Thanks for the idea. Even though the majority of the pianos are new (leased), there are in fact some older pianos that they own that I could work on. Keena > -----Original Message----- > From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of > ed440@mindspring.com > Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2004 9:04 AM > To: College and University Technicians > Subject: RE: [CAUT] Voicing > > Keena- > > Since you mention the damp summer, you might start by ironing the bass > with a brass hammer iron or a household iron (no hotter than wool setting, > of course.) > > Practice room pianos are a good place to practice voicing techniques. > After all, they are practice pianos! > > Ed Sutton > > -----Original Message----- > From: keenas business <keenas.pianos@rcn.com> > Sent: Sep 14, 2004 8:50 AM > To: 'College and University Technicians' <caut@ptg.org> > Subject: RE: [CAUT] Voicing > > I thank all of you for your time and responses. I am not touching the > piano until this Friday morning, the day of the concert. > > The dampers, hammers and strings and action are in mint condition. The > piano is being compared to a six foot Kawai that was being played during > the first practice. The artists are aware that the tonal qualities of > the rich sounding 9' Steinway are quite different from the bright Kawai. > > The performance hall holds approximately 200 people. Climate control is > not consistent and everyone is aware of this dilemma. > > The Artist performing is the Artist-in-Residence and is quite amenable > to any improvement that can be made, if possible. It is only used for > Classical music by musicians such as those who play with the BSO. > > I am not afforded the opportunity to voice as many instruments as I > would like to and thus my reason for asking for ideas to broaden my > knowledge. > > During dry season last year the upper tenor/lower treble area needed to > be brighter and I resolved that situation. > > This season has posed a new problem. We had a very damp summer. > > Thanks again. I let you all know what happens with the situation. > > Keena Keel > > -----Original Message----- > > From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of > > Horace Greeley > > Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2004 11:52 PM > > To: College and University Technicians > > Subject: RE: [CAUT] Voicing > > > > > > Hi, Keena, > > Thanks again. > > Keena Keel > > > At 06:19 AM 9/11/2004, you wrote: > > > > Judging from the time of your message, chances are that you have > already > > had to do what you had to do. > > > > > > >I have to tune a concert on a Hamburg Steinway D. The artist would > like > > >to have the bass hammers brighter but not louder. > > > > > >Any thoughts appreciated. > > > > There are a number of different ways to approach this question; and, > (I > > hope) you will get a number of different answers. > > > > While no one system is necessarily better than another, there are some > > that > > are considered to be more traditionally accepted, which leave the > hammers > > more susceptible to future work, the instrument more versatile, and > > produce > > better short term effects. > > > > If things are at a point at which you can share some additional > > information, that might be helpful in making more relevant > > suggestions. The kinds of things I am thinking about here have to do > with > > the size and nature of the hall (How live? How dead? A/C? Overall > > climate?, age and overall condition of the instrument > > (Strings? Dampers? Action?), general major usage of the instrument > > (Classical? Pop? etc.)...in other words, help to create an overall > > understanding of what the situation might be, and how this specific > piano > > fits into it. > > > > If you are still on the horns of your dilemma, what you might do will > > depend on things like, how much time you have, how much experience you > > have > > with this kind of work (be honest, at least with yourself...and, > please do > > understand that _all_ of us have been beginners at some point or > > other...), > > how picky are the artists in general wherever you are? (Is the > present > > person within a reasonable range of those who usually use the piano? > If > > not, is there criticism well-grounded?...etc...a whole other > discussion.) > > > > So as not to put you off entirely, I think that a great deal would > depend > > on how much time I had. If I had only exceptionally limited time, I > > _might_ be tempted to use an exceptionally light solution of lacquer > > sanding sealer in an acetone carrier...perhaps on the order of 11:1 > > acetone > > to sealer. (Using this combination gives you the most versatility for > > going back and making changes later. The acetone evaporates very > quickly; > > and the sanding sealer breaks down. Whatever else you do do, please, > do > > not succumb to the temptation to use plastic...it is, essentially > > irreversible...and, if used at all, should be used exceptionally > sparingly > > and only in exceptionally thin solution.) > > > > If I had somewhat more time, I would probably spend some time with the > > needles and sandpaper files; and, based on _my own_ experience, would > most > > likely look at taking back a little from the lower to mid-tenor rather > > than > > trying to bring up the bass. > > > > Too much hardness on hammers in a D, especially a Hamburg, is going to > > sound like so much broken glass in the hall and will distort badly. > Much > > more frequently, what the performer perceives as too little bass, is, > in > > fact, too much tenor. The other place to check very quickly before > > starting is the first treble section. Use good, solid FFF blows. If > the > > sound breaks up/distorts/becomes musically unusable - then that area > is > > already too hot, and needs to be cut back. It is the weakest area in > the > > scale, and has the least latitude for error. > > > > So, the very short version here is: > > > > 1.- Check the first treble on it's own. > > > > 2.- Check the first treble in relation with the lower to > mid-tenor. > > > > 3.- Check the first treble in relation with the over strung, > especially > > the bottom octave. > > > > 4.- Check the balance between the bass (overall) to the lower to > mid- > > tenor. > > > > 5.- Check the balance between the E and F at the bass break and > the C# > > and D at the first treble break. > > > > If you are already losing the first treble in any of the first three > > steps, > > and/or if you have to be really pounding it to keep things in balance, > the > > best thing to do might be nothing at all until you truly have some > time to > > work out whatever is going on. > > > > If the first treble is reasonably balanced in the first three steps, > then > > pay very close attention to number 4. If the lower to mid-tenor is > > already > > pretty blasty at FFF and the bass is loud but not quite at the same > level, > > you will probably be better advised to cut back the tenor than to try > to > > bring up the bass. > > > > As to number five, whichever of these produces the weakest transition > is > > what determines how "loud" the piano may be made without pushing the > > limits > > too far....which is to say, don't go there unless you have either: A.- > > enough time to really fix the problem later; and/or, B.- enough money > to > > replace the hammers in case they really get messed up. > > > > As you have probably guessed, this is not exactly a walk in the park; > and, > > a Hamburg D is not the best of all possible pianos on which to have > this > > kind of experience. At the same time, if you work carefully, and take > > your > > time to do a good deal of listening between steps (particularly if you > > wind > > up having to use chemicals), you will be fine. > > > > End of lecture....hope there is something useful in it for you. > > > > > > >This is the first time that I've used this system. Please excuse me, > if > > >there are any duplicates. > > > > No problem, at all. This is what these lists are for. > > > > Besides, the only truly stupid questions are the ones we do not ask. > > > > Best regards and luck! > > > > Horace > > > > > > > > >Thanks, > > > > > >Keena Keel, RPT > > > > > > > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > > >caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > > _______________________________________________ > > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > > _______________________________________________ > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives > > _______________________________________________ > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
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