Piano Guide: Types, Sizes & Brands

Piano Types Compared

The four common piano types differ fundamentally in mechanism, sound production, and intended use.

Additional information

• Grand vs. upright: The horizontal action of a grand piano allows faster key repetition than the vertical action of an upright. This is the mechanical reason why professional pianists prefer grand pianos.
• Digital piano: Digital pianos require no tuning because sound is produced from samples or modelling. They are well suited for apartments and for players with a limited maintenance budget.
• Hybrid piano: Hybrid pianos combine a real acoustic hammer action with digital sound output via headphones or external speakers. The tactile playing feel matches that of an acoustic piano.

Grand Piano Sizes

Grand pianos are classified by their length. Longer instruments have longer strings, greater resonance, and often a more controllable action due to longer key levers.

• Baby grand (up to approx. 155–160 cm): Compact format for home use. Tone and volume are more limited compared to larger instruments. Suitable when space is the primary constraint.
• Medium grand (approx. 155–190 cm): Good balance of size and sound quality. A common choice for private studios and serious home players.
• Semi-concert grand (approx. 190–230 cm): Often used in recital halls and professional teaching environments. Noticeably richer bass and more precise action than smaller instruments.
• Concert grand (approx. 230 cm and above): Designed for concert halls. Well-known examples include the Steinway Model D (274 cm), Bösendorfer Imperial (290 cm, 97 keys), and Fazioli F308 (308 cm).

Upright Piano Heights

Upright pianos are classified by their height. Larger instruments have longer strings and a bigger soundboard, which generally results in a fuller tone and a wider dynamic range.

• Compact upright / console piano (approx. 100–110 cm): Space-saving instruments for smaller rooms or teaching studios. The limited soundboard size affects bass response and dynamic range.
• Standard upright piano (approx. 110–120 cm): The most common category for high-quality home and teaching instruments. Many models from established manufacturers fall within this range.
• Full-size upright / studio upright (approx. 120–130 cm and above): High-quality instruments with significantly greater tonal volume and a more responsive action. They approach the sound and feel of a small grand piano and are also used in professional settings.

Key Factors When Buying a Piano

The following criteria should be considered when choosing a piano.

• Key action: For acoustic pianos, the quality and state of regulation of the action have a major impact on playability. For digital pianos, a realistic touch is best achieved through weighted keys with graded hammer action (heavier in the bass, lighter in the treble). Entry-level digital pianos often use semi-weighted or unweighted keys, which are only limitedly suitable for developing advanced technique.
• Maintenance requirements: Acoustic pianos typically require tuning once or twice per year by a qualified piano technician. Regulation and voicing may be needed at longer intervals depending on usage and environmental conditions. Digital pianos require no tuning and have minimal mechanical maintenance.
• Polyphony (digital pianos): Polyphony refers to the number of notes that can sound simultaneously. 64 voices are generally considered a lower baseline; for more advanced playing with sustain pedal, fast passages, and layered sounds, 128 to 256 voices or more are advisable. Many modern instruments also use intelligent voice allocation.
• Sound quality (digital pianos): High-quality digital pianos use multi-layer sampling (separate samples for different key velocities) as well as physical modeling to simulate string resonance, sympathetic vibrations, and damper behavior. Binaural sampling — for example in models by Yamaha and Kawai — creates a more spatial listening experience, especially when using headphones.

Well-Known Piano Brands

The following overview lists established brands by segment. Segment assignment is based on typical price and quality level.

Concert and premium brands

• Bösendorfer (Austria, est. 1828)
• C. Bechstein (Germany, est. 1853)
• Fazioli (Italy, est. 1981)
• Steinway & Sons (USA / Germany, est. 1853)

Professional brands

• August Förster (Germany, est. 1859)
• Blüthner (Germany, est. 1853)
• Grotrian-Steinweg (Germany, est. 1835)
• Kawai (Japan, est. 1927)
• Sauter (Germany, est. 1819)
• Schimmel (Germany, est. 1885)
• Seiler (Germany, est. 1849)
• Steingraeber & Söhne (Germany, est. 1852)
• Yamaha (Japan, est. 1887)

Digital piano brands

• Casio (Japan)
• Kawai (Japan)
• Korg (Japan)
• Roland (Japan)
• Yamaha (Japan)

Digital Piano Brands in Detail

The following established manufacturers offer dedicated digital piano lines. Both traditional piano manufacturers and specialist electronics brands are represented.

This overview does not claim to be exhaustive. The piano market includes many additional manufacturers and brands.

Find current listings for grand pianos, uprights, and digital pianos directly here on PianoHub.