Steinway M

[Richard Brekne]

David Love wrote:

> I think those who argue for improved designs are probably making those
> arguments based on empiricism, not with disregard to it.  Implied in these
> and other comments is that an attempt to produce a better design somehow
> means that the desire is to remove the variable of the art or craft of
> getting the most out of that design.  I haven't read that in any of the
> designers' comments.  Rather, I see the ideas as attempts to remove some of
> the obstacles to achieving artistic goals on a more consistent basis.
>
> David Love
> davidlovepianos@earthlink.net
>

I dont see it this way at all. Take for example the insistance by some to define
a good scale by whether or not it fits into some mathematical model of
inharmonicity curves. Never mind at all what it actually sounds like. The
assumption is that a scale that fits those parameters neccessarilly sounds good,
and one that doesnt sounds bad...  There are two whopping problems with this
whole approach... number one it defines what <<sounds good>> based on something
other then the perception of hearing, and number two it simply disregards that
many people actually enjoy the sound of scales that fall outside of what the
parameters say they should like. I fail to see that any really objective empiri
can simply disregard the later, and assumes the first. Rather...that sounds like
someone getting a fixed idea based on some model, and going out and making
reality fit.

I see no connection in condemning others methods, means, and ways as an attempt
to remove any obstacles towards achieving artistic goals. Achieving such goals
on a "consistant basis" is a rather dubious concept at best. What are these <<
goals >> to begin with... and who says this set of goals is any better then
another ??  And how does any of this justify the condemnation of one or another
particular artistic endeavour as less worthy then another ??

I welcome those who would explore new knowledge, and find new ways of doing
things, creating new sounds, enlargening the artistic palette as it were... I do
not welcome those who in the same breath find it neccessary degrade others for
doing things differently.

Cheers
RicB

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
UiB, Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html
http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html