the entire world and The Joseph Brodmann Piano Group has emerged as a worldwide company with corporate locations in Vienna, London, Hong Kong, and the U.S.A.  Under the leadership of Christian Höferl, a former long time Director of Bösendorfer, and Colin Taylor, a former Sales Manager at Bösendorfer and a concert technician, the Brodmann company is comprised of a highly experienced team whose aims are to produce the highest quality pianos.
• Their products range from concert grands featured in their “Artist Series,” to vertical models within their “Conservatory Series.” The company prides themselves at not only making the best pianos in the world, but also for making more affordable pianos for the more humble piano buyer. They also make a signature “Two-Tone” piano that is aesthetically more appealing than your average horizontal piano. The have even dabbled in the world of digital pianos.

If you are looking for a piano company that has incredibly rich history with a mission to make the best instruments possible, Brodmann should be a name you consider. While they may not be the most relevant or popular pianos in the world, they can hold their own if you listen to them back to back with a more popular make.