Concert prep help

[Lance Lafargue]

Before I moved away from the city, I used to have the contract at the
University of New Orleans where Wynton's
dad Ellis teaches.  Ellis' piano and most pianos there are below standard
instruments.  I have also worked for many, many Jazz cats around New
Orleans and fortunately for me (like in your situation) their standards are
not that of a classical pianist.  I have had Van Cliburn people throw up
their hands and want voicing, aftertouch and repetition perfected to THEIR
tastes (30 minutes before the performance).  Jazz guys generally want you
to take that pencil out of the action so they can get on with it.  Almost
as bad as Thelonious Monk himself-what out of tune recordings!  The player
may be Kenny Kirkland-a real killer.  These guys are more interested
(generally) in the overall performance and less about little things that
"anal-retentive, non-jazz, I'm the greatest thing to ever happen to the
musical world, the bench is 1/32 of an inch too high" folks would be. 

I have found many of the concert instruments in the area to be in need of
lots of work, but it doesn't seem to matter. 

That is not to say that all are that way.  I would even out the voicing,
check aftertouch (you can crank up or down the action glide bolts to
gang-adjust aftertouch-just make sure action still glides with no knocks),
tune the top plenty stretched, check let-off and drop, good rep., (I use
Spurlock's let-off jig or Jon Page's for speed).
Hit the high spots.   

As to approaching the people who should spend $ on the piano, I have made
friends with the artists and in my sly way have "inspired" them approach
the Dean or whoever and express how much the piano needs. They also assure
the Dean or whoever that I understand/understood what is needed and seemed
capable of bringing the piano up to the level necessary.  If the pianist
complains, I also remind them that I am not the sole tech responsible for
the piano and that I agree with him/her(if I do), and then we are then on
the same team, trying to do what WE can for HIS/HER performance under these
"less than ideal" circumstances.  It's worked for me. When the pressure
builds, take a deep breath and act like you know what you're doing.  You'll
look back and realize you didn't need to be so stressed.  Often times they
have cut me off and told me to stop (30 minutes to tune, etc.) even though
I said that the piano was not ready.  No one else seemed to notice. I
HIGHLY recommend Franz Mohr's book "My Life With the Great Pianists". He
has many similar stories, and stuff that happens to us, happened to him
even in the big league.   Hope this helps. Good luck.  
Lance Lafargue, RPT
New Orleans Chapter
Covington, LA.
lafargue@iamerica.net

----------
> From: John McKone <mckonejw@SKYPOINT.COM>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Concert prep help
> Date: Thursday, February 05, 1998 10:17 PM
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I will be tuning for Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Jazz Ensemble next
> week, and I have some questions and concerns about the prep situation.
> 
> Here's the deal: the piano is what I would consider an unremarkable or
> possibly adequate Steinway D that is the house piano at the hall where
the
> concert is to take place.  I tune this piano once or twice a year and
each
> time remind the staff that it is no where near concert ready for a high
> level artist.  The regulation is ok for a home piano, but nothing like
what
> would be expected by a real pro.  Ditto for the voicing.  Of course the
> have never come up with the funds to bring the piano up to concert level.
> 
> I will have about 3 hours at the piano the day before the show, and then
am
> required to be there for the sound check, and on call for the
performance.
> I assume a fairly substantial pitch raise to get the piano stable - so
call
> that an hour and a half.
> 
> Here come the questions...
> 
> 1. What is the best use of the approximately 1 1/2 hours I have available
> for voicing/regulating this instrument?  I need to do piano triage here,
> and would like advice.
> 
> 2. What would be the best diplomatic approach to explaining the situation
> to the pianist if, as I fear will happen, the pianist is not happy with
the
> instrument?
> 
> 3.  Has anybody worked with this group before? If so, what are the
> idiosyncrasies of the pianist?
> 
> Thanks in advance for your help.
> 
> John McKone, RPT
> St. louis Park, Minnesota
> (612) 280-8375
> mckonejw@skypoint.com
> 
> 
> 
>