Adjusting the height of a piano?

[mr. classic]

When I first got my piano I had no idea what to look for in a piano, as I barely could play.

After taking lessons for little less than half a year, I've become increasingly frustrated with the height of the piano after playing other pianos with a correct and comfortable height.The arms doesn't feel quite right, the pedals are to high and I have to use lots of pillows to compensate as much as possible, making it even more uncomfortable and yet not fully compensating for the height. My guess is that the problem lies with the piano's wheels.

I've discussed this with my brother, and our first thought was to simply find a higher chair (or whatever you call the piece of furniture that you sit on at the piano). However, this would not solve the problem of the pedals (and we were also unable to find one near our residential area). Our second idea is to lift the piano, carefully tip it over on the floor, remove the wheels and then lift the piano into it's original position again. However, this would require three more persons to lift, numbering a total of five in the whole process. It may cause marks in the floor and the risk of injury is also present.

Anyone ever been in a similar situation or have some suggestions on how to solve this?

Cheers

[silverwoodpianos]

The height of a piano keyboard is a standard measurement. It does differ from the old tall upright to the new console instrument.

This is why the bench for old uprights is usually 21 inches from the floor in height.

The bench for the modern console upright is usually 18 inches high.

Flipping the instrument over and removing the wheels is a pretty silly idea. Dangerous too.

 Sometimes the bottom board of a piano is not flat; this will leave the instrument rocking back and forth with the possibility of flipping forward causing injury or damage to walls and flooring.

The shortest solution is to find the proper height of bench. From reading this is seems like that is the problem........

[quantum]

Agree with above.  Adjust the bench to the person, not the piano. 

If height of the pedals is a concern, place an area rug (or two) where the heel touches the floor. 


I find verticals with pedals too close to the player uncomfortable to play.  If you push the bench out your arms are extended to far, if you push the bench in your legs feel to cramped under the piano to position the heel on the floor properly.  I don't think there is anything you can do about this situation other than obtain a different piano which better suits your physical dimensions.  I'm very glad I did that. 

Where I have noticed differences in piano height not original to the manufacturer, is when a piano trolley is placed under the piano. 

[silverwoodpianos]

Yes depending upon which trolley is used. Most increase the height by 1 inch only. Some designs lift the instrument up more than others.

The only other thing that I can think of here is if the instrument in question has had different wheels installed than the factory install. I have found this in some schools and churches; the original castors have been changed out for a set with a larger diameter wheel. This will create too much distance between the floor and the pedals.

[mr. classic]

Ah, I've just measured our bench, and it's 46 cm tall... which is approximately 18 inches.

The piano is quite old I think, manufactured by "Svenska Pianofabriken".

It seems that our piano simply doesn't suit my phsysical dimensions then. When I place alot of books and stuff on the bench to sit in a comfortable height, I barely reach the floor Making the use of pedals very difficult. I'm 178 cm tall, by the way.

We don't use a piano trolley, I believe.

We'll probably just stick with this piano, since I'm the only one with the motivation to find and transport a new piano and the old one...

[jlh]

Perhaps a pedal and footrest extender such as this might help?
https://www.a-leg-gro-ped.co.uk/

[mr. classic]

Thanks for the link!

However the problem is not that i'm to short and won't reach down to the pedals if I adjust to a proper bench height, because if I place towels on the bench (to reach a proper height) then I just need to place a few books under the pedals so that my heel rest on them while using the pedals. Therefore, I can reach the pedals while seated properly, but not reach the floor with my whole foot.

But really, wouldn't a height of 2 metres or more be the proper height of the pianist of my piano? which seems a bit strange...

[richard black]

Sounds as if your piano is on bigger wheel than it was originally intended for. You don't need to tip it over to change them, if you're cunning: lift one end a few inches and prop it just inboard of the wheels on something _very_ secure and strong - 2 or 3 carefully stacked bricks may do. Then take off the wheels at that end with a short-handled screwdriver and replace them similarly. Needs one strong person for lifting and one not-necessarily-strong to positioning the prop.

[mr. classic]

But is there any way I can know for sure whether the wheels are original? Can't a new set of wheels be bad for the piano? I have no idea...

[richard black]

Simple answer - no, as long as the wheels are supporting the piano pretty much in the corners and the weight's evenly distributed between them (and that's more a function of the floor than the wheels, anyway) they can't be bad for it.

[john90]

Make a heel rest from a wide plank of wood and cover it with a rug to try first as suggested above. Some pianos have a recess machined to suit a particular type of wheel. This can mean new holes need drilling, different length screws, screws may be too long and foul the frame. All this is difficult to determine with the piano balancing on one end. The old PG tips advert springs to mind!