Half of 10mm=5.5mm, half an inch is 1/2", a third of 10mm=3.33333endless, a third of foot=4". Sometimes metric is not so simple. I use both constantly in my business and find that both have value but certainly neither is better.

How does half of 10 equal 5.5?

Regards,

Inflation.

As long as the piano technician is not too large !

Probably it will overwhelm that space. Especially if you play lid on full stick. The general formula for a room with 8' ceiling height is, max piano size = room perimeter / 10. in your case it is about 5'. Since you have 10' ceiling height maybe a bigger piano might be possible. But still I doubt this room is suitable for a Steinway B.

I think many of those with grand pianos(or large grand pianos)in "small rooms" that say there is no problem with the piano being too loud have the piano in a room that opens up to another room with a wider than a door width opening. My guess is that pianos are often in living rooms that typically open into other spaces. Thus, their small rooms are actually effectively much larger than their dimensions in terms of sound.

I cannot imagine most grands and especially larger grands working well in terms of sound in a fully enclosed(except for a door) room that is 8'x10' and certainly not in a room just large enough to fit the piano. OTOH this is only my feeling(and a very common one, I think) and it's not based on hearing grands in that kind of space.

I hope some of the posters in this thread(or techs who have experienced tons of in home pianos) that said their piano was not a problem in their small room will give their piano room's dimensions and say whether the room opens into other spaces. That might convince me that a tiny enclosed room is OK for a grand that is well regulated, voiced for the space, and played by a pianist with good technique for pp playing. I cannot imagine my M&H BB(admittedly a powerful piano)working well in my 9'X12' bedroom.

I should never post replies after drinking wine :-).

I'l drink to that!

Cheers!

My piano is in a room that's 10'x12', and which doesn't open up to another room. The piano is 203 cm. I think the important thing is how loud the piano is when played normally. Some pianos sound more powerful than others, irrespective of size. I've had to wear ear plugs when playing smaller pianos in bigger practise rooms.

You can always soften the volume with a nice rug or wall hangings, if needed. Books under the piano and furniture in the room help also. And, there are always acoustic ceiling treatments.

Sadly, one of the worries that always clouds the joy of buying and owning a big grand such as a Steinway B, a D, a Mason & Hamlin BB, or a Yamaha C7 or C7X is the immediate thought, where are we going to put “this beast”? I just guess it’s one of the things that comes along with the big dream piano. But still my dream pianos are at least 7 feet.

Books under the piano?!

Yes the room has 3 walls and one wall is open to the foyer and living room.

Thanks!

Different piano makes are scaled for different "loundness". I have found C Bechstein and Bosendorfer to be among the "quieter" ones, scaled for a living room in the 214cm size.

Acoustic panels would help you tame the sound a bit; real ones that is, not foam...like RPG, Real Traps or GIK etc...easy to DIY. (If you have the money start with a RPG Modex broadband or two).

One trick that makes a huge difference is to put acoustic panels raised up underneath the piano...or even cut/made to size in the slots...as an example, if u have neighbour issues, fill the whole bottom of the piano with pillows/insulation, put it on isolation mounts, fully close the lid, and put mover blankets on top...loads you can do to change the sound!

I've seen it posted by others that music books (ie in crates or stacked) can help soften the sound.

I was thinking of the aesthetics of having stacks of books, or crates of books under the piano; it wouldn't appeal to me, because I'm also thinking of the piano as an item of beauty in a space that is viewed by others.

However, if the piano were in a teaching studio, that might work. For me, I can't imagine how many times I would hit my head on the underside of the piano while retrieving a book. But that's just clutzy old me; I would never learn! Ouch! and some expletives that I can't produce here!

Regards,

It would not appeal to me either. My wife would never allow books (or anything) under the piano anyway.