We are moving in a few weeks, and I am wondering what you folks think the effect of the differing room acoustics will be on our M&H BB's tone.

BB currently resides in a carpeted 15x18 living room with 8-foot ceilings. There are 2 hallways, an open "door" to the dining room and a 5'x6' "window" cutout into the kitchen from the living room. It is possible to play with the lid up, though my better half advises that my lone Rachmaninoff piece can be rather loud that way.

The new room is 16x22 with a ceiling that peaks at 14 feet in the center of the room. The floor is hardwood. There is an 8' wide, 9' high opening into the breakfast room/kitchen area (which also have hardwood/tile floors and which collectively measure approximately 13x 28.

What do you think the effect of the new room will be on the tone? What adjustments would you make in terms of furniture, rugs, etc.?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Jim,
I made just the opposite move, so maybe you'll have to do everything in reverse! Your new room sounds much more live. After the piano settles from the move (don't be surprised if it sounds just awful the first few days), you may need to have it voiced (after laying a rug under it and adding whatever window coverings you desire). When I had my piano tuned for the first time after the move, the tech could tell that I had had it voiced for a liver room than my new one (carpeted living room with scarf valances versus the old one of hardwood, one rug and silhouette blinds). He said I should probably wait a year or so to let the hammers catch up to where the room is, then have it voiced to the new room. Like I said, as you're doing the reverse, you may want to have it voiced to the liver room.

penny

Penny gives good advice here. You may indeed need to do a carpet and some window treatments to calm things down if the room is too "live". That high ceiling should be a real asset. I played a friend's Yamaha (I am not a Yamaha fan though) situated in a room with a cathedral ceiling, and it sounded fine. There was wall-to-wall carpeting, drapes, and stuffed furniture, but the high ceiling seemed to be a good offset, so the room was neither too live or dead. Also, if you place the grand parallel to a wall, give it sufficient breathing room on the wall side to avoid the accoustic effect of a standing wave of sound. Good luck on your BB!

Your BB is already stable. You should only wait about 6 weeks and then have it tuned and voiced. I am willing to bet that you will decide that it is too live and not only voice it "down" but add a small rug under the piano.

Hi Jim,

I would wait until after you move in and get furniture and window coverings in place before voicing the piano or buying any rugs for the acoustics. Your room sizes, layout and floor coverings are similar to what we have in our new house. I was concerned about how our BB would sound with all the wood/tile, plus we have very little furniture and no window coverings yet. Surprisingly, BBHuey sounds wonderful in his new space, even unfinished as it is. It sounds like a concert hall in our living room. Window coverings go in this week but a rug under the piano won't be necessary after all.

Thanks for your responses. I am concerned, as was Nancy, about the room being too live. She is correct, though, and I will not have any voicing done until the first (or even the second) tuning after the move. I can't wait to see how it works out.

Hi Jim,
I think you'll find that your ears will "acclimate" to the new surroundings as well. You may still want to have your piano voiced, but I predict that after a few days/weeks you'll begin appreciating the acoustic subtleties of the new room. You're smart not to rush into anything.

Dear Jim,

Congratulations on the new home, but I don't think you are thinking too clearly here. Remember my basic laws of piano placememnt:

1) A piano can never be too loud

2) A room can never be too live

3) Get rid of the children before the piano.



Of course, I am kidding, at least on the last one. Rooms often surprise me when a piano is set up in them.

I say - enjoy and make changes as you see fit.