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I think it's also true that different pianos bode well for different repertoire sets. I think Chopin is played well on Steinways because Steinways have heavy ke

by pen2l 4y ago

I think it's also true that different pianos bode well for different repertoire sets. I think Chopin is played well on Steinways because Steinways have heavy keys, meaning that exercising the full freedom of dynamics works out better for when you want to make very, very soft notes and then soft notes and then roaringly loud notes. I'm no Chopin's Ballades-level pianist but playing Steinway at the piano store I do find this to be true.

reikonomusha 4y ago
I don't think the difference in the key action has much to do with appropriateness of repertoire. Most top tier pianos will have a similar feeling action if their regulation were all attended to by a top tier technician. The construction, however, does have a lot to do with how repertoire sounds. Bosendorfers and their all-spruce construction causes more warmth and resonance, useful for traditionally played baroque music, but can lead to a blurriness in romantic (i.e., Chopin-era) music. Contrast with a Fazioli or Steinway which have a little bit of a tighter tone due to their hard rim cases.
bumby 4y ago
>Steinways have heavy keys I'll preface with by saying that I know very little about pianos but I love them for all their mechanics. I've heard it said that if it were possible to get the action feel equal across all the keys, the manufacturer would. But your comment makes it sound less like a bug than a feature. Is it because people have just gotten used to it as an expectation, or because there is an inherent advantage? (I'm assuming your statement about "heavy" keys was meant as a comparison between models and not a comparison of keys on the same piano).
AlbertCory 4y ago
I don't think I'd call their keys "heavy" although others might differ. They feel more like a moderate resistance followed by a nice satisfying thunk when it hits the bottom. Whereas other keyboards feel more springy. But maybe that's just me.
- ggm 4y ago
  Well you can get Steinway greens, or reds but most people stick to browns. The IBM L series Steinway was unbeatable but who has the time to hunt in akehabera

by pen2l 4y ago

reikonomusha 4y ago

I don't think the difference in the key action has much to do with appropriateness of repertoire. Most top tier pianos will have a similar feeling action if their regulation were all attended to by a top tier technician. The construction, however, does have a lot to do with how repertoire sounds. Bosendorfers and their all-spruce construction causes more warmth and resonance, useful for traditionally played baroque music, but can lead to a blurriness in romantic (i.e., Chopin-era) music. Contrast with a Fazioli or Steinway which have a little bit of a tighter tone due to their hard rim cases.

bumby 4y ago

>Steinways have heavy keys I'll preface with by saying that I know very little about pianos but I love them for all their mechanics. I've heard it said that if it were possible to get the action feel equal across all the keys, the manufacturer would. But your comment makes it sound less like a bug than a feature. Is it because people have just gotten used to it as an expectation, or because there is an inherent advantage? (I'm assuming your statement about "heavy" keys was meant as a comparison between models and not a comparison of keys on the same piano).

AlbertCory 4y ago

I don't think I'd call their keys "heavy" although others might differ. They feel more like a moderate resistance followed by a nice satisfying thunk when it hits the bottom. Whereas other keyboards feel more springy. But maybe that's just me.

ggm 4y ago
Well you can get Steinway greens, or reds but most people stick to browns. The IBM L series Steinway was unbeatable but who has the time to hunt in akehabera