Voicing the new piano

[Jay Mercier]

"I remember talking to David Durbin from Yamaha about steaming hammers and 
he wasn't too keen on it."

Same here - I talked with him at the convention booth and he was not hearing 
my take on steam voicing.



"I am interested in the steaming procedure but
>have heard that it is very easy to oversteam hammers and once you've done 
>that, they are ruined.  Can anyone give a specific procedure for hammer 
>steaming?"

After attending Roger Jolly's class on steam voicing in Chicago, I am 
convinced that steam voicing is just one more great "tool" to pick from when 
voicing.  My only complaint so far is that finding a 12" by 4" piece of 
linen today, it was hopeless.

Ask Roger Jolly to send you a copy of the handout from his class.  It's 
good.

Jay Mercier
>
>Corte Swearingen
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Baldwin Yamaha Piano Centre" <baldwin@mta-01.sk.sympatico.ca>
>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 2:01 PM
>Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano
>
>
> > Hi David,
> >                  A very light steaming over the crown every 6 months can
> > greatly extend the life of those hammers. We have done it with some U1's
>in
> > University practice studios for 5 yrs now, and no reshaping as of yet. 
>The
> > light steaming will just pop the grooves out. Dry iron after to set the
>felt.
> > Less invasive than needling.
> > Regards Roger
> >
> > At 11:28 PM 7/10/02 -0700, you wrote:
> > >These are SF Ballet's studio pianos.  Played by high level musicians 
>for
> > >high level dance.  Classes always use pianists and pianos.  We just
> > >swapped our 20 year old Kawais for the Yamahas.  I'm looking for some
> > >discussion on what is happening with the piano hammer over time,
> > >especially with the new hammer.  I think I'll probably hold off on the
> > >Ronsen hammers for awhile...;-]  I'm not particularly keen on steam but
>as
> > >I get desperate who knows?  Right now the pianos sound wonderful and I
> > >have this fantasy of keeping them that way...;-]
> > >
> > >David I.
> > >
> > >
> > >----- Original message ---------------------------------------->
> > >From: David Love <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net>
> > >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > >Received: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 21:53:43 -0700
> > >Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano
> > >
> > > >What are the expectations on the pianos and what are they used for?
>Are
> > > >they practice pianos?  Teaching pianos?  New pianos or old pianos?  
>My
> > > >experience is that heavily used Yamaha's are difficult to keep voiced
>to an
> > > >acceptable level without less traditional methods such as steaming.
> > > >Steaming is also an easy method for voicing down the uprights where 
>the
> > > >hammers are not so needle accessible.  Overall the pianos will 
>benefit
>from
> > > >string seating, proper hammer shaping and fitting.  If the clangy
>rattly
> > > >sounds disappear when you mute the duplex on the tuning pin side (on
>the
> > > >grands), and if you are not steaming, shoulder needling followed by
>single
> > > >needles inserted off the strike point straight down parallel to the
>moulding
> > > >will eliminate those noises).  Heavily used Yamaha hammers are a
>challenge.
> > > >A more radical move would be changing the hammers to a nice soft 
>Ronsen
> > > >hammer which will do wonders for voicing stability and rounding out 
>the
> > > >tone.
> > >
> > > >Generally, the hammer will compact most quickly over the crown, more
>slowly
> > > >in the shoulder.
> > >
> > > >David Love
> > >
> > >
> > > >----- Original Message -----
> > > >From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey@sbcglobal.net>
> > > >To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > > >Sent: July 10, 2002 5:41 PM
> > > >Subject: Voicing the new piano
> > >
> > >
> > > >List,
> > >
> > > >I would interested in hearing input about maintaining new pianos.
> > > >Particularly voicing.  I have a new fleet of 9 Yamaha pianos (is that 
>a
> > > >fleet?) I am servicing on a very regular basis...carte blanc.  1 C5, 
>3
>C2s,
> > > >3 U1s and 2 P22s.  Another P22 in the near future.  These pianos are
>played
> > > >6 days a week for several hours each day.
> > >
> > > >How does playing affect the new hammer, or any hammer?  Where is the
> > > >compaction taking place?  What do you do with the clangy, rattlely
>sound in
> > > >the trebIe when it shows in ugly face.  I have my own techniques, but
>I'm
> > > >interested in what others do.
> > >
> > > >Thanks in advance
> > >
> > > >David I.
> >
> > Roger
> >




Jay Mercier
Associate member,
Twin Cities Chapter PTG
Glenwood, MN


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