Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum When a single note in the treble is played loudly...

does this increase the chances it will sound out of tune(to a non tech)?

Let me explain more fully. Whenever I play this piece(which starts out with a forte playing of F#5:
http://imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/3/...in_Sonatan2.pdf

the f# always sounds "harsh", "unpleasant" and perhaps with the unisons out of tune. I'm not sure if it's the tuning, the voicing, or just the way a single note played forte in that register on a Mason BB sounds. Some other single notes near the f# played forte also sounded harsh to my ears. After the piano was tuned(and I think that note was voiced a little)it sounded better, but not beautiful or pleasant. And I think it sounds worse now that the tuning is 6 weeks old.

But when I play this Jarret transcription where the dynamics are much softer and pedalling far more extensive, every note in the treble sounds "beautiful" to my ears.
http://www.keithjarrett.org/wp-content/uploads/mywildirishrose.pdf

I realize it's impossible to give a definite answer without hearing my piano. But would it reasonable to say that when a note in that register is played forte and by itself a non tech would be more likely to find it sounded harsh or unpleasant if the unisons were in fact out of tune?

Even then it can be hard.

I'm running this question through my under-hat-computer and giving it some real thought. I'll get back to this topic when I have it all figured out. (If you don't hear from me you'll know I didn't come up with an answer)

I could not open your first link.



Yes, difficult to answer from hear. (Pardon the intentional misspelled pun) But, I would not say that a non tech could be more prone to hear that it was harsh or unpleasant if unison's were out of tune just because it was played forte. If it is out, it is out either way. However, playing it forte will bring about a harshness that playing it softly may not bring about in particular if the piano is not voiced according to your needs or desires. What it probably boils down to more than anything, is a matter of taste. Voicing taste. Although, after 6 weeks, the tuning most certainly could have drifted by now.

The Steinway D that I tuned for a concert last Saturday is voiced for a little bit of everything but, more for forte than anything else as per the preference of that one musician and for a combination of both musicians one who seems to prefer one way over the other but yet, we try to accommodate each one without going over board for either one. In this case, when the D is played forte, it is to my ear, very bright but, it does not matter what I want. What matters, is what the artist wants.

If you're not satisfied, ask the tech's opinion. No voicing can be done without first doing a fine job of tuning. The regulation should be very good too as this will affect the way you play it and will also affect the tone to some degree if regulation is not right.

Sometimes a note can sound out of tune on a hard blow if the fit of hammer to string is not perfect...
I think some call it phase interference...
The bad fit will be less noticeable with a softer blow.

Could also be some beats on single strings in that area...

It is something that should diagnosed very carefully so as not to go around in circles....perhaps your technician can pay special attention to this area next time he/she visits.

Thanks. Here is a new link:
http://imslp.org/wiki/Transcriptions_of_Bach%27s_Works_(Saint-Sa%C3%ABns,_Camille)

It's the fourth piece, Bouree, on that page. I think the old link may not work because it bypasses the page on IMSLP where on has to click the copywright discalimer.