[pianotech] smooth or rough keys

[Steven Hopp]

Carl,
 
Having played the piano nearly 40 years and still practicing 2-3 hours a day and performing regularly throughout the year with at least one or two solo recitals I feel qualified to answer giving my opinion.  
 
First, if I perform anywhere I do not wash my hands first.  Most soaps leave a residue on the skin that can be slippery sometimes.  A little natural dirt and oil provides a bit of a grip that is desirable over slick clean hands.  I prefer pianos with as you call them rough keys.  Ivory is a great feel under the fingers as are ebony or flat black keys.  These types of keys give me a sense of security in most rapid passage work and a nice grip for the fingers.  However, I think it would feel very strange to play on plastic keys that had been steel wooled.  Smooth plastic would be much preferred over something not quite natural.  If the keys were sticky gross that would be bad but here again smooth plastic keys with just a bit of natural residue on them would grip a little better than highly polished keys.  These keys would push me into what I call the "danger zone".
 
If your clients piano keys are gross then by all means keep teaching them to keep them clean.  I have found that most clients are more horrified when they learn of the garbage that lurks underneath the keys that little Sally or Johnny is playing over.  (mice nests, bugs, cockroach eggs and the like).  This cleaning service can really make a satisfied customer.  Hope this helps and it is just my opinion.  
 
Steven Hopp



From: koko99 at shaw.caTo: ;Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:43:16 -0600Subject: [pianotech] smooth or rough keys


Reading the posts re. washing your hands, led me to asking this question.  
Many times in a customers home I've encountered a keyboard that was 
slow and sticky. I don't mean sticky, like tacky, but you can't run your fingures
along the keys without feeling drag.   Hate the feeling, so I suggest to the
person I'm dealing with that I show them something that could help make playing
easier .  First I have them drag their fingures along the keys, and then I clean 
an octave.  When they run their fingures from the keys that drag to the clean
part, the difference is quite obvious.   Even if they aren't the one playing, they
can see that it should be easier for little Johnny or Mary to perform on clean
keys. Most of the time, on my next visit, the keys are clean.  
 
My question is this:   do most high skilled pianists prefer a smooth shiny
keyboard, or one that has an ivory, sanded type surface?  Not sure if I've
asked the question properly.  When I've steelwooled key tops to get them
smooth , plastic or ivory, there is this feel I'm trying to describe. If it's plastic
for sure, I will buff to high gloss.  Should they be left somewhere a little
before the gloss appears ??     Pretty hard to do, I think.
 
Carl / Winnipeg
_________________________________________________________________
Windows Live™: E-mail. Chat. Share. Get more ways to connect. 
http://windowslive.com/explore?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_t2_allup_explore_012009
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech_ptg.org/attachments/20090202/bc04ba0a/attachment.html>