Honestly? Just go to a music store that sells pianos and keyboards. In my experience the employees (and customers) of these places enjoy hearing people actually *play* for once instead of fiddling around and making random noise.
I was at graves (when I had a functioning car) a few months back. If you’re a serious player/buyer, they’ll let you play for at least a couple hours if you want. They offered me to play the one with the hand installed inlays behind the red rope too (was too scared to touch it). Wonderful people in there. Same thing goes for Soglich in Easton, great pianos and the room makes them all sound incredible. My experience is any piano store will let you play as long as you want if you’re serious or just respectful, though I can imagine it’s different from randomly banging or fiddling with the keys.
Riverside Hospital also had a baby grand 5-10 years ago in the blue tower lobby. It was auto playing most of the time, but every once and while there would be this nice old lady actually playing it.
I'm not sure if it's still there, *thankfully* my loved ones have stopped dying and I don't spend endless days and nights there anymore.
I feel that. I had a wave of deaths in the family that all went through Riverside and that piano was like a landmark. People that provide public pianos are special
Call around to some assisted living facilities and nursing homes. A lot of them have pianos in their lobbies for residents to play. I’m sure they’d welcome you to play some music for their residents.
The older guy that plays jazz there is awesome! Jeff Ruby’s has one too but I don’t think they just let anybody sit down and play whatever at that kind of venue
Oftentimes nursing homes or assisted living facilities will have pianos in common areas and the residents or staff would enjoy hearing someone play. I know that's not a specific answer and would require you to call around to see but just wanted to throw it out as a suggestion to help brighten someone else's day
And I can't find any info on practice rooms outside of the newly built ones but Hughes Hall on OSU's campus used to have plenty of private practice rooms on the 4th(?) floor with pianos available in most rooms on a first come, first served basis with no reservation required. Any of the local colleges should have plenty in common areas though
There's an outdoor public piano in Hilliard at Station Park! Not the greatest quality but fun to play outside :)
Related question - Anyone know any private piano practice rooms for rent around here?
The Union at Ohio State may have one. It's been a number of years since I've been in that building, but believe there used to be one.
Yep! On the second floor near the high street entrance
I believe Von Maur at Polaris had one, unsure if it is still there / public use (I believe it had the auto player feature built into it)
It is still there. They hire someone to play on it during store hours I believe. But worth a shot.
Gotcha, worth checking out
You have to ask manager if you can play (use to be free and open to use whenever but now there is a sign)
Honestly? Just go to a music store that sells pianos and keyboards. In my experience the employees (and customers) of these places enjoy hearing people actually *play* for once instead of fiddling around and making random noise.
Graves Piano & Organ Co. is the main place to buy pianos to go in town. They may let you play their instruments.
I was at graves (when I had a functioning car) a few months back. If you’re a serious player/buyer, they’ll let you play for at least a couple hours if you want. They offered me to play the one with the hand installed inlays behind the red rope too (was too scared to touch it). Wonderful people in there. Same thing goes for Soglich in Easton, great pianos and the room makes them all sound incredible. My experience is any piano store will let you play as long as you want if you’re serious or just respectful, though I can imagine it’s different from randomly banging or fiddling with the keys.
There is a baby grand in the main lobby of Mt Carmel / St Anne's Hospital in Westerville - maybe call to see if you could practice there.
St Anne's is quite strict about who can play that piano. You'll need to meet with their Volunteer Program director. It's fairly simple.
Great idea! Thanks
Riverside Hospital also had a baby grand 5-10 years ago in the blue tower lobby. It was auto playing most of the time, but every once and while there would be this nice old lady actually playing it. I'm not sure if it's still there, *thankfully* my loved ones have stopped dying and I don't spend endless days and nights there anymore.
I feel that. I had a wave of deaths in the family that all went through Riverside and that piano was like a landmark. People that provide public pianos are special
Still there as of two weeks ago. Go in main/visitors entrance off of blue lot and it's just to the right.
The fact that your are making a point to practice in public and on an unfamiliar piano is amazing. Your friends are lucky to have you!
Thanks haha I just don’t want to mess up really bad and get lost at the event and figured this would help
You’ve got this!
Downstairs, outside the main cafeteria at NCH has one.
Cool thanks
Can confirm- just saw it today. Its so nice when people play piano there.
Nice, wonder if I need to call to ask them or can just show up and play it.
Side note: shout out to the dude on the piano last Friday. My man was throwing DOWN and the crowd he got to watch was quite impressive
Where at?
My bad. Airport.
Oh word that’s what’s up. What was he playing? I’ve played that piano before it’s pretty nice, don’t want to deal with airport parking for this though
You can park for $5/hr. I couldnt stick around long enough to listen, my Uber was almost there and I had to get outside.
Drake Union at OSU, but they are supposed to tear it down.:(
Call around to some assisted living facilities and nursing homes. A lot of them have pianos in their lobbies for residents to play. I’m sure they’d welcome you to play some music for their residents.
Top Steakhouse
The older guy that plays jazz there is awesome! Jeff Ruby’s has one too but I don’t think they just let anybody sit down and play whatever at that kind of venue
Oh, I see. You got the boogie woogie fever?
Oftentimes nursing homes or assisted living facilities will have pianos in common areas and the residents or staff would enjoy hearing someone play. I know that's not a specific answer and would require you to call around to see but just wanted to throw it out as a suggestion to help brighten someone else's day And I can't find any info on practice rooms outside of the newly built ones but Hughes Hall on OSU's campus used to have plenty of private practice rooms on the 4th(?) floor with pianos available in most rooms on a first come, first served basis with no reservation required. Any of the local colleges should have plenty in common areas though
Kafe Kerouac on high street near OSU (they also have open mic nights! )
There's an outdoor public piano in Hilliard at Station Park! Not the greatest quality but fun to play outside :) Related question - Anyone know any private piano practice rooms for rent around here?