Will my piano let me improve?

[chartalegna]

Hello everyone, I've just found this forum a few days ago but I immediately fell in love with it. I have read so many useful hints which I am thankful for but I would also ask my personal question about my Knight upright piano.

I've been learning the piano for 5 years now. For the last year we bought an acoustic upright, because until then I had a digital Korg EC 120 (which I hated at the end). I wanted an upright so badly that maybe I've made an incorrect decision. I wanted to pick up the most decent upright piano around in the shortest time possible. My teacher rushed a bit also and pushed me to buy the Knight upright I currently own. To tell you the truth I wasn't too informed about uprights also, and I just listened to the "pros"(my teacher and the piano tuner). After purchasing the Knight I was very happy for weeks and it helped me on my progress greatly.

This piano of mine is perfect for a more like 'hobby-playing', and I had this attitude when we bought it (a few hours of practice / week). But it slowly dawn on me that I want to do it rather more seriously. Now, as I have more free time, I practice a lot, 4-5 hours a day and I am very passionate about it. I feel quite determined about this issue, and started to doubt whether this cute Knight upright will be enough for me in the long run.

The descripiton of the piano:
-43" in height
-2 pedals
-made in England, around '75
-hardly ever used before (as it were new)
I don't know if it has any type, but it isn't the famous K10 one.

I'm always dreaming of having a grand but we don't have any space for it. Maybe a moving would solve this problem, but it is too doubtful. Then maybe buying another upright ( a real upright, because this is just a studio) of a better brand would be a good option.

So, what do YOU say?

[keys60]

If your upright is in good playable condition, no, a better piano won't make you a better player. PRACTICE (which you really seem to be on the right track. Way2go) will make you a better player.

You can appreciate the finer tone, volume, responsiveness of a better piano, and that is your choice if you want to part with the big bucks, but nothing will help you more than hard work and determination.

If you must, take your sweet time about an upgrade and really learn what is out there. Once you own a new piano, its not as easy to trade up again without taking some sort of financial beating. Piano purchase is fun and research is quite important.

Keep up the solid work and all the best to you.

[richard black]

Of course it will let you improve. From your description that's actually quite a nice instrument - something far inferior would still let you practise your chops usefully.

[chartalegna]

Thanks for the quick answers. Then, let's get back to practice with this piano for a while. x)

[keys60]

I think I read the original posters post wrong. I read it as will he need an upgrade to improve.
The answer is still no, and I whole heartedly agree with Richard.

[naaga]

Hy,
this is my first post, i thank you all a lot because your discussions are very useful and it's nice to follow your speeches.
in my opinion having a good instrument when you are at a certain level is useful to improve you.
indeed if you are good it's bad to have a piano that doen't let you hear a good sound when you play and this can be also dangerous because if you can't hear a good sound you'll never make a good sound.
excuse me for my horrible english..

[zerozero]

IMO In my opnion a good paino wont make you a good player, but a poor  piano has a ceiling which prevents progress. If the action is dull then its going to prevent the acquisition of sensitivity - critical at advanced level. If the sound does not carry and mature then its going to snuff out expression. To a degree the latter also depends on the acoustics of the room. Clarity and defnition are mission critical.