Do Piano players obsses over tone as much as us?

[StrangeDay]

I'm just curious because I really enjoy the sound of the Piano, at times, just as much as guitar. It can sound very haunting.

 

[chcjunior]

My ex-fiance was a classical pianist and she seemed to obsess more about the brands of pianos she was shopping for (opposed to the type of wood in the certain model).

 

[Gearjoneser]

What I don't get is why old pianos with tarnished old strings, over a decade old, seem to be preferred by some pianists.

I'm sure experienced players love the sound of a new, expensive piano, but I see some cringe and complain that it's too bright.

The only players that would be anal as guitarists about tone
would be pianists that have played on a lot of pianos and have developed preferences.

 

[Maggie]

What I don't get is why old pianos with tarnished old strings, over a decade old, seem to be preferred by some pianists.

I suppose these are the pianists who, were they guitarists, would dump the tone knob.

 

[xerxes]

What I don't get is why old pianos with tarnished old strings, over a decade old, seem to be preferred by some pianists.

I'm sure experienced players love the sound of a new, expensive piano, but I see some cringe and complain that it's too bright.

The only players that would be anal as guitarists about tone
would be pianists that have played on a lot of pianos and have developed preferences.

i like the sound of used piano's because, like you said, they have a much less bright sound and sound better, imo.....

 

[Gearjoneser]

My mom's favorite piano is an old standup that's around 100 yrs
old. That means those strings are 100 yrs old.
She claims it sounds warmer and more mellow. Maybe it's because I change my strings often, but I think my aunt's new
Kawai baby grand sounds much better to my ears.
100 yr old piano strings is probably the equivalent of 10 yr old
guitar strings. I've never picked up a guitar with strings that old, and liked it.

 

[Mattt]

My girlfriend plays trumpet and she obsesses over tone.

She HAS TO HAVE a Bachstrad trumpet.... the one she has now costs £3000.

Wish i had a £3000 guitar/amp combo.

 

[Jonny R]

YES!!

Concert pianists obsess over tone

Different pianists on the classical concert circuit have some pretty strong preferences on the pianos of different venues.

Some of these pianists have spent hours at the Steinway factory trying out different Steinway concert grands (same model) to find one that they like.

The cost of one Steinway D would buy us all some of our favourite gear (everyone together) too.

Reviewers of classical CDs can also be found discussing the piano used in the recordings too.

 

[Marinblues]

I think that it's different for guitarist since we are in direct physical contact with the source of the music i.e. the strings.The tone can be personalized with our touch and different picking tecnique. We can model the tone like singers model their voice. Imho, no other instrument can do it to the same extent.

Can you think any other instrument which is used with such a tonal variety?


Marin

 

[xerxes]

nobody can tell the type of instrument like a classical music guru. i know calssical lovers that litterally from the first note of an instrument can tell the type, model, and year of the instrument.

 

[mmguz]

My brother is a concert pianist, and he deffinitely have preferenceces for some brands of piano, the pianos sonund very different but alike, I don´t know

 

[Jonny R]

I think that it's different for guitarist since we are in direct physical contact with the source of the music i.e. the strings.The tone can be personalized with our touch and different picking tecnique. We can model the tone like singers model their voice. Imho, no other instrument can do it to the same extent.

Can you think any other instrument which is used with such a tonal variety?


Marin

Violinists also manage a large variation in tone - once you're used to listening to the instrument.

Yehudi Menhuin stands out to my ears

 

[xerxes]

to marin:

violinists, cellist, basically any string instrument player (piano you could argue is a string instrument and also that its not)

also, some woodwind depending on how hard/soft you blow

 

[mrfjones]

thats freaky xerxes. i do not know a pianist that likes the sound of a new piano, they all seem to like to get a more mellow sound from an older piano. i think it is like playing a real vintage guitar. the wood is aged perfectly and the neck just feels worn in. does that pu things into perspective a little more?

it is not about the srtings so much becuase a piano player doesn't touch them, the oils from our hands on the guitar strings ruins them.

 

[garublador]

Can you think any other instrument which is used with such a tonal variety?

Pretty much any wind instrument. In those cases you're supplying the column of air that's the tone originates from, just like a singer, so I think the player has more of an effect on tone than a guitar player does.

I'm sure top level pianists obsess over tone as much as top level guitar players, but I doubt the hobbyists do. It's just too expensive to even think about getting into. With guitar it's much, much cheaper and easier to get stuff that affects your tone.

I bet keyboard players are different, though. I'd imagine they are at least as bad as guitar players.

 

[xerxes]

also, where would you put 6-7 pianos?


keyboards have so many different sounds in them, they probable dont need that many...

 

[garublador]

also, where would you put 6-7 pianos?


keyboards have so many different sounds in them, they probable dont need that many...

How much do you wanna bet that there's a forum of people on the internet that all have a different keyboard for each sound they want to make:

"This one is for my Roland sounds, this one is for Hammond sounds, this one is for new piano sounds, this one is for old piano sounds, the bass keys on this one are good at harpsichord, but I play the treble keys on this one for the higher register harpischord sounds..."

 

[xerxes]

maybe.....

only thing is you can get those different sounds from a keyboard, and its not like the variax thing....

 

[adrian]

Ok, about pianists and guitarists; give me some interesting names for the last 30 years?
Guitarists: Hendrix, Clapton, Van Halen Ray Vaughn, McLaughlin, Vai, Satriani, Malmsteen, Fripp, Zappa, DiMeola, Howe, Trower, Ford, Hillage, Belew, Wylde, Lee...
Pianists: Han****, Chorea....

Well, no further questions?

 

[adrian]

The automatic censor here is real funny. Han*** something should off course be Herbie H a n c o c k. Pure guy? Whatever