One of the most important accessories that you will ever purchase for your piano is a piano lamp. You may think that choosing a lamp for your piano is a simple procedure, without many details to think about. But actually there is quite a lot to consider in order to purchase a lamp that both fits your needs, and the specific requirements of your piano.
You can narrow your search by first answering a simple question: Do you have a grand piano or an upright (vertical) piano? There is a difference between the type of piano lamp you would purchase for a grand piano, as opposed to a vertical or upright piano. But there are also lamps that will work for both types of pianos.
Now that you have narrowed down your search, lets talk about the different lamp choices available for a grand (or baby grand) piano. The most popular lamp style for a grand piano is a clamp or clip-on lamp. These lamps are made specifically to clip-on (or clamp onto) the music desk (also known as the music shelf or music holder) of a grand piano. The clamp on these lamps will fit securely over the top edge of the music desk, and will stay in place by tightening the two thumbs screws on the back of the clamp. There is no chance of damaging your piano because the clamps have an inner piece that is lined with felt to protect your piano. The thumbscrews simply tighten the felt-lined clamp so that the lamp stays in place.
These lamps offer you choices as far as style, color, finish, lighting technology, shade sizes, brightness, and energy efficiency. Among the variety of lamps available for grand pianos are: LED Grand Piano Lamps, which offer many advantages including low energy consumption, long lasting light, mercury and chemical free, non-glare light, low heat light, and no bulb replacement necessary. Another variety uses standard incandescent lighting technology, and has a 14″ shade which swivels on a gooseneck. A third variety uses fluorescent lightning with a 22″ slim-line shade and a beautiful contemporary look.
If you have an upright piano, the best choice is to use a desktop style lamp. These lamps are very similar in style to lamps that are used on desktops and table tops, however they are more geared toward use on the piano since most of them use a double adjustment arm and a swivel shade so that you can fine tune the direction of the light where you need it the most (usually onto the music, or in some cases, the music and the keyboard).
These lamps have a solid weighted base that keeps them from easily tipping over, and the bottom of the base is lined with felt to protect your piano. Upright piano lamps also offer a number of variations and choices such as: Different shade sizes, various lighting technologies (LED, Incandescent, Fluorescent) different styles, colors and finishes, and different amounts of wattage.
There are two piano lamp styles that work on both grand and upright pianos. First, there is the Piano Floor Lamp, which has a long cylindrical shade and a long arm. The lamp can be placed on either side of the grand or upright piano, and the long arm reaches over and positions the shade over the music, lighting up your sheet music. The second lamp style is called a Counter Balance Lamp, (Balance Arm Lamp). This lamp is sort of a combination of an upright lamp and a floor lamp. It has a solid weighted base like an upright lamp, and a long arm and shade that reaches over to shine light onto the music books. On a grand piano, this lamp would be placed on the piano on either side of where the music sits. (Usually where a metronome or extra music books will rest). On an upright piano, this lamp would be placed on either side of the top of the instrument, and the long arm would reach the light over to the music.
House of Troy Lighting is the company of choice when it comes to well-constructed specialized piano lamps. They are located in Vermont and have been a well- respected and reliable company for over 60 years.