Prepared piano

[Les Smith]

On Sun, 13 Apr 1997, David ilvedson wrote:

> > Date:          Fri, 11 Apr 1997 13:01:04 -0700
> > From:          Rick.Florence@ASU.Edu
> > Subject:       Prepared piano
> > To:            pianotech@byu.edu
> > Reply-to:      pianotech@byu.edu
>
> Rick,
>
> It seems that a bit of tape on the agraffe and/or damper head
> can give the pianist a good idea where to strike unless he
> insists on working beyond the dampers.
>
> David ilvedson, RPT
> Pacifica, CA

Okay. Get ready. What follows is  a personal opinion. Subjective at best;
REALLY biased at worst. As someone who has been both playing and servicing
pianos for virtually my entire life I'd like to make a comment on this re-
cent thread on "prepared" pianos. Not only doesn't it matter HOW one marks
the strings for a prepared piano, neither does it matter IF they marked at
all, the noise and nonsense which follows will be equally as bad. I mean,
comparatively-speaking, even when Jerry Lee poured lighter-fluid in his
piano, tossed in a match, set it on fire and kept on playing, at least it
served to enhance the effectiveness of the music being played.  I guess
what it comes down to is that I would much rather hear a prepared PIANIST,
than a prepared piano!

Les (sometimes accused of being opinionated!) Smith