Piano Lessons- Music Theory Lessons

QUESTION:

Thank you for the YouTube video on replacing soundboards. I’d like to know your opinion on something if you don’t mind, which will be one of many opinions I’ve been gathering to make sense out of this.

I am having my 1927 Steinway M restored by a very skilled rebuilder. He examined my piano and told me that the soundboard is in great shape. I’ve also been in contact with the piano technician that maintains our school pianos who is also familiar with my tech’s work (and highly recommends him). This tech is urging me to replace the soundboard because it has been under x tons of tension for 90 years and since the piano will be dismantled, that’s the time to do it.

I’m not sure what to do. My technician said it would almost be a crime (and a waste of money) to throw a soundboard in this condition into the trash just to replace it for the sake of replacing it (I kind of agree, but I don’t have enough technical knowledge about soundboard aging to say that’s the route I should go with). My rebuilder also has a great reputation for crafting soundboards for pianos that need it. My concern is that the piano IS 90 years old, and if I kept the old soundboard, what longevity can I expect going forward? I’d hate to have to send the piano to a rebuilder again just to do the soundboard 20 years down the line, if you know what I mean.

So I guess the overarching opinion I’m asking for is this: in a vintage piano such as mine, if the soundboard is in generally great shape, is it best to replace it for the sake of the longevity of the overall instrument or does it not really matter as long as it is humidified and cared for properly?

It’s an expensive undertaking to have a piano restored, and I’d hate to have to drop another $15K in a few decades because I didn’t do something when I should have…

Just looking for some thoughts from another source.

ANSWER:

You are asking a great question. I will share this answer with others facing similar challenges. There are different schools of thought on replacing soundboards. For example, any piano of this age sent to Steinway to rebuild will get a new soundboard no matter what condition it’s in. Yet there are those who believe that you are fundamentally altering the piano by replacing the soundboard. What is the right course of action?

The fact is, even brand new Steinways have varying quality of soundboards from one piano to the next. It is as much art as science crafting a soundboard in a piano. So, if you replace the soundboard in your piano, only then will you discover what sound the instrument will have.

There are no guarantees with soundboards. You could get a new soundboard and have problems down the line – or not. Environment plays a critical role in soundboard longevity.

Even if the soundboard on your piano had cracks or separation of the seams, a good rebuilder can rework the board and get excellent results if done properly. If the soundboard on your piano has no issues and exhibits good crown essential for proper tone, I personally would feel comfortable utilizing it when rebuilding the piano. If the piano is in good enough condition to assess the quality of the tone, that would be extremely valuable in determining the best course of action. If the piano projects a powerful, sustained tone into the high register, then it will probably do a good job for you after rebuilding.

Just be certain that the fundamental structure of the soundboard is impeccable – no warping or serious separation from the ribs. Another important point is to go with the rebuilder’s recommendation. You wouldn’t want to have a rebuilder who believes you need a new soundboard to restore your piano without replacing the soundboard. If the rebuilder has confidence in the results they can achieve with the existing soundboard, you should be in good shape.

Even utilizing the original soundboard, the piano will be fundamentally different when the work is completed. Some people feel more comfortable knowing what they are getting.

Welcome to my ongoing series dedicated to specific pieces of repertoire. Today we will be covering the Chopin Prelude No. 4 (E minor). This was actually the very first piece of Chopin I ever studied so it holds a particularly special interest for me. As a kid I remember thinking that this was the most beautiful piece I’d ever heard and I couldn’t imagine playing anything better. Of course as time went on my tastes expanded, yet this piece is still one of my all-time favorites.

This is actually a very odd piece of music. If you just play the melody without the chords you will notice that it’s surprisingly simple. The real genius of this piece lies in the harmonization; the left hand has some truly exquisite chords. While the chords are extremely important, you will still want the melody to sing above everything else.

A very big mistake when it comes to playing the piano is continually using the pedal as a crutch to cover up sloppy playing. If you intend to learn this piece correctly and make it sing, you will need to achieve a true legato in both hands without the use of the pedal. Because of this, you will want to practice, learn and memorize this piece without using the pedal at first. Later when you feel confident in the sound you produce, you can add the pedal to create an even richer sound.

Another practice method is holding out the chords with the left-hand. Instead of playing all the chords as written, hold the repeated chords out instead of replaying them – so you can get a sense of the best fingering when switching between chords. You will find ways to maneuver your fingers and hands in ways that will connect the notes much better and create a seamless sound.

When combining the hands, you will want to make sure you get an extreme legato. I can’t tell you how many times I hear people playing this piece by simply using the pedal and playing short chords. While it might sound OK, it’s really not the best sound. You will create a much better sound if you use an extreme legato in both hands to allow the melody to sing above the thick chords. Use a constant arm weight supported by your fingers to bring out the melody in the right hand.

There really are dozens of different ways to perform this piece. If you search on YouTube you can find a number of different interpretations from incredible pianists. While the phrasing can change, you will always want to be rising or falling; the music must always be going somewhere.

This topic comes from a viewer question. Connie asks, “How do I get beyond the I, IV, and V chords when improvising Christmas music.” I thought this would make a great topic to cover all sorts of music and improvisation.

Before we begin, you might be wondering what the I, IV, and V chords are. Well if you are in C major, an I chord is built on C (C -E -G). The fourth note in the C major scale is F, so the IV chord is built on F (F – A – C.) And the V chord is built on G (G – B – D). These are referred to as primary chords, they are major triads and you can harmonize almost anything with the I, IV, and V chords!

In the video accompanying this article, I show an example of harmonizing using this technique with the song “On Top of Old Smokey” in A major. I use the I, IV, and V chords to create a simple harmony to accompany the melody. In A major that is the A major chord (A – C-sharp – E) the D major chord (D – F-sharp – A) and the E major chord (E – G-sharp – B). But what other chords could you add beyond the I, IV, and V?

You can start by using the secondary chords. Secondary chords are pretty much the rest of the chords beyond I, IV, and V. So they would be II, III, and VI-VII not so much because it’s diminished. The II, III and VI are minor chords. So in A major, the II chord is B minor (B – D – F-sharp), the III chord is C# minor (C-sharp – E – G-sharp), and the VI chord will be an F# minor (F-sharp – A – C-sharp). But where can you use these in the harmony?

The best thing to do is experiment. Try different combinations and see what sounds good. You can try substituting an II chord for the IV chord; you could even keep the same D in the bass inverting the chord. This creates a seamless change in harmony with a new flavor!

The beauty of improvisation is that there are no absolutes of right and wrong. While some combinations won’t sound as good as others, you can experiment and find out what sounds good to you. Keep working at it and eventually creating new and interesting sounds will become second nature.

QUESTION:

QUESTION:

I really want to get a piano, but of course their expensive, take up space, and are loud. The expense is not what I’m worried about. What kind of piano should look for?

ANSWER:

You should try to get the best piano you can afford. All students eventually outgrow even the finest upright pianos. Here is a video on the subject:

The minimum instrument you can utilize to learn the piano would be an 88 key weighted action digital. An upright would be a step up from that. A baby grand is better yet. And large grand pianos in excellent condition would be the ideal instrument for you.

Two of the most popular piano companies in the world, Yamaha and Kawai, have competed with each other for decades. Many people wonder which piano is better. Despite this being a controversial topic, we are going to answer this in an honest way.

Both of these companies are based in Japan and have been around for around 100 years. They are also the two largest piano manufacturers in the world. Both the longevity and output of pianos is simply stunning and both companies are well respected within the piano community.

Yamaha and Kawai both have factories in different countries and each one outputs different models and types of pianos. When it comes to judging these companies side-by-side you really have to make sure you’re comparing apples to apples.

There is no point in comparing a promotional level Yamaha piano to a hand-made Shigeru-Kawai, just as comparing a top of the line Yamaha S series to an Indonesian-made Kawai has no value. Each company has different tiers of pianos – from the most affordable basic models to ultra-high-end performance models.

So if you’re comparing similar styles and models of pianos between the two companies, which is better? Honestly, it comes down more to personal taste than anything else. However, there are some guidelines for you to follow to see which brand is right for you.

Many people are drawn to the clarity of tone of Yamaha pianos – sometimes perceived as a bright sound. That’s why it’s a very popular choice for pop and rock musicians (such as Elton John). The sound of Yamaha’s are able to cut through a mix better than other pianos which can be of real benefit for some styles of music. The actions on the pianos are also first class.

Kawai pianos are also known for their actions – including their Blak series which contain composite materials. Many people are drawn to Kawai pianos which tend to have a warmer tone than Yamaha pianos.

Whether a piano is bright or warm can also have a lot to do with the voicing of the instrument (the hardness of the felt on the hammers). However, there are general tendencies of sound that are evident. The characteristics of Kawai pianos being warm and Yamaha pianos being bright are not universal. Each piano has to be assessed for what it is. The size, model, voicing and the unique sound of each instrument comes into play.

There is a lot more to determine when selecting between Kawai and Yamaha pianos, but it really comes down to personal taste and the exact pianos you are comparing. Both Yamaha and Kawai make pianos on all levels from entry-level to concert instruments. When you find a piano you love, it’s the right piano whatever the brand name.