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From: dvw@petrus.UUCP (Dan V. Wilson)
Newsgroups: net.music.classical
Subject: Re: buying a piano: summary, then details
Message-ID: <640@petrus.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 14-Oct-85 22:38:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: petrus.640
Posted: Mon Oct 14 22:38:11 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 16-Oct-85 04:25:27 EDT
References: <4430@alice.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Inc
Lines: 32

A few excerpts from the article:

> ... The one thing I should say about Steinways is that they tend to vary
> greatly from one sample to the other; sometimes in quality, but
> more often in personality.

> indeed have a richer tone.  However, pianos are built by hand, and there
> is more variation from one unit to another than a consistent variation
> between the German and American models.  Sizes.  Have changed over the

> I was disappointed by the dullness of the Steinway. The midrange sounds like
> you're playing behind a thick curtain. Almost pure sine waves, very little
> harmonics. The bass range is very powerful, with rich harmonics. As you get
> up toward middle C, however, the harmonics disappear and the sound becomes
> dull. It sounds like the hammers are not quite hard enough. The high

There is lots more, but you get the idea.

Question:  How much of the variations mentioned above can be attributed to
variations in the texture of the felt on the hammers?  I recall listening to
an interview of a piano tuner on NPR where the tuner stated that he could
change the sound of a piano considerably just by using various tools to 
loosen or compact the felt on the hammers.  He would customize the piano to
the taste of the pianist, and for the piece being played.

The closest I come to being a pianist is being able to listen to recordings.
However, it struck me that someone looking for a piano might want to keep in
mind that, within limits, the sound of a particular piano can be changed.

						Dan Wilson
						dvw@bellcore.ARPA
				{ihnp4,ucbvax,allegra}!bellcore!dvw