[CAUT] Voicing

[keenas business]

Thanks for the idea.  Even though the majority of the pianos are new
(leased), there are in fact some older pianos that they own that I could
work on.

Keena

> -----Original Message-----
> From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of
> ed440@mindspring.com
> Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2004 9:04 AM
> To: College and University Technicians
> Subject: RE: [CAUT] Voicing
> 
> Keena-
> 
> Since you mention the damp summer, you might start by ironing the bass
> with a brass hammer iron or a household iron (no hotter than wool
setting,
> of course.)
> 
> Practice room pianos are a good place to practice voicing techniques.
> After all, they are practice pianos!
> 
> Ed Sutton
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: keenas business <keenas.pianos@rcn.com>
> Sent: Sep 14, 2004 8:50 AM
> To: 'College and University Technicians' <caut@ptg.org>
> Subject: RE: [CAUT] Voicing
> 
> I thank all of you for your time and responses.  I am not touching the
> piano until this Friday morning, the day of the concert.
> 
> The dampers, hammers and strings and action are in mint condition.
The
> piano is being compared to a six foot Kawai that was being played
during
> the first practice.  The artists are aware that the tonal qualities of
> the rich sounding 9' Steinway are quite different from the bright
Kawai.
> 
> The performance hall holds approximately 200 people. Climate control
is
> not consistent and everyone is aware of this dilemma.
> 
> The Artist performing is the Artist-in-Residence and is quite amenable
> to any improvement that can be made, if possible. It is only used for
> Classical music by musicians such as those who play with the BSO.
> 
> I am not afforded the opportunity to voice as many instruments as I
> would like to and thus my reason for asking for ideas to broaden my
> knowledge.
> 
> During dry season last year the upper tenor/lower treble area needed
to
> be brighter and I resolved that situation.
> 
> This season has posed a new problem.  We had a very damp summer.
> 
> Thanks again. I let you all know what happens with the situation.
> 
> Keena Keel
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf
Of
> > Horace Greeley
> > Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2004 11:52 PM
> > To: College and University Technicians
> > Subject: RE: [CAUT] Voicing
> >
> >
> > Hi, Keena,
> > Thanks again.
> 
> Keena Keel
> 
> > At 06:19 AM 9/11/2004, you wrote:
> >
> > Judging from the time of your message, chances are that you have
> already
> > had to do what you had to do.
> >
> >
> > >I have to tune a concert on a Hamburg Steinway D.  The artist would
> like
> > >to have the bass hammers brighter but not louder.
> > >
> > >Any thoughts appreciated.
> >
> > There are a number of different ways to approach this question; and,
> (I
> > hope) you will get a number of different answers.
> >
> > While no one system is necessarily better than another, there are
some
> > that
> > are considered to be more traditionally accepted, which leave the
> hammers
> > more susceptible to future work, the instrument more versatile, and
> > produce
> > better short term effects.
> >
> > If things are at a point at which you can share some additional
> > information, that might be helpful in making more relevant
> > suggestions.  The kinds of things I am thinking about here have to
do
> with
> > the size and nature of the hall (How live?  How dead?  A/C?  Overall
> > climate?, age and overall condition of the instrument
> > (Strings?  Dampers?  Action?), general major usage of the instrument
> > (Classical?  Pop? etc.)...in other words, help to create an overall
> > understanding of what the situation might be, and how this specific
> piano
> > fits into it.
> >
> > If you are still on the horns of your dilemma, what you might do
will
> > depend on things like, how much time you have, how much experience
you
> > have
> > with this kind of work (be honest, at least with yourself...and,
> please do
> > understand that _all_ of us have been beginners at some point or
> > other...),
> > how picky are the artists in general wherever you are?  (Is the
> present
> > person within a reasonable range of those who usually use the piano?
> If
> > not, is there criticism well-grounded?...etc...a whole other
> discussion.)
> >
> > So as not to put you off entirely, I think that a great deal would
> depend
> > on how much time I had.  If I had only exceptionally limited time, I
> > _might_ be tempted to use an exceptionally light solution of lacquer
> > sanding sealer in an acetone carrier...perhaps on the order of 11:1
> > acetone
> > to sealer.  (Using this combination gives you the most versatility
for
> > going back and making changes later.  The acetone evaporates very
> quickly;
> > and the sanding sealer breaks down.  Whatever else you do do,
please,
> do
> > not succumb to the temptation to use plastic...it is, essentially
> > irreversible...and, if used at all, should be used exceptionally
> sparingly
> > and only in exceptionally thin solution.)
> >
> > If I had somewhat more time, I would probably spend some time with
the
> > needles and sandpaper files; and, based on _my own_ experience,
would
> most
> > likely look at taking back a little from the lower to mid-tenor
rather
> > than
> > trying to bring up the bass.
> >
> > Too much hardness on hammers in a D, especially a Hamburg, is going
to
> > sound like so much broken glass in the hall and will distort badly.
> Much
> > more frequently, what the performer perceives as too little bass,
is,
> in
> > fact, too much tenor.  The other place to check very quickly before
> > starting is the first treble section.  Use good, solid FFF blows.
If
> the
> > sound breaks up/distorts/becomes musically unusable - then that area
> is
> > already too hot, and needs to be cut back.  It is the weakest area
in
> the
> > scale, and has the least latitude for error.
> >
> > So, the very short version here is:
> >
> > 1.-     Check the first treble on it's own.
> >
> > 2.-     Check the first treble in relation with the lower to
> mid-tenor.
> >
> > 3.-     Check the first treble in relation with the over strung,
> especially
> > the bottom octave.
> >
> > 4.-     Check the balance between the bass (overall) to the lower to
> mid-
> > tenor.
> >
> > 5.-     Check the balance between the E and F at the bass break and
> the C#
> > and D at the first treble break.
> >
> > If you are already losing the first treble in any of the first three
> > steps,
> > and/or if you have to be really pounding it to keep things in
balance,
> the
> > best thing to do might be nothing at all until you truly have some
> time to
> > work out whatever is going on.
> >
> > If the first treble is reasonably balanced in the first three steps,
> then
> > pay very close attention to number 4.  If the lower to mid-tenor is
> > already
> > pretty blasty at FFF and the bass is loud but not quite at the same
> level,
> > you will probably be better advised to cut back the tenor than to
try
> to
> > bring up the bass.
> >
> > As to number five, whichever of these produces the weakest
transition
> is
> > what determines how "loud" the piano may be made without pushing the
> > limits
> > too far....which is to say, don't go there unless you have either:
A.-
> > enough time to really fix the problem later; and/or, B.- enough
money
> to
> > replace the hammers in case they really get messed up.
> >
> > As you have probably guessed, this is not exactly a walk in the
park;
> and,
> > a Hamburg D is not the best of all possible pianos on which to have
> this
> > kind of experience.  At the same time, if you work carefully, and
take
> > your
> > time to do a good deal of listening between steps (particularly if
you
> > wind
> > up having to use chemicals), you will be fine.
> >
> > End of lecture....hope there is something useful in it for you.
> >
> >
> > >This is the first time that I've used this system.  Please excuse
me,
> if
> > >there are any duplicates.
> >
> > No problem, at all.  This is what these lists are for.
> >
> > Besides, the only truly stupid questions are the ones we do not ask.
> >
> > Best regards and luck!
> >
> > Horace
> >
> >
> >
> > >Thanks,
> > >
> > >Keena Keel, RPT
> > >
> > > > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> > >
> > >
> > >_______________________________________________
> > >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> 
> _______________________________________________
> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives