S&S Hammers

[Terry Beckingham]

Hi gang,

Just where can one learn about voicing? I have read the little bit available
in Reblitz's book and "Grand Voicing" by Dietz, but there doesn't seem to be
much available on the subject. I have experimented somewhat with needles,
steaming, ironing and juicing on my own pianos with mixed results. Being 400
miles from the nearest RPT makes it somewhat difficult to get any instruction.

Cheers

Terry Beckingham

At 01:23 PM 1/19/00 EST, you wrote:
>
>In a message dated 1/19/2000 10:06:47 AM, Mike J. wrote:
>
><<"It would be nice if those who've mastered genuine steinway hammers would
>share and quantify exact methods and results.  This may be a dumb or
>impossible request as every piano is different">>
>(performance venue oriented)
>
> Michael;
> This ain't a "dumb" request though it may well be a nigh on to 
>an "impossible" one :-)
>
> With all the different hammer shape configuration favorites, not to mention 
>voicing techniques ranging from needles to pliers, to ironing, to steaming, 
>and disregarding the veritable flood of chemicals used to voice, i.e. plastic 
>solution, laquer, sealer, shellac, etc. I know I am stay confused :-)  
>  While each practitioner of the various methods swears by 'their' shape, 
>voicing, hardening and each, in general, produce some acceptable 
>sounds.........I ain't gonna say which is the best way or even the 'accepted' 
>way cause it varies soooo much from piananner to piananner.  
>  Other than the generally accepted varying "pear shape", S&S hammer work 
>seems to solidify around the principle of 'if it works just do it'.  
>The same may be said of other hammers as well of course :-)
>
> Good luck and I would also like to see a definitive 'generic' performance 
>approach.
>Jim Bryant (FL)
>
>
>