Are my piano keys stiff?

[heken]

Hi, a few days ago I got the chance to play on another piano (upright just like mine at home), and I noticed that everything felt much easier to play, more smooth and fluid than it felt at home on my piano. I then came across this video after a bit of googling about stiff piano keys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAYnD1CWwjA

I tried the same method on my piano, but when there was enough weight to press key down, it didn't go all the way down. It stopped at three different spots. Like this:

1st stop required 70g (1/3 down to the bottom)
2nd stop required 111g (2/3 down to the bottom)
3rd stop required 137g (All the way down to the bottom)

In the video, the piano he is testing it goes all the way to the bottom as soon as the weight is enough. It doesn't stop at three different "locations", before it reaches the bottom. And its very hard to play piano or pianoissimo, because either you get a too loud sound, or nothing at all.

[hfmadopter]

I didn't watch the video but your keys are way out of range, yes.

[outin]

Hi, a few days ago I got the chance to play on another piano (upright just like mine at home), and I noticed that everything felt much easier to play, more smooth and fluid than it felt at home on my piano. I then came across this video after a bit of googling about stiff piano keys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAYnD1CWwjA

I tried the same method on my piano, but when there was enough weight to press key down, it didn't go all the way down. It stopped at three different spots. Like this:

1st stop required 70g (1/3 down to the bottom)
2nd stop required 111g (2/3 down to the bottom)
3rd stop required 137g (All the way down to the bottom)

In the video, the piano he is testing it goes all the way to the bottom as soon as the weight is enough. It doesn't stop at three different "locations", before it reaches the bottom. And its very hard to play piano or pianoissimo, because either you get a too loud sound, or nothing at all.

Is your piano new? Sounds a lot like mine, although I didn't do any measuments... only after over 2 years of daily playing it is starting to get more comfortable to play and sounds the way it should.

Maybe it was not a good idea to buy a new piano when restarting to play after decades. I think I would have avoided quite a lot of pain if I had a less stubborn instrument in the beginning...

[heken]

Its from the 50s, so around 60 years old. Its strange cos when I press down the soft pedal, it feels like the keys are much more linear, and not so "choppy" like they do without it. I've not done any measurement yet though, but it feels so much better.

[outin]

Its from the 50s, so around 60 years old. Its strange cos when I press down the soft pedal, it feels like the keys are much more linear, and not so "choppy" like they do without it. I've not done any measurement yet though, but it feels so much better.

I guess that's not so strange, my piano is easier to play with pedals down also.

Since your piano is rather old, I guess it might be in need of maintenance...

[heken]

Okey, but should I keep the soft pedal down to make it easier and sound better, or does that give me "false" feeling of how the piano should feel? In other words, will it be bad for my practice, such as strengthening my fingers?

[outin]

Okey, but should I keep the soft pedal down to make it easier and sound better, or does that give me "false" feeling of how the piano should feel? In other words, will it be bad for my practice, such as strengthening my fingers?

It's not so much about strengthening fingers but how you sound. It's hard to learn to make a good sound if your piano is not working as it should. Can't be good for one's practice to have a non responding instrument.

[heken]

It's not so much about strengthening fingers but how you sound. It's hard to learn to make a good sound if your piano is not working as it should. Can't be good for one's practice to have a non responding instrument.

Okey Anyway I just re-measured with the soft pedal down, and it took ~50-58g for the keys to reach the bottom, which is a HUGE difference
Guess Im gonna have to place a brick on the soft pedal till I get a new piano/fix it hehe

[indianajo]

I bought my pianos in part because of the light and consistent action.  Many people originally bought the piano for the appearance, without playing it. 
I played a Wurlitzer from the seventies at a church last week.  It had a large tone and a medium and consistent action.
Last fall I gave some lessons in a house where they had bought a Wurlitzer in the nineties.  The action was okay at normal volume, but at low velocities, frequently notes didn't sound.  I wouldn't enjoy playing the soft parts on that piano. 
I don't have any gram weights to check my Sohmer and Steinway console with.  But on the 1941 Steinway 40, five quarters makes it go down about 1/3 and 10 quarters pushes it down to 2/3.  The 1982 Sohmer 39, ten quarters just pushes down the key a little bit.  That is all the quarters I have. 
I hope this helps. If you are not in the USA, probably not. 

[hbofinger]

I have a Yamaha C7 grand, and though the action pulls about 50 grams, it feels heavy. The heaviness makes the fourth finger more difficult to control.

Just as a sanity check I visited a Steinway dealership here in Vienna, Austria two days ago. I played a new B, a new D, and a slightly used B (rental, available for sale, still less than a year old, very tempting for the discounted price). All of them were sharp and responsive, whether broken in or not. And very controllable and easy on the fourth finger.

I am convincent lighter actions make you play better and more under control.

[heken]

I bought my pianos in part because of the light and consistent action.  Many people originally bought the piano for the appearance, without playing it. 
I played a Wurlitzer from the seventies at a church last week.  It had a large tone and a medium and consistent action.
Last fall I gave some lessons in a house where they had bought a Wurlitzer in the nineties.  The action was okay at normal volume, but at low velocities, frequently notes didn't sound.  I wouldn't enjoy playing the soft parts on that piano. 
I don't have any gram weights to check my Sohmer and Steinway console with.  But on the 1941 Steinway 40, five quarters makes it go down about 1/3 and 10 quarters pushes it down to 2/3.  The 1982 Sohmer 39, ten quarters just pushes down the key a little bit.  That is all the quarters I have. 
I hope this helps. If you are not in the USA, probably not. 

A US quarter weigh ~5,67g, which means that it takes 28g to make it go 1/3 down and 57g to 2/3. It might be considered a little bit stiff (not by me though), but its no way near as stiff as mine. Wish I could your piano at least

[heken]

I have a Yamaha C7 grand, and though the action pulls about 50 grams, it feels heavy. The heaviness makes the fourth finger more difficult to control.

Just as a sanity check I visited a Steinway dealership here in Vienna, Austria two days ago. I played a new B, a new D, and a slightly used B (rental, available for sale, still less than a year old, very tempting for the discounted price). All of them were sharp and responsive, whether broken in or not. And very controllable and easy on the fourth finger.

I am convincent lighter actions make you play better and more under control.

Yeah, that's what Ive been worried about a lot too. That maybe it's just me who is being meticulous or deluded on how a piano should feel. Guess im gonna have to find a piano dealership too, to calm my (in)sanity..

[hfmadopter]

Yeah, that's what Ive been worried about a lot too. That maybe it's just me who is being meticulous or deluded on how a piano should feel. Guess im gonna have to find a piano dealership too, to calm my (in)sanity..

Actually it's a great idea to go out and try a lot of different pianos. You will find a lot that are light, others heavy etc. But I was surprised by a Steinway S, that one was heavy.

[indianajo]

I played a Yamaha digital 88 key electronic keyboard yesterday. the owner forgot the number. It has heavier weighting on the bass keys than the treble keys and costs $$$$ it is that model. It is heavier then either my Sohmer or lighter Steinway console.
I played my sister in law's Horugal console piano (Two lions rampant plucking vertical strings logo) it was like playing in mud.  I don't have enough quarters (5) to make it go down even 1/3 way. 

[hfmadopter]

I played a Yamaha digital 88 key electronic keyboard yesterday. the owner forgot the number. It has heavier weighting on the bass keys than the treble keys and costs $$$$ it is that model. It is heavier then either my Sohmer or lighter Steinway console.
I played my sister in law's Horugal console piano (Two lions rampant plucking vertical strings logo) it was like playing in mud.  I don't have enough quarters (5) to make it go down even 1/3 way.  

Yamaha makes or made many model digital pianos and keyboards, so not sure which one you are speaking of..  One in particular was very heavy A Clav CLP- 440 I think. It was over 90 grams ( I actually think it was over 100g) at around middle C as I recall, we had a member here who traded one in because of that and got a different and better model.. But that model Clavinova has a traceable history online of heavy keys. Last I knew he was very happy with the move though. This comes up periodically, one would think I would remember names by now !

Bottom line, you really got to try pianos out, don't assume.