What is PianoMe?

PianoMe is an online platform through which piano or other type of music rehearsal rooms, recording-studios and concert halls can be simultaneously rented out and hired on an hourly basis. The best thing about it? Simply choose from a range of rehearsal rooms, book online and play! Thanks to our hourly booking system, piano rooms are also surprisingly affordable to hire and may be used for a number of reasons or occasions: As a practice room for beginners and professional pianists alike, as a rehearsal space for bands or as a room for hosting music lessons, recitals or small concerts as well as workshops, seminars, early-childhood musical education or music therapy.

How does PianoMe fund itself?

The registration and use of PianoMe is free for all users. Upon the successful booking of a piano rehearsal room, PianoMe will charge a small service fee – currently 15% of the total price and no less than 1.50 EUR. This fee is automatically included in the total price displayed.

For example, if a piano room is rented out by a member for 10 EUR per hour, the total price including the service fee would amount to 11.50 EUR.

In which cities can I hire a piano room?

In principle, piano practice rooms should be available for people to rent out and hire anywhere in the world - especially in larger cities and metropolitan areas. And now, with PianoMe, this is finally possible. As PianoMe was only launched in September 2017, practice rooms (e.g. with paino or grand piano) will, at first, be available in Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Cologne, Stuttgart, Bremen, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Dresden, Leipzig, Freiburg, Hannover, Nurnberg, Rostock, Vienna, Miland, Paris, Amsterdam, Rom, Madrid, Barcelona and other large cities.

 

FAQs for those booking a piano room

What does PianoMe cost for those looking to book a piano room?

PianoMe is free for all users who wish to book a piano practice room. A user is not charged any once-off or basic fees and must only pay the total price displayed upon successfully booking a practice room.

How long can a piano room be booked for?

Currently, piano- and grand piano practice rooms can only be booked by the hour. If available, a piano room can also be booked for several hours at a time. In order to do this, simply select multiple time slots when choosing the date and time at which you would like to practice.

Why are there often only certain days or time slots available?

The person renting out their piano rehearsal room will list the available time slots for the room in a separate calendar. Therefore the availability of a rehearsal room will correspond to the available time slots that have previously been decided upon by the owner of the room.

Why can a piano room only be booked by the hour?

The goal of PianoMe is to make the process of renting out- and hiring piano practice rooms as simple and intuitive as possible. We have found that offering piano rooms on an hourly basis ensures for a smooth and flexible booking process. Introducing the concept of daily or weekly bookings would currently increase the overall complexity of our booking system and thus, we have decided not to offer this as an option when booking a room.

Is it possible to book a practice room for more than one hour?

Yes, it is possible. If the owner of the piano room specifies that the room is available for more than one consecutive hour at a time, then several one-hour time slots can be booked together at once. In order to do this, simply select multiple time slots when choosing the date and time at which you would like to practice.

Is a booking valid immediately or must it first be confirmed by the person renting out the piano room?

The booking of a piano practice room is valid immediately and must not be confirmed by the owner of the room first. A booking may also be cancelled free of charge by the person hiring the room up to 24 hours before that booking is due to take place. However, if this person no longer requires the room within a period of 24 hours before the start of the booking, a refund of payment  cannot be given. Therefore bookings that are made within a period of 24 hours before the booking is due to take place cannot be cancelled free of charge.

Is it possible to cancel a booking?

Yes. A booking may be cancelled free of charge by the person hiring the room up to 24 hours before that booking is due to take place. However, if this person no longer requires the room within a period of 24 hours before the start of the booking, a refund of payment cannot be given. To cancel a booking simply enter your ‘Inbox’ on the PianoMe website, select the particular booking that you wish to cancel and click ‘Cancel’.  Please note that bookings made within a period of 24 hours before the booking is due to take place cannot be cancelled free of charge. The person renting out the rehearsal room may, however,  cancel the booking free of charge at any point before the booking is due to take place. In this case, you will be informed immediately and your payment will be refunded.

How is payment processed?

Payments can be made directly online after a user has successfully chosen a suitable piano rehearsal room. Simply follow the outlined steps and pay securely through the PianoMe website. We currently accept payments made through SOFORT Überweisung as well as all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club among others. Unfortunately, we do not currently accept payments made using PayPal, however we hope to offer this service in the near future.

Can payment also be made by cash upon arrival at a piano room?

Unfortunately, no. The booking of a piano rehearsal room can only be secured after payment has been made online through the PianoMe website. By using our online payment and booking system, members are assured that all payment- and, if necessary, cancellation processes are handled simply, securely and reliably via PianoMe.

Does PianoMe accept payments made using PayPal?

We are currently working on including PayPal as a viable method of payment for booking a piano rehearsal room and hope to have this service set up within a number of weeks. Until this time, we currently accept payments made through SOFORT Überweisung as well as all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club among others. If you are unable to use any of the above payment methods, please contact us by email at admin@piano.me

I do not own a credit card and I do not want to pay by SOFORT Überweisung - what other payment options are available to me?

In this case, please contact our customer service team directly by filling out a contact form on our website or by sending us an email at admin@piano.me

Will I receive a receipt after successfully booking a piano room?

Yes. We will send you a receipt regarding your booking via email. In the event of a cancellation, you will also receive an appropriate email notification from us.

Why do I have to specify my reason for using a piano rehearsal room as well as the number of people that I will be sharing the room with?

The piano rehearsal rooms available on PianoMe may be used for a number of reasons. The person renting out the piano room will list the possible uses of the room when they offer their space on the PianoMe website. It could be the case, for example, that a room may be used as a rehearsal room or as a room for holding music lessons, however the space may not be suitable for band rehearsals or workshops. If a piano practice room is rented out, we want to ensure that the room is used only for the purpose(s) as stated by the owner of the space.

How do I access the piano rehearsal room that I have booked?

Information about the piano rehearsal room including how to gain access to the room should be discussed directly with the person renting out the room. In order to do this, you can use the message/chat function that is available on the PianoMe website. 

Are the pianos insured?

The pianos and grand pianos offered on the PianoMe website have all been insured by their respective owners, either in the form of a standard household insurance policy or a specialist policy specific to musical instruments. An additional insurance policy from PianoMe does not exist. Nevertheless, we recommend that all those wishing to book a rehearsal room with PianoMe have their own liability insurance.

Have there been many cases of damage with PianoMe before?

No, fortunately, cases of damage are extremely rare. This can be seen by the low insurance premiums for specialist policies covering musical instruments which usually cost between 20 and 100 EUR per year. The most common cause of damage to musical instruments occurs when drinks are accidentally spilled on the equipment. This can easily be prevented in a piano rehearsal room, simply by taking care when around the instrument.

Why should I leave a review following a successful practice session in a piano room?

An evaluation of your overall experience in a piano rehearsal room not only benefits the person renting out the room, but it also adds a sense of transparency to the PianoMe website and helps other potential pianists in choosing a practice room that suits them.

What happens if the person renting out the room is not available on site or I cannot gain access to the practice room?

Although it is in the interest of both PianoMe and the person renting out the room that the entire booking process runs smoothly, this unfortunately may not always be the case and things may not always go as planned, for example, if a practice room is not accessible at the time for which it was booked. Should such an issue arise and the person renting out the room be unavailable, we ask you to please send us an email detailing your case to admin@piano.me We will then review the issue and if necessary, reimburse you with a full refund as soon as possible.

What happens if the piano, grand piano or rehearsal room is not in the same state as specified by the person renting it out?

If there is an issue with the state of the practice room or indeed, with the piano itself, then we ask you to first discuss the issue with the person renting out the room, as they are primarily responsible for the space. If you cannot reach an agreement with the person responsible, please send an email detailing your case to admin@piano.me. We will then try to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

What happens if I am unsatisfied with the piano rehearsal room?

The satisfaction of our users is the number one priority for us here at PianoMe. Should you find yourself unsatisfied with a piano rehearsal room or with the person renting out the room, there are a number of options available to you. First and foremost, you may wish to voice your dissatisfaction truthfully and factually in the evaluation of your experience that will be left on the profile of the person responsible for the piano room. In doing so, you will also be helping other members of the community. Should any issues arise, for example, the piano rehearsal room differs from the original description offered by the person renting out the room, the person renting out the room behaves immorally or does not provide access to the practice space, or the room is otherwise occupied, among others, please contact us directly by email at admin@piano.me

 

FAQ for those renting out a piano room

What does PianoMe cost for those looking to rent out a piano room?

The registration and use of PianoMe is free for all users. As a PianoMe member you can earn money simply by renting out your piano practice room to others using our online platform. PianoMe charges a small service fee on all bookings – currently 15% of the total rental price and no less than 1.50 EUR. This fee is automatically added to the total rental price that you have specified. For example, if you choose to rent out your practice room for 10 EUR an hour, the total price of the booking including the service fee would amount to 11.50 EUR.

How do I rent out my piano?

To rent out your piano or grand piano, simply click on the following link and follow the steps outlined.

I am having problems inputting the availability for my piano practice room in the calendar on the PianoMe website. What should I do?

In order to fully utilise the calendar feature on the PianoMe website, we recommend using a desktop PC or Mac. Although inputting the availability of your practice room is possible using a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet, it may be slightly more difficult to do. Should you continue to have difficulty specifying the availability of your piano room on our website, please contact us via email at admin@piano.me and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

How long can a piano room be rented out for?

Currently, piano- and grand piano practice rooms can only be rented out on an hourly basis. If available, a piano room can also be booked for several hours at a time. The availability of a piano practice room can be specified by the owner of the room when creating or editing a listing (at the bottom of the page).

Do I have to display photos of the practice room and piano/grand piano?

Yes, at least one photo of the practice room featuring the piano or grand piano must be displayed as part of the listing. The more photos you show on your listing, the more attractive your room will be to potential users.

Is it possible to rent out my piano room on a day-to-day basis or can it only be rented out by the hour?

It is, of course, possible to rent out your piano rehearsal room for an entire day at a time. This may be the case if a person chooses to book several, consecutive, hourly time slots together at once. However, we currently do not offer members the option of day-to-day rental for piano practice rooms.

Is a booking valid immediately or do I have to confirm it first?

The booking of a piano practice room is valid immediately and does not have to be  confirmed by you first. You may cancel a booking free of charge at anytime before that booking is due to take place. A booking may also be cancelled free of charge by the person hiring the room up to 24 hours before that booking begins. However, if this person cancels a booking within a period of 24 hours before the start of that booking, a refund of payment cannot be given to them.

Is it possible to cancel a booking?

Yes. All those who rent out their piano rehearsal rooms may cancel a booking free of charge at anytime before that booking is due to take place. To cancel a booking simply enter your ‘Inbox’ on the PianoMe website, select the particular booking that you wish to cancel and click ‘Cancel’.  A booking may also be cancelled free of charge by the person hiring the room up to 24 hours before that booking is due to take place. However, if this person cancels the booking within a period of 24 hours before the start of that booking, a refund of payment  cannot be given to them.

What do I need to do in order to receive payments?

In order to receive payments for the rental of your piano room, you must first set up a user account. To do this simply select the ‘Settings’ and ‘Payment’ menus on our website and follow the steps outlined. PianoMe works in partnership with Stripe, a well-known and secure, online payment service. To learn more about Stripe, click here.

What is Stripe?

Stripe is a well-known and secure, online payment service with whom PianoMe cooperates. If you would like to learn more about Stripe, please click here.

I need a PayPal account in order to receive payments?

No, those looking to rent out their piano practice rooms do not need to have a PayPal account. In order to receive payments, users are only required to set up an account with PianoMe. To do this simply select the ‘Settings’ and ‘Payment’ menus on our website and follow the steps outlined.

How is payment processed?

Payments can be made directly online after a user has successfully chosen a suitable piano rehearsal room. The user will then pay securely through the PianoMe website. We currently accept payments made through SOFORT Überweisung as well as all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club among others.

Will I receive a receipt after my piano room has been booked?

Yes. We will send you a receipt regarding the booking of your piano practice room via email. In the event of a cancellation, you will also receive an appropriate email notification. If you do not receive an email, please contact us directly at admin@piano.me.

How and at what intervals will I receive payments?

Payments will be made to the account specified by the person renting out the piano room seven days after a booking has successfully been paid for.

Are the pianos insured?

The pianos and grand pianos offered on the PianoMe website should be fully insured by their respective owners, either in the form of a standard household insurance policy or a specialist policy specific to musical instruments. An additional insurance policy from PianoMe does not exist, as PianoMe acts only as an intermediary between the respective persons renting out and hiring the piano room. Nevertheless, we recommend that all those wishing to book a rehearsal room with PianoMe have their own liability insurance.

Have there been many cases of damage with PianoMe before?

No, fortunately, cases of damage are extremely rare. This can be seen by the low insurance premiums for specialist policies covering musical instruments which usually cost between 20 and 100 EUR per year. The most common cause of damage to musical instruments occurs when drinks are accidentally spilled on the equipment. With this in mind, it is advisable to point out to those who have booked your piano room that they should avoid placing any items, especially drinks, on the instrument itself.

Can I accept cash payments when a person arrives for their booking?

Unfortunately, no. The booking of a piano rehearsal room can only be secured after payment has been made online through the PianoMe website. Payments made by cash on site are not possible. By using our online payment and booking system, members  are assured that all payment- and, if necessary, cancellation processes are handled simply, securely and reliably via PianoMe. Please note: If a piano room is offered for rent outside of the services of PianoMe, the room must be rented out at at least the same price as is listed on the PianoMe website. Should this not be the case, the member then stands in clear violation of the PianoMe terms and conditions.

Can I rent out my piano room outside of PianoMe? What conditions must I be aware of?

Of course, we here at PianoMe must also - so to speak - “bring home the bacon” and so we are always appreciative when users recognise the advantages of using our platform as a means of renting out their available piano- and grand piano rooms. Naturally, we cannot prevent the rental of piano rooms outside of PianoMe, however, if a member chooses to rent out their space outside of our platform, the total rental price of the room (per hour) must not be lower than the total price for the same room as listed on the PianoMe website. To go against this is a clear violation of the PianoMe terms and conditions. If a person wishes to rent out his/her piano practice room at a lower price outside of PianoMe, then their listing will unfortunately be removed from the PianoMe website. PianoMe also reserves the right to charge a member with a penalty fee in this case.

Can I set my own terms of use in addition to the terms and conditions of PianoMe?

Yes, of course.  In the listing description, you may formulate your own individual terms of use which the person hiring your piano room must agree to upon confirming their booking.

How does PianoMe ensure that the person hiring my piano room only uses the room for the same purpose(s) that were previously agreed upon?

Some members rent out their piano rehearsal rooms for certain purposes only. For example, a member may be okay with their piano room being used for piano practice or for private music lessons, however they would rather their space not be used for recording sessions or band practices. Members have the option to specify the exact purpose of their practice rooms when creating a listing with PianoMe. A user must then choose their reason for using the piano room upon making a booking. This helps to ensure that the user will only use the practice room for the purpose(s) as previously specified by the owner of the room.

What happens if a person uses the piano room for reasons other than the ones previously agreed upon?

The person hiring the piano room must specify their intended purpose for using the room as part of the booking process. Only certain, predetermined uses for the room may be chosen. Should the piano room be used for any reason other than that which was previously agreed upon, then the owner of the room has the right to deny access to the space in question. A member may formulate their own individual terms of use which can be written in the listing description and which the person hiring the piano room must agree to upon confirming their booking. Should you have any further questions, please contact us directly via email at admin@piano.me.

What happens if a user causes damage to my piano, grand piano or practice room?

If a user causes damage to your piano, grand piano or practice room, then we recommend that you file an insurance claim with that person’s insurance company. In the unlikely event that the person involved does not have liability insurance or, for other reasons, cannot be held liable for the damage caused, we recommend that you then file an insurance  claim under your own household- or musical instrument insurance policy. Please note that PianoMe cannot be held responsible for any damage caused, as we act only as an intermediary between the respective persons renting out and hiring the piano room.