Having lessons on a dismal piano.

[pytheamateur]

Here's a brief description of the piano in question: Baby grand; goes out of tune quickly (days after tuning); strings that break frequently, which are not replaced for weeks or even longer; a squeaky damper pedal that does not lift the dampers until when pressed about a third of the way down; not to mention unbeautiful sound across all register of the keyboard.


Will it be very harmful to the student to have lessons on such a piano?  I can't imagine a beginner learning on it, but I'm relatively advanced and luckily have a reasonably good piano to practice on.  Will the damage be less the more advanced you are?  Afterall, this is my teacher's practice piano and he regularly gives concerts.    

On the other hand, unlike him, I'm far from a finished product.  I'm perhaps at a stage where I need to start learning about how to produce a beautiful tone on the piano.  Will this piano hinder my progress?  My teacher believes in doing things by carefully listening to the sound you produce on the piano; he's not a fan of theorizing about consciously adopting certain wrist/arm movements to get certain sounds.  How could I aspire to producing a better sound on a piano when I often have trouble appreciating the sound that comes out of that piano?  Unfortunately, while my teacher also compalins about that piano, there is virtually no prospect of his getting a new one.

[landru]

I can't say it would be "very harmful" since you have a reasonable piano to do your own practice on. The question is, can you carry over what he suggests in his lessons to your own piano?

For myself I am finally at the stage where I have enough technical ability to notice and care about specific sounds. And it is hard when my teachers piano is a grand that produces a deep, resonant sound that takes a lot of effort on the keys when my piano is an upright with a bright sound that takes little manual effort (all due to the hammers I bet...).

This wasn't an issue for years - but now my ear and playing are really noticing it. However, over all I don't think my playing really suffers either way - the issues tend to be the same on whichever piano I am on.

The main problem might be the damper pedal. When you are getting advanced, using varying degrees of pedal (from barely to 1/3 to 1/2 etc.) can really affect what you are hearing. The teacher should be able to show the differences to you - but not if the piano won't let him!

[hfmadopter]

I agree with landru, your real work is at home. Teachers pianos often are rather beat, especially piano school pianos.. I know my teacher kind of let her Steinway go to pot at the end of my 10 years with her. It was fun getting lessons with her when the Steinway was in nice shape though.

     

[pytheamateur]

I often wonder why conservatories have to stock nice and well-conditioned pianos.  So it looks like it's more for the benefit of students practising than for lessons with teachers.

[quantum]

I know of several teachers that own atrocious pianos.  One of them hardly ever tunes their piano, probably once every couple of years or so.  It sits more than 1/2 tone flat.  What bothers me is that it is a rather new instrument that seems to be suffering neglect from basic upkeep. 

Another teacher has a Steinway with a horrible tone.  Yet she is able to play with exquisite tonal control on any other instrument.  Her argument is that you are not always presented with instruments in fair condition, you play what is available.  One needs to know how to make the most of an inferior instrument. 

I can relate to that last statement, as for years I practiced on a battered upright that was grossly insufficient for what I asked of it.  It had a limited scope of tone of which required great effort of the pianist, and as such allowed me to explore miniscule changes in sound. 

[outin]

I don't see how it would benefit a student, especially a beginner to study on an inferior instrument. And since we usually pay quite a lot of money for the lessons, the pianos should be in fair conditionm IMO.

My first teacher had an upright with a very unpleasant sound and I think that even if there hadn't been all the other reasons to end the lessons this would have forced me to eventually. It was too much for my ears.

[pytheamateur]

I don't see how it would benefit a student, especially a beginner to study on an inferior instrument. And since we usually pay quite a lot of money for the lessons, the pianos should be in fair conditionm IMO.

My first teacher had an upright with a very unpleasant sound and I think that even if there hadn't been all the other reasons to end the lessons this would have forced me to eventually. It was too much for my ears.

I am inclined to agree.  I think if you take pride in yourself as a teacher then you should have a decent piano on which to teach.  I see some teachers describe their teaching practice as a  "piano studio".  Perhaps these teachers are more likely to have a reasonable instrument.

Perhaps the quality of a piano is less of a concern for someone whose priority is performing and is only teaching to get some extra income.  Or perhaps it is something less in the control of a concert pianist.  I get the feeling that a piano teacher generally earns more than a concert pianist.  Would you agree?  (I'm not talking about famous concert pianists of course, but those without recording contracts, who play on small venues and do not have teaching positions in conservatories.)