Drop

[Susan Kline]

At 09:57 AM 11/6/2002 -0700, David wrote:
>I agree, Susan; I'm struck by an openness about some European technicians
>around tone being affected by things we don't normally acknowledge;
>this is a form of perception, of "magical realism" I admire and subscribe
>to.

I find that this is one of the big benefits of the Internet and an 
international
list. These effects may well be there just waiting for us to listen to them.
Shaking up our ways of hearing and thinking can be quite productive, I think.

 >>It is like tuning -- to be a good tuner, I feel I should hear the
 >>pitches (musically) better than my customers.
 >I hear different; I can intently listen with more specificity and
 >hyperfocus than my clients, but better?
 >I don't know.

I think it may help us to learn to put on different hats when listening
to piano tone. Of course we need to hear tunerly things ("there's that
dratted loose hammer head again ..." etc.) but when playing music
pianists don't listen like that. If we can project our minds into what
we think is their world, we may notice more things which matter to them.

I try to take a few minutes and actually play pianos when I finish working
on them. It can be an eye-opener for me. I just notice different things
than I did when tuning.

 >and I think we can all do a couple things to help us be the best we can:
 >listen very closely to the best pianists we serve, without ego or
 >judgement , and educate those players often and relentlessly about how a
 >piano works.
 >
 >David A.

Yes, I agree that the education goes in both directions, although I don't
feel "relentless" about it. I show them things when it is convenient
and seems helpful, and I ask them things, especially when working
on their pianos; but mainly I watch them and listen to them play.
One can find out an awful lot just by watching them play and seeing
when they fumble or seem uneasy or frustrated. And there's that
wonderful time when they are in full spate and having a great time.

I don't limit myself to the piano. I pay attention to the bench, the
lights in their eyes, giving them time to try the piano even if I
have to squeeze my time a little, etc. I even turned pages for the
Tschaikovsky Trio once. (oof -- that was hard!)

Thanks for your post, David.

Susan