Otto writes: << tone is a sticky issue, and the view of the technician can be taken as a challenge, if not addressed very carefully. Therefore, any additional wisdom would be most welcome. >> Wisdom, I dunno, but this is what has kept the door open for me: Rather than tell the pianist what they want, I have had good success describing what I want from a piano. If approached as a concept in which I need their input, I find most pianists go right along with it. What I do is begin the discussion with what I hope the piano hammer is capable of. I say that in a perfect world, the hammer should provide the widest possible range of tone. That it should be warm, soft, dark, etc. when played very softly, and it should be brassy, strong, commanding or even clangorous when played at the maximum force the pianist is capable of. Ideally, the transition from one extreme to the other should be gradual and predictable, giving the pianist the maximum resources to create whatever sound they desire. I then point out that every pianist has his own "range" and I would like to move the piano into their desired realm. The big strong ones will often prefer a softer hammer, since they can dial up the power to suit whatever they want. The delicate, lighter, less muscular pianist often prefers a harder hammer so that the extreme color is accessible while they rely on finesse to create the softer textures. Whatever, the important thing is that the pianist be given the concept of variable "voice" at the same time that they understand you want to tailor the range of it to their specific desires. Pianists like it when techs talk this way. If you can find a note whose hammer is capable of gradually increasing brilliance with added force, and then compare it to one that is harsh from the get-go or to one that is essentially dead, they begin to get the idea of a palette of tonal responses. If so, you become a resource to them, rather than a challenge or, heaven forbid, an obstacle. There is a lot more that we can learn from each other on this subject. The practise rooms are surreal, but deep needling and soft shoulders , as well as a resilient core can give longevity. And if they wear them out in a hurry? Hey, that is what we are there for. It helps if the powers that be understand that rock-hard hammers last longer but don't allow students to learn tonal control. Then, they can decide how high a standard they can afford. Regards, Ed Foote RPT www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/ www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html <A HREF="http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/399/six_degrees_of_tonality.html"> MP3.com: Six Degrees of Tonality</A>
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