Lego’s latest Ideas set is a fully working show-stopper grand piano that can be used to play real music

Let’s face it: when you imagine your next big Lego set, a piano probably doesn’t spring to mind. Those instruments are complex beasts, seemingly unsuited to being replicated in plastic blocks. Yet Lego Ideas Grand Piano (£319.99; available 1 August) genuinely gives you a 3662-piece brick-built grand piano you can set on a desk. Its 25 dinky keys might not mimic the number on a real grand, but there is a top-lid to prop up and moving pedals. Most importantly, there’s an authentic hammer action and fully working keys, so you can unleash your inner Beethoven (or, more likely, attempt Chopsticks in a halting manner). But it’s still just plastic, right, and so merely makes a dull thud when you hammer away at its two octaves? Not quite. Combined with Lego’s Powered Up app, you can use this piano to play actual music – albeit only triggering the next note in a song by pressing any key. If that sounds like too much effort, select a song and the piano will play itself.

Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.