If you’re reading this, then it’s likely that you own a digital piano. Unlike their acoustic counterparts, digital pianos are preferred because of one key advantage—they don’t need a lot of maintenance. Although this might be the case, you need a comprehensive digital piano maintenance guide such as this one to keep your piano in perfect working order.
When shopping for a piano, one of the factors you look out for is maintenance. This is one major advantage that has put digital pianos way ahead of their acoustic counterparts. Therefore, to ensure that your digital piano lasts longer, this guide will highlight some important tips that will help your piano to stay in perfect shape for years to come.
Digital vs Acoustic piano—what’s the difference?
I noticed that some people are facing problems distinguishing the difference between these two pianos. Just to give you a head-start, an acoustic piano is an old school piano that uses hammers and steel strings encased on a wooden exterior.
These pianos are categorized into either grand or upright pianos and are very delicate thus require a lot of maintenance to keep them up and running.
On the other hand, digital pianos are modern versions of their acoustic counterparts and are designed to produce sound digitally via electronic speakers. They come in three different types namely: grand pianos, upright and portable pianos.
Since you now know the difference between these two types of pianos, I will now take you through some important tips on how to maintain your digital piano.
Choose the location carefully
Although there’s a mentality that digital pianos require less maintenance, it’s highly important that you treat this piece of the appliance like any other precious electronic gadget in your home. One way of doing this is by setting a permanent place in your home to keep your piano.
Although digital pianos are designed to be moved, it’s paramount that you display them in a specific area such as;
- Areas with low traffic where you don’t expect people to keep colliding or bumping on your piano to avoid accidental damage.
- Don’t keep it near doors or windows as objects may strike it through the windows or someone may bang it while opening the door.
- Also, avoid exposing your piano in areas with direct sunlight, water or moisture as this too can damage the piano.
- Avoid keeping the piano next to other electronic devices such as computers, heating vents, and air conditioners as extreme heat or sudden changes in temperatures can cause shortages in your piano’s electronic components.
Use appropriate cleaning methods
Digital pianos are not immune to damage. They, therefore, need to be cleaned regularly to keep them clean and free from dirt. Many digital pianos have been ruined and damaged due to one simple reason—poor cleaning regime. To guarantee your piano’s longevity;
- Avoid cleaning the piano with a wet cloth as moisture can severely damage the interior or even cause an electric shortage.
- Use a dry microfiber cloth to clean the keys. Since a micro-fiber cloth is soft, this will help avoid scratching of the keys and the body of your piano when cleaning.
- For stubborn dirt, make sure that you read the user’s manual or visit the brand website to learn about acceptable cleaning methods. This will help minimize damage when cleaning the piano.
Clean your hands often
This is a small gesture that makes a big impact in the life of your piano. Just like washing your hands during mealtime, washing your hands before playing the piano helps to keep dust, dirt, oils, and greases away from your keys as much as possible. Note that buildup of dust, grime, and natural oils from your hands are what causes “sticky keys” on your piano.
Proper plugging
Just like any other electronic device, a digital piano to uses a significant amount of power to operate. Therefore, observing proper plugging is one way of ensuring that your piano is not subject to power surge which can destroy the electronic components. So, to keep your digital piano safe;
- Avoid plugging it in an already overloaded outlet such as alongside your desktop, microwave, heater, and home-theater system among other appliances. Over-sharing a power outlet can affect your piano in major ways such as affecting the quality of sound, circuit shortages, fire outbreak or permanent damage to your piano’s electronic components.
- Take your time to organize your piano’s USB and power cables in a safe location where someone won’t trip over them accidentally. Remember, cables that lie around hazardously can cause serious damages to your digital piano especially if your foot gets caught on the cables.
- Make sure that your piano is disconnected from the power outlet when it’s not in use. Always remember to power it off first before disconnecting.
- Connect your piano on a proper power source. Make sure the outlet is in good working order to avoid any possible power surges.
Protect your piano
One way of protecting your digital piano is by covering it up when not in use. This is one way of sustaining your piano’s life and ensuring that it stays long enough to give you years of service. So, why do you cover your digital piano?
- One is to protect the piano against dust and dirt. You see, dust can wreak havoc on small sensitive components of your piano. Keeping it covered will generally help reduce the dust making it easier to clean the piano.
- Covering the piano also helps to keep pets off the keys. You see, pets (especially cats) can scratch and damage your piano keys if you’re not careful. Their fur/hair can also get between the keys causing irresistible damage to the sensors or other components.
Avoid food and drinks
Finally, avoid substituting your piano for a dining table. Just like other electronics, digital pianos cannot hold up well in the presence of beverages and other foods. Therefore, avoid placing food or drinks on the surface of the piano when playing to avoid any accidents.
If you have guests/kids around, make sure the piano is covered and that everyone stays clear of the perimeter to avoid damaging your piano.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Digital pianos—just like other electronic appliances—should be kept safe to give you years of service. Observing proper cleaning techniques such as the ones highlighted in this digital piano maintenance guide will help keep your piano clean and safe from common hazards that occur due to human error. If you own a digital piano and you’re wondering how to maintain it, then I believe you’ve found the absolute answer.