This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment MessageAlan, Tone quality is always an interesting topic to me. I've gotten rid of a = few recordings because I couldn't stand the voicing of the piano. One = was of the 500,000th Steinway (I think), a lot of different artists = playing. To me, it was a really glassy sounding instrument. I sold = the CD to a faculty member. =20 I'm not sure how I learned to hear the subtleties and form my opinion of = piano tone. But I did practice voicing every chance I had, starting = with evening up notes on the pianos I tuned. Are you a pianist? As a = pianist, I am always looking for the greatest spectrum of tone color = available. When I'm playing, I feel like the piano IS the orchestra, = and I want to be able to produce as many different voices possible.=20 Recently I serviced the home piano (Steinway B) for a university = professor (of piano). When I was at his house he said something to the = effect that he didn't want "that generic Steinway voicing." Let me = explain that I've often felt like I'm in minority because it seems no = matter where I go, so many of the pianos (not just Steinways) are way = too bright--for my taste, anyway. I can produce that raucous kind of = voicing if I have to, but I don't like it and I don't like to have to = tune it. If given artistic freedom, I go for a broad sound--not too = bright (but capable of being bright) and not so mellow to rob power. In = fact, at one time I had doubted my voicing strategy (only because it = seemed to be different than so much of what I've heard out there), until = I got the e-mail from the professor asking me to service his piano. = I'll quote the line that made me want to do cartwheels: "I have greatest admiration for your ability to bring out the highest = artistic potential in pianos." Well, I'm not sure I actually do, but, golly, I'm going to save that = one! A little affirmation at the right time can work marvels for a = person. OK, I'll stay the course, I'll stick to my ideals. Go for it, man! Barbara Richmond =20 ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Alan=20 To: 'Pianotech'=20 Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2005 10:07 AM Subject: Modern Tone was Restoring Collard & Collard Grand Joe Garrett said "Tone is nothing like what the past was, IMHO."=20 He was talking about much older instruments but it reminded me of a = conversation I once had with Ari Isaac.=20 I had asked him how a person can learn to really hear the subtleties = of voicing and what a piano should sound like. His response was "Listen = to piano music recorded in the 1950's." Alan R. Barnard Salem, MO ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/a5/da/d8/5c/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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