[CAUT] Piano Preferences

[David Love]

Each piano's tonal signature leans in a certain direction.  While there are
many similar design styles these days there are some distinctly different
ones as well. Voicing is really the last defense for an already existing
design or execution.  If you compare a Bosendorfer 225 and a Steinway B in
terms of design and construction it becomes pretty clear that one will never
sound like the other no matter what you do and that each has its
characteristic leaning based on scale design (high versus low tension),
soundboard design and manufacture (including plate and rim), and finally the
hammer choice dictated (hopefully) but the other two factors.  

There are two ways to look at differences:  between different designs and
within the same design (i.e. between, say, two different Steinway Bs).  In
the case of Bosendorfer versus Steinway the different designs will not
likely have you confusing the tone of one with the other, at least not if
you're paying attention.  There are obviously differences that occur within
the same design that have more to do with execution, prep work, and
soundboard changes that take place over time or even from the factory.
Those factors that contribute to differences between two pianos of the same
design are different than the differences between two opposing designs.
Both of those issues (between and within differences) can also be topics for
the presentation and are worth noting. 

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Fred
Sturm
Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 7:43 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Piano Preferences

On Mar 5, 2010, at 7:53 AM, David Love wrote:

> Probably not the right approach as it's too subjective and there are  
> no
> answers to the questions you're asking.  A better approach might be to
> discuss why different pianos have different tonal characteristics  
> and what
> those are and why.  It's a discussion of design and you can talk  
> about the
> three components of tone: scale, soundboard, hammer and how different
> designs tend to produce different outcomes.  It's a presentation  
> I've done
> and can be quite interesting for people.
>
> David Love
> www.davidlovepianos.com
>
>
And perhaps more useful in a practical sense is what a piano  
technician can do to a piano to make it more appropriate to X rather  
than Y. Making a piano right for vocal accompanying is far different  
from jazz, for instance. Same piano could serve either, with the right  
prep (essentially voicing).
	When it comes to picking from current new offerings of pianos, it
has  
more to do with differences between individual instruments, and how  
they have been set up, than design, for the most part. Because the  
differences in design aren't that significant these days, as compared  
to 50 or 100 or 150 years ago. Back then, one could make more of a  
case for one maker over another having a character suited to X. Today  
we certainly see variation between instruments, beyond mere voicing  
issues, where one is more resonant than another for instance. But  
"character" is in a narrower range. There are exceptions, and they  
tend to be German. Blüthner, for instance.
	A couple years ago I visited a piano teacher in France, and she had

two instruments, a Gaveau and a Pleyel. The characters were quite  
distinct, and she had very strong opinions about which was appropriate  
for what music. With good reason.
	What's "character?" Hmm, good question <G>. Seemed like more than  
just scale, soundboard and hammer. One element I noticed was action,  
as the ratios were probably different. Another variant that has become  
less varied.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: JONATHLANGH at cs.com
> To: caut at ptg.org
> Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 7:50 AM
> Subject: [CAUT] Piano Preferences
>
>
> I am scheduled to give a talk on the types and brands of pianos  
> suited to
> particular kinds of music, such as jazz, List, Beethoven,  
> accompanying the
> voice. Do you fellows have opinions or knowledge of what pianos  
> might be
> appropriate for certain music?
>
> Jonathan Langham, RPT
>