<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=windows-1250"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.2604" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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 </FONT><FONT face=Arial = size=2>the CD to a faculty member.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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:</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>"I have greatest admiration for your ability to bring out the = highest artistic potential in pianos."</DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Go for it, man!</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Barbara Richmond</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV>----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=tune4u@earthlink.net = href="mailto:tune4u@earthlink.net">Alan</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">'Pianotech'</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, March 03, 2005 = 10:07 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Modern Tone was = Restoring Collard & Collard Grand</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2>Joe Garret<SPAN = class=250450316-03032005>t said "Tone is nothing like what the past was, IMHO." </SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN class=250450316-03032005></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN = class=250450316-03032005>He was talking about much older instruments but it reminded me of a = conversation I once had with Ari Isaac. </SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN class=250450316-03032005></SPAN></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Arial><FONT size=2><SPAN = class=250450316-03032005>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."</SPAN></FONT></FONT></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Alan R. = Barnard</FONT></DIV> <DIV align=left><FONT face=Arial size=2>Salem, MO</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>