American vs European Pianos: What’s the Difference?

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LivingPianosVideos

LivingPianosVideos

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 58
@benjaminsmith2287
@benjaminsmith2287 5 жыл бұрын
I don't hear pianos like this. Europe and Asia are continents with different countries/regions/companies/histories producing their signature sounds. America is a country, so it may be more prone to having a characteristic sound in its pianos. Also, pianos are marketed. All pianos have gotten louder. And some European marques have become brighter to appeal to different types of music while some Asian makes have become less bright to expand their markets. At some point, they converge, and you have overlaps in characteristics of tone/resonance/attacks. As of now, some Chinese pianos use German parts, Roslau strings, Renner actions, and they have German scale design (Hailun, Kaysenburg, Ritmuller). There's a Yamaha upright series (SE) that uses Bosendorfer bass strings and European felts and voicing, and so forth. The piano market is fluid.
@p1anosteve
@p1anosteve 6 жыл бұрын
While every piano is different as you say, but the major factor governing the sound character must surely be hammer voicing. Also the environment (acoustics of the room) will have an effect. So in brief it's possible to change the tone of your piano. It's all a matter of personal taste.
@MrWhiteKeys1
@MrWhiteKeys1 8 ай бұрын
Damn this was interesting! I am glad I chose to watch your video instead of television on a Friday night! I have always enjoyed your videos!
@hailhydrazine4938
@hailhydrazine4938 6 жыл бұрын
My friend has a Bösendorfer concert grand passed down to her from 3 generations above, sounds absolutely phenomenal, she always said “if it is good enough for Liszt it is good enough for you.” lol
@paxwallacejazz
@paxwallacejazz 4 жыл бұрын
Bla bla bla both ignorant and culturaly myopic
@i.ehrenfest349
@i.ehrenfest349 4 жыл бұрын
@@paxwallacejazz Are you ok? Should we call a doctor?
4 жыл бұрын
give me a pre aeolian mason and hamlin over any other piano.
@dustymcpherson986
@dustymcpherson986 5 жыл бұрын
You explained things perfectly. Great video! love your channel
@sissy1234hhh
@sissy1234hhh 6 жыл бұрын
Can you make a American piano sound like a European piano, or the other way around?
@zackeryhardy9504
@zackeryhardy9504 3 жыл бұрын
Yes and no. It depends on what you mean by European sound. So you can make a lot of adjustments up to a point. For example you cannot take the power out of a Bosendorfer since those extra strings are what are adding that. And you cannot make a spinet sound as powerful as a grand. But you can certainly adjust color, and other characteristics just be voicing the hammers or outright replacing them. And about 90% of that sound difference is usually hammers. Renner hammers sound different from able which is different from the hammers used by yamaha. Even with the same hammer brands, you can voice them to sound completely different. You can make a yamaha sound even darker and more powerful than a Bosendorfer aswell as the opposite. Do mind that this does require a lot of money to make these changes since you are going to need to go through a piano rebuilding shop to get these changes properly made. Now that doesn't mean sending you piano off, but the technician who owns/works in it will have to make these changes at your house which is usually somewhat pricy, but worth it in my opinion. Voicing is much cheaper than hammer replacement as hammer replacement will also require voicing on top of the cost of parts and labor in replacing the hammers. If you already have a good sounding piano that has a good soundboard and scale, its worth it to just get your piano adjusted sound wise. However do note that there is a finite range that can be achieved. Many characteristics are just the way the wood and designs work together and nothing short of completely rebuilding it will change that. keyword being change. Rebuilding a piano is essentially like creating a brand new piano and you never know what the piano is going to sound like when you rebuild. Usually you put it together seeking to make the design create sound at a high quality, but then you voice and adjust to complement the specific piano. If you are buying a brand new piano, just play all of the ones in your price range and pick the piano the sounds the best. NOT THE BRAND. There are a lot of good brands out there which will create pianos at a good quality level or a poor one and generally are price accordingly (Steinway being the acceptation as they charge too much for their build quality). At your price range you will have a variety of different sounding pianos and you should shop around to find the piano that is right for you. Its better to get the one you like over the one that has the flashy brand name. I recommend actually trying to ignore the brand aspect as it really has nothing to do with the sound of the piano as each piano is unique (production pianos being an exception as things like the low to mid range yamaha and kawaii piano generally sound no different so long as you are playing 2 pianos that are of the same model).
@attic1project776
@attic1project776 6 жыл бұрын
Thank you for all the interesting topics about piano. Would you please make a video All about Steinway Pianos: what make it stand out, the differences of where it’s made, the special models, interesting stories between pianists and their Steinways, etc. I’m sure many people will be very interested to watch it. Thank you and bless!
@benjaminsmith2287
@benjaminsmith2287 6 жыл бұрын
What makes Steinway stand out is a lot of marketing. Not that they don't make fine pianos, though. He's made a lot of Steinway videos and there are a lot of videos on Steinway. Probably more so than most other makes.
@984francis
@984francis 6 жыл бұрын
@@benjaminsmith2287 True.
@brucealanwilson4121
@brucealanwilson4121 6 жыл бұрын
My piano is an old Kimball baby grand, inherited from my late mother. I remember growing up that the pianists who came to the house remarked how light and delicate the sound was. "Almost like a harpsichord," one guy said.
@ejshelby5460
@ejshelby5460 5 жыл бұрын
Robert, one question about soundboard cracking. I met a piano builder today who says unlike common belief, cracking is not end of the world. It’s a fine carpentry work to fill it & shellac it etc. pin block is the end because the piano just wont be tunable no more. What do you think
@billshaouy72
@billshaouy72 6 жыл бұрын
Excellent analysis Robert, and super helpful! You stated that many of the European pianos do well in smaller, chamber ensembles. Which pianos in your experience pair well with a single vocalist? That is, which pianos lend themselves well to accompaniment of a single vocalist, with no other instruments present?
@fr.jamesjohnson1567
@fr.jamesjohnson1567 4 жыл бұрын
American made Knabe and Bluthner!
@studentjohn35
@studentjohn35 2 жыл бұрын
You should have had a Bluthner or a Forster next to the Baldwin so you could demonstrate the difference.
@rolandgerard6064
@rolandgerard6064 6 жыл бұрын
Always interesting to watch your tutorials... thanks.
@jisyang8781
@jisyang8781 4 жыл бұрын
If you remove ‘piano’ and ‘sound’ from what he says, it still totally makes sense.
@harlanwilder2328
@harlanwilder2328 3 жыл бұрын
InstaBlaster...
@jordidewaard2937
@jordidewaard2937 6 жыл бұрын
What are your thoughts on older (not the modern asian ones) Feurich pianos?
@jonahholmes6777
@jonahholmes6777 6 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the video Robert. I personally prefer Baldwin over Steinway.
@domodepiano
@domodepiano 6 жыл бұрын
I heart me a Charles Walter grand
@julianadams5753
@julianadams5753 5 жыл бұрын
Steinway is an American, not German, brand, of course. Yet Steinway has a factory in both the US and Germany. I hear people talk about American Steinways vs Hamburg Steinways. I've always had the impression that any piano can be voiced so that two pianos manufactured side-by-side can sound totally different. I think I remember that Franz Mohr was often at odds with Horowitz over the voicing of Horowitz's personal New York Steinway. I found it sort of ironic when Horowitz appeared on stage at his famous Hamburg concert with his New York Steinway sitting before him. Carrying coals to Newcastle, it seemed to me.
@i.ehrenfest349
@i.ehrenfest349 4 жыл бұрын
I used to think Gaveaus sounded muffled, because mine plays like someone is holding a scarf over its mouth and slowly strangling it. But then I found out they're supposed to be quite bright. I guess having a grand from 1918 that hasn't seen upkeep since 1980 will do that.
@qiweihuang5236
@qiweihuang5236 3 жыл бұрын
Great explanation, Robert! thank you, and I always find your videos very insightful and joyful to watch.
@user-jr2iu7ks3x
@user-jr2iu7ks3x 6 жыл бұрын
I like the lower and mid range of all of the European pianos that I have played. The upper range on a big Bechstein seemed odd to me, but I had no way to describe it. A musician said, "Glassy," and that was a good description. I did not care for the upper range on the large grand. Other German pianos, I've liked. I tend to like the Steinway sound, but the action on some Steinways is pretty bad (really old Steinways). For sound, I really like the Astin Weight, but I have not seen one for sale in a few years.
@Dobermanator
@Dobermanator 6 жыл бұрын
Awesome stuff as always. I'm not sure which I enjoy most, listening to your information or your playing. That's kind of a similar scenario to the contrast in Piano lineage. I would have also liked to of heard how you would fit the tonal qualities found in high end Japanese (or Asian) piano's like Kawai, Yamaha with those others.
@benjaminsmith2287
@benjaminsmith2287 5 жыл бұрын
Only Kawai (Shigeru) and Yamaha (S, SX, CF) make true high-end pianos. And the latest ones are the best representation, IMO. To me, it's not about them being Asian more than about being the best that Kawai and Yamaha offer. Their tones are quite different but both wonderful. I do, however, like the conservatory grands from Kawai (GX) and Yamaha (CX).
@colinmurphy2214
@colinmurphy2214 6 жыл бұрын
Quite a match up
@giorgosboultadakis4592
@giorgosboultadakis4592 6 жыл бұрын
A very good explanation. Thanks Mr Robert!
@Kref3
@Kref3 6 жыл бұрын
Do you hear these differences also between American and German Steinways or are German Steinways more similar to American pianos than the rest of European pianos?
@benjaminsmith2287
@benjaminsmith2287 5 жыл бұрын
They're similar in that the German Steinways put out a lot of power. Their tones are different, however.
@paxwallace8324
@paxwallace8324 2 жыл бұрын
Modern Bechsteins have little relationship with their traditional ancestors. They went back to the drawing board and encorporated all the modern Steinway inovations as well as a few Japanese and modern European. If you want a more comprehensive assessment of this subject go to Merium Pianos with Stu Harrison comparing Steinway with modern Bechsteins.
@noahbaatz6115
@noahbaatz6115 6 жыл бұрын
Good to know!
@RModillo
@RModillo 3 жыл бұрын
Like Strad vs Guarneri del Gesu.
@2Hearts3
@2Hearts3 4 жыл бұрын
Thank you as always. So true. Personally, I love the Kawai GS grands-- a joy to play and hear. Steinway is too stiff for me, too heavy. Love the warmth of the Bluthner sound. Your comments are always just right and well-presented.
@derekbaqueiro5021
@derekbaqueiro5021 6 жыл бұрын
For me the old c. Bechstein are the best, and the steingräeber
@JG-to8sp
@JG-to8sp 4 жыл бұрын
Brilliantly informative. I have female singer songwriter and we are trying to find the right instrument for her to record on. Her style is a mixture of great american songbook and musical theatre. This makes me think a Steinway. Perhaps you can recommend which one shouts out to you as a likely good fit?
@LivingPianosVideos
@LivingPianosVideos 4 жыл бұрын
Just like with recording, you must find the microphone that suits your voice, the same thing is true for finding the right piano to sing with. If you can have the opportunity to sing with several pianos, you will be able to find the one that blends best with your unique voice.
@ivanfrangugic8355
@ivanfrangugic8355 6 жыл бұрын
well evry pianos are the same sound only difference are some have deeper bass some not and some are clearer... for me first is bösendorfer
@sylvibahr9834
@sylvibahr9834 6 жыл бұрын
Perfect timing. I was just at the piano store yesterday trying to decide between a Yamaha vs Roland vs the Japanese Shigeru Kwawai. I really liked the Shigeru and happen to really like Asian piano music.
@benjaminsmith2287
@benjaminsmith2287 5 жыл бұрын
Roland doesn't make acoustic pianos. The Shigeru Kawai (as well as Yamaha's CF series) are world-class fine instruments, IMO.
@paxwallacejazz
@paxwallacejazz 4 жыл бұрын
The new Bechsteins are not your grandfather's piano they quit trying to recreate their boring past. They're now giving Steinway a hard run for their money due to highly modern r&d and theft of all strategies that work.
@bradleyturner1008
@bradleyturner1008 3 жыл бұрын
Steinway is US German, so not necessarily American. They have factories in Hamburg and Queens. Because the founder of Steinway was German and the factory in Hamburg houses the largest part of the production i would rather say Steinway is European.
@loneranger5654
@loneranger5654 6 жыл бұрын
In 'Murica even sound of their instrument is fat
@984francis
@984francis 6 жыл бұрын
Hmmm. I find American pianos sound ill at ease with themselves. I miss the clarity and beauty of European pianos. As for power, I think you are on to something when you say that perhaps European pianos don't need massive input to get massive sound. And yes generalisations are just that. Our Steinway gallery has a B for performance and when new, it sounded as I put it, ill at ease, clangerous. Now, it's sounds truly fine. Maybe my ear has changed too.
@duonghoangminh7634
@duonghoangminh7634 Жыл бұрын
I like the European Pianos. These are the best piano options rather than Japanese pianos.
@danielx40
@danielx40 Жыл бұрын
Is it just me or American pianos have shorter keys? I thought Americans are insecure about length and stuff, why shorter?
@seancregomusic
@seancregomusic 6 жыл бұрын
I can't help to notice that whenever the topic of American pianos comes up, you only mention two of the three American manufactures--you never mention Charles Walter. I know they aren't a household name out there, but they hold their own. They are still a Tier 1 piano, not to mention that their uprights far surpass those offered by both S&S and M&H, and their grand pianos are nothing to overlook, either. :) It's just hard to get your hands on one because no one gives them up once they do!
@JustEnoughKeys
@JustEnoughKeys 6 жыл бұрын
Robert are you trying to start a war with that video title?
@MrTommy4000
@MrTommy4000 6 жыл бұрын
A trained ear can differentiate between the fundamental tone and one filled with overtones. Germany is the most dedicated to perfection than most others.
@guyjordan8201
@guyjordan8201 6 жыл бұрын
Seems stereotypical to call the American piano sound "fat". Maybe stereotypes have a ring of truth.
@benjaminsmith2287
@benjaminsmith2287 5 жыл бұрын
I don't find Charles Walter piano's tone fat. There used to be a lot of American manufacturers. They differed. But I find the European pianos to differ. A Bosendorfer, especially a VC, sounds nothing like a Hamburg Steinway or a C. Bechstein. I agree to an extent that Mason and Hamlin and NY Steinways have a full sound. But so do Bluthners (as Robert mentioned). I also find big difference between Kawai and Yamaha or say Hailun vs. Pearl River. Asian pianos aren't necessarily bright, and that includes Yamaha. Were they decades ago? Sure, in general. But things have changed.
@mikedaniels3009
@mikedaniels3009 3 жыл бұрын
Without sound samples this video is unsound. It's like explaining colours to troglodytes who never saw the sunlight or French perfumes to a pig farmer who never left his farm. Please try again, maestro Robert.
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