Whadayathink of this piano sound?

[Gary Fluke]

David,

'"...but things are not quite "there" yet..."  Are you serious?  Digital 
recording is fantastic.  Easy to use portable digital recorders are readily 
available.  No previous method of recording can compare with digital 
regarding.  Digital recording devastates all the previous methods regarding 
fidelity, including wow and flutter, harmonic distortion, noise and dynamic 
range, not to mention the economy of storage mediums, random access 
capability, ability to edit and modify sound, etc.  Of course, the piano has 
historically been one of the best instruments to record as a test of a 
recording medium as it has a huge dynamic range and especially the fact that 
wow and flutter is very noticeable when recording piano.  A piano's sound is 
dead solid when it comes to sustaining a uniform pitch as notes decay, so 
any wow or flutter is noticed.  This is unlike woodwinds and bowed 
instruments.  There is virtually no wow and flutter with the digital medium.

Interestingly enough, George Martin has said that those who don't like what 
they sound like when recorded digitally and want to use analog tape instead, 
need to address what it is about their sound that needs to be "fixed" by the 
distortion of analog tape.


Gary Fluke
Snohomish, WA




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Boyce" <David at piano.plus.com>
To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2007 12:42 PM
Subject: Re: Whadayathink of this piano sound?


> OK, so, I grovel in mortification for having confused Simple Gifts withn 
> the Bonny Banks O' Loch Lomond!
>
> Can I be excused on the grounds that a) I was off work with a stinkin' 
> cold, and in bed when I listened on my laptop; b) I live not far from the 
> bonny banks o' Loch Lomond; c) It *just about* fits.
>
> Having now listened to the samples through decent speakers (Linaeum) I 
> can't really tell a difference between the two file types.   I also find 
> that it doesn't have the Bosendorfer-ish quality I thought I deteceted on 
> the tiny laptop speakers, and I can hear the Steinway pedigree, but the 
> piano sounding very fresh and lovely and lively.
>
> The old Steinway B's seem to restore so well. The local theatre here has a 
> Hamburg Steinway B that's about 115 years old and was restored by Steinway 
> London about 25 years ago, and it's just beautiful, always a joy to tune 
> and play (if it weren't so cold and draughty in there!).
>
> The whole business of making recordings on the move is interesting. 
> Cassette tape is done, but things are not quite "there" yet, I feel, in 
> terms of a simple way to make nice digtial stereo recordings with readily 
> portable equipment.  Though yours were most enjoyable, Kent!  I think the 
> music industry, of course, doesnt WANT people to make their own 
> recordings......
>
> Best regards,
>
> David
>
>