Two Tips For Restaurateurs Who Want To Have A Pianist Regularly Perform On Their Premises
If you have a piano and you think your restaurant's customers would enjoy listening to a live music performance whilst they dine in your establishment, then it might be worth hiring a pianist. If you decide to do this, these tips could come in useful.
Book multiple piano tuning appointments each year
If you hire a pianist, you must prioritize the tuning of your piano. Reach out to piano tuning services in your area. This task must be done by an experienced piano tuner. The reason for this is as follows; any piano that is kept in a restaurant will probably have to undergo more frequent piano tuning than pianos that are used in other places.
For example, the humidity levels in your restaurant's kitchen are likely to be higher than in the dining area where (presumably) the piano will be located. Each time the kitchen doors swing open, the dining area's humidity levels may rise ever so slightly. Over time, these humidity changes could alter the piano's tuning. Additionally, if your restaurant is open every day and the pianist plays the piano for a few hours each evening, then this near-constant use of this instrument will also result in it needing frequent tuning.
If you don't book this instrument in for several tuning sessions each year, the pianist will be forced to play the piano when it is not in tune. This will lead to the musical pieces they play on it sounding harsh on the listeners' ears, even if the pianist plays each one without making a single mistake. This, in turn, might cause your customers to complain about the quality of the music.
Be very fussy about the music the pianist performs
Unless you know the pianist personally and trust their musical tastes, it is best to select the music they play yourself and to be very fussy about which pieces you permit them to perform.
The reason for this is as follows; people's moods can be affected by the music they listen to. If your customers have to listen to pieces which, whilst they might be powerful, and be played on a perfectly-tuned piano, are not conducive to a relaxing and pleasurable mealtime, these people might feel a bit uneasy, sad, or even agitated as they eat. If dining in your restaurant makes them feel this way, they might decide not to come back.
As such, the music your pianist plays should be soothing and unlikely to stir up very strong emotions. They should also play it "pianissimo" (i.e. very softly) so that your customers can converse with one another, without having to raise their voices to be heard.