Useful tips for buying a piano lamp

When deciding to purchase a lamp for your piano, it is very important to take a little time to gather information on the different types of lamps available. There are many differences between piano lamps, and in order to choose the best one, you need to know what the different lamps offer.

Before you even do research on piano lamps, you need to organize a list of things that will meet your piano lighting needs. The following is a short list of things to consider:

Know your type of piano (grand piano, upright, etc.)

How much light (watts) do you need

What style of lamp do you prefer?

What type of lighting technology do you like (incandescent, LED, etc.)

What color and design best suits your piano and room decor

The first thing on the list above is knowing your type of piano. This may seem too simple, but it can be confusing for some people. It’s easy to tell the difference between a grand piano and an upright piano. Some confusion can arise when trying to determine the difference between a spinet, a console, a study, or a full upright. Without going into specific measurements, it will help you with the choice of lamp if you know the height of your piano. Simply measure from the ground to the top of the instrument. This is important because some piano lamps work better with shorter pianos and others with taller uprights. For example, if you have a piano that is 48″ or larger, one of the best lighting options is a low-profile lamp. These lamps have a short stem that places the shade closer to the music. If you have a tall upright piano y If you were to choose a lamp that has a shade positioned high above its base, the light may be too far away from the music.

The second item on the list has to do with wattage and knowing how much light you need. Some people like a very bright lamp and others prefer less light. House of Troy piano lamps offer you different amounts of wattage, with some having the flexibility to use both lower and higher wattage. In general, lamps with a wattage of 60 to 80 watts provide plenty of light to clearly read any sheet music or music book.

Choosing the style of the lamp has a lot to do with the type of piano. If you have a grand piano, you’ll want to look at specially designed grand piano lamps. There are 3 basic types. Clip or clamp lamp attaches to music desk (also called music shelf or music stand). These lamps have special brackets that are lined with a soft padded material so they won’t damage your piano. Counterweight lamps have a solid base and long arm with attached shade. They are designed to sit on either side of the music desk (either side) and the arm extends to position the screen directly over the music. The third type of lamp for a grand piano is a piano floor lamp. These lamps sit on the floor on either side of the instrument and have a long arm that positions the lampshade over the music. If you have an upright piano, the first thing you should do is measure the height of the piano, and then find an upright lamp that best fits the height of your piano. Low profile lamps work great on higher studs. Standard upright lamps, which are height adjustable, work well on smaller to medium sized pianos (spinets and consoles).

Different types of lighting technology are used today. Options include incandescent lighting (home lighting) that uses incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lighting, halogen, and LED lighting technology, which is much more energy efficient and doesn’t require bulb replacement.

The last thing on our short list is to choose a design to your liking. This is a very personal choice, which is influenced by the color and style of your piano, as well as the appearance of the room the piano is in. Fortunately, House of Troy has a wide range of lamp designs and colors to choose from within each of their lamp categories.