Pianos are considered to be one of the most elite instruments to learn and play. There are several types of pianos to choose from. However, the upright pianos are mostly popular for homes as they are much more compact and less expensive than the grand pianos.
Upright pianos are also referred to as the vertical pianos because of their strings’ placements. The strings and frame in these pianos are positioned vertically, while the hammers move horizontally. That’s also what primarily differentiates the upright pianos from the grand pianos.
Types of Upright Pianos
There are four standard types of upright pianos that typically vary in sizes and sound systems. Let’s discuss each of them individually:
1- Spinet Pianos
Spinet pianos are the smallest of the upright pianos with a height of thirty-six to forty inches and fifty-eight inches width. These pianos are unlike others because of their unique ‘dropped action’ characteristic. The actions in spinet pianos drop below the level of keys, whereas in pianos with taller heights, the action sits on top of the keys.
Although these pianos are the best choices for small apartments that don’t have much free space, you should know that they are not as precise as others when it comes to keynotes’ accuracy. Their repair costs are also much higher than other pianos because of their compact structure and additional working parts.
2- Console Pianos
The console pianos are the most popular of the upright pianos. These pianos are forty to forty-three inches in height, making them slightly bigger than the spinet pianos. Like other vertical pianos, the hammer in these pianos lies in an upright position, and the action sits on top of the keys. This is usually called the ‘direct blow’ action when the hammer strikes the string and releases the keys. Then the spring pulls the hammer back into place, ready to be struck again.
The action is not as quick and fluent as it is in the grand pianos, but the console pianos provide relatively good sound quality and longer strings for ease. These pianos are slightly more expensive than the spinets with a drastic change in performance. Getting console pianos will be a much better choice than the spinets if you have a flexible budget.
3- Studio Pianos
The studio pianos are significantly larger than the spinet and console pianos as they are of forty-four to forty-eight inches height in general. These pianos also somewhat resemble the grand pianos because of their height and structure.
These types of upright pianos have a longer soundboard and strings, with a full-size action on top of the keys. The studio piano produces much better sounds than the spinet and console because of their action, which brings out the full range of this piano. The height of the piano also plays a vital part in playing richer and more resonant tonal quality music.
These vertical pianos are the ideal choices for beginners who are just starting to play as these pianos are available at affordable prices and have excellent keynotes quality.
4- Upright or Professional Pianos
These pianos are also known as the ‘professional uprights.’ They are the tallest of the upright pianos, coming in forty-eight inches and above heights. The vertical professional pianos also deliver the best sound systems. The quality and size of these pianos make them the most expensive in this category, sometimes even more so than some grand pianos.
The upright piano has a large soundboard whose sound can last for a long time when you keep it well-maintained. These pianos are the right choice for people who are looking to play professionally in the long-term.
How to Choose the Right Upright Piano?
When buying an upright piano, you need to consider a few factors so you can get one that matches your needs and room-space nicely. The first thing to think about is the size of the room. If you get a smaller piano for a larger room, the sound will not be able to circulate throughout the room. In the same way, getting a large piano for a small-sized room will also be a severely wrong decision.
Another thing to consider before getting a piano is quality. You should never go for a big piano that’s cheap but doesn’t sound right. A smaller piano with the perfect soundboards will give the pianist much more satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment.
