[CAUT] Steinway "sound"

[Fred Sturm]

On Feb 15, 2011, at 12:20 PM, Laurence Libin wrote:

>  Logically to identify a uniquely Steinway D sound (even a 1990s NY  
> D sound) you'd have to show that no other piano's tonal  
> characteristics overlap with the D's. But it can be very hard to  
> identify different manufacturers' pianos by ear in a blind test  
> because parameters overlap. I've demonstrated this for discerning  
> listeners, and you'd be surprised how few can tell a Steinway from a  
> Bechstein or Yamaha, much less a NY D from a Hamburg, under  
> controlled conditions.


	No doubt this is correct, and it is true that individual variance  
between pianos of any given manufacturer/model can be larger than  
differences between manufacturer/models, especially when preparation  
by various technicians and performance by various pianists is factored  
in. In the concert grand arena, there is a tendency to convergence  
that makes this even less clear, mostly from other manufacturers  
emulating at least some Steinway characteristics (for instance,  
virtually everyone now has front and back duplex).
	But there _are_ some elements that are clearly different, and tend  
toward an overall difference in sound and response. Scale is one,  
where the Steinway scale demands considerably more stretch than many  
other brands (reaching a difference, with similar parameters for  
choosing octave size, of 20 cents or more at C8. This has an effect on  
the overall sound, though in itself it is probably too subtle for the  
average listener to hear. Lacquer hammers is another, though most  
experienced high level techs can make that difference disappear for  
practical purposes (except in the ability to alter tone color back and  
forth in a short period of time - but that is more of a practical  
matter).
	In any case, my last post was aimed at one specific distinction,  
between NY Steinway original equipment and design, and a general array  
of rebuilding/remanufacture/redesign standards and concepts that are  
pretty well established among at least a small group of rebuilders,  
and have been expressed, argued and explained at great length and in  
great detail on this list and pianotech over the years. Here, the  
distinction is more clear, as a number of factors are changed. In the  
extreme case, the soundboard is rib crowned with stiffer ribs and with  
a bass cutoff relatively close to the bridge; duplex is removed in  
favor of a lower angle and shorter front segment; rescaling is done;  
hammers are cold pressed without lacquer. These differences are in  
marked contrast to Steinway design, especially when all put together,  
and the difference in sound and response is pretty clear.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu





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