Piano Round-Up
This issue Matt Ash turns his attention to a new, responsive digital piano and an entertaining book about the world of piano tuners
A new digital piano from Roland, plus a brilliant book written from the perspective of a piano tuner
Buying a new piano, whether it’s your first ever or your latest acquisition, is an exciting undertaking. It can also be daunting. One of the challenges you may be facing is balancing your progress as a pianist against household pressures and budget constraints, sometimes making it more difficult to choose an instrument that fits your needs. The practicalities of a digital over an acoustic can be appealing, and if you have the budget for a step-up model, you can buy something noticeably superior to entry-level models. There’s plenty of choice from recognised brands, and among some recent 2021 releases, Roland’s RP701, priced at around £1,163, seems to hit the spot. The model benefits from the company’s SuperNATURAL Piano sound engine, which I’ve found responds with greater nuance than the sounds available on lower-priced digitals and, combined with the established PHA-4 action, offers an engaging playing experience.
In many respects it feels closer to playing a high-quality acoustic over many of the second-hand acoustics available at this price point – some of which are tired and weren’t always of the highest quality in the first place.
The RP701 has already received praise from the retailers, with Tony White of Bonners Music citing that ‘the Roland RP701 is a really great, affordable piano. As well as sounding really good, the Bluetooth connectivity and choice of cabinet colour options makes them very appealing. They should last a good few years before you might feel it’s time for an upgrade to match your ever-growing pianist talents!’
If you’re at an early stage in your piano-playing journey you are likely to find the interactivity of the RP701 very useful, with connectivity to Roland’s Piano Every Day app (available for Android and iOS) offering encouragement and inspiration to returning and beginner players. On-board metronome and recording features, standard across most brands at this price level, can also prove useful in developing a sense of pulse and reviewing your own playing. I’d recommend visiting a retailer who has the RP701 on display for you to try, preferably with the possibility of comparing it with equivalent models from Casio, Kawai, Korg, and Yamaha in order to find the right instrument for you. There is a detailed list of member retailers at the Music Industries Association (MIA) website and this would be a good place to start.
A tuner’s tale
I referred earlier to variations in the condition and quality of second-hand acoustic pianos and nobody understands this better than tuner-technicians, who see everything from aged pianos that are more furniture than musical instrument, to beautiful young instruments from the top makers. A new book from Steven Harris, The Man from Harrods, offers a colourful insight into the challenges and pleasures of maintaining and repairing pianos, and a glimpse of a world that I recognise from my own experience both as a pianist and from working in the piano industry. I’ve faced the challenges of giving a recital on an aged piano with sluggish repetition, ineffective dampers and hammers like cotton wool, as well as performing on some truly beautiful and exactingly set-up new instruments. Such is the pianist’s lot; unlike most other instrumentalists we need to deal with the instrument we find before us.
The book tells the story of Harris’s career as a tuner for Harrods in the days when the store had a piano department and workshop, and is full of tales of instruments and people he has met along the way. If you have any interest in learning more about the instrument itself, this is an accessible and informative place to start. It may even inspire you to train as a tuner-technician yourself. Although the opportunities aren’t currently as frequent as they once were, there is demand for this expertise, and in my role at the MIA I’m working on a project to address the situation.
I’m currently sitting on several exciting but embargoed new acoustic and digital product announcements from various makers, and I can’t wait to share them with you in the next issue. Until then, take time if you’re purchasing a new piano; turn to reputable retailers where you can play and compare instruments and who will offer you the after-sales support that such a big decision deserves. If you’re tempted by second-hand acoustic pianos from a private seller, engage the services of an experienced tuner-technician to provide an assessment before you commit. It could save you a lot of heartache. A visit to the Pianoforte Tuners’ Association website will help you to find someone in your area.
www.roland.co.uk www.bonnersmusic.co.uk www.bookguild.co.uk (The Man from Harrods) www.mia.org.uk www.pianotuner.org.uk