Voicing the new piano

[Baldwin Yamaha Piano Centre]

Greetings Susan,
                             First you are trying to soften the strike 
point in a controlled manner to obtain the desired tone, secondly the dry 
ironing after a light steaming, helps to set and firm up the felt.

Yamaha's official position is anti steaming.   This is understandable since 
they have replaced thousands of dollars worth of hammers under warranty, 
due to tech's over doing a good thing.  This has resulted in hammers 
swelling up like balloons.

The title of my class and article is:   CONTROLLABLE STEAM VOICING.  There 
is nothing magical about the process.  The areas of steaming is controlled 
to hit the regions of the hammer, just like needles.  For volume and width 
of tone pallet, we deep needle shoulders, so steam a little more aggressive 
on the shoulders.  For strike tone, we shallow needle at the crown, so 
slightly damp cloth,and a fast pass just at the strike point.

I like to dry iron all voicing jobs after I think I have finished, it 
always finds a few extra bright notes, as it sets the felt. This true 
weather I steam, needle or juice.

After steaming, I nearly always do some fine needling to clean up and even 
things out.  Steamor needles is no magic bullet, both techniques require 
skill and practice.  Practice rooms in colleges is a perfect place to gain 
these skills.

Regards Roger


At 08:43 AM 7/12/02 -0500, you wrote:
>Hello,
>
>But aren't you in danger of also softening the strike point when you use
>steam??
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Tom Servinsky" <tompiano@gate.net>
>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 5:32 AM
>Subject: RE: Voicing the new piano
>
>
> > David,
> > Anyway you slice it, voicing is a temporary state.  The more the piano is
> > played the more temporary the voicing will remain. That being said, and
> > believe it or not, steaming can have a unusually long lasting effect on
> > maintaining the basic shape of sound. I'm not sure of the complete
> > scientific analysis of what's happening but I think steaming forces hot
>air
> > pockets into the felt causing the felt layers to separate which creates
> > "cushions", which in turn causes the hammer to react favorably when
> > impacting with the string. Comparing that to excessive needling, which is
> > constantly tearing the felt fibers, steaming is a much more holistic
> > approach to voicing. Longer lasting and less destruction to the hammer
>felt.
> > Tom Servinsky,RPT
> >
> >
> > From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
> > Of David Ilvedson
> > Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 7:16 PM
> > To: pianotech@ptg.org
> > Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano
> >
> >
> > Roger,
> >
> > What do you think is going on with the new hammer in those 6 months?  Is
>the
> > compaction only on the surface and not really getting down into the
>hammer?
> > What is the sound like when your done with the ironing?  Anything like the
> > original?  Does it really last 6 months?  I'm not familiar with your
> > steaming method...haven't been to a convention in awhile...article in the
> > Journal?
> >
> > David I.
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original message ---------------------------------------->
> > From: Baldwin Yamaha Piano Centre <baldwin@mta-01.sk.sympatico.ca>
> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
> > Received: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 13:01:29 -0600
> > 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
> >
> >

Roger