Technical Tuesday - Piano Lid Props

The grand piano's lid is supported by...you guessed it...the Lid Prop (also called the Lid Stick - both terms are used interchangeably as will be obvious between the text and pictures below).

The lid prop performs the important function of supporting the grand piano lid to allow the escape of all that beautiful music you are playing. And, as physics would have it, the longer the piano, the heavier the lid. The heavier the lid, the more important it is to make sure the right prop is in the right cup if you have more than one option on your grand piano.

Some grand pianos have 2 lid props, some even have 3! However many lid props your grand piano has, matching the correct prop with the correct cup on the underside of the lid can save you a real headache later.

The most important of the lid props is the LONG ONE! Let me say that just one more time, the LONG ONE! Neglecting to place the long lid prop in the correct cup creates instability in supporting the grand piano lid when it is in the full raised position, and even the smallest movement can result in the prop popping out of the cup & then you know what happens! No kidding, have you ever heard the lid of a 9 ft. concert grand slam shut? Can you imagine the force of it and goodness gracious, what if you happened to be standing there with your hand on the rim right about that same time?!? (shudder) Let's not even begin to think of the damage the lid slamming shut could potentially do to the piano.

Let's take a little tour, shall we?

Two props are very commonly seen on today's grand pianos. The shorter one typically nestles right into the body of the longer one when it is not being utilized.

The long lid prop is correctly placed in its corresponding cup (away from the edge of the lid). You can see how it supports the lid nicely.

Incorrectly placed, the long lid prop cannot provide stable support for the grand piano lid (even baby grand lids are heavy) and can easily pop out.

Here the short prop is in its correct cup (the one closest to the lid edge) to properly support the grand piano lid in its lower position closer to the body of the piano.

Here you can see this grand piano has 3 props. The medium sized prop nestles down into the body of the long prop when not in use, while the short brass prop resides alongside the long prop.

Notice how the middle and short prop cups are offset in their placement on the underside of the lid? This ensures the when you place any of the 3 props, they are in the correct cup to support the lid. Pretty nifty, don't you agree?

However, lid props aren't just for grand pianos! Vertical pianos have gotten in on the act in recent years:

Having a small lid prop on your vertical piano allows for even more enjoyment of the music as it escapes the confines of the cabinet while the piano is being played.

So, prop up those lids, Kids, and let the music sing!