How to know whether your piano is light or heavy touch???

[qoogla_55]

Asking this silly question since I play my own piano 95% of the time.

[stevebob]

Here's a discussion of touchweight:

https://www.pianofinders.com/educational/touchweight.htm

The article provides a table listing the weights of various U.S. coins, which can be used to measure downweight and upweight of your piano's keys.  The information isn't technical, and the process requires only coins and arithmetic.

[qoogla_55]

Thanks stevebob...but a little too rocket-scientist(ish) for me.... An easy way to find out??? =[

[pianist1976]

I think there is not easy answer to this. It relays a lot on your personal taste, the pianos you are used to and your technique.

Grand pianos mechanisms are usually heavier than in uprights and in the category of grands, from a personal point of view, I usually find great differences between builders and Ħeven between the same model and builder in different instruments!   I think that the ideal weight of keys for me is what I find in most concert grands (Steinway D, Yamaha CFIII, etc.). It's heavy enough to be able to produce a good dynamic range and give a good touch response but not as heavy to tire your arms and hands needlessly. Baby grands have usually a lighter touch, closer to uprights but also a lesser dynamic range and lesser reliability on the mechanism. The middle range of grand pianos are usually heavy but differs many form one to another piano. For example, I have played some Yamaha's C3 Coservatory ultra-heavy and very difficult to tame, reaching an even unpleasant level and also found another instruments of the same type very light.

In brief, there's no easy answer to your question. It's a very personal matter and your criteria will grow only from your own experience trying many different pianos.

[silverwoodpianos]

 Usually 48-54 grams is the standard weight of the key set. If you are under 48 or over 54 then this would be considered light or heavy depending upon which side yours falls on.

Also, some makers set the keyboard the same across the entire 7.3 octaves, while others make the bass section slightly lighter because of the heavier hammers located there. So some will measure 54 in the treble and 54 in the bass...like that.... 

Remember too that there is the up weight to consider also. This has an effect on the touch weight.