LEGO Piano vs Real Piano: What LEGO Got Right & Wrong

What do you think about the LEGO grand piano set? Let us know in the comments!
Beyond the Brick's Joshua Hanlon talks with pianist Corey Pennycuff about the new LEGO piano versus a real piano. Thanks to LEGO for sending us this set to review.
Watch our interview with the fan designer, Donny Chen, here: • LEGO Grand Piano Set F...
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[@CarterElkins]

I'm a piano tuner/technician, and I was blown away when I saw how accurate they got this set to the real thing, especially the dampers and action! Even the screws for the cheek blocks are in the correct places! You could have placed the set in front of me for the first time, told me to remove the action like I would a real piano, and I could have done it without issue. I can't think of a better way to compliment the accuracy of the set. Bravo to Donny Chen!

[@Qichar]

It's true! The action inside their model is amazingly faithful to the real thing. That's why it's so confusing that they didn't shell out just a few more sensors so that hitting the keys of the piano would actually produce the proper notes. I guess since there are only 2 octaves (+1 C) on this model, they were confused about how to "play" the classical pieces they included with their mobile app.

[@zachary811]

This Piano dude is awesome! You should have him more often!

[@GodmanchesterGoblin]

A great in-depth Lego review, made all the better by the contribution from Corey, the piano expert. Thank you both.

[@r0-ba21]

The Grand Piano set is so awesome!! The amount of detail is just crazy cool!

[@MizerGaming3141]

Its so cool right

[@afurryball]

Thanks guys for this live-to-live comparison. Nicely done! Inspired me to buy this set asap, ahead of my long list of other Lego 18+ sets.

[@zachcheung8400]

This was a fantastic analysis! I actually didn't know that the keys of the real grand piano are actually removable. I hope LEGO can update the app to make it "fully playable" to an extent, maybe by allowing the user to program their own sequence of notes into the app and then playing the finished piece just like the play mode on the app. That will probably feel the closest to custom music aspect of the playability that will make this more realistic.

[@Tech_Marauder]

Unfortunately, two years later and they’ve only added a few more songs… Still cool. I wonder if anyone has made a custom app that lets you program new songs or import midi files.

[@crisbravbr]

Thank you guys for this review!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@GenesisG80]

I am a year late in viewing this, but wanted to say thank you so much for your time and effort to make this video! I am in the process of building my Lego Grand Piano (first Lego build), and am really enjoying it! This is a major technical accomplishment to create something this amazing.

[@anotheroneofthecrowd9379]

A lot of people gave this set flack because it wasn’t playable in the sense that they had perceived, meaning each key has its respective fundamental pitch when tuned to equal temperament. I showed my interest in this set because I am a pianist, and in doing so, many pointed this out to me. And I really couldn’t understand the controversy people created around LEGO promoting it as a “playable” piano (in the sense that most everyone thinks of, i.e. each key has its own respective pitch/scale degree). This surprised me, because A) the original fan design didn’t include an audio function, I wouldn’t have expected the marketed set to, and B) did making it “unplayable” really invalidate it’s worth? Honestly, this set as a model in and of itself is an AMAZING accomplishment on LEGOs part for how detailed this model was, for being made out of lego. Also, even if it were playable, why would I even really want it to be? It’s not like I could practice or perform on it, it’s just a toy/model. And that’s the aspect that really I’m most interested in, the display factor of it. It’s incredible how accurate it is for being constructed from LEGO. It makes it that much better that LEGO decided to take it one step further with implementing the powered up function when they certainly didn’t have to (though I don’t think I’ll use it or care to). The set as a model and display is certainly where the real value is. My hats off to the fan designer and LEGO, as well as Woon Tze Chee! Edit: spelling

[@FredMellink55]

Therefore it should be cheaper and they could do that taking the motor and electronics out. The piano is mainly meant as show model. If it were $100 cheaper, I would buy it

[@pommedeter7407]

This is exactly what I wanted to say. And for the price, its just Lego lol all their sets are very expensive, but it's just the price of quality. If you don't think that I encourage you to go see some Lego knockoffs to see how crappy they are. Cheaper, yes but really bad quality

[@anotheroneofthecrowd9379]

@@FredMellink55 When working out the price to part ratio, this set only comes in as slightly above average, with an average price per piece of about a little over 10 cents. Take out the motors for the powered up function and you’re probably only deducting, like, 20-30 dollars off the total, maybe. 350 for this set really is not out of the realm of realistic.

[@anotheroneofthecrowd9379]

@@pommedeter7407 Yeah, the price to part ration isn’t even really that bad, at about a little over 10 cents a piece. And with the powered up function, 350 isn’t really unreasonable to ask.

[@chowderwhillis9448]

I agree, it’s not like the Lego Stratocaster model actually plays like a real guitar, so the fact this even comes close to being “playable” is much closer to reality than any other lego musical “instrument”

[@j4ck86]

Wow! I found this video really amazing, thanks a lot for your impressions! I've just bought this Lego set and I'm waiting for it to be shipped.

[@JBBrickFanatic]

Awesome video guys. Love the full breakdown (literally) if both pianos!!

[@motorizedmisfit-artist8535]

Thanks to the kind Dr. for dropping knowledge on all us dummies.

[@darrencottrell5541]

Awesome review guys, I've just got this as a birthday present from my wife, looking forward to the build even more now.

[@jonathanpianolessons]

Great explanation! Even I learned something. The "kickstand" is called a lid prop btw 😅. Loved the design and am using my own purchase as a learning opportunity for my own students

[@MizerGaming3141]

Whoa, that's really cool! Great build!

[@MizerGaming3141]

OMG THIS IS AMAZING!

[@MasterChrister]

Cool the way you compare Lego creations with real life ones, having an "expert" with you.

[@freelancegeneralist1664]

Great job, Josh, in going out and getting this content. Wow, man, great watch.

[@the_random_channel1234]

“Again, don’t try this at home” Goes to friends house

[@chuckschwa]

I'm not a piano guy, but this video went from being very educational to a mini panic attack when they started taking it apart! Lol

[@chowderwhillis9448]

30:43 sweat boi boilin in that Tee, get this man a fan y’all!!

[@WallOBrix]

Really hope I can get this! I would put it on top of my Piano!

[@MizerGaming3141]

this is crazy cool

[@MizerGaming3141]

good idea btw

[@DuRp_SPIDER]

I want to to

[@charliewilliams9906]

Its $350!

[@thewasserrecord4513]

Y'all forgot to mention Corey is an amazing singer as well as pianist! Watch his video Go and Sin No More!

[@BeyondtheBrick]

Sorry. We'll try to fit all of Corey's talents into the next video. :)

[@Zung92]

Please make a comparison of this product version set with the original lego piano set that was shown a year ago

[@comic-book-enthusiast]

This is really cool, great video

[@R_eagan]

This is pretty cool. Hopefully I’ll be able to pick this set up.

[@MGR1900]

Are the uneven keys a design flaw? Does the fix at 22:48 affect the ability for it to play normally? Seems kind of like a hack solution. Is there a supplement for this fix included such as a correction to the instructions? And where specifically does the second piece (black piece) come from? He says "It comes from the bottom of the pin down here." What is that? It seems like for such a beautiful model, uneven keys take away from the aesthetics.

[@FormlessDuck]

so the pin in question is one of the ones that holds the cheek blocks on, so nothing is being lost structurally by swapping it out. doing the fix wont affect its ability to play, and no its not included in the instructions. the sets designer pointed it out as an after thought

[@armaanr8169]

Beyond The Brick has such amazing content! Thanks for this informative video :-)

[@DragonBonder]

23:10 how get the keys to line up nicely

[@jcheng47]

I love this professor.

[@gustavoadairsalazardeleon7791]

Hi, I'm your Mexican follower and I love your videos

[@FredMellink55]

When you already built the piano, how can I replace the orange axle at the beginning?

[@spykittychiang7101]

I have a question how to replace the orange to another one ? 23:39, I did try what you told to do, but wonder how it works?

[@leopoldbirkmeyer]

Wow

[@Mike-mf3ed]

It’s not everyday that we see earth Vader play on the piano. Wait a second...

[@toneysunny9283]

how about comparing a lego porsche with a real one?

[@nadimkeshta9363]

Perfec

[@sgbrickman7526]

Amazing set! Will be building this set next week! It’s selling for $500 in Singapore...

[@brandonbrown5952]

My mom has a concert grand.

[@honeyandlego3961]

You should go to Alex nune's house.

[@minerboykstudios5545]

Oh wait, it's a real one. I thought it was Lego.

[@tmg78ohio]

It is a wonderful looking set, and very well designed. The word "playable" is a stretch.

[@MikkoRantalainen]

I agree. You have to use the definition of play that means child's play, not playing an instrument. It's basically a keyboard with a single switch sensor so it cannot react to the speed you hit the keys nor to which key you actually pressed. If somebody thinks playing with this lego set is like playing an instrument, they also have to call pressing a space bar of a desktop computer playing an instrument, if the space bar controls suitable software.

[@Ferny8erny]

i am a 10 year old and i am very much offended, i love lego display models.

[@jannhugobarredo9845]

😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰 I LOVE

[@minerboykstudios5545]

Man...

[@minerboykstudios5545]

Now that's cool

[@burpingboy]

I managed to make this piano really playable! [Lego 21323 Piano now playable with Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Garage](kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2KWZ6xons17mtk) This is a proof of concept for the Lego Grand Piano to work with the Nintendo Labo Toy-Con Garage with Joy-Con IR cameras and reflective stickers based on how the Nintendo Labo Piano works.

[@arstellum1137]

It doesn't even look like a real piano. It looks like it's made of Legos. smh