Whether you know it or not, you’ve heard the sound of a toy piano before. Kids love them, but they’re not just toys. They’ve also been used in countless recordings by artists such as Radiohead, Tori Amos, Evanescence and Dresden Dolls. Classical musicians have also embraced their distinctive, bell-like sound, recording entire solo toy piano albums.

Chances are, when you’ve heard a toy piano, it was a Schoenhut. Their name has become synonymous with the toy piano sound. In fact, the modern form of toy piano it was created by Albert Schoenhut in 1872, when he was only 17 years old (ambitious much?). He took the old German toy piano (which was made with brittle glass bars), and substituted strong metal bars, which changed the sound considerably as well as making the instruments far more durable. And a classic was born.

All Schoenhut pianos come with the Schoenhut patented Learning System, which includes a color-coded overlay for the piano and a songbook with corresponding color-coded notes, which makes it fairly easy to teach your child some songs, even if you’re not Beethoven.

My First Piano II

This adorable shiny red piano immediately conjured images of a tiny Elton John, wearing tiny glasses, singing Tiny Dancer. It’s compact two-octave range means that it’s pretty portable, and my 2 year-old son, Noah, is drawn to this piano’s glossy finish in the same subliminal way that I’m drawn to shiny red sports cars. This is not a precision-instrument however, it’s a toy, so keys occasionally trigger the wrong notes. For instance, when plunking the middle C several times in a row, an occasional B would sound. This of course, will never matter to Noah. The tone is glorious for such a tiny instrument. As is the phenomenon with full-size upright pianos compared to grand pianos, the sound is dense from reflecting inside the smaller cabinet… which means you hear less attack and more sustain on the notes… which means (how technical can we get when talking about toys?) the sound is a bit less percussive and more melodic than the grand. Everyone still with me? A very fun unit to play.

My First Piano I

This “My First Piano” is very similar to the red model reviewed above, but comes in a smaller 18-key size. This means less range, but more portable. Still shiny!

Traditional Spinet

This model earned the distinction of being the only toy piano ever played in Carnegie Hall. The sound has more depth than the “My First Piano” series, because of the larger cabinet. It bridges the gap nicely between the little guys and the Baby Grand Piano.

Baby Grand Piano

Beautiful, spacious and (once again) shiny, the baby grand is a full three octaves, meaning Noah can brush up on Moonlight Sonata… just as soon as he learns what that is. The lid even raises, and it comes with a music stand. All it’s missing is a tiny candelabra. Because it can be with the lid raised, the tone is airier than the upright, as the sound has more room to spread out. This unit didn’t have the wrong-note trigger issue that the upright did, but because there are more extreme high and low notes here, the notes on the fringes were harder to keep in tune. But this piano was also very fun to play, and it is more than enough keyboard for Noah!

Bottom Line

I highly recommend any Schoenhut piano, but as far as these models go: the uprights are great for smaller children (1-3yrs), the Spinet would be well-suited for 2-5yrs, and the grand is one to grow into (3 & up), as Noah is currently a little intimidated by its scope, though he loves running over to it, hitting some keys, and running away.

In the studio, they are all very useful. I prefer the smaller models for their portability, and will use them when I need a more “singing” tone, while the grand is a bit hard to find a spot for in a little recording booth, and suited more for percussive passages.

All are fun, sound great, and are (most importantly) VERY SHINY.

SWAG ALERT: Win your very own Schoenhut Model 3005 Baby Grand Piano in your choice of black, red, or white!!!

To enter, visit www.ToyPiano.com leave your comment on this post letting Schoenhut know what you think about their wonderful products! You know how it works and what to do . This SWAG ALERT will be open for daily entry until we say so, so enter away:)!!!
center>

Howdy Ho, Y’all!  You may have felt a distinct lack of testosterone here at Bellaziza’s Favorite Things.  I have come to remedy this.  My name is Mike Schmid.  I’m a single father of the most easygoing toddler ever created, Noah.  Good thing he’s easygoing, cause I’m also a singer/songwriter and a touring musician.  I play keyboard for Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana, and have also played with The Jonas Brothers, Billy Ray Cyrus, Sheryl Crow, Kenna, The Corrs and many other national touring artists.  Of course, the only ones that matter to the throngs of screaming girls are the first two.

My songs have been played on TV shows like So You Think You Can Dance, All My Children, The Bad Girls Club, Felicity, Everwood and a bunch of other stuff you may have seen.  None of this matters to Noah.

Noah and I are both single (hey LADIEEEES!), and we enjoy: long walks on the beach, listening to music (the louder the better), long car rides (as long as there’s loud music), poop jokes, a clean house, Pixar and dogs dogs dogs (though Daddy is allergic).

I am currently in the process of arranging his marriage.

Happy to be here representing the dad side of things, and I’m really looking forward to being a part of Bellaziza’s Favorite Things!

-Mike

PS – Get to know me!  Check out my blog at mikeschmid.blogspot.com and I’m on Twitter @mikeschmid.