---
title: Acoustic Pianos De-Mystified
description: Simple concept to understand the differences between all acoustic pianos - regardless of brand.
---

[Piano Resource Center - Steinway Pianos at M. Steinert & Sons Boston ](https://msteinert.com/blog)

# [Acoustic Pianos De-Mystified](https://msteinert.com/blog/acoustic-pianos-de-mystified)

 Written by [Chuck Johnson](https://msteinert.com/blog/author/chuckj) | Apr 1, 2020 9:17:27 PM

## Why do some pianos last longer and sound different than others?

*In the search for universal truths regarding acoustic pianos - the list usually comes up short.  We’ve developed a simple concept called the “two triangles” that attempts to explain differences between ALL pianos. Lofty goal? Yes.   Impossible? You be the judge…*

 

## What pianists experience (the inner triangle):

1. **Touch:** How it feels, the weight, the consistency, the response. Everything you feel.
2. **Tone:** Color, Timbre at different dynamics, Depth, Sustain, Overtones. Everything you hear.
3. **Time:** Age degrades touch and tone. Physical reality of piano design and the variable impacts of environment, and use. Hugely variant between makes, models and circumstance.

## Where the experience comes from (the outer triangle):

1. **Materials:** Wood type and specifications, all parts quality and materials.
2. **Workmanship:** The care, experience and detail of assembly, the tolerances maintained.
3. **Design: The big one!** Specifies the materials and prescribes the workmanship. Patents, etc.

Not all pianos are created equal, and furthermore, time plays a huge role in the musical life of a given piano. There are so many myths spun about old pianos, it’s hard to know where to begin! Hopefully this video is a start and sheds some light on how and why pianos sound and feel different (over time!).

#### More articles on pianos, costs, comparisons in our [Resource Center](https://msteinert.com/resource-center/)

[View full post](https://msteinert.com/blog/acoustic-pianos-de-mystified)

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