soundboards

[antares]

I have posed this question before :

If you had the choice : you can get a brand new Steinway D and you can 
get a hundred year old Steinway D...
What would be your choice?

André Oorebeek




Hi Stephane

  I enjoy this post & your thoughtfulness to the subject. Just  a 
couple Of comments interspersed below


 


Stephane writes

A soundboard is a filter (even a resonant one).  No way all the energy 
of the string will ever end up in acoustic energy, nor will the 
ineluctable losses ever be even through the scale.  And that is great.  
A soundboard has a personality that comes from what one would describe 
as defects in regard of the basis parameters.  I would describe the 
personality of a board as the unique blend it features between many 
more parameters, such as subtle and aesthetically more or less 
interesting discrepancies curves in volume, sustain and evenness across 
the scale of each of the partials of each note, their thump, and the 
resonance's in release phase.

Unfortunately (ah, maybe not), this is much less easy to have under 
control, and leads us to humility in front of the miracle of nature, as 
there exist some blends that make you believe in god, while others, uh, 
not really.

...>>>>> I agree in a way, that even with some tonal defects many older 
boards have a charming musical quality about them, But When the defects 
become to great however, which, is usually in the 5th & 6th and then 
into the 4th octaves the quality of musical expression diminishes & 
that's when my ears get disinterested. Disinterest because of loss of 
sustain in the melody range which is replaced with the 
insidious thwacking percussive sound I can't voice out nor tolerate in 
music.


 

This being said, my opinion about old soundboards is that they have 
gathered with time (cell crush, down in resine percentage, loss of 
elasticity, whatever) a stronger and more unique personality, as 
defined here. 

  > I Assume you mean more personality than a new board.

   I think humbly, this conclusion is really subjective. If you mean a 
stronger or more unique personality to that of a new rib crowned or 
redesigned board system  then I would ask if you've had opportunity to 
hear one of the boards( & personalities thereof) that many of us are 
producing in private shops here in the U.S.

  From the point of view of a winemaker he has had opportunity to taste 
good old wines & newer wines compare the  two or many. He has a 
different experience & exposure to many more expereinces than the 
casual wine drinker who, may think that two buck chuck ( cheap wine 
here) is a fine delicacsy.

   All this to say Many wonderful soundboard tones & personality comes 
in many forms & flavors & many of those are new one off boards produced 
in small shops.

  Ask Dave Andersen about new versus old. He didn't know if new could 
match or equal a really fine old board that had retained many of it's 
magic properties. And now....................

 

 The whole life of a soundboard contributes to it's unique sound.  This 
doesn't mean that all personalities please me.  But the personalities 
who do are not at all the most powerful and long lasting and most even 
across scale of every parameter ones.

 The fact is that crown ,bearing & tone have a life span. My expereince 
here in the U.S. is that many techs, dealers & general public simply 
want to give some unrealistic mystique & expectaion to a board that has 
out lived it's life, performed well, but thru time lost it's vitality. 
The result of this  & I see it ALL the time is that pianos that are 
"rebuilt" or rebuilt and sold under some B.S. notion that it has the 
original board & that old  is superior is disengenuos & ignorant at 
best & false advertising or fraud at worst.

 Many Folks are getting ripped off. It's very easy as a tech to fall 
into the trap of giving an estimate of repair with the over optimistic 
idea  that the old ,flat,cracked to smithereens board will somehow come 
to life if certain incantations are performed over it or magic varnish 
is applied.

 Know how I know??? Cause long ago  I used to be there & was 
disappointed & my sleep suffered.

 


 

 

Same for old boards, in my opinion.  When I hear an old piano in need 
of restoration, I always take the time to tune it, and I can then hear, 
even with worn hammers, loss of crown etc. if the board has a 
personality (that is, thus, a blend of so called defects) that makes me 
want to give it it's chance to appear in full monthly.  If I don't feel 
it has potential, I don't buy it.

 Your ears are  probably really good & you can hear it, meaning defects 
and loss of crown & tonal vitality.. For me I just had to get honest & 
put myself in the place of the poor trusting client and ask. Would I 
wanto to pay for the product I was producing. After restoring 
everything else would I compromise the very soul of the instrument.

   The answer became a resounding  NO!!


 

Newer boards may or may not have personality.  In my world, they are 
like 1m75 blondes with B2 breasts and sinusoidal shape at hips with 65 
kg weight and red lipstick.  Why do I prefer redheads with the nose 
slightly bent to the left a tiny bit overweight and with intelligence 
in the look ?

 May I suggest Stephane, that it's possible the new boards you are 
hearing probably do look like the blondes you describe. A good rib 
crowned new board however has a lot of personality & probably resembles 
your taste in redheads. Yeah Baby!!!!!!

  Friendly greetings back your way

  Dale


 

Friendly greetings,

 

Stéphane Collin.

 


 



friendly greetings
from
André Oorebeek

Vita Dura Est