[CAUT] Voicing method/analogy

[Richard Brekne]

Hi Jeff

I've heard this mentioned as well and have always interpreted it as 
meaning that in general Yamaha has influenced piano sound in the sense 
that (all) instruments are voiced brighter... something I dont 
particularly like myself.  I know of no design change in Steinway that 
can account for this kind of thing... tho I am most certainly not aware 
of everything in this world :)... Still  if anyone can point to a change 
in rib design, soundboard panel specifications, rim construction, 
scaling or similar that can be said to have been consciously employed by 
Steinway to move their sound in the direction of Yamahas... well I am 
sure this would be very interesting to hear about.

I find it difficult also to understand how Steinway and Sons could have 
been more clever in matching hammers to soundboards in the 20's... when 
this perspective on hammer choice seems to have only recently (within 
the past 10 or so years) popped up.  If such matching was somehow 
superior to todays... I guess it must have been rather random luck.

For my part, despite whatever may be happening in New York... I do not 
believe Steinway is coasting.  Nor do I accept the marketing argument 
for their unprecedented (in any industry in all human history) success.  
Their domination says clearly and simply to me that they hit upon a 
sound that the greatest majority of listeners / pianists... what have 
you found more to their tastes... all in all... then anything else.

We like to think, IMHO, that we know much more about what creates piano 
sound then we actually do.  We do indeed have in our collective 
intellect much more factual material then that collective we did a 
hundred years back... but those same <<we>>'s perhaps have lost as much 
or more of that intuitive knowledge of piano sound.  Some will have it 
that magic does not exist in our world.  I say.. in as much and to the 
degree that magic can be interpreted as that which happens beyond our 
ability to explain.... there is quite a bit of magic.... for better 
and/or worse.

Heck... I love pianos... what can I say ?

Cheers
RicB


    On May 30, 2007, at 2:32 PM, Richard Brekne wrote:

     > It just would be very interesting to see what such data would 
     > reveal. It might also shed some light on why the Steinway sound has 
     > dominated so to theee degree these past 100 + years.


    Hi Ric,
    Interesting you make this statement.  I've heard other techs talk as 
    if Steinway has actually moved more toward the Yamaha sound over the 
    last couple of decades.

    Jeff


    Jeff Tanner, RPT
    University of South Carolina

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