practice when traveling

[wannabe]

I am having a hard time finding a rental piano (digital keyboard) in Boston. They want a minimum of a 3 month rental.   What do you all do when you are traveling and still need to keep up your practice?

[jazzyprof]

I often find pianos in the hotels where I am staying...sometimes in a ballroom, a meeting room, or a lounge.  More often than not I just sneak in and start playing.  Every now and then a worker will pass by and say, hey that's nice!  If the piano is locked you can ask at the desk whether someone will unlock it for you.  There was only one time when a gruff desk attendant came and asked me to stop playing the piano in the lounge.  I asked him why and he said "if you play it the piano will go out of tune and then we have to pay to have it tuned!"  I told him the piano will go out of tune whether you play it not...and in fact it desperately needs tuning right now!

If you travel a lot for extended periods you might consider buying a lightweight keyboard (perhaps with only 66 or 48  keys) to take along with you.  I used to have one that fit in the overhead compartment and so I'd take it onboard the plane. 

You could go to piano stores and spend a half hour "trying out" their wonderful pianos.  You can keep your repertoire fresh that way!

Since you're now in Boston you're surrounded by dozens of colleges, universities, music schools, and conservatories.  Most of them have student lounges and public spaces furnished with pianos.  Just drop in and have your way with one.

This last bit is not terribly ethical so use it only in truly desperate situations: Many music stores have a 14 day to 30 day return policy on keyboards.  So if they won't rent you one, just buy one!  Try it out for a couple of weeks and then return it! Uh, uh....I didn't tell you that.

[allthumbs]

I am having a hard time finding a rental piano (digital keyboard) in Boston. They want a minimum of a 3 month rental.   What do you all do when you are traveling and still need to keep up your practice?

I used to have that problem all the time until I rigged up my own piano carrier bracket for my 1931 Dusenberg J.

Now I'm never without my 7' Schimmel CC213.

[allthumbs]

Oh, BTW here is a picture of my car and piano.

[Bob]

You could buy a portable one and then always have that as an option.

Or do something else music and don't practice.  Study theory, do listening, analyze some pieces.


I've brought a crappy little keyboard with and just done whatever I could with it.  Not great, but it can keep the fingers in some kind of shape.

[allthumbs]

Oh, BTW here is a picture of my car and piano.

OK, I know what you are all thinking. How does he get the piano off the car?

The answer is that I don't. I leave it on and use bracket rigged bench that attaches to the back of the car and I play it from there.




It gives a totally different experience when you play 'Winter Wind' while travelling at 100kph down a country road in January.

[m19834]

I used to have that problem all the time until I rigged up my own piano carrier bracket for my 1931 Dusenberg J.

What a great idea !  I do the same thing, but I have only ever attached it to my horse :







*vividly imagine photo of grand piano on horse's back here*








I have just never thought to add it to my car as well.  Thanks for the suggestion !

[wannabe]

Thanks for the ideas.  I have two keyboards but neither will fit in the overhead.  Bummer. 

[allthumbs]

What a great idea !  I do the same thing, but I have only ever attached it to my horse :







*vividly imagine photo of grand piano on horse's back here*








I have just never thought to add it to my car as well.  Thanks for the suggestion !

Karli

No need to imagine. I used to own a Clydesdale limo horse that I would rent out and some of my clients wanted the piano option when they went for trail rides.

The trick was to make sure you had the belly straps on the saddles cinched extra tight for obvious reasons.

[allthumbs]

OK, I know what you're thinking... that I faked this picture.

Allright, you'll notice eventually anyway, so I'll come clean.

You can't see the shadow of the piano on the ground.

Drats.

[m19834]

Karli

No need to imagine. I used to own a Clydesdale limo horse that I would rent out and some of my clients wanted the piano option when they went for trail rides.

The trick was to make sure you had the belly straps on the saddles cinched extra tight for obvious reasons.

ha ha ... *hilarious* I'm never going to get the image of your limo horse out of my head now !  You're right, the only give away regarding that photo is the fact that you can't see the piano's shadow on the ground