Rescaling

[w peterson]

I agree with you Phil. I am thinking from all of this rescaling and board
changing that they want us all to have pianos that speak Japanese.  All the
same and even, with nothing outstanding.  Bill Peterson
----- Original Message -----
From: Phillip L Ford <fordpiano@lycos.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 03, 2001 9:44 PM
Subject: Re: Rescaling


> Most just follow what was done before.
>
> You make that sound like an insult.  I'm one of those that just follows
what was done before.   I suppose I should refer to myself as a piano
restorer rather than a rebuilder.  That's what I believe to be my task.  I
think there is an obligation toward the people that built the instrument to
put it back as much as possible to the way that it was originally.  If you
do otherwise the finished product is not the maker's piano but your own.  I
once went to a class given by Mr. Sanderson (whose name often seems to come
up in discussions of improving pianos).  He made a comment which I thought
was very much to the point and it went something like this; well, you could
redesign the scale on a Steinway but then you really wouldn't have a
Steinway any more you'd have a Frankensteinway.  I start to worry when I
hear the words redesigned or improved or some variation thereof.  These
words are often used by those that think that new is better and technology
is our friend.  The builders !
> of!
>
> the past didn't have our technology and in some areas they didn't have our
knowledge.  But they were just as smart as we are, were tireless workers and
experimenters, and could play and hear just as well as we can.  I believe
many of their design decisions were made deliberately, not accidentally nor
through ignorance.  The good makers achieved a unique sound.  Their pianos
had personality.  If one of the consequences of that is that the piano has
some quirks or warts, so be it.  Perfect pianos, like perfect people, are
boring.  The Steinway B seems to be a favorite whipping boy of some of these
discussions.  If you talk to pianists (who, not so incidentally, are the
ones that pianos are built for - not piano technicians) you will find many
who love that piano.  I have played on some Steinway Bs that will make you
cry or laugh out loud they are so wonderful to play.  I seldom have that
experience on new pianos with their low inharmonicity scales and their
properly designed t!
> hi!
> s
>  and properly designed that.  I have the impression that there are many
people who seem to feel that if you just find the right formulas and right
computer programs you can design a perfect piano.  Then once this perfect
design is achieved everyone can just build it.  The problem with this is
that every piano will be the same.  I have a name for this piano.  I call it
the Stepford piano (if you've seen the Stepford Wives then you should know
what I mean).  A great piano is an artistic statement in the same way that a
Picasso or a Van Gogh is.  You wouldn't 'redesign' a Van Gogh because you
thought that there was too much paint on the canvas or you thought that the
colors were inappropriate for the subject.  If you don't agree with what Van
Gogh had to say then paint your own painting, don't 'improve' on what he did
now that he's not around to stop you.
>
> Phil Ford
> --
>
> On Sat, 30 Jun 2001 07:08:24
>  Newton Hunt wrote:
> >Well done Ron O.  I wish we all had the facilities to redesign pianos so
they
> >worked well.  Most just follow what was done before or, worse, just don't
care
> >what comes out.
> >
> >Hope to see you in Reno.
> >
> > Newton
> >
> >
> >> David, Del, Newton and list,
> >>
> >> Del's post was right on the money.
> >
>
>
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