The grand piano is one of the most beautiful instruments ever invented in terms of its gorgeous physical appearance and versatile tonality. It’s also a very heavy instrument and much larger than other varieties of keyboards and pianos.
How long is a grand piano? Grand pianos come in several sizes, but the length is always within the 4’ 11”- 9’ range. The various versions of grand pianos have different lengths, so they can be used in various spaces because the dimensions impact the sound.
Like other instruments, the grand piano is available in slightly different designs. A baby grand, for example, is much smaller than a standard-sized grand piano and is perhaps a better option for someone’s home, here are a selection available on amazon.
We’ll cover all the relevant information on the length of grand pianos in this comprehensive guide.
Grand Piano Length Explained
Grand pianos are like any other instrument – they come in various sizes. Many people are under the false impression that grand pianos are always huge, which is most likely due to their name, but in reality, there are some smaller grand pianos and some larger ones.
A full-sized concert grand piano has a length of around 9’. These instruments are huge, so they can produce notes at loud volumes to fill a concert hall or performance venue.
Most professional classical pianists use concert grand pianos for their live performances and recordings, as these instruments have the richest tonality and are the most expressive to play due to the extra space that the vibrations have to resonate throughout the body.
The size down from concert grand pianos are known as the semi-concert grand piano. This version can be anywhere from 6’10” to 8’10” in length, depending on the manufacturer and the specific design.
Semi-concert grand pianos are well suited to medium sized music venues rather than the largest spaces that require the maximum volume of a full-sized concert grand piano. They’re still likely too big to fit into any room in the average-sized house.
The parlor-sized grand piano, also sometimes called the recital grand, has a length of between 6’3” to 6’9”. These grand pianos are commonly used in rehearsal spaces, recording studios, or for piano lessons and exams.
Medium grand pianos, or classical grand pianos as they are sometimes labeled, have a length of between 5’2” and 5’8”. These pianos are a good size to have in a large room at home, or they can be used for performances in intimate venues.
The smallest varieties of grand pianos are the baby grand and the petite grand. The former has a length of 4’11” to 5’1”, and the latter is less than 4’11” long. These pianos are popular for use at home or in cafes, bars, and other smaller spaces.
You can see a breakdown of the various lengths of grand pianos in the table below.
| Grand Piano Type | Length |
| Petite Grand Piano | Less than 4’11” |
| Baby Grand Piano | 4’11” to 5’1” |
| Medium Grand Piano | 5’2” to 5’8” |
| Full Grand Piano | 5’9″ to 6’2″ |
| Semi-Concert Grand Piano | 6’10” to 8’10” |
| Concert Grand Pianos | Above 8’10” |
How Many Keys Does a Grand Piano Have?
The standard number of keys for a grand piano is 88. You might be wondering whether the smaller varieties, such as the baby grand piano, have fewer keys due to their reduced size, but this is not the case.
Regardless of the grand piano’s length, they have 88 keys because the width is around 5’.
The size of the piano is determined by the length that it extends away from the keys, but this doesn’t impact the actual size of the keys or how many can be fitted onto the piano.
Full-sized keyboards also have 88 keys so that they can replicate the authentic feel of a real piano. Having 88 keys means you can play over a total of seven different octaves across the piano.
Related Questions
How many grand piano sizes are there?
In total, there are six main types of grand pianos. From largest to smallest, these are the concert grand, the semi-concert grand, the parlor grand, the medium grand, the baby grand, and finally, the petite grand.
How wide is a grand piano?
In general, grand pianos will have a width that is somewhere in the region of 5ft or 152cm. The width may vary slightly depending on the specific type of grand piano and the intentions of the manufacturer.
How big should a room be for a grand piano?
It’s recommended that a room should be at least 8-10 times the length of a grand piano so that you’ll have plenty of space to move around it. Also, this will ensure that the sound has plenty of space to move around the room.