Dale, You left out the word "good" acoustic environment. <G> (aren't all environments where sound occurs acoustic, methinks...) I thought maybe you guys had some special voodoo thingee that I didn't know about. That's all. Yeah, I did sound funny... (I'm laughing now) This is why I voice IN the concert hall. I once (twice?) voiced a piano in the shop with disastrous results. As you were... Best, Jim ________________________________________ From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Dale Erwin [erwinspiano at aol.com] Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2011 9:59 PM To: caut at ptg.org Subject: Re: [CAUT] Should performers rule? (Was Lacquered hammers) Hey Jim Come on your pulling my leg...right? Perhaps I should have said good acoustics. In my mind a any space that has walls, floors and a ceiling. An enclosure where the instrument deposits its acoustic energy and the energy/sound waves have room to move and reflect Any thing that absorbs energy is going to suck the sound up and away from the instrument. Acoustic ceiling tile is essentially a sponge as is carpet, brick,and any porous material. Also too large a space, too high a ceiling etc. A sound in this space many would call the sound dry, dead or Sterile. Such was the Rochester hall. A good acoustic environment is one where there is adequate space for the sound to expand and blend adequately with out a reverb affect. This in my opinion is a desirable acoustic space. It allows for the best qualities of the instrument to be more clearly heard. And don't voice our pianos for the space in which they will reside? Hmm? The 2nd best D in the world lives at the nearby college. :) I rebuilt the action and voiced it for a dry sounding hall with the cotton spray on the wall coating. Horrible stuff. After the hall was redone and the acoustic environment improved The first pianist in asked kindly if the piano could be voiced as it was now a bit too brilliant for the space. I was actually waiting for the request and the result was the need for less stiffness in the hammers which resulted in more color. I tuned and voiced a Yam G-2 last week for a long time client. She hated the piano. She had a modest living room with a well balanced accouterments to blend the sound, but the G-2 was harsh. The voicing was not the entire problem. After voicing and tuning we noticed that the lid was opening too much toward the window and wall. Jacob and I adjusted the position of the piano so the lid pointed out toward the farthest corner of the room. Suddenly the piano became warm and clear not strident. The very character of the music played in position A changed completely in position B. This is why I was making a point of inquiring whether Fred had heard the pianos in the Classrooms and not just int the Hall itself. I submit if that hall was a sales floor that not one piano would ever be sold because it sounded so great! AS a side. Not all the Pianos in Rochester had redesign feature. Chris Robinsons Mason A was a pure Compression crowned board and produced stellar sound, Shawn Hoar, David Hughes And Jude Revelys pianos were mildly rib crowned. David Anderson Stwy C had a radial fanned design by yours truly, bells and whistle included. Personally, I liked it too. All this said I will agree with Fred that many of these redesigned pianos are experimental, until you happen on one that makes you say huh!, Like Scubby Doo. Then maybe there's something to be open minded about. Next time shall we talk about the design that failed? Kind a like jet aircraft being flown by test pilots. SOme of went really fast....for a while I'm done Dale S. Erwin www.Erwinspiano.com Custom restoration Ronsen Piano hammers Join the Weickert felt Revolution 209-577-8397 209-985-0990 -----Original Message----- From: Jim Busby <jim_busby at byu.edu> To: caut at ptg.org <caut at ptg.org> Sent: Thu, Feb 24, 2011 12:15 pm Subject: Re: [CAUT] Should performers rule? (Was Lacquered hammers) Dale, Maybe a dumb question but would you explain what an acoustic environment is? Concert hall with good acoustics, vs. small room? Thanks. Jim <<< Do acoustic instruments require acoustic environments to really shine. Peace. Dale S. Erwin www.Erwinspiano.com<http://www.Erwinspiano.com> Custom restoration Ronsen Piano hammers Join the Weickert felt Revolution 209-577-8397 209-985-0990
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