?? Voice ??

[Barbara Richmond]

Hey Ric,

> I understand Barbara.  I was just trying to discern between two major
> types of voicing situations.  And in general get some discussion going
> about the willingness to jump at using juice or other chemicals without
> even considering needles.  I certainly don't want to get into the what's
> universally right and wrong discussion.  Heck... I'm the first to argue
> against others when I think I am hearing the old absolutes coming through.

Sorry, I was thinking that you were sounding a bit absolute--must have
gotten up too early or gone to bed too late...or both.

>
> That said.. I think for higher class pianos... and by that I mean
> anything from say a Yamaha C3 and up over then one should pretty much
> insure a decent set of hammers and stick to well established procedures
> for handling the job. And that goes just as much for the lacquer
> technique if you opt for that kind of hammer as it does my own
> preference for tensioned hammers that need needling.

Of course..........IF they'll work.  :-)


> >I guess I could shock you further to tell you about working on a Steinway
> >B in at a faculty member's home.  Of all the Bs I worked on, it had the
> >most beautiful sound [my opinion--and I've got a good one  ;-) ].
> >Unfortunately, the owner, one of my pickiest clients, suffered from
>> tinnitus and she wanted me to take it down a notch.  I scheduled a whole
> >morning to do the work.  Got there, loaded the needles into the voicing
> >tool and started stabbing.........nothing........dang!  After 15 minutes
> >of notta, I got out some hammer softening solution.  2 or 3 drops on each
> >hammer and five minutes later the piano was done.  She was ecstatic,
> >said the piano was perfect. My disappointment was that I finished so
> >fast--I was planning on making a bunch of money that morning!
> >
> >
> >
> Well heck there Barbs... :)... NY S&S's force you to treat them this way
> as often as not.  That's the gig over there. Lots of lacquer through the
> years. You end up with hammers that simply wont respond to the needle...
> many times even up in the crown area for purely softening the tone...
> you just get no response.

Ah, but sometimes hammers will surprise you.  These didn't seem to be over
lacquered--and I was dumbfounded!  I know there is no sense in
poking holes in over-lacquered hammers.


> So you have to go with a chemical... or trade
> hammers. And I doubt I would recommend that Stateside as I just know the
> next guy will come along and soak em anyways.  That's sort of my point
> with all this.  I shouldn't have to feel that way.  Should be that techs
> know when /not/ to use hammer dope... when you actually /can /needle
> up.  I get the feeling that far too many (both in Europe and Stateside)
> don't really even know what that really is... much less have any real
> developed skills in the area. And why should they ?? Who's out there
> giving all that necessary hands on training... what factories do young
> techs get to go to and get personalized training any more ? Again...
> this isn't a criticism in any personal sense of the word... rather a
> critical minded question about the general state of the art I suppose.
>

Actually, I don't think it's really so hard to learn to voice.  Yes, it
would be better to have a wonderful tutor, but hey, I learned (and am still
learning), so other people can, too.   I see two problems:

1. Folks get scared because of dire warnings.  Experienced voicers sometimes
leave out information, thinking it's too dangerous in the hands of novices.
How many times did I hear as a student that you never voice at the crown???
Sheesh.  Have I learned how far you can go?  You bet.  :-)

2. Learning to voice takes discipline, time and practice.  Just like tuning,
one develops an ear for it.  I do remember making some flippant comment (who
me?) about folks who used ETDs when I was at Little Red School House.
Naturally, I was justly chastised.    *At the time* I was strictly tuning by
ear and said (referring to those who used ETDs), "But they never voice!"  Of
course, that wasn't true--maybe only in my neighborhood.  :-)   Actually,
after *I* got an ETD, I had even more energy for voicing.

As I see it, the trick is taking the time to develop the ear--not just to
find the notes that stick out, but also to develop a concept of tone
quality.  I've helped a few folks get started on voicing.  I've just passed
on what I was told [You know, in those classes with forty guys standing
around--but you see, I listened and was willing to try the stuff.  ;-) ]:
After tuning, take the time to pick out some notes that stick out or twang
or whatever.  Soon, the tech starts to notice/hear things--not just those
notes that stick out, but eventually general tone quality of the instrument
and what it is capable of producing.

I have a friend who says my knack for voicing is due in part to my being a
pianist.  (No, I'm not great, and yes, sometime when I get a mini-disc
recorder, I'll make that recording I promised of my ol' Steinway.)  But I do
have a musical ideal/requirement that I shoot for, the best I can, on every
instrument I service--with permission, of course.  So, not only does one
have to have all the tools (and know how to use them), but also, that goal
to shoot for.

> >
> Boy do I know that feeling.  Gets really bad when that University
> Doctorate is breathing down your neck as you are starting to clean up
> his pride and joy of a Bosie, S&S, or Yamanamaha... etc.  That person
> /knows/ what they want to sense from the the instrument for each
> different touch of the key.  Knowing how to get there fast and with
> confidence is one heck of a big asset.

But, Ric, that's the fun part!  :-)  Oh, I take that back, the fun part is
when you transform a piano and the owner pirouettes across the room!

Have a good weekend!

Barbara Richmond