HAPPY HAMMER HEADS

[Oorebeek A.]

Hi Bill, that was a nice email! I enjoyed that.
And I also enjoyed the skillful opinions about Steinway qualities!

I like piano hammers very much.
I  think that hammers are the "jewels' of the instrument. For about =
the last 10 years I have had an urge to look sharper and sharper into =
hammer matters.
I have come to the conclusion that new hammers, when made by a well =
known factory (like Renner, abel and Yamaha) hardly need no any =
hardener at all, except in the highest octave.
Furthermore, if a new hammer needs hardener in other sections, then =
something is wrong with in the factory and an immediate discussion =
should follow with the makers (if you like your business relation =
with them). I am curious about the American Steinway hammers, I do =
not know them.
I only know the Renner and Abel products (aside from the Yamaha's and =
the Steinway's).
It may be very well possible that I am old fashioned, and I should =
certainly take into consideration that America is another world with =
different tastes (so I heard, is that true?) and I am very curious =
what you all think about this.

Do you (Americans) think of Europe as another world with another =
taste for sound? What is in your opinion the general "sound =
difference" between these two parts of the world?

I also think that way too little attention is given to voicing at =
piano tech schools (from what I know of European schools) .These =
days, a technician (overhere) can actually only make real progress by =
going to a factory. I went to a couple of them so I know, and it is =
really too bad for the other technicians for they are hungry too but =
have no possibillities because of their jobs, their boss or financial =
matters. That is why a better education is very much necessary.

And I have come to yet another conclusion :
A beautiful tuning is very important, but, since our ears are quite =
flexible as we all know, a "wonderful" touch and a masterly voicing =
are even more important because a performing pianist feels =
immediately happy and comfortable and this will add to his "balance".
Besides, voicing is the most difficult of the three (regulation, =
tuning, voicing) and I personally would love to spend more time with =
voicing masters!! An imperfect tuning can be masked by a skilled =
intoneur...
I'd like your opinions about these wonderful matters!

PS  I like Yamaha hammers too, what about you?


>It's easy to surmise that this is caused by the bellywork. Playing a
>crescendo on repeated note will diagnose this very common problem. I =
think
>it's
>fair to note that both factory and field technicians who use "Method B"
>routinely are equally to blame, if they create the inverse =
brightness/power
>curve thereby. It seems to me that the place to apply hardener is where =
the
>hammers need it, not by following either Method A or B.
>
>There, I've stuck my neck out, and it's been fun. What do you think?
>
>Bill Schneider
>schnei78@pilot.msu.edu
>


Friendly Greetings from:

CONCERT PIANO SERVICE
Andr=E9 Oorebeek
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
email address: oorebeek@euronet.nl

=89 Where Music is no harm can be =89