Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Forum Are there guidelines for brightness?

Thanks again, Withindale, your thread about rolling tissue role and hammers was very interesting. Also, I had not seen the hammering of the hammers video before. I also thought Mr. Oleg's comment to the video, about one of the hammers getting one fewer blows with the ball peen was mildly entertaining.

Thanks again,

I find when communicating with techs, it is best to be quantitative about things. When my Yamaha became too bright, I asked my tech to voice it down, and he said he didn't feel it needs it. So I asked him between 1 to 10, where does he think the piano is and he said it's about a 7. When it gets to 9 or 10, he will tell me that it needs to be voiced down, and he doesn't like to make clients feel he is over servicing or charging.

That immediately made sense to me, so I told him I like it around 5 not 7 and certainly will never tolerate a 9. He immediately understood and voice the Yamaha down to exactly where I liked. He readily admit that's not where he likes it, but it is my piano. Nowadays, he just knows to voice down my piano every six months. I don't even have to tell him. It sounds awesome to me, perhaps a bit soft for him.

If you do any reading in the Tuner/Tech Forum, you will quickly see that many techs have very little respect for piano owners and believe that we need to conform to their, often, narrow ideas of how a piano should sound.

If a tech gives you attitude, give 'em the boot!

Marty, good advice! I still like the powerful bass, but I'm still not sure. reminds me of a suit salesman many years ago that told me that I didn't know what I like. I walked out.
Thanks for the comment, missed you!

"... reminds me of a suit salesman many years ago that told me that I didn't know what I like. I walked out..."

Reminds me of meeting an elderly sister of the deceased (my grandfathers wife, and a very dear lady) at her funeral. I was not surprised when she asked me my name, but I was surprised when, on telling her my true and actual name, she corrected me. We did this little dance three times before I gave up on her. I guess I don't know what my name is--- maybe I should be on one of those "Child on the Milkcarton" with the tag line: Do you know mu name?"

I honestly think our like or dislike for piano tone can change over time. I know mine has.

That’s why I see nothing wrong with having more than one piano, each with a different tone signature.

Rick

Rick

Now you've hit on an endless line of argument for yet another piano.

Your preferences could change from day to day, from one piece to the next, and with the wind. A stentorian bass in the early evening could give way to the intimate tones of a baby grand late at night....

You are absolutely right, Withindale. I suppose it is best to find “THE” right piano and stick with it for the duration. But then you only experience the euphoria of buying a new (or new-to-you) piano only once.

Of course, there is a down side to having more than one piano… sacrificing the space needed and keeping them all in tune.

However, there is another way to satisfy ones changing appetite for piano sound and tonality. I had a piano dealer to tell me once that he had a particular customer who traded pianos about every two years…


Rick

There is no perfect piano for anything. When listening to professional recordings I am often thinking this sounds so great right here, but then moments later I am thinking well the piano could be a bit brighter (or opposite) for this part of the music.

The perfect piano would be a piano capable of changing its tone as easily as the orchestral composer changing musical tone by utilizing a different instrument. At the very least, I do think it would be good during a concert performance that a pianist is allowed to change piano from piece to piece, but even that is generally not possible.

I like Rick's idea the best - Multiple Pianos!

I'm guilty, too.

If someone could really define "brightness" I would be soooooo thankful! It would win a Nobel Prize for "Bright Ideas."

Most of the piano technicians I know try to satisfy their clients needs regarding how their piano should play and sound. Marty, just because it may seem from your reading of the record of postings in the technical forum that "many technicians have very little respect for piano owners"-I believe the opposite is true. And I don't think other PW readers would necessarily interpret the record of postings the same.

The art of communication between pianist and piano technician is especially fraught with misinterpretation because qualities of touch and tone are difficult to define accurately.

I think I know more piano technicians than you do-and most of the ones I know want to help pianists.

How many you know is absolutely irrelevant.

By your statement, I assume that (they) "want to help pianists" is to help them to understand that A=440 is absolute and that anything other than their interpretation of Equal Temperament should be shunned at all costs.

Thank you very much, I don't need this kind of "help."

Please read the current "Standards" thread in the tech forum. I believe that it supports my observation very well.

From our experience it also helps a lot if the tech is actually able to play piano himself enabling him to make necessary adjustments not only from a "spec" point of view but actual human touch feel.

At that point I've seen things consistently become much easier between technician and pianist.

Not the only way of course, but pretty good one if applicable.

Norbert

Norbert