SV: Yamaha voicing...and the famous Newton!

[Richard Brekne]

I have heard this too Linda.. havent tried it tho... Another approach is sorta a combination steam and needle scheme. I have tried this on ultra hard hammers and it works really well. I give the shoulders about 30 deep shots down the shoulders, then zap them with steam same place. They tend to swell up a bit but you get this really nice "flexing" feeling when you press at the
crown with your thumb. This results in suprisingly good dynamics from soft to loud play.

This proceedure is for brand new hammers that havent been needled before.

Linda Stråhle wrote:

> Hello Rich,
>
> I'm am absolutely not a voicing expert but I recently had some Ahhaaa!!! experince voicing a Yamaha. C3.
> I have been voicing a lot of Yamaha's since I work for a dealer and sometimes I have "killed" them. Suddendly the brightness just dissapeared and the tone become dark as a forest in rain in Oktober. Then I have  needled it too much and too deep. Doing the hole process of prevoicing, filing hammers and so on.
> In August we had a mini seminar with a Yamaha concert technician from Paris. Expert only on the C3. When he was voicing he used only very short needles all over the hammer surface.
> I t looked strange to me and we talked about it. He said that the hammers were so hard burned/ ironed at the factory so all you have to do was to loosen up the thin layer on the surface of the hammer. All around the shoulders whith not so long needles .  Now I have tried that on both new and old Yanahas and it works easily, not so much work to do as I did before. I was amazed.
> I have also heard Yamahas with other hammerheads, Abel and others and it sounded good too.
>
> I get the needle in my thumb at least once a week,, aooo.
>
> greetings,
>
> Linda Stråhle
> Sweden
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Richard Oliver Snelson <rsnelson@dave-world.net>
> To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Thursday, October 19, 2000 11:08 PM
> Subject: Yamaha voicing...and the famous Newton!
>
> > The piano is Yamaha C3.. Piano teacher has it in a very small room. The
> > piano sounds exactly as you would expect. Too loud..
> >
> > Newton and I voiced it down (needle) a bit when he was here in Central
> > Ill. Aside from installing different hammers to make it not sound like a
> > Yamaha. What do you suggest? I have experience with steam voicing.
> > Controlled, using a wet cloth and a electric hammer iron. I'm reluctant
> > because of the discussion that went on here a few weeks, months ago
> > about not steaming Yamaha hammers. Teacher is willing to spring for
> > different hammers. This would get me piano lessons for the next couple
> > of years.. She is a good friend. Newton was stuck by her and I'm sure
> > would come back in a heart beat to install them also. Down boy!
> >
> > Your help please,
> > Rich
> >

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway