|
Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
|
|
75 members (Cheeto717, AlkansBookcase, benkeys, Cinnamonbear, Animisha, 7sheji, 36251, anotherscott, brdwyguy, 11 invisible),
2,002
guests, and
289
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 30
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 30 |
Does anyone know what kind of piano Billy Joel is currently using in his concerts?
I can see some of the words on the front say "Long Island Piano..." and I can't read the rest.
I know it must be custom built, as it has a teleprompter built in.
Anyone know anything about this?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 122
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 122 |
I think it is a Baldwin? IIRC...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 85
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 85 |
Well, he's listed as a Steinway Artist on Steinway's website, but he is also listed as Boesendorfer Reference on their website...but like you say, it could be neither of the two.
1976 Kawai KG-2C 1949 B. Shoninger Spinet 2003 Casio Privia PX100
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 30
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 30 |
If it was a Baldwin, could it be digital and say "Long Island Piano.." on the front?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,770
3000 Post Club Member
|
3000 Post Club Member
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,770 |
G.Fiore "aka-Curry". Tuner-Technician serving the central NJ, S.E. PA area. b214cm@aol.com Concert tuning, Regulation-voicing specialist. Dampp-Chaser installations, piano appraisals. PTG S.Jersey Chapter 080. Bösendorfer 214 # 47,299 214-358
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 30
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 30 |
See, in some videos he is using a Yamaha, but closer to around 2000-2004. Now, his piano looks and sounds nothing like a Yamaha, and doesn't have Yamaha written on it.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 13,236
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 13,236 |
Well, he's listed as a Steinway Artist on Steinway's website, but he is also listed as Boesendorfer Reference on their website...but like you say, it could be neither of the two. Billy has been a Baldwin artist, a Steinway artist, and a Yamaha artist over his career and I am probably missing a few. I know that he owns a Bosendorfer, among others probably. Bosendorfer does not have a registered artist program like the other three makers mentioned. My 2 cents,
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 197
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 197 |
He uses a Steinway piano in performance - and has now for several years.
Bob Snyder Senior District Manager Steinway & Sons rsnyder@steinway.com www.steinway.com
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,864
4000 Post Club Member
|
4000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,864 |
I've seen video him playing a Steinway, but at his latest concert here, it looked (and sounded) like a digital grand.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,862
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,862 |
accompanist/organist.. a non-MTNA teacher to a few
love and peace, Õun (apple in Estonian)
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 13,236
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 13,236 |
After 9/11, he and Elton played together in the concert at a secret location (remember that?). They played on matching Kurzweil digital grand pianos at that performance.
That was the first time I remember seeing them play together.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 30
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 30 |
After 9/11, he and Elton played together in the concert at a secret location (remember that?). They played on matching Kurzweil digital grand pianos at that performance.
That was the first time I remember seeing them play together. I don't mean to sound arrogant with this post, it's not my intent, so please don't take it that way. That concert wasn't at a secret location, it was Madison Square Garden. Elton played a Yamaha and Billy played a Kurzweil digital. As far as the people saying Billy plays Steinway these days, that is just not possible. He used to, most famously on the first Face to Face Tour back in the 90s. But the current piano IS digital and has a teleprompter built in. No way it is Steinway.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 197
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 197 |
When it comes to performances on acoustic pianos - Mr. Joel is playing Steinway pianos..
Bob Snyder Senior District Manager Steinway & Sons rsnyder@steinway.com www.steinway.com
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,749
2000 Post Club Member
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,749 |
I know a dealer in Ohio who provided backup digitals for Billy Joel. According to him, he has a custom grand piano case designed to fit a Kurzweil PC2x into it. The dealer had a couple of those in stock which he provided. I now own one of them.
Ken
Ken
Hammond Organ Technician Piano Torturer
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,276
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,276 |
When I saw him in May I didn't really try to look at the name because I just assumed it was the Steinway. Whatever it was it was mellower than Elton's Yamaha.
I'll figure it out eventually. Until then you may want to keep a safe distance.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 197
Full Member
|
Full Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 197 |
Yes - he uses an electronic keyboard a lot of the time. When I first wrote "he uses a Steinway piano.." I should have prefaced that with "when performing on an acoustic piano..". I surely did not intend to mislead! Thanks,
Bob Snyder Senior District Manager Steinway & Sons rsnyder@steinway.com www.steinway.com
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 30
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 30 |
I know a dealer in Ohio who provided backup digitals for Billy Joel. According to him, he has a custom grand piano case designed to fit a Kurzweil PC2x into it. The dealer had a couple of those in stock which he provided. I now own one of them.
Ken
Does this mean his grand piano is actually empty aside from a Kurzweil keyboard fitted into the front?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,641
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,641 |
Hi Bob, I note that Billy's portrait is second in line to Diana Krall's at the factory office. I totally understand.
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 13,236
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 13,236 |
Bob Snyder,
I don't think anyone felt misled. You were perfectly clear, IMHO.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,749
2000 Post Club Member
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 2,749 |
Does this mean his grand piano is actually empty aside from a Kurzweil keyboard fitted into the front? That was what I was told. The fellow was not only pleased to be providing backup instruments but was also happy he got to attend the concert for free. This was back in May in Ohio (I think). Ken
Ken
Hammond Organ Technician Piano Torturer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Learning
by Stephen_James - 04/17/24 10:36 AM
|
|
Forums43
Topics223,397
Posts3,349,393
Members111,636
|
Most Online15,252 Mar 21st, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|