If you’d here because you’re considering hiring a restaurant pianist to perform background music for your patrons, then you’ve come to the right place.

Having live music can easily be overlooked when it comes to satisfying your customers. This page deals with the reasons for hiring a pianist and how and when you should do so. The intent is that it educates the business owner reading it from the point of view of a pianist/businessman writing.

It’s good for business

To put it in no uncertain terms, having a restaurant pianist is highly beneficial to your business. Let’s be clear about this; you may not have space, budget or enough clientele currently to justify it but when looked at in the long run it, is an investment. Restaurant-goers love to be treated to live music when they are dining. They feel special. It feels unique. Most of all, it makes your restaurant stand out. It’s a commonly held fact that businesses who have classical music playing in the background can justifiably charge higher prices. The same is true of jewellery stores, for instance.

This is about making your restaurant remarkable. Not unique, necessarily, but remarkable. When you hire a live pianist, you give your customers an experience. The pace is relaxed. The effort is appreciated. The sound brings a flow to their evening. The exclusivity of it will bring them knocking down your door as word gets around that there’s a restaurant in town with live background piano!

So what style of music works?

Quite frankly, an array of styles and genres work here. Although traditionally bars and restaurants hired jazz pianists, the world has become such a cultural melting pot that various restaurants may want to hire pianists who play arrangements of modern-day popular music. A good pianist will always mix up jazz, popular and film music. A variety is always nice and he should be able to cater for a range of musical tastes, should the customer give full attention to him. Consider the theme of your restaurant and consider the background of your clientele. The music you choose should reflect this and you can easily discuss a musical programme with your prospective pianist before you go ahead and book him.

When is best to hire a pianist?

This comes down to simple economics. If you can afford to, you should. Should this be five nights a week, then hire your pianist for five nights. If this works during the summer months, then keep it to that period. However, don’t forget that you may be hiring a pianist to draw in customers, in which case he pays for himself. You can hire a pianist on a trial basis, as part of a promotional event, or on a weekly, fortnightly, nightly or seasonal basis. This really depends on your own judgement but you certainly have nothing to lose in trying him out. You yourself will know best.

How much do restaurant pianists charge?

Pianists will normally expect a flat fee for their service and they will base their price on a number of factors: their own level of repertoire, experience, the level of demand they are in and of course the amount of time you need them for. The more frequently you call your pianist in to play in your premises, the better a price deal he can normally cut for you. Judge the fee by the hour and watch that it is not extortionate. A pianist should understand that his presence is a mutual financial benefit to each party involved and should discuss his fee carefully with you before you hire him.

Choosing your restaurant pianist

You can base this on a pianist’s online presence; his website, YouTube channel, testimonials and also through word-of-mouth recommendation. Always take a punt on a talented pianist. Again, nothing beats experience when you trial your pianist and receive feedback. Customers will leave feedback on sites like TripAdvisor, mentioning their experience of food and music, when the music is regular. 

Do you need to own a piano?

A professional pianist should be in possession of a high-grade digital piano. Therefore, there is no obligation on you to possess a piano in your restaurant. This makes life much simpler for you if you don’t have a piano. This is especially so if you’re not sure you want to invest in a pianist long term. If you already do own a piano, it is wise to make use of it. 

Get in touch to discuss the prospect of hiring Paul as a restaurant pianist, please get in touch today and he will gladly discuss options with you. Paul can bring along his Roland FP-90 digital piano if your venue doesn’t have one.