Grand pianos and baby grand pianos both are stunning looking musical instruments, especially when the lids are propped open and they both look very much alike.
Both a grand piano and a baby grand piano have the same number of notes and therefore have the same width as each other. Clearly, it is the length that is the difference between the two instruments. Any type of grand piano that is less than 6 feet long, or 183 centimetres is considered to be a baby grand. If a grand piano is between 6 ft and 7 ft, or 183 and 213 centimetres, it is known as a grand piano and anything longer than this is known as a concert grand piano. The concert grand piano would be named this way because it would be what is typically used in concerts. It would be unlikely to be found in many homes because of the sheer size of the piano, not to mention how expensive it would be.
In researching and checking my facts, I have come across further definitions and categories of grand pianos, some that I have never heard of! For the purposes of simplicity and clarity, I think that the above categories are good enough, but just keep it in mind that some other people might disagree about what exactly are the possible lengths a baby grand could have.
Here’s what I think – who actually cares about what technically makes up what category of grand piano?! The only time you really need to categorize the difference between a grand piano and a baby grand piano is when you are looking to buy one. Some might disagree with me, but I think the various categories of grand pianos (which is really only about the length of the instrument) is more about piano makers being able to accurately catalogue and name their various models. I also think that some of the labels that can be used are more about a snob factor – for instance, doesn’t it sound more sophisticated to call a larger grand piano a concert grand piano?!
So having established that the difference between a grand piano and a baby grand piano is the length of the piano, it is important to note that this length has a direct correlation to the length of the internal strings. Especially for the low notes, the quality of sound can be impacted by the length of the string. If a low note’s string can’t be long enough to produce the note, then a shorter but less taut string can achieve the same pitch, but not the same resonate, rich quality.
If you are in the market for a grand or baby grand piano, rather than focusing on definitions, work out how long a grand piano can you afford to get, both in terms of space in your home and money. If you can only afford a very short baby grand piano, I would suggest you consider getting an upright piano, because some upright pianos can produce a better quality of sound than baby grand pianos, due to the amount of space there is for maximizing string length.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter whether you have a grand piano, a baby grand piano or even an upright piano because its not how much the piano costs but how much pleasure and joy the piano brings you.