[CAUT] Tone "contrast"; Was - The "new" S&S Hammers.

[Ron Nossaman]

> Exactly, Jim!  Most pianists I've run into (and actually I can't think of
> any who have a different take on this) want a wider - not narrower palette
> of colors.  While they want a dark purple shade for part of the Adagio
> section they also want some flaming orange when called for.  They think it
> "too bright" if they can't get the darker colors but "powerless" if they
> can't make it sizzle.  I've seen the broken strings on pianos that wouldn't
> sizzle and the pianist pushed them to get it.
> 
> dp
> 
> ____________________
> David M. Porritt, RPT
> dporritt at smu.edu
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Jim
> Busby
> Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 3:10 PM
> To: College and University Technicians
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Tone "contrast"; Was - The "new" S&S Hammers.
> 
> Hi Ric, others,
> 
> At the same concert (original post) I mentioned to two Steinway techs in
> attendance that there seemed to be "no contrast of tone". (I won't
> mention their names). Both said the same thing... "That's right, and
> it's not really what we're after at Steinway". 
> 
> While there may be no "one way" to voice it's revealing to me that Eric
> S., Ron C., Scott J. and John P. have all voiced pianos I've listened to
> and they all are VERY similar. Vince is also of that school. John Patten
> and Eric both made the comment that all Steinway C&A techs pretty much
> do things the same way, or at least get to the same standard in tuning,
> voicing and regulation. 
> 
> Maybe I'm an idiot saying this but "pretty pianos" (like the rebuilds I
> mentioned at the convention) bore me after a while. I keep waiting for
> the ff sections to blow my hair back or move me emotionally, but they
> don't. 
> 
> Jim Busby BYU

Jim,
I'd like the short list of those "pretty" pianos at Rochester 
that didn't do it for you, please. A straightforward naming of 
names, so we who brought pianos will know where we stand and 
where and how we failed. Specifics, if you please, for our 
education. How else will we learn?

David,
Has anyone at SMU complained about the narrow palette of 
colors available from the D+ I did for you folks? If so, why 
haven't I heard about it?

I'd really appreciate some specificity here from both of you, 
so those of us on the block from Rochester (and elsewhere) 
will have a clue what the bitch is, to better evaluate our 
methods and general philosophies toward rebuilding.

Thanks,
Ron N