voicing learning curve

[ed440 at mindspring.com]

O.K., here's something:

To voice intentionally, we need to be able to hear, analyse and imagine piano tone in our minds.

Practice listening to a note, then "playing it back" in your mind.  Hear how a note changes through time: the explosive, disorganized beginning which quickly (how quickly?) begins to organize into a tone, which then focuses and blossoms (how well, how long?), then begins to dissolve, perhaps dancing back and forth between two overtones, then simplifying into one simple, fading tone.  Find ways to name what you hear.

These are some of the possible parts of a piano tone.  As we can name the parts of a tone we like, dislike or want to hear, we can think about how we want to change the tone.  Then we can think about how to do it.

Ed Sutton


>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "ed miller" <edmiller3 at hotmail.com>
>To: <pianotech at ptg.org>
>Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 3:10 PM
>Subject: [SPAM] voicing learning curve
>
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I'm looking for some voicing advice (mentoring). I'm two years into 
>> learning the piano trade and have learned a great deal already in the 
>> realm of tuning, regulating and repairing (though I know there's MUCH more 
>> to learn). I've found that most skills are pretty straight foward, they 
>> just take a little doing to get the hang of.
>>
>> Voicing, on the other hand, seems to me to be the most nuanced skill of 
>> them all. I'm a bit intimidated by it. There are so many techniques that I 
>> have read about. I'm sure most of them have merit, but none of them mean 
>> anything if the technician has not developed a fine ear for tonal quality 
>> and characterstics, and the subtle changes that can be achieved by 
>> manipulating the hammers.
>>
>> I'm intereted in hearing any thoughts on how one develops this skill. I'm 
>> less interested in specific techniques. I'm more looking for insight into 
>> the process of learning to be a quality voicing technician. Possibly some 
>> some stories from your own voicing learning process.
>>
>> Any thoughts would be appreciated.
>> Thanks,
>> Ed
>>
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>