Modern Tone II, the Return of the Question

[Michael Gamble]

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MessageHello Alan and List
I really would like some amplification on the subjects of:
1. String seating
2. Bridge pin stabilisation
Any offers?
Regards from Sussex
Michael G.(UK)
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Alan=20
  To: 'Pianotech'=20
  Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2005 6:08 AM
  Subject: RE: Modern Tone II, the Return of the Question


  David, et al,

  Well said.=20

  I DID play the '28 D that you and Dale had in Sacramento (already =
posted a comment to Dale). I sat down at that piano and the first thing =
I played was an octave in the low bass. It was the most beautiful sound =
I've ever heard from a piano, bar none, I exaggerate not.

  Please understand that I live in that mysterious part of the world =
where old Lesters, Winters, Wurlys, Chicks, Gulbransens, and Starks come =
to die. I tune 3 small Steinway grands, one new (Chinese) Steck grand, =
one (bless them) nice M&H, a couple of older small Baldwin grands, and a =
boatload of Hamilton studios (some nearly new, one that served on Noah's =
cruise ship, I think, and was worn out then). Only the Mason is big =
enough and nice enough to qualify as an RPT test piano and I've only =
seen it once, so far.

  So I can sure hear and appreciate good voicing but, as you say, it is =
hard to communicate with words. And I only have an intellectual, =
theoretical idea how it's produced, not the skills to do it.=20

  I'm going to spend time in Frank Henderson's shop doing some work in =
exchange for some coaching on this. I honestly think voicing is a skill =
that cannot be learned from a book and on one's own. I don't think one =
can one acquire those "ears" without hearing pianos and experiencing the =
difference with a guide at your side. At least, not I.

  Hope you didn't think my comment was a negative reaction to your =
post--I actually liked the sound of your words. But how does that all =
sound in a piano? Ahhh .... maybe like that bass octave in California.=20

  Hey, I liked the racing stripes, too. (Now everyone will be asking you =
what the heck THAT means!)

  Alan R. Barnard
  Salem, MO

  P.S.  Part of my pursuit of this at this time is a desire to rescue an =
area Methodist church from the shrill, busy, ultra-bright, piercing, =
stident, trident (gummed up) sound of the little Samick SG-172 grand =
they bought. I'm pretty sure it's going to start with some serious =
string seating, bridge pin stabilization, and regulation--followed by a =
session in the back room with those hammers ... under a bright light ... =
with a rubber hose and brass knuckles, to soften them up. I don't THINK =
I could make it worse, even with what I know, now.  And, no, there are =
no other guild techs within two hours of here and no local yokels I'd =
want to invite to help. I am alllllll aloooooooone here in the elephant =
ivory graveyard.

    -----Original Message-----
    From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] =
On Behalf Of David Andersen
    Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2005 11:22 PM
    To: Pianotech
    Subject: Re: Modern Tone II, the Return of the Question


      4. For those with limited experience and little opportunitity to =
mentor with someone, terms like "large, dark, powerful, clear, and =
throaty, with roar and snap at double or triple forte, but NEVER clangy =
or distorted" just leave one guessing as to what they mean. I assume =
that "dark" means power in the lower partials not overshadowed by the =
higher ones (?) but I'd be guessing about that "roar and snap" thing. =
This isn't to criticize David's description, merely to point out the =
difficulties and frustrations of communicating sensory perceptions =
through verbage. I've watch Roger Jolly and Ari Issac do some voicing =
and marveled at what they can do and how well they do it. But even =
trying, in person, to demonstrate and teach voicing to a room full of =
people seems very challenging: "See, the sound is now a broad 'Ohhhhh' =
instead of an "Ehhhhh and it sits higher against on the shelf."  (Made =
part of that up .... sorry)

      I think it's like people describing wines without giving you a =
sip: Yes, and this vintage is drier than a moselle, slightly nutty, with =
just a hint of the vine not revealed in the bouqet unless consumed at =
midnight in a graveyard while holding a dead cat.

      Alan R. Barnard
      Always Studyin' but Not Always Gettin' It in Salem, MO


    My friend---I=92m just trying to give words to an aural phenomenon, =
and it=92s tough, but that=92s what =93developing a tonal memory=94 =
means: developing an internal sense of how a piano is =93supposed=94 to =
sound at all volume and attack levels. If you played the concert grands =
that Dale Erwin and I brought to the Sacramento PTG Convention, I can =
say that both of those pianos are in the ballpark of what most artists, =
technicians, and serious listeners would describe as achieving the =
sonority of the 40=92s and 50=92s pianos---powerful and clear, without =
distortion or a brittle quality. There I go again :--)

    The CDs I mentioned in an earlier post are a good indication of what =
I=92m trying to put in words. If we=92d met in Sacramento, I would have =
given you a CD that I had a few copies of there---an amazing young jazz =
player named Tamir Hendelman, playing trio versions of Christmas songs =
on a 1923 long A my shop rebuilt.  That piano is a touch brighter, but =
sounds like a Bill Evans record, which nearly always had imeccably tuned =
and voiced pianos.

    It=92s a lifetime of listening and learning.  I still feel like a =
rank novice a lot of the time.
    Voicing is a noble challenge. It demands that so many things about =
the piano be right.
    When you become passionate about the voice of the instrument, your =
toleration of unregulated and unprepared pianos becomes slimmer and =
slimmer, and your business changes. This coming week, 4 of the 5 days =
are one long day, or 2 long days, with a good grand piano. It wasn=92t =
like that 6 or 7 years ago; it was much more tuning 3 or 4 pianos a day. =
As my ears have grown, my practice has grown and improved.=20

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