Improving the sound of one's piano

[Ercoledi]

I've had my own piano here for about seven years, but it never seems to compare to other peoples' pianos. The sound seems much damper, repressed almost, to the point where the lower keys are almost a blur.

I keep my piano in tip-top shape. Dust it every now and again, have it tuned half-a-yearly and keep it closed when not in use. It's a pretty average Yamaha upright, so I'm not sure if these are just like that.

It's sitting on carpet, about 10cm (4in) away from the wall, with nothing in between.

So, musicy musicians, can something be done about my piano predicament, or will the poor bugger have to gargle and mumble for the rest of its existence?

[exetra]

I'm not sure about Yamaha's but yes, different pianos will have different sounds and some are made with a darker tone than others.

Has it always sounded like that? Maybe the damper pedal isn't releasing like it should?

[tunacake]

Mine could use a good tuning, I know that much.

[Shmuh]

The problem is Yamaha. I never buy anything from Yamaha because I think their products are terrible, whether it be guitar or piano. But Exetra's absolutely right, if you want a different tone, get a different piano.

[Ercoledi]

Fair enough. I thought that might've been it.

Since there's no real possibility of me getting another piano, I might look into a keyboard.