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Hello,

Last month I decided it was time to begin taking piano lessons. I purchased a new digital piano(Roland RP301) to replace my keyboard(Yamaha YPG-235) and contacted the head of the local Music Teachers Assosciaton. I've had two lessons with a teacher now and it is going well.

Last night during lessons we were talking about the differences between digital and acoustic pianos. I had noticed that 1 piece I could play better on my digital, but the next piece I could play better on the teachers acoustic. My teacher suggested that practicing on an acoustic once a week might help my technique. I asked where to find an acoustic to play on since the nearest store was too far away(and after 2 or 3 weeks I expect they'd be onto me). She said I could try the practice rooms at one of the universities around here.

Are these practice rooms normally open to the public? I studied electrical engineering and our labs were certianly not open to passer-bys(some weren't even open to me). Is music different? The website for this universities music department is un-helpful and doesn't mention the rooms at all. Has anyone else tried using unversity practice rooms without being an enrolled or even graduated student of that university?

Are there any alternatives? Libraries offer free computer access, is there a piano equivlent that I haven't heard of?

Maybe ask your local music school if you have one if you could hire their acoustic piano for an hour or two once or twice a week?

A university with a big music department would probably allow you to use a practice room once a week but you would have to work out a time which was most suited to when they were not using it frequently e.t.c.

The university at which I'm employed (and where up until recently I was taking piano lessons) do not make the piano practice rooms available for anyone outside of music school faculty and staff. Even other students at the university are not allowed access to the piano which, during school terms, are typically quite overbooked just from music student themselves. With hundreds of music majors enrolled and maybe 2-3 dozen pianos to share it's hard to see how they could afford to allow wider access.

I honestly don't know of any public place that I'd expect to let just anyone practice on their pianos. It always seems a pity that with literally millions of pianos in every nook and cranny of the world, a student can often not find a single one suitable for a bit of practice. I occasionally run across pianos that are pretty much free to be played but they tend to be in places with a lot of people around, not the place I'm going to sit and run scales or etudes for an hour!

You might try the music stores near the universities. I found a store in Zürich that had four soundproofed piano/music rooms that they rent by the hour for a very reasonable rate. They get the overflow from the music conservatory and universities. I live in an apartment, so I generally play with headphones at home, So I rent a room with a yamaha grand once a week for "out loud" practice. It really helps!

So this isn't the answer you were looking for, but I'm wondering how truly necessary it is for you to be able to practice on an acoustic. While it is always nice to play on an acoustic, I don't go out of my way to do it. Personally I just have a digital, and when I go to my lesson, it takes me a few minutes to adjust to the heavier action of the acoustic, the small difference in bench height, etc. But I don't feel like I'm at a disadvantage with only practicing on a digital 98% of the time, at least not at my beginner level.

If you can get access to an acoustic, I would go there occasionally just to enjoy the experience, and not feel like it was necessary to improve at piano. I think maybe more advanced pianists can command better sound out of an acoustic (especially grand pianos) due to the action and dynamic capabilities, thus justifying practice time on an acoustic. Just my two cents to hopefully let you off the hook of feeling like you HAVE to practice on an acoustic.

The reason my teacher wanted me to practice on an acoustic a little was because I've been spoiled by always having a volume knob. I was trying to play the acoustic at the same volume I played on my digital, but this was causing me to press the keys so lightly that sometimes they wouldn't even make sound.

I'm going to contact the university in question to see what there situation is, but at this time I think I'd rather pay for a longer lesson than to rent an hour on an acoustic.

Ah, I see. An acoustic could help you get used to the heavier force you should be using as well as give you a feel for how loud the volume on your digital should be. Good luck to you in your quest!

I'd try a church. They might allow you, especially if you offered a donation. There are probably times when there is a person in the church office who could let you into the sanctuary when it's not in use.

Or, if you asked around I bet you have an acquaintance with a piano who might not mind "renting" you a little time on theirs.

When I started, I found that if I played on my digital keyboard (not a great one by any means) I was just unable to play on my old decrepit small grand because that piano required a lot of force on the keys and I ended up not hitting them hard enough. So it was very frustrating.

Since then I've upgraded the old grand for a less old small console, which has easier action. I only use the keyboard now when I'm trying to 'sound out' something and I want to wear a headset.

My daughter plays at a craft store - they don't mind because she is just playing songs (nothing annoying). She also plays on the high school music piano when I have time - in return I buy script (it supports the band program). You might find something in a more unusual place!

I play at my place of work which happens to be a university.

The music labs are strictly closed, but its pointless because the music labs all use keyboard midi controllers instead of DPs and acoustics.

The university does however have two restaurants / conference rooms. I go in early and play their German grand piano. The thing is its quite neglected and somewhat out of tune. Also the key touch is surprisingly LIGHTER than my DP at home. The bass keys feel about as heavy as the highest keys on my DP.

It does get people stirred up enough to stop and listen though.


You might want to look at fancy hotels, old pubs and restaurants. They are dying on their feet in the recession and a couple of $$ thrown their way to borrow their pianos is often quite welcome. Though pub pianos I found are in an awful condition. There is a very negelected piano I found in a Birkenhead pub. A lot of people used it to stub out their cigarettes. Its also only 52 key with the other 26 keys dead.

But tbh I've found that the only way to get consistent practice is to have something of your own.

The touch sensitivity for your yamaha can be set to "soft, medium, and hard" -- and of course "off" (see page 76 of your user manual). Maybe choosing the a different setting (medium is probably the default) would help -- combined with adjusting the volume.

I live in an area with many over 55 communities and assistited living facilities all of which have at least one piano -- maybe if you can play a bit you could provide some much needed background music?? Only trouble is not all of them keep the piano regulated and tuned.

I would think the easy end would be to adjust the volume of your DP to what you think is the volume level of the accoustic you use.

Or even bring your DP to your teachers place and adjust it live.

I have even bigger problems since my DP used headphones. I play a badly tuned grand piano and my teachers challon 998.

I second Dina's suggestion. Just note that these settings will not make keys heavier or lighter but they map the forces different making it feel as if the keys were lighter or heavier. Give it a try and see what you think as that would be the easiest for you. I never touch the volume setting on my DP.

Yeah I was just thinking of pubs too- I sometimes pop into Mello Mello for a brew and have a tinkle - the piano there seems to get tuned LOL.

Norrec maybe you could put an ad in your nearest music store and see if anyone has a piano you could play in return for an hourly rate.

Of course if you had a pal with a piano that might be a better option!