[CAUT] seasonal SB failure

[Fred Sturm]

    Just to follow up with a little detail on my rather simplistic statement
about tone and low RH earlier, I took some measurements and listened with a
bit more care today. I still kind of stand behind the opinion that even at
10%, many of my concert pianos are within acceptable parameters. But here is
some more detail:
A) Number one recital hall concert D, five years old. Crown: none in mid to
high treble. Very little in tenor. None in bass. Downbearing very little to
none overall in mid to high treble, though that can be parsed to be positive
front and negative rear bearing. A bit of positive bearing in tenor. Bottom
of tenor bridge and bass bridge, negative front and positive rear. Still
sounds pretty good. Nice sustain, reasonably good power. A piano that most
everyone tends to like and to compliment.
B) Number two recital hall concert D, 25 years old. Similar crown condition,
though it has more crown in the tenor than #1. Downbearing similar pattern,
though much less uniform: some negative, some positive within sections.
Tonal qualities: well, it has always had issues in octaves 5 and 6, and they
are a bit more pronounced as it has gotten older. But it is quite usable as
a chamber instrument. I always thought when this piano was #1, trying to be
brash, that it would sound better voiced mellow, and It turned out that way.
Yes, it lacks power. Maybe the dry has contributed. Yes, the decay is more
rapid than I would like, but not unbearably so. It was a problematic
instrument from the first: apparently the prof who went to NYC to select it
swore they sent the wrong instrument.
C) 20 year old D, in 2000 seat hall. Not the most powerful instrument I have
ever run into, but handles concerto work just fine. I wasn't able to get in
and check just now, but downbearing has tended to be positive throughout
when I have measured, and octaves 5 and 6 are, though not my ideal, quite
reasonable and able to hold there own.
D) A nearly brand new D in a new venue, with DC system (2 tank) installed on
delivery and kept plugged in (I don't service it often enough to swear that
they keep it watered and pads attended to, but they seem like conscientious
folks). Has very rapid decay in octaves 5 and 6, bad sustain. I prefer my #2
above. Presumably the EMC in this piano is at a good place. I haven't had
the time to check crown and bearing.
    I could list more, but the pattern is: there is no pattern, at least no
simple one, cause and effect, relative to basement level RH. I can't say
with assurance whether the pianos sound significantly different in the late
summer/early fall when RH is in the 50-60% range. It's hard to keep a tonal
memory that long, and I'm so busy cranking down pitch during that season
that it's hard to find time and a relaxed ear to listen well. But at any
rate, the difference isn't, to my ear, _very obvious_. Again, though, I have
the vast majority of my experience right here in the bone dry desert, so I
am comparing pianos within my area. I may have lower expectations than many
of you.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico


On 2/28/06 3:08 PM, "Fred Sturm" <fssturm@unm.edu> wrote:

> Hi Ron,
> I don't want anyone to make a lot of the opinion I expressed (pianos
> at 10% RH "sound just fine to me"). But I think I have enough
> experience listening to pianos in wetter climes (at nationals, etc.)
> that if below 20% meant a complete disaster, my ears/musical sense
> would complain. I'm not sure I'm the best judge, as I approach pianos
> as a pianist, meaning I adjust to what's there and make what I can of
> it. I don't have a lot of pre-conceptions that I want to have
> fulfilled. OTOH, there is a bottom line of resonance, power, sustain
> that I'd miss if it were really missing, at least I think so.
> My experience has led me to take with a grain of salt claims that
> flat boards and zero DB mean a piano is unusable. I don't find it so,
> personally. But I'm just one guy out here with my own limited
> experiences and acuity.
> Regards,
> Fred Sturm
> University of New Mexico
> fssturm@unm.edu