Tag Archives: piano

What Makes a Great Musical Performance?

This is a very important subject; not just for music but for life itself.

When Thomas Edison was trying to create the light bulb he went through many attempts before he actually got it right. In fact, legend has it that one of his experiments actually ended up in the complete destruction of his lab – it literally blew up!

The story goes that Edison’s assistant asked him if he felt defeated; Edison responded by saying something to the effect of: “now I know yet another way NOT to make the light bulb.”

By being persistent and not letting failure get into the way, Edison was able to achieve more than anyone could have imagined. He used failure simply as a stepping stone to success; he used those negative experiences as positive learning experiences.

Edison is not the only historical figure to face failure. In fact, many of the world’s most successful people have faced enormous challenges and failure until they finally hit their mark.

The same theory rings very true for musical performances. For example, when I go to student recitals and I hear someone play through a piece without any problems I can’t help but be impressed. But what impresses me, even more, is how they handle mistakes.

Inevitably something will go terribly wrong during a performance. Whether it’s a wrong note, a memory slip, no matter the cause, mistakes do (and will) happen. Watching these students recover from something like this and not let it affect them is very impressive. One small mistake will not ruin a performance and it’s very important to remember that.

If you miss a note in a performance and you keep going, chances are nobody will ever know. However, if you make a mistake and then go back and try to correct it; everyone will know you messed up (no matter how schooled they are in music).

Every great performer won’t worry about every little mistake. Sure they might miss a note, start to rush, or play something completely wrong; none of it matters. What matters most is the performance itself and the energy and passion that comes from the performer. It’s never about perfection; it’s about emotion.

Remember that your audience is there to enjoy themselves. Learn from your mistakes but don’t let them defeat you.

What is Scale Design? Scale Design on a Piano

You might have heard the term scale design used before and wondered exactly what it is. Well, the answer has a number of parts and can actually become fairly complex. I’ll do my best to explain exactly what it means and how you can spot the differences on your piano and others.

Scale design is something that is unique to each piano. It involves not only one aspect but the entire design of a piano in regards to how it produces tone. If you look inside a piano, you will notice that there are varying lengths of strings; the treble strings are shortest and then gradually get longer as you progress down to the bass strings.

Each piano actually has a slightly different geometry in how these strings get longer. Also, the strings have different diameters – the strings at the treble register are the thinnest and the strings along the bass register are the thickest. Some pianos will actually use what is called a high tension scale – which means that the strings are thicker but will have to be pulled with more tension in order to create the same pitch. Other pianos will have a low tension scale which is basically the opposite of high tension – the strings are thinner and require less tension. Is one better than the other? Not necessarily – these are just two different methods of achieving the desired tone.

This is not all when it comes to scale design; this is just the beginning!

Once you progress to the lower register of the piano you have copper wound strings. Where the copper wound strings begin is again part of the scale design of a piano. Believe it or not, the difference in where these copper strings start is different not only with different brands of pianos but in the different models of one manufacturer. For example, on the Steinway M I am using in this video, the copper strings start slightly before the register break.

What is a register break? This brings us to another important aspect of scale design. You probably notice that on your piano there is a section in which cross stringing occurs – where strings are crossed over one another; this happens in the lower register. The point at which the strings begin to cross over is called the register break.

Believe it or not, even the winding of the strings has something to do with scale design. Sometimes the copper wound strings start with the double strings and in the lower register become single wound. Other times there are even triple wound strings in the upper bass area as in my Baldwin SD-10 Concert Grand.

Another aspect of scaling is where the string is actually hit by the hammer. If you look at the action of your piano you will notice that the hammers strike the strings at specific points. This is done very deliberately to produce a certain tone. The exact point at which the strings are hit has a dramatic effect upon piano tone. If you have ever played guitar, you notice the different tones you get when plucking strings at different points from the bridge. It is the same with pianos.

There are other technologies when it comes to scale design as well. The non-speaking part of the string – the part beyond where the hammer strikes – can also have something to do with scale design. Some pianos have what is called duplex scaling. This allows the strings to resonate freely without muting them at these points – producing musically useful overtones. Other pianos have felt that will dampen the sound at these points because they are not designed to have them produce an additional tone. Is one better than the other? Again, not necessarily; while duplex scaling can enhance tone, it is not the only way that piano designers can achieve great results.

Another aspect of scale design is where the bridges are placed along the soundboard. This is again something that is very important in producing a certain tone in a piano. In fact, in the earlier pianos before cross stringing emerged, the bridges were placed along the edge of the soundboard. Modern pianos with cross stringing achieve better tone by having the bridges more centrally located on the soundboard.

The bottom line when it comes to scale design is what it sounds like. Sometimes pianos designed by computers are “perfect” in the mathematical sense but don’t necessarily offer beauty or warmth of tone that the slight imperfections may provide. This is truly part science and part art, but what’s most important is how the piano sounds and feels to you.

What Does the Middle Pedal on a Piano Do?

If you play the piano even casually, you probably know that the sustain pedal on the right makes all the notes you play hold until you release the pedal. The other 2 piano pedals are not as clear cut. In fact, only the sustain pedal operates on upright pianos. The other pedals do various things, but seldom what they are designed to do. Even some grand pianos pedals don’t operate the way they are intended.

The left pedal, sometimes referred to as the soft pedal is actually called the une corde pedal for “one string”. Indeed, early pianos had 2 strings for each note and the une corde pedal shifted the action so that the hammers only struck one string. Modern pianos have 3 strings for each note throughout most of the piano. So the une corde pedal shifts the action so that the hammers strike only 2 of the strings squarely. This is significant because it not only makes the notes quieter, but if offers a change of timbre. Upright pianos usually offer a soft pedal that changes the feel, not the sound. It does this by shifting the hammers closer to the strings making it harder to play loud.

The middle pedal is seldom used and even more seldom understood. Most pianos didn’t have functioning sostenuto pedals as they are called until the end of the 19th century. Many European piano manufacturers didn’t include middle piano pedals until well into the 20th century. Like the sustain pedal, the sostenuto pedal holds notes after you release the keys. The difference is that subsequent notes that are depressed will not hold, only the notes that were depressed when the middle pedal is engaged. This is useful in a few scores of Debussy and other 20th century composers. It’s like having a 3rd hand to hold notes in another register without blurring the harmonies with the sustain pedal. However, the sostenuto pedal is only called upon in 20th century music and very few compositions. It is by no means essential but could be important for someone specializing in 20th century piano music.

Under $1000 Piano: Which is better, acoustic or digital?

Buying a piano in the under $1000 price point presents tremendous challenges. Years ago the only choice was to buy an old upright. Today there are digital pianos that can offer an alternative. Which is a better choice?

10936987-yamaha-p85-digital-piano-reviewWhile there are many digital pianos on the market for well under $1000, plan on spending $800 in order to get a good weighted action and sound. Yamaha in particular has many models at that price point that are quite good. In fact, spending more offers more features but not necessarily a superior instrument. The exception is the quality of the built in sound system which makes a huge difference in the more expensive models. If you invest in a good stand for stability and utilize a decent quality home stereo system or good computer sound system with sub woofer, you can get very good results without investing thousands of dollars for a high end Clavinova or other digital piano.

No digital piano has the nuance of expression and refinement of touch of a fine acoustic piano. However, most pianos under $1000 require extensive work in order to achieve a high level of playing. However, you may find a high quality console piano that has been sitting in a living room for a long time without being played much. These instruments have fallen out of fashion so sometimes you can find a fine used piano like a Baldwin for a few hundred dollars. Plan on investing at least $100-$300 for regulation, voicing and tuning.

Which offers a better practice instrument? There are advantages to both. A new digital piano will be precise. It also offers the option of practicing with headphones. You can also connect it to your computer for all kinds of applications from music notation to sequencing of compositions with orchestrations utilizing different instrument sounds. It is also portable so you can take your music with you.

baldwin-acrosonic-001The acoustic piano has the benefit of an almost infinite range of expression. While digitals keep getting better, the complex action, interaction of harmonics, pedal subtleties and expression can be invaluable to an aspiring pianist. If you are taking lessons or are considering taking lessons, it is important to invest enough to achieve a minimum level of performance. Otherwise, I suggest you are better off with a decent piano and no lessons rather than an inferior instrument and lessons. Practicing on a bad piano or inadequate digital piano can make lessons unproductive and become a frustrating experience. We are fortunate at this time in history to have a choice of acoustic or digital pianos.