Street Pianos ‘Connect People’

Have you ever noticed one of the street pianos in the UK? If not, you may want to start looking out for them after an article in the Mirror highlighted how much joy they bring to people’s lives.

The newspaper explained that a project started by British artist Luke Jerram to save old upright pianos from landfill has seen 1,900 of the instruments restored. There are public pianos located in 60 cities around the globe, which anyone is free to play at any time.
One of the most famous in the UK is the piano in St Pancras train station, which was donated by Elton John in 2016, although there is another piano that’s been there since 2012.

The newspaper shared stories of those who play these street pianos, delighting people and enjoying themselves. One man who calls himself Michael Piano Man described the first time he saw the piano at St Pancras: “It was like I’d walked into the Garden of Eden. Everyone has their bad days and you need something to help those bad days. It’s therapy.”

But the aim of these instruments is about more than simply making music. Jools Holland told the newspaper that pianos “are a way of connecting people”. It’s why the Campaign to End Loneliness and Together TV channel have teamed up to encourage people to not only play these street pianos, but also to sing songs around them.

If this has inspired to you improve your musical talents, why not look into beginners’ piano lessons in Bristol in the new year?

The street pianos project, named Play Me I’m Yours, has been touring the world since 2008 and is currently in Africa, Chile. Each piano used in this project is painted by local artists or community groups.

Music Site Launched To Help Dementia Sufferers

Music has countless far-reaching benefits – it has been linked with helping children
learn how to read; it instils discipline and a strong work ethic; and now it has been
linked with improving the quality of life for those suffering from dementia.

A new website, Music for Dementia 2020 was launched, making it the first ever
music-related dementia website. It offers advice, research and expert opinion on how
music can and does help those with dementia.

Programme director for the website Grace Meadows said: “We want to encourage
people to share their work with us so we can be making people aware of what
musical activities are available in their communities and supporting access to them.”

Music for Dementia 2020 aims to offer guidance to the 700,000 informal carers who
look after dementia sufferers every day. Two-thirds of these claim they do not have
enough help and support to look after their loved ones, which is why this website,
providing musical activities and information about music therapy, has been launched.

The charity wants to promote the idea that music can be used as a tool to help those
in care, not only offering an enjoyable experience, but also allowing patients to be
creative and contribute to the community they live in.

This follows a report conducted by Live Music in Care and the University of
Winchester, which recommended live music being offered in all care homes.

It concluded that “music can provide significant benefits for older people, care staff
and care settings, contributing to person-centred care”.

If you want to help someone suffering from dementia by playing music to them, why
not take up beginners’ piano lessons in Bristol today?

https://www.pianolessonsuk.co.uk/free-1st-piano-lesson/

http://www.livemusicnow.org.uk/lmn-news/title/Live-Music-in-Care-report-Music-benefits-the-whole-care-home-and-contributes-to-person-centered-care/item/69660

http://www.livemusicnow.org.uk/lmn-news/title/Live-Music-in-Care-report-Music-benefits-the-whole-care-home-and-contributes-to-person-centered-care/item/69660

http://www.musicfordementia2020.com/2019/01/09/website-launch/http://www.musicfordementia2020.com

https://www.carehomeprofessional.com/new-website-promotes-benefits-music-people-living-dementia/

Govt Called to Support All Children Wanting Music Lessons

There are so many benefits of enrolling your little ones in music classes, such as beginners piano lessons in Bristol, that it should not be something only children from wealthy families can enjoy.

Instead, the government has been called on to provide assistance to children from lower-income households, so they can also take advantage of music’s impact in helping to develop cognitive, social and emotional abilities.

This is the opinion of educational psychologist Hannah Abrahams, who was responding to the recent data released by the Musicians’ Union (MU) that revealed families with a household income of below £28,000 were half as likely to send their children to music lessons compared with those on a household salary of £48,000 or higher.

With 41 per cent of lower-income families saying paying for their children to learn how to play an instrument would exceed their budget, it is clear that cost is standing in the way of many youngsters from reaching their musical potential.

Ms Abrahams stated that “the power of music to young people is palpable” and wealth should not be a factor in gaining access to instruments.

“It is the role of government and schools to nurture and encourage children’s exploration of music as a powerful learning and social tool,” she went on to say.

The benefits of learning a music instrument include improving memory, relieving stress, feeling a sense of achievement, building self-confidence, developing discipline and patience, and encouraging creativity, all of which are good for every child, no matter what their background is.

The Challenges Of Portraying Freddie Mercury

Rami Malek has recently been talking about the challenges he faced when he took on the role of Freddie Mercury for movie Bohemian Rhapsody.

Among them was learning to play the piano, with the actor very honestly telling those casting the film that he’d “never touched a piano or guitar before”.

Speaking to The National, he explained that once he was given the part he spent a considerable amount of time working on his musical skills.

He even flew to London whenever he had a break in shooting for Mr Robot to take singing and piano lessons, as well as working closely with a dialect teacher and a movement and choreography coach to perfect every element of his performance.

Malek revealed that the first piece he learned on the piano was the intro to Bohemian Rhapsody, which he then had to figure out how to play “upside down for a scene where he’s lying on a bed with a keyboard above him”.

He has received much praise for his performance of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, with the film performing well at the box office on its opening weekend too.

Malek isn’t the only actor who’s learned to play a musical instrument for a film role though. Insider recently highlighted some other stars who have taken the time to pick up musical skills.

Ryan Gosling, for instance, learned to play jazz piano for his role in La La Land, while Bradley Cooper learned to play the piano and the guitar in preparation for his role in A Star Is Born.

For dedication to his art, Adrien Brody has to deserve a mention. He spent four hours a day practicing piano before starring in The Pianist, a part that he won an Oscar for.

If you’re looking for piano lessons in Bristol, contact us to find out more about how our expert teachers can help you develop your musical skills.

3 Top Tips For Memorising Music

If you’ve just started taking beginner’s piano lessons in Bristol, you’re sure to be finding all sorts of aspects of piano playing tricky… don’t worry, we’ve all been there!

But if your teacher is keen for you to play from memory (which is beneficial because it means you can focus on other parts of your playing to improve in other areas), there are little tips and tricks you can try that will help you remember the parts. Here are a couple to get you started.

Repetition

This is an obvious one but that’s because it works wonders. Practice is the only way to improve (unless you’re Mozart!) and if you find yourself stuck on a bit, play it again and again until you know you’ve got it down pat, then build it into the rest of the piece as you go. Make sure you’re mindful with your practice, however, and do pay attention to what you’re doing as you’re doing it.

Go to sleep

It might sound like you’re giving up by going to bed but this is far from the case. Practising a few bits you’re struggling with before going to sleep can actually help you consolidate what you’ve learned – and you’ll likely find you remember it better in the morning.

Watch your hands

Visual learning can also prove very useful when trying to memorise pieces of music. As you play, mentally make note of how your fingers move up and down the keyboard. This will really reinforce what you’re learning and you might surprise yourself the next time you sit down at the piano.

Did you know that playing an instrument can actually help improve your memory? Check out this study on the matter for further info.

Grade 4 & 5 Sight reading – ABRSM

Welcome… :0)

In the ABRSM exam, we have 21 points at stake for the sight reading. What is the examiner looking for?

1. Rhythm (developments involving semiquavers, triplets, compound vs simple time)
2. Note accuracy (spotting chord shapes, arpeggios, scale patterns, relative keys, key signature fluency)
3. Articulation and Dynamics (pedal, a broader range of musical terms)
4. Style and Period

How do we work on these features?

We would use exactly the same steps as previously laid out for Grades 1 and 2 with some adjustments. Again, I would refer to Paul Harris’s Improve Your Sight-Reading. It goes through key by key, adding rhythms and difficulty at each stage.

1: Rhythm

Semiquavers – These cause difficulty in counting as the student tends to shorten the length of the beat in a desire for rhythmic consistency. When sight-reading a piece which uses semiquavers in simple time, the student should always count 1 + 2 + 3 + etc… for every beat. This prepares them for the bar ahead that contains the semiquavers. For compound time this isn’t necessary. The distinction should be made between the two.

Triplets – When counting triplets followed by notes which aren’t, it’s important to try and imagine where the next main beat will fall. A special emphasis should be made on understanding how to move from semiquavers to triplets for Grade 5.

Count like this 1 +, 2 +, 3 – trip – let, 4 i + a.

Another good exercise is to practice the section counting the subdivisions and then count only the main beats imagining where the subdivisions will fall. Take it in turns with another person to clap a straight rhythm then the other person follows with the triplets. Continue this alternation until it becomes natural.

Compound vs Simple – This is a further addition post-Grade 3 with the introduction of 6/8 time. You must test the ability to switch between simple time and compound time. Especially when counting semiquavers as previously mentioned. Therefore, practising a piece in simple time then one in compound time is essential to practice.

2: Note accuracy

Spotting chord shapes, arpeggios and scale patterns – This is a very important skill in order to analyze the information you see quickly. In order to achieve this, you must be able to recognise chords and their position or inversion. It is equally important to be able to recognise intervals instantly by the position of the two notes. A great app for this is called musical intervals.

Relative keys and key signature fluency – No extra keys are added from Grade 3 to Grade 4 but Grade 5 has a significant addition of keys up to 4 sharps, not including C sharp minor.

Test the ability to quickly recall the number of flats in all keys required. Start with the minor as generally people work out the number of flats or sharps from the major and work out the relative minor from that. This should be done away from the piano as well as in front of it. Make sure you spend a lot of time clarifying the role of the raised sharp in the harmonic minor. The student will remember that G minor has 3 black notes. This can be visually confusing as G minor only has 2 flats in the keys signature.

Ask two different questions when approaching this. E.g How many sharps does F sharp minor have? and What minor key has 3 sharps.

3: Articulation and Dynamics

Rhythm and note accuracy are the most important elements. The addition of Articulation and Dynamics should be added later on in the process. That said, it is a much stronger consideration for the examiner in Grade 4 and particularly in Grade 5.

Pedal – This is added in Grade 5. Exercises involving the reading of lead sheets can be a fun way to link the chord changes with the pedal. Go over a piece and see if you can spot the changes just by the notation alone. The bass is often a strong indicator.

A broader range of musical terms – This is something that is quite thoroughly covered by the ABRSM theory syllabuses and if you learn all of the terms with those syllabuses then you’d be fine. A great app for accessing the musical terms is called music tools.

Remember that accuracy of rhythm, notes and expression are more important than speed. If you can’t play it vivace, don’t. Take everything at a speed you can play it. If it says Rall… then take advantage of it and really buy some time by slowing down… a lot!

4: Style and Period

This addition can be illustrated by covering the C part of the Aural exam. This new consideration is probably more important for points in the Grade 5 more so than the Grade 4 but your ability to recognise the difference plays a part in both exams. A good understanding of the characteristics of Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Twentieth Century, will ensure this is covered.

E.g. Do an example of a classical aural test for the C part of the test and then ask the student to do a sight-reading in that style. Refer to the pieces, and their associated groups lettered A, B and C, to help them to recognise these characteristics.

Offering the student pieces to listen to outside of the classes is another great way to approach this subject.

Good luck :0)

Kevin Matthews,

PianolessonsUK, Brighton and Hove

Sight reading tips for Grades 1 and 2 ABRSM

When accessing the sight-reading for the ABRSM exam, we have 21 points at stake. The pieces and scales should be the main focus. You know what will be asked and are pretty much guaranteed a pass by conquering these two parts. The sight reading will help the student to access their pieces faster and is where we can achieve a really good score.

What is the examiner looking for?

The easiest way to think about it is to separate it into 3 aspects of musical fluency.

1. Rhythm
2. Note accuracy
3. Articulation and Dynamics

By getting all of these elements correct you will get top marks.

Part 1

How do we work on these features?

First of all, we need a method book and there is no better than Paul Harris’s, Improve Your Sight-Reading. Each chapter introduces a new key and rhythmic idea adding difficulty at each stage. The last few chapters then review these concepts.

I always ask my students to work on sight reading the way I ask them to start learning new pieces. I give a set of practice steps which are specific and not ambiguous. I do not like ambiguous teaching instructions! A student should always know precisely how to practice.

These are the practice steps that I use, on average, to work on stages 1-7 of the Paul Harris book.

1st set of steps:

1. Tap and count the rhythm of the exercise out loud
2. Work out the key and play the scales, 5 finger scales and arpeggios (if appropriate)
3. Find starting position (use the thumb as a guide)
4. Play through counting out loud

Notes: The tapping of the rhythm should always be worked on till there is no hesitation. Rhythm is learnt and recognised in the same way as any other vocabulary.

To play 5 finger scales, as I call them, use fingers 1-5 to go up and back down the first 5 notes of each of the scale’s modes. After each mode is played follow it with the triad (naming it if possible). This would mean that the individual would have played the first 5 notes of each mode, ascending and descending, following with the associated triad each time. This should be performed returning back down the scale as well as going up it. Positions 1-7, as well as 7-1.

Part 2 (stages 8 and 9 of the Paul Harris book)

Once this is mastered we need to start preparing a method for the execution of this during the exam. This part will create a method for practising the sight-reading, which will be very similar to how the student would structure their approach to the sight-reading in the exam.

I would also recommend that the student buys the ABSRM specimen sight-reading tests for the relevant grade to practice these further.

2nd set of steps (to be used nearer the exam):

1. Key and starting position
2. Play through silently whilst counting out loud. Counting in your head would be done nearer the exam.
3. Check for dynamics and in particular the starting dynamic
4. Play out loud, counting out loud and without stopping.*

*It is important that the student counts out loud as it ensures that this is happening consistently. Often when counting in your head, we can stop without being aware of it. This process also emphasises the importance of rhythm with this test.

Analysing the correct key and starting position is a vital skill when approaching the sight-reading test. Once the key and starting position can be found in under 5 seconds, then the student has a lot of time to play through the remaining music. I always challenge students to find the key and starting position to a given sight-reading exercise  (in the already open ABRSM specimen sight-reading test) as quickly as possible. This would be repeated and form part of their practice.

Part 3: Steps to be used in the exam

In the exam, the student is allowed to play the piece out loud as they prepare and they get 30 seconds. They should follow the below steps in the actual exam.

1. Key and starting position
2. Play through (out loud) counting out loud
3. Check for dynamics and in particular the starting dynamic
4. Play for real, counting in your head and don’t stop.

These final steps should be practised at least 2 lessons before the exam. Encourage the student to refrain from making any noises if they make a mistake as this can often give a mistake away that would have slipped through the net. Same goes for making faces and wincing.

Iterate that it is possible to make many errors and still get a great score.

In all sight reading exercises, the most important thing is that you don’t stop.

If a student plays the correct rhythm with the wrong notes completely but the correct dynamics and articulation, they will get a score in double figures. If they play all the correct notes, with no rhythm and no dynamics or articulation they will get a much lower score.

This common side effect when performing sight-reading tasks results from a fear of playing, and hearing, a note that is at the wrong pitch. For this, I have a very fun exercise.

Set of steps to conquer a fear of mistakes (to be used in the lesson but they can try at home too):

Step 1

1. Lay hands flat on the piano with no concern of which note they are on.
2. With no previous knowledge of the piece count them in. They must play the piano like a drum making a lot of awful noises.

Step 2

1. Repeat but choose a 5 finger hand position, again, with no concern to which note they are on.
2. Ask the student to play only the rhythm but using their fingers instead of their hands.

Step 3

1. Find the starting hand position.
2. Play and count out loud but pay close attention to moving up an down in pitch in line with the general direction that the pitch of the music goes.

This can then be developed further tagging on dynamics.

If the individual finds the correct starting position, plays the rhythm accurately, whilst moving in the correct general direction with a good awareness of dynamics, then they will get an excellent score.

Exam Preparation – The final week!

Hello there Brighton pianists,

1st things 1st!! Congratulations on all your hard work!!! I’m sure you’ve been beavering away inside and outside of your piano lessons.

Here is a run down for the week leading up to your exam – please get in touch via phone or email with regards to any specific details you aren’t sure on. contact@pianolessonsuk.co.uk

One week and counting:

Only a short way to go so lets go for it! It’s time for lots and lots of practice.

• I would recommend doing between one to three hours per day if possible. You should have all of the information needed.
• Whilst you are working and studying hard, try to remain calm. Think about posture – Is it stable and relaxed? Breathing with loose shoulders and supportive feet!!
• Maintain slow, separate hands and up to speed practice.
• Focus on the small areas which may be shaky and correct with precise practice.
• Avoid booking other activities which will distract immediately before or after the exam.

The day before your exam:

• At all points project a positive outcome. Say to yourself “I will play great in my exam”, “I rock” or “I will enjoy it and be calm” etc… Pick one you like and stick to it.
• Using your books I would recommend playing through the exam syllabus in your mind in the order chosen. E.g The scales first, then the pieces, and some sight reading.
• Play your old pieces and exercises. Make up a song – Just don’t play the exam bits!!!
• Do something fun if you have the time – watch a film, play a game, meet with friends etc…  and try to get a good night’s sleep (exercise the day before is helpful).
• Make sure you know where the exam location is.
• The main focus is avoiding anxiety and remaining relaxed.  

The morning of your exam:

Morning!!! This is the day that you will be amazing on!!

• Again project positively throughout, imagine a successful result (remember you can make a lot of mistakes and do very well in the exam).
• Please avoid playing anything related to the exam syllabus instead run them through in your mind.
• Play some warm up exercises.
• I recommend some light exercise if there is time before the exam to cool down!
• You may not feel like eating because of nerves but try and have something.
• Do something fun if there is time.
• Make sure you have your pieces in a safe place

PLEASE TAKE A SMALL TOWEL WITH YOU AS IT MAY BE HOT. YOU CAN THEN DRY YOUR HANDS IF YOU START TO SWEAT!! :0)

30 minutes before the exam:

You will be at the examination centre. 

• Only bring your pieces with you.
• Avoid talking to other people about your pieces, scales etc… You know what to do.
• Find a piano to warm up on I would recommend playing some exercises you’ve learned during your lessons.
• Run through the pieces in your head and fingering of the scales only once.
• Focus on your breathing, relax and think how you want to play. 

5 minutes before: 

Focus only on relaxation and positive thinking.

• Close your eyes, breathe slowly and repeat in your head something positive such as    “I am calm and relaxed”

In the exam: 

In you go – 

• Adjust the piano stool to the correct height for you make sure it is the right distance. This will help you settle in – Take your time. It’s your exam.
• In between each piece and scale take your time to prepare for your next performance. Never dive straight into a piece or scale.
• Ask the examiner to repeat a question if needed.
• If there are a few hiccups don’t worry. We can’t affect the past just the future. We all make mistakes. I just picked up two forks for my lunch!
• Once performing don’t stop.

After the exam:

Well done, I’m sure you have done fantastically well. Keep a note of areas you feel were trickier than expected and areas you’d like to improves on. Equally areas that you really enjoyed and did very well on. 

• Eat something wonderful – Ice Cream????!!!! 

Good luck!!!!!

Kevin Matthews

Is my child too young for piano lessons?

Many people contact us asking – Is my child too young for piano lessons?

Research has shown that children of a very young age recognise and respond to music. When pre speech children listen to music they have been observed to smile when moving in time to it and when the children went out of time they stopped smiling. This shows an intriguing understanding and enjoyment of rhythm and timing.

Even from pre birth we are aware of our mother’s heart beat and footsteps. People generally find 3/4 rhythms (like a waltz) more difficult to pick up because of this. People tend to put in a phantom fourth beat to represent the other foot so to speak.

Teaching a very young child is about keeping it fun and accessible at their level. There is no point in trying to get a 1 year old to read music straight away. You need to break up the  core elements of music and teach them separately.

These core elements are-

Rhythm
Pitch
Emotional expression

Every child develops at a different speed but in a very  youg child there are certain skills needed for music making that are yet to develop. We would develop these using fun activities and games which would encourage a fast uptake of music. The lesson would be split up into maybe 6 different activities all aiming to work on these elements. The majority of it would be non-instrumental.

The activities would enhance areas such as-

• Pattern recognition
• Note recognition (on the piano)
• Pitch awareness
• Rhythm awareness
• Musical expression

Kevin Matthews

www.pianolessonsuk.co.uk

What should I think about when buying a piano in Brighton & the UK

When buying a piano or digital piano there are many elements to consider-

What is the difference between a digital piano and an acoustic piano?

Digital piano

A digital piano uses the recorded sounds of a piano and ,when triggered by the keys, reproduces them. This sends information (midi) to the built in computer within the keyboard which makes the sound. This is then sent to the speakers (if there are any) or to your speaker system. This midi information can also be sent to an external computer to trigger other sounds (E.g drums, strings whatever really).

They have all different kinds of sounds and key weights Light keys, heavy keys etc etc… The heavier the key the more it will strengthen the muscles but take into account age and strength when deciding the very young (under 5) or old (varies a lot but over 75/80) need a bit of help with their muscles. :0)

Digital pianos normally come separate to a stand, pedal and case. They vary in size but can normally be packed away discretely.

Price

These elements as you can expect vary in quality and price with the spectrum being £50 – £14,000. You can get a good digital piano for £400 second hand.

Piano

The keys can vary from something spring loaded (basic) to something which imitates the feel of a piano. Piano keys are heavier in touch in the low end and lighter in the high end. There are also a lot of techniques that you can play on a piano that affect the sound produced sometimes dramatically sometimes very subtly. Digital pianos ,although to most people sound good-great, do not have the range of expression a piano has. The touch can be emulated and up to a certain level but I have yet to feel one that is 100% convincing. Basically it’s not a piano.

When a key is pushed down on a piano it lifts a piece of felt which has been resting on the strings. It also simultaneously triggers a number levers and mechanisms which eventually makes a felt tipped hammer strike the string/s. This makes the famous noise! This echoes around the casing of a piano. When you release the key another piece of felt dampens the vibrations of the keys and stops the noise.

There are thousands of different makes and models the best thing to do is to literally sit, play and find the one you like. It’s a personal thing. They come in all shapes and sizes from the tiny to the gigantic. Light keys, heavy keys etc etc… The heavier the key the more it will strengthen the muscles but take into account age and strength when deciding the very young (under 5) or old (varies a lot but over 75/80) need a bit of help with their muscles. :0)

Price

These elements as you can expect also vary in quality and price with the spectrum being Free – £300,000+. You can get a good upright piano for £700 second hand.

Plus sides to buying a digital piano

• Compared to acoustic pianos, digital pianos are generally less expensive when. bought from brand new second hand probably about the same.
• Most models are smaller and considerably lighter, but there are large ones as well.
• They have no strings and therefore don’t need to be tuned.
•  Depending on the model they will have a number of other sounds.
• Young beginners (under 5) will find it easier to play on non weighted keys.
• It is a lot more likely that they will be compatible with a computer via midi or USB. (Useful for recording and other more complicated functions)
• You will be able to practice quieter on all of the models via headphones.

Plus sides to buying a Piano

• The sound quality on most piano’s is superior to that of a digital keyboard. This in turn can promote practice a higher enjoyment of the instrument.
• There are techniques that are taught on a piano that don’t translate to digital pianos.
• Pianos have an aesthetic value that digital pianos don’t.
• It’s much easier to fall in love with a piano…

If you are buying a piano you need to think about size and how often you may be moving as after the initial move it is expensive moving pianos around.

Where can you buy a piano or digital piano?

Brand new pianos or digital pianos

Digital piano without weighted keys

These instruments are probably best suited for someone with a limited budget or of a very young age. These instruments have lighter keys and as such are easier to play for the younger learner. This is probably the cheapest digital piano you’ll find of good quality without weighted keys:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yamaha-NP11-Piaggero-Portable-Digital/dp/B004RTHGKW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1344434650&sr=8-2

Digital pianos with weighted keys

If you can spend more say £500 + I’d go for a piano with weighted keys – Yamaha digital pianos are great. The p series has a good selection of instruments of different prices. http://uk.yamaha.com/en/products/musical-instruments/keyboards/digitalpianos/p_series/?mode=series

Gak are brighton based. They will match any price you find online and do a 0% finance deal so you pay small amounts monthly:
http://www.gak.co.uk/en/take-it-away-0-finance

Second hand pianos or digital pianos

You can look for second hand options which are cheaper (but you won’t have the guarantee). You can also pick up free pianos from various sources however the quality is generally not so good.

Gumtree – http://www.gumtree.com/search?q=digital+piano&search_location=Brighton&category=all,

Ebay – http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0&_nkw=digital+piano&_sacat=0&_from=R40

Friday Ad – http://www.friday-ad.co.uk/bn2-4db/query-N-?Range=20&Terms=digital%20piano

Second hand and brand new pianos or digital pianos (pay in instalments) 

These guys offer 0% Finance discount too on real pianos as well as digital ones:
http://www.brightonpianos.co.uk/index.htm

This scheme allows you to pay off the cost off your instrument in installments
http://www.ukpianos.co.uk/piano-rental.html

The piano warehouse do a government funded loan scheme as well which is worth checking out. I can’t see it on their website but if you give them a call I’m sure they are still doing it.

http://www.brightonpianos.co.uk/index.htm

Please feel free to get in touch with us with any questions at http://www.pianolessonsuk.co.uk/contact-us

All in all I recommend-

• Young pianists(5-) Yamaha Piagerro NP11 non weighted keys or light weighted piano
• Aspiring midi composers & pianists – Separate midi keyboard (£20) & a piano
• People with little room or about to move – Digital piano
• Anything else – A Piano

Go to the piano warehouse in Brighton for all your piano needs speak to Peter and say Kevin sent you. He’s lovely!

Good luck and if you need any further assistance. I’ll be happy to help with any decision you want to make.

Kevin