Hello Riczard, and dear colleagues, Here is a short description of our 2 days concert prep training : In fact we have talked and analyzed lengthily the relations with the crew, the artist, the time window for the first and second tuning and a secure approach to concert prep, for instance not to produce the finest work and preparation before the artist rehearsal, because we will have to deal with our tiredness, but also because some changes will be due and it is better to provide the best instrument just before the concert, preferably than a perfect work that will certainly degrade with the rehearsal. But then, we have worked a lot the process of dealing with tone , depending of the room, the instrument, and the music to be played. After all basic controls regarding the bedding, (rollers orientation as well) checking the key dip (seem familiar ?) a decision should be made to verify the validity of the hammer travel distance, and hence the aftertouch, but mostly because aftertouch is seen as a way to manage the immediateness of tone production (attack) synchronized (preferably) with the key bottoming (and also playing an important role in the keyboard sensation for the pianist). Tone production can occur before key bottoming, synchronized with it, or even slightly after key bottom (that is very tiring and harsh) Then unison tuning (or "tone building") was said to be 60 % of the voicing of the instrument. We worked an approach dealing with the immediateness of energy with the attack of tone, and hence with a "tone column" going out of the instrument to full the room and project the tone. We work on focusing on the hammer hitting the string, playing not absolutely strong , but with a very sensitive finger, I mean sensitive to the moment of tone production. The live ness of the attack is the most important parameter to the pianist, and it can be perceived even at pianissimo level, that is funny that these notions are relatively recent, and where not told in our training 10-15 years ago. These are also dangerous notion to provide, as it may oblige some to recognize that what they do daily is not exactly what they could do if they know better. If we don't focus on that sensation while tuning, we miss a lot of control on our work - with lack of this sensation the instrument is always missing something. That was the same thing I have said before when I had wrote of unison tuning where one focus on the use of the available energy, and concentrate it so it can be felt in the key under the finger. We also have make a tour of the usual process one can use to liven an instrument harmonic structure, working the strings bend before the agrafes or capo with a hook to ameliorate the purity and power, the same at the bridges, plucking the strings, moving slightly the capstans, the letoff dowels, massaging the capstans with a felt wedge... We have also worked on regulation evenness, on the cleaning of the hammers with very thin sanding paper, single string voicing, string mating, etc. BTW in Japan where you instructed to begin the glide bolts regulation in the middle or at the left/right first ? Steinway actual training instruct to begin with the right and left screws, as to regulate finely the pressure at the front of the key frame (with the blocks screwed the front of the key frame that may knock slightly if pushed up with the thumb, sign that not too much pressure have been induced at the glide bolts. This seem to me a more secure approach than beginning in the middle, as we need more experience to regulate the center glides first, no reperes being avaible at this moment out of key height/dip, if inexperienced one can easily finish with too much pressure at the edges. Talking about the way Yamaha tuners approach the instrument, I understand that because of the lack of deepness and force of these, they have to be very precise with energy management, and produce the most lively attack possible. Steinway are more forgiving for that matter I find, and accept different unison tuning approach, but I have find a great benefit to use that method on those instruments as well, as on verticals also. I understand that a 2hz tuning is well taking 2 hours of one want to be very precise in all exigencies, and no time left probably. >I actually can't absolutely not listen to any partial while tuning >unisson, nor octaves for that matter. > > Me neither... I think its both a blessing and a bane at the same time. Sometimes it would be nice to be able to better aurally zero in on just one coincident pair then I can, other times its very nice that I hear the conglomerate so well as I do. Ying and Yang as always. I was expecting this indeed, but we can always focus on partial reinforcement if we want to, the problems I have is that I hardly can tune with one string only, the tone being too different then. I am not used to strip mutes and each time I use one I don't like what I have in the end (too closed octaves generally in some regions). >Seem to me that the natural "pitch lock" that we use while tuning >unisons, protect us from any partial deviance, or beat for that >matter. Not sure I understand what you mean by that. Want to try and rephrase or explain more ? I call pitch lock the way we tune the unison since the attack of the tone, when the attack is optimum, rarely partials show any beat I feel them like being locked together by the attack blend. Still a little difficult to express those things, particularly in English. I hope you will find some interest in those comments anyway. Best regards, and till next time. Friendly wishes. Isaac OLEG >Just "building tone", that's all (but this does not avoid justness >problems indeed) > >Best Regards > >Isaac OLEG > > > Cheers RicB
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