What Piano Teachers Tell Us, Again and Again

We talk to a lot of piano teachers. Some send their pupils to us, some are listed in the free directory we keep, and a few have been buying instruments from us for thirty years. Different people, different methods, and a remarkably short list of things they all say. Here it is.

The action matters more than the badge

Teachers rarely care what name is on the fall. What they notice within two bars is whether the keys respond evenly, whether a note can be repeated cleanly, and whether the pupil can play quietly on purpose. A tired or uneven action makes a child sound worse than they are, and it teaches habits that take a long time to undo. This is why we prepare and regulate every instrument before it goes on the floor, and it is the first thing to look at across our upright pianos.

Eighty eight keys, and weighted

Nothing produces more sighing from teachers than a pupil arriving with a small unweighted keyboard at home. Fingers do not build strength on it, the pupil runs out of notes, and everything learned about touch has to be relearned. If an acoustic piano genuinely will not work in the house, a full size weighted digital piano is the answer, not a keyboard. We set out the difference plainly in Keyboard, electric or digital piano?

Put it where the family lives

A piano exiled to a cold hallway or an unheated back room gets played far less than one in a warm, ordinary room where people are. Teachers notice this in practice diaries long before parents notice it at home. Steady temperature is also better for the instrument, so the same choice helps twice.

Get the stool height right

A small thing that teachers raise constantly. Forearms roughly level with the keys, feet supported, and a stool that does not wobble. Children practising too low or too high develop wrist and posture problems that are tedious to correct later. Every piano we sell goes out with a stool to match, and we will set the height with you.

Tune it, and then tune it again

A pupil practising on an out of tune piano is learning to ignore what they hear, which is precisely the opposite of the point. Twice a year is the usual advice while someone is actively learning. If you need someone local, our free UK piano tuners directory is organised by area, and there is more on tuning intervals in our frequently asked questions.

Do not buy for the beginner, buy for the player they become

The most common regret teachers report is a piano bought for the first year of lessons and outgrown by the third. A decent used upright bought once will carry a pupil to grade eight and beyond, and it holds its value while it does. Our guide to the best acoustic pianos for beginners names the instruments we recommend, and most of them sit in used pianos.

If you do not have a teacher yet

Find one before you buy if you possibly can. They will tell you more about what a particular child needs than any article, ours included. Our UK piano teachers directory is free, independently compiled and organised by town, and we do not take a penny from anyone listed in it.