First REVIEW of the STUART & SONS "Big Beleura" FIRST PIANO EVER with 108 keys!

I made review because people wanted to hear how the top and bottom end sounds on the Stuart piano. This is the first ever 108 key piano (9 octaves) completed in July 2018. I'm showing some few musical musical contexts and arrangements for these extra notes PLUS explaining some minor differences from this Stuart (made in 2018), in comparison to others.
More info about these pianos can be found here:
www.stuartandsons.com/
Good news!
Here is the album "FAUST: a Mortal's Tale", a diverse selection of classical/contemporary works/arrangements recorded especially on the Big Beleura
out now on all major platforms including:
open.spotify.com/album/4HGcGi...
/ faust-a-mortals-tale
AND in physical form:
ashleyhribar1.bandcamp.com/al...
Let me know in the comments if you'd like to see more demos on this piano 😊
This video was recorded and produced at Beleura House, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, AUSTRALIA in Feb 2019.
You can also FOLLOW me on:
Insta: / ashleyhribarpiano
Twitter: / ashribar
Facebook: / ashley.hribar.1
Website: www.ashleyhribar.com/
Also, check out my duo with cellist, Richard Vaudrey TWO DEEP BREATHS on:
/ twodeepbreaths
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/ ashleyhribarartwork
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Cheers,
Ashley

[@lemonemmi]

Great... Now we not only need to worry about finger length, but arm length as well! The piano sounds great.

[@ashribar]

You'd be surprised how little difference it makes with the extra notes. Psychologically, 108 it sounds like a lot more than 88 but physically it's only a few more inches on each end.

[@lemonemmi]

@@ashribar I did jest only. :) The piano looks and sounds just great.

[@caitlanedwards9910]

J

[@averycotton310]

Taking ledger lines to another level

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The Octave Symbols will make that alot easier

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@Johann Sebastian That's the big one.

[@RobertSmith-le8wp]

I’ve never seen a 15va or 15vb in practice. Maybe with this

[@amj.composer]

@@RobertSmith-le8wp I've actually seen a bunch.

[@milestailsprower4555]

@@RobertSmith-le8wp Firstly, 8va plays all notes 1 octave higher while 8vb plays all the notes 1 octave lower then 15ma plays all notes 2 octaves higher and 15mb plays all the notes 2 octaves lower, Same goes for 22ma will be played 3 octaves higher and for 22mb will be played 3 octaves lower, 29ma/29mb will be played 4 octaves higher/lower, 36ma/36mb will be played 5 octaves higher/lower and so on.

[@michaelaurelius8507]

The resonance is UNBELIEVABLE on this piano! Holy crap! I have never heard such a deep and rich resonance before like this!

[@ashribar]

Thank you for the comment ! Let’s thank Mr Stuart for building such an amazing instrument

[@michaelaurelius8507]

@@ashribar Absolutely!

[@JSBach-pd4yg]

the resonance from that room 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@anotherhumanbeingblyat8935]

Imagine liszt or racmaninoff had used one of these pianos

[@ashribar]

another human being, blyat totally!! Or Beethoven as well, who was constantly at the manufacturers demanding an extended range

[@einark3846]

It's exactly what I thought about before seeing the comment

[@johncollinspianomusic]

@@ashribar yeah Beethoven woulda been psyched

[@wimvanmoerbeke]

@@ashribar or they would been horrified by the equality of sound, the sheer deafness that can occur when playing FF or more, the heaviness of the mechanic, the long duration of sound and abrupt finishing when taking of the pedal ;-)

[@somchaisaelee328]

Their ears might be broke down.

[@jeopardy60611]

I'm a keyboard player, and I find this so fascinating. I had no idea that there were pianos made that went lower or higher than the conventional 88 keys.

[@ashribar]

I know isn't it fantastic! There are other innovative and unique piano makers like: David Klavins klavins-pianos.com/ and Stephen Paulello www.stephenpaulello.com/en/pianos both bold innovators in the development of the modern piano.

[@studentjohn35]

The Bosendorfer 290 has had 95 keys for over a century, and is still in production. The Bosendorfer 225 (as well as late 1970's Petrof model 1 grands) 92 keys.

[@vicensk270]

Now they´re working to create a new 120 keys piano! Don´t be surprised if in the future, big companies like YAMAHA, Steinway, Bosendorfer, Stuart & sons make a 290 keys one

[@NuisanceMan]

@@vicensk270 290 keys? Not unless they're made out of completely different materials.

[@artdunham4282]

I tune pianos for a living. I would hate to have to tune the extra notes. Would be difficult to get right. But, maybe nobody else could tell, lol.

[@THe9-3MAnIaC]

I have tuned my own piano. And I think that is a bit hard to tune the lowest A (85 keys) togheter with A1 so they sound good, but after a while they sound good

[@hannes1734]

24th fret harmonics

[@ytb917]

why? if i owned this piano, i would pay you double the normal tuning rate.

[@molybdaenmornell123hopp5]

@@ytb917 It's physically possible to be dissatisfied with a well paid job.

[@johnbishop5316]

Me too. Had to retire because of tinnitus. But I can't hear much sound from the extra top notes. The bass are more interesting.

[@Dezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz]

I can just imagine the immense power someone like Horwitz or Art Tatum or Willie the lion Smith could show on this - insanely beautiful instrument! thanks for the tour, albums delightful too!

[@ashribar]

absolutely I'm sure all those pianists would have devoured this piano!

[@Zephaniah3verse17]

Wow! 60 years old and I can hear even the highest notes. This magnificent instrument doesn't just please any passing bat. Thanks for posting!!

[@ashribar]

thanks a lot! you're welcome!

[@sgktfbllbc637]

Ye lol, this is making a new generation of piano, idk but maybe this in a close future could be the best pianos ever

[@johnpeer8260]

Most of those extra notes seem like a "novelty" to me, although if they're there, we'll use them just for fun!

[@Deeznutsmynamejeff21]

The high nots aren’t particularly useful but the long low strings do make quite a difference to general sound and is why the imperial grand uses them.

[@JustinDAMusic]

They are just a novelty. They add no musical value.

[@Persun_McPersonson]

@@JustinDAMusic And yet it's not uncommon for pipe organs to go below and above the standard range of a piano. Methinks there's just not enough piano pieces utilizing these extra notes yet, aswell as this just being an aversion to change.

[@yurimeyrowitz6788]

@@Deeznutsmynamejeff21 - What do you mean? My dog would certainly appreciate those upper notes...

[@molybdaenmornell123hopp5]

@@JustinDAMusic Whether a sound has musical value is a lot harder to determine than your bold assertion suggests. Given the breadth of sounds employed in music, my first answer would be, "Probably". Going deeper: if the sound suggests anything to the listener, it can carry meaning. If it has meaning, it can be used to tell a story. The sound does not need to be pretty for this to apply. I would argue that the very lowest and highest notes on an ordinary 7-octave piano don't sound particularly beautiful but certainly expressive. The same applies to these. My suspicion is that some people's aversion to this piano is rooted in a sense that it somehow insults its standard range counterparts by implying that their range is insufficient. Insulting this Instrument back may be a subconscious expression of loyalty to the normal one and all the music composed for it. I think we can adopt a calmer, less combative view and love the normal Instrument without needing to diss this one.

[@ytb917]

it's great to see a manufacturer creating something new. i think it would be good to invert the color scheme on the extra notes. it helps you see the limits of a normal piano, and then says: "we've got some more for you". i love that about bosendorfers. i would go one step further than bosendorfer and make the white keys black and black keys white rather than making them all black. if they are fully inverted, they look like pianoforte keys, adding classiness and visual interest.

[@ashribar]

I totally agree, I'm also so excited that not only the Stuarts but also David Klavins and Stephen Paulello are daring enough to take a leap forward, rather than believing that the development of the modern piano has come to an end. The colour scheme sounds interesting, and I suppose it's personal taste. I'd love to see it. Personally, I like them as they are because, from experience, you really do get used to it and embrace the instrument's range to the point that it becomes intuitive rather than thinking about where my fingers should go. The black notes on the Bösendorfer were a kind of distraction to me. So either all inverted or just all traditionally white. That's my personal take anyway! Maybe there's a way to apply an easily removable sofisticated coloured material to each of the keys to tailor for each performers needs?

[@Persun_McPersonson]

The Bosendorfer 290, which had 97 keys, had colored all of the keys it added below A0 black. Perhaps for this one, the added lower notes could be all black and the added higher all white; alternatively, both the high and lower added keys could simply invert the color of the naturals and sharps/flats, harkening back to old pianofortes and harpsichords aswell as other keyboard instruments of the time.

[@pacmania71914]

oh my god! the string of the highest note can vibrate 7902 times a second!!

[@isayawhaat1634]

7:15 that’s sounds soooo nice I wish you did more stuff with this piano

[@user-gx4qy3ko4c]

dorian mode is so delicious

[@ashribar]

Dorian is so delish

[@urosrakic6900]

This is very interesting piano, and I bet that brands will start to make pianos with 108 keys instead of today's 88. 108 keys cover up full nine octave range, the frequency of C0 is ≈16,35 Hz and frequency of B8 is ≈7902,13 Hz. I also noticed that, when frequency of sound (assuming that tone has harmonics) goes below 27,5 Hz, it starts to be more difficult to recognize notes. I can recognize notes down to C0, but with a great difficulty, since they sound more like a growl or roar, than an actual note. C0 sounds like a scary growl or like an old mechanic compressor. You may heavily struggle to recognize C0. I can recognize that tone, but very barely. Similar situation is when there are a high frequency notes. After a certain frequency (say after 5000Hz for treble tones), we also have difficulty to recognize tones. I can hardly recognize tones up to C9 flat, but only when I pay attention to them and listen carefully. So, in my opinion, we can recognize tones and their pitch in frequency range from 16Hz to 8000Hz. Why? Because, when note is below C0, you can't recognize pitch at all - all you can hear is a disturbing tapping sound that only acts as an interferention. This same goes for high notes - when note is above B8, all you can hear is a sound of a high frequency whistle (I can distinguish tone pitch up to C9 flat, but this is really high pitch sound).

[@johnbishop5316]

A thoughtful comment. May I add? First, what is an "an old mechanic compressor." ? Is there some other kind? A digital compressor? Help me out. Second, the problem is of hearing a note at low frequency made by a piano like this isn't so much the hearing as the sound. There will be precious little fundamental and lots of overtones many of which are not pleasing from a heavily copper wound string. A pure sine wave of 16Hz will sound quite different. If you can hear it. Even on an 88 kb piano the top few are hardly audible. The mechanical noise from the action drowns most of the sound. Only in very high quality pianos can number 88 be heard at all. My computer speakers won't do justice to this demonstration, let alone my ancient ears. I'm somewhat sceptical as to their use. I may be conceptually limited: Bach did Das wohltemperierte Klavier on 4 1/2 octaves. And we've moved a lot since then.

[@lubomirkubasdQw4w9WgXcQ]

so B9 is ~15,804.26 Hz?

[@urosrakic6900]

@@lubomirkubasdQw4w9WgXcQ Yes. If B8 is 7902,13 Hz, then B9 is 15804,26 Hz. B9 may be inaudible for people over the age of 40, since person's hearing (as he or she ages) naturally and slowly declines. I'm 22 years old and can hear up to 19250Hz. Of course, that will change with my aging.

[@rs-tarxvfz]

They start sounding like tinkling of glass bottles.

[@cambridgeport90]

That sounds amazing. I tend to do more improvising than actual playing nowadays, so I can only imagine what I would be able to do with this.

[@ashribar]

Katherine Moss perfect for improvising !

[@Ivan_1791]

Finally a piano where to play Scriabin's 6th piano sonata.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Busoni took advantage of the extended range Piano by arranging some of Bachs organ pieces for it. The extra keys going down to C0 match the 32 or 64 ft organ pipes.

[@Themagiciandu62]

Yes ans that was a reason why boardwalk hall organ atlantic city include two 7 octaves manuals : when activate the grand-great ans grand choir divisions the extended ranks Speaks lower and higher making possible playing arrangement without pedalboard or simplify the way to play if a pianist play on it

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@Themagiciandu62 Pianists will love the Boardwalk Hall Organ

[@Themagiciandu62]

@@RockStarOscarStern634 When it will be fully restored it will be an amazing instrument

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@Themagiciandu62 They're getting all the percussion instruments on this gizmo working

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@Themagiciandu62 Yes the restoration process is going very well

[@FragrantPixelSociety]

wow just wow what a pleasure it must have been to play on such a massive and magnificent piano like that one a magnificent sound and a very very rich tone thank you so very much for this video i absolutley love this piano

[@ashribar]

Thanks so much !

[@SteveBlancoMusicianWarrior]

Wow, I love it! I need to try that beast. Great video.

[@ArchyBeatz]

So happy something like this exist.

[@stevenmayhew3944]

The extra notes below A0 and above C8 are what I call the "Yellow Zone", meaning that the low notes begin to transition from tone to rhythm, while the high notes begin to transition from discernible to indiscernible. Beyond C0 and B8 is what I call the "Red Zone", where you either hear rhythm instead of tone, or you hear frequencies so high-pitched that you cannot discern which note they represent anymore, and eventually transition into ultrasonic. I think we need the "Piano Extreme" to demonstrate this phenomenon.

[@maximusheronimus23980]

this sounds epic !

[@TimothyGondola]

Now this is amazing, thank you for developing the Mephisto Waltz like that, sounds fantastic!!

[@ashribar]

Thanks so much Timothy! If you're interested, you can hear the whole Mephisto recorded on this piano here: open.spotify.com/track/3IjRgO3m0WJs6JSRc3u1o9?si=c026b38810ad48db Have a great day!

[@TimothyGondola]

@@ashribar sounds great! is there another edition of Mephisto’s waltz I’m not familiar with? Your version was very different even accounting for the expanded registers

[@ashribar]

@@TimothyGondola Thanks so much! Yes, it's totally different. The original was apparently written for orchestra plus I think pianists around this time would have made changes to the score and adapted to their own pianistic/musical inclinations depending on experience, so I've taken the liberty to dabble myself and completely re-arrange it!

[@webbophone3377]

Very cool, and very pretty!

[@okidesu4314]

Can mozart,and beethoven play together with the same piano now.

[@wimvanmoerbeke]

Cool video, thank you for showing this piano

[@ashribar]

Thanks You're welcome!

[@karleick6679]

If there was a midi system on this thing, I'd like so much to hear a black midi on that piano!

[@ashribar]

wow yes that would be cool!

[@karleick6679]

@@ashribar BTW, how high does this thing go? I can't make it out.

[@ashribar]

Karl Eick it goes up to the B, so, past the C in the top register. Almost an octave. In the Bass it goes down to the C past the lowest A

[@karleick6679]

Wow! c0 to b9? Just the right range for black midis I'd say! Or do they go higher sometimes? I know they could, but do they, actually? And how are you supposed to make these strings? It just blows my mind.

[@ashribar]

@@karleick6679 No idea how high the black midis go but worth checking out! The strings are made by another excellent piano builder Stephen Paulello who has also built a magnificent instrument just an hour south of Paris www.stephenpaulello.com/en/pianos. There you can find info about the strings and even purchase them.

[@DARANGULAFILM]

Whilst the upper notes may not be discernable to an adult, the hearing of children and teens through to about the age of 21 may be able to do so. The caveat is that they have not blown out their high frequencies with ear buds and loud canned music in the meantime. As a kid, the high pitch from an old CRT television set used to send me almost insane. A piano tuner who was a friend of the family assured me that by the time I turned 21 it would no longer bother me and it didn't. The first angle grinder used without muffs or standing anywhere near and old Rolls-Royce turboprop-powered airliner takes care of it.

[@edwardchilverspiano2588]

I would absolutely love to play one of these! Those bass notes!

[@ashribar]

Come to Australia . I’ll put you in touch with Beleura house , they will have you for sure

[@edwardchilverspiano2588]

@@ashribar I would love to do that. If I could work out a little tour and make it work money wise I will. We are looking at tours when/if the covid thing is over to promote the next record.

[@ZiadKreidy]

Great video! Legendary Instrument! Wonderful Pianist!

[@ashribar]

Ziad Kreidy thank you so much dear Ziad! I owe much to the innovation to the instrument

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Ashley Hribar That deep note is a C0 the same as a Bosendorfer imperial & the lowest note on an Octobass.

[@mosheknoll1603]

If I win the lottery I am definitely getting one of these! ❤

[@calvinfranklin5052]

Wow!

[@craigruchman7007]

Amazing. While the extra keys don’t sound like notes, the added range gives it an orchestral feel.

[@ashribar]

Thanks Craig, I agree , hard to hear, they are quite percussive but I like the sound. The recording quality here isn’t fabulous but they do have magic when heard them ‘live’. Come to the Expo 2022, first week of Jan and I’ll be showcasing one of these pianos there in a few concerts ☺️🕺🏼

[@vinsgraphics]

I met a chamber music director from Ukraine who had studied with a Stradivarius and mentioned this piano. She scoffed at it, “why would anyone want to play this? 88 is enough.” My son, who is the musical one and the reason we met in the first place, begs to disagree.

[@ZiadKreidy]

stunning!

[@billwesley]

Treating those highest notes as fundamentals does not work very well because the action is so much louder than the note, but if you treat the higher notes as HARMONICS of the lower notes then they work to musical affect. For example so if you play an octave up high the lower note will subsume the higher note, it will be as if the lower note is playing by itself, but it will have a brighter timbre than if it were actually playing by itself which is quite useful.. An octave will do this (2nd harmonic), an octave and a fifth (3rd harmonic) two octaves (4th harmonic) two octaves and a third (5th harmonic) two octaves and a fifth (6th harmonic) two octaves and a minor seventh (7th harmonic) 3 octaves (8th harmonic) and so on.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

The range of this Piano is the same as a Pipe Organ from the Super Low 32 ft C all the way up to the bright shimmering B above the Highest C.

[@minnakappel9238]

Wirklich Spitze 👊🏼💗 😘

[@ashribar]

Minna Kappel Dankeschön !!

[@ahmedwesam7286]

I want one of these

[@mayagamingroblox3711]

If composers of the future has this type of piano, not only the move our arms, hand and our feet for the pedal. Also moving our body so that we feel more comfortable on the notes

[@Woman2Watch]

This is the piano Igor Krutoy needs for Dimash Kudaibergen ♥

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Circus Galop would sound great on this thing taking advantage of all 9 Octaves & it would be great if they made a 108 Key Reed Organ w/ the same range.

[@okidesu4314]

5 years passed,Yamaha,casio,korg,roland and the likes will launch their very first 108 key keyboards! Me:This is great!Now i can musicaly use this to talk with my chromatic friends!

[@nassera]

I hope so too. Really do… At least 132 keys might be it. 1 octave down, 1 up more. We arrive at 16kHz in the upper register which might be okay for most people to hear. Impressive, not! Then just add two octaves again (1 up/1 down). Makes 156 keys. We might stop now in the upper register. But let's add again 2 more octaves down. Makes 180 keys. Which is a nice number, I think. Let's stop. But wait… Hm… 4 octaves lower is 4Hz. Nice. But… Let's add two more octaves, then we go down to 1Hz. This sounds nice. It might sound nice as well. Okay… 2 octaves higher means 32kHz. Some animals might hate you. But it's nice to have I guess (usually, more notes improve the overall sound quality of the important "center" notes). Going way down to 1Hz might make lovely overtones. So… Let's do it! Yeah, we need a billionaire to finance a "science project" to build a 17 octave piano (1Hz-32kHz). 17 octaves sound a lot. But it's nothing compared to the sounds of the universe! How long would a bass string need to be to resonate at 1Hz? I'd love to see a 50m long piano. Better: like a dining table, build a key console at both ends with twin strings. Players are able play a duet 50m apart easily. If the bass strings are much longer, we might need glasses or technical support. But that's another important science project I guess. But I'm serious. I don't live long enough! Build it now!! I demand it!!!

[@handledav]

wow

[@handledav]

Lol

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

It's great for expanding your chords plus it could be great for Zydeco music.

[@mattbod]

It’s a showpiece but there is no doubt Stuart pianos sound the absolute business. I’d love his smaller model in my home and would choose it over Bosendorffer, Fazioli, Steinway any day.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

Ashley Hribar I Wish hey had a Pedal Piano system for that as well as a Double Keyboard version (with that pedal system) to create the worlds first "Grand Pianorgan" which is an updated version of the Pedal Piano.

[@ashribar]

please elaborate on this, not sure what you mean with the pedal system. Sounds cool though!

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@ashribar Pinchi invented the pedal piano system and the double keyboard system also gives you more flexibility which was invented by another person. So I wanted a 4 octave version of this (Written C1 to C5) pedal piano system with 3 registers to take advantage of the extended range going down to C0.

[@ashribar]

@@RockStarOscarStern634 fabulous! I'll research this and check it out. Thanks for sharing!

[@karleick6679]

Me again. How on earth are you supposed to tune these high notes? On the low ones, you can use harmonics, but what about the high ones? Maybe technology makes it possible, such as pitching the audio down (that's how I noticed they're actually a bit out), or can electronic tuners recognise them?

[@ashribar]

Karl Eick I believe electronic tuners can do the job. Yes, you’re right, the piano was slightly out after doing much recording on it

[@enriquesanchez2001]

OMG - I heard Horowitz live many moons ago, he would have been THRILLED BY THIS and the possibilities of the MEPHISTO! ♥♥♥♥♥ BTW - I enjoyed all of your selections :) ♥♥♥

[@ashribar]

Thanks so much Enrique! wow i bet that would have been amazing to see Horowitz live! He's been my idol for years. Warm wishes to you!

[@enriquesanchez2001]

@@ashribar I saw him twice and met him the second time when I sneaked in ON STAGE after everyone had left the auditorium! He was very tired and calm after he had taken a shower but I waited until he finally accepted only about 8 of us to enter his dressing room. He was quiet and calmly signed my program. I was walking ON AIR for a long time after that! ❤

[@ashribar]

@@enriquesanchez2001 incredible ! I bet !

[@enriquesanchez2001]

@@ashribar The memory is indelibly stamped in my memories. I was quite daring you know. the empresaria, Judy Drucker, was at the door and she could have asked me to leave. It was all serendipitous luck! But she was all smiles and didn't bat an eye! :)

[@ashribar]

@@enriquesanchez2001 How wonderful. And yes, very lucky indeed!

[@willgraham8878]

Amazing piano!!!! The Best I've heard from all the hibrids!!! I'd like one. Whats the cost? Is this so far the only one made??? You have amazing talents Sir!!!! O wanted a piano like this years ago and envisioned one could be made!!!

[@ashribar]

thanks so much. They are custom made so the costs are determined with each buyer. you can contact the piano builder directly via his website: www.stuartandsons.com/ They are not cheap but worth every penny!

[@livigarcia5211]

I wonder what it would have been like if La Campanella were written on that piano.

[@ashribar]

That would be amazing !

[@DallasCrane]

Those extra notes are like 90% attack transient and harmonics and 10% tone ha, but very cool! I bet they would work amazing as doubling

[@ashribar]

Absolutely, especially the bass notes!

[@stephenwilliamson9340]

Amazing instrument!

[@vedantthanki745]

I REALLY want TOTENTANZ on this piano

[@vicensk270]

Now we wanna apreciatte the sound of a 137 keys piano

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

I wish they were available in Electronic Versions cause Busoni arranged Bach's Organ works for this Piano. It's range is exactally that of a Pipe Organ.

[@ashribar]

Same here but unfortunately not yet.. it would be great to have a keyboard that you could easily extended with a kind of clip in mechanism and basically tailor the length as you wish

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@ashribar A Folding Electronic version of this instrument would totally rock (Complete with a 4 Octave Pedal Board written C1-C5 & 3 different registers 16, 8, & 4) along w/ having two Keyboards cause it'll rock. Extended Range Pianos give you lots of flexibility.

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@ashribar Yamaha is working on it.

[@danielmilitello4795]

@@RockStarOscarStern634 Really, When is this happening?

[@RockStarOscarStern634]

@@danielmilitello4795 It'll be in a few years or so

[@admiralmyxtar3702]

Anyone knows what he's playing starting on 0:44? Perhaps a sheet is available

[@gayhomelesswithpinknails4424]

5:54

[@organist1982]

Very nice! Have you tried the Rach Prelude in C#-minor on this piano? There's a video of someone else playing that on a Bosendorfer Imperial with the extra bass range, and it sounds magnificent!

[@ashribar]

Wow no I haven’t but that’s a brilliant idea ! I

[@organist1982]

@@ashribar Here is the link to the video I mentioned; I would love to hear your version! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gojHl396fKaHl9k

[@frazzledude]

The intro to Rach’s 2nd piano concerto sounds awesome when played on a Bosendorfer imperial using the extra bass notes.

[@keretaapilokomotifcc206]

7:16 clair de lune

[@marshallross3373]

Sounds great. I think the extra range makes sense. Obviously, too many really low notes played together can get muddy, but otherwise, why not build them this way?

[@vicensk270]

The mechanism of this upper-piano is different as the normal regular size, The strings are extended a little bit for each key, I don`t know if the funtionality changes about how much time does the piano hammer can be support before a desgast in the sound of the tinniest and the lowest key and I think this piano is just an exhibition, but no avaible in stores or comercial sides, Because it`s unic, the sounds`en the extra sounds makes this piano the valuest piece of art ever.

[@kurtkaufman]

Tone (as far as I can tell from the video) reminds me of a Boesendorfer Imperial, but more so!

[@ashribar]

yes the bass is def similar. Even more grunty in my opinion. Obviously you need to hear these pianos live

[@peterbayonet1266]

If I manufacture pianos, I won't go higher than F8 since I can't recognize those notes higher than that; they sound like triangles being hit hardly...

[@urosrakic6900]

I understand you. When we enter into 8th octave, we indeed start to have difficulty discerning note pitch. In my case, I can discern notes up to C9, but with an extreme difficulty. From G8 to C9, I can recognize tone pitch, but with a very great difficulty, since I have to focus to that tone and listen carefully (while keeping volume at an appropriate level). After C9, it's impossible for me to discern tone pitch. I can only hear whistle sound that is out of tune. Precisely, my upper threshold for recognizing tone pitch is around 8500 Hz, whereas at about 6000 Hz (which is between F8# and G8), I start to have difficulty recognizing tone pitch, yet I can recognize tone pitch. And after 8500 Hz, I can no longer recognize tone pitch. This, of course, varies from person to person, since upper threshold for discerning tone pitch is not the same for everyone. In terms of hearing, I can hear up to 19250 Hz (and I'm 21 years old). The problem with discerning tone pitch can be applied to bass tones, also. With the great difficulty, I can barely recognize tone C0. Very barely. I need to focus and concentrate like a Herculean to discern C0 tone. Which means that in octave 0, we also start to have difficulty with tone pitch discerning. This is especially evident when you get below A0. I can discern tone pitch below A0, but the difficulty is much more greater when I go below F0 tone. As above C9, when I get below C0, I can't recognize tone pitch at all, but with that in this case, I can only hear tapping sound that is nothing more than interference (and that is out of tune). So, my threshold for discerning tone pitch is from 16 Hz (or C0) for bass tones up to 8500 Hz (C9) for treble tones. At the end, I want to mention that I also think that 88 keys on a piano is not enough, but I don't want to manufacture 108 key piano either. If I were a piano manufacturer, I would make piano with 94 keys (this includes two keys on the bass side - G0# and G0, and four keys on a treble side - C8#, D8, D8# and E8). So, my piano would go from G0 to E8. I also think that 94 keys on a piano is a good balance between conventional 88 keys and this 108 key Big Beleura piano. And that's it.

[@johncollinspianomusic]

Initially when you first played the extra notes I was sure I did not like them at all.... but I loved your examples - convinced me over ! Particularly the bass notes, as most agree, are pretty cool and surprisingly useful. I had not at all imagined/realized yet the very different atmosphere those would be capable of introducing... esp when used rhythmically, say minimalistically, like you did at parts... very interesting and modern. Thanks for the demo

[@ashribar]

You're welcome! Initially, I wasn't convinced also, but quickly adapted to the extra notes and 4 pedals. Stuart pianos open new doors and dimensions in sound Btw, here's the full recording of the Mephisto Waltz amongst others made just after giving this review: open.spotify.com/album/4HGcGiFeMCwBIs0vsrdAvd?si=dWdzHti-S_ScQ_ValvhiSA "Faust: a Mortal's Tale" is the full album recorded on this piano, out now on all major platforms :D open.spotify.com/album/4HGcGiFeMCwBIs0vsrdAvd?si=dWdzHti-S_ScQ_ValvhiSA music.apple.com/au/album/faust-a-mortals-tale/1535934274 AND in physical form: ashleyhribar1.bandcamp.com/album/faust-a-mortals-tale

[@johncollinspianomusic]

@@ashribar Awesome! Can't wait to check 'em out. Sigh, not that I will ever be able to afford/have opportunity to place one of these....in my dreams!! Indeed. Thanks for the further links/resources

[@johncollinspianomusic]

@@ashribar Watching this again I really f----ing love it. Wish youtube would let me just use my real words. You're cool! Excellent pianist 👌I wanna study the mephisto waltz now must buy a copy of the sheet music asap - I actually don't have all of liszt's (music - known nor scores on-hand but probably should; I do of course for all the others). Clair de lune really does sound so much better on this piano.

[@ashribar]

@@johncollinspianomusic Thanks so much! Eventually I'll create a re-arranged version of this and of course I'll post about it and let you know. :D

[@tedallison6112]

My Bosendorfer Imperial w 97 notes is already a mega -ordeal to tune & regulate.

[@thenotsookayguy]

Cziffra's dream piano

[@milestailsprower4555]

I wished I maked a 128 Key Piano which all 128 keys all vibrate equally can lowly vibrate to 8.175 cycles per second or Hertz or C-1 up and can vibrate up to 12,543.8 cycles per second or Hertz which is G9

[@MegavisioniDance2000]

C-1 - B7

[@R-666_Channel]

On 128 keys C-2-G8 (C-1-G9)

[@therealhelmholtz]

delaware day 2019 - some guy named asley playing a big ass piano

[@marcoromanelli6000]

They say that Lizt was very miserly: I've bought the whole piano, so I'm going to use the whole piano"...

[@emilyhill4792]

What is the name of the Bach piece at 8:41?

[@ashribar]

Hi that’s the prelude in G# min book two from the WT Klavier

[@Roy_100Malaeb]

I see there are 4 pedals what does the fourth one do

[@ianlowery6014]

It is a genuine pianissimo. It controls the distance between the hammer and the strings.

[@ashribar]

the two left pedals create a softer sound which you can play together or individually. the very left moves the hammers upward and closer to the keys (just like an upright piano does horizontally), the next pedal from the left moves the hammers slightly to the right hitting two instead of 3 strings (as a grand piano does), the next is the conventional 'sostenuto' pedal found on most modern grand pianos. the right one is the sustain pedal.

[@LordQueezle]

How much does one of these cost and can I get one shipped to the US? :D

[@ashribar]

you can get in touch with the builder Wayne Stuart on : [e-mail]. Website: www.stuartandsons.com

[@gugagogia4858]

what is that you play around 6:00? it is so beautiful

[@pedrofuster9161]

Liszt Mephisto waltz, around 2/3 in the piece

[@sx99cornell]

after watching this, now i understand why most pianos just need 88 keys

[@ashribar]

Surely you mean most compositions?

[@smithmcsmithy2645]

@@ashribar Probably both to be honest with you. The upper keys leave an unpleasant ringing sensation similar to tinnitus, and the added base is mostly unnecessary. Unless you’re playing pieces that desire to leave an unpleasant feeling in the listeners ears or you just want lower octaves, I think 88 keys should do the trick for most pianos.

[@zswu31416]

@@smithmcsmithy2645 Sometimes pieces need that extra "tickle" at the top. I played a piece that had an E8 in it at pianissimo, couldn't play it but if I could it would probably sound great. And some pieces need a rumble, or just a really thick bass note. Imagine if the Bach-Busoni chaccone had access to a G0 at the end. Would probably sound more epic than the G1 that was there.

[@johncollinspianomusic]

@@ashribar lol snap! I'm afraid fellows it has herein been clearly demonstrated, and I personally look forward to listening to the full recordings ASAP, that the additional dimensions absolutely would have been relished by our beloved composers, and quite powerfully expand the range of the expression possible. Which after all is the whole purpose. Pianos will only get more and more complex can't wait for the digital hybrid syntheses/fusions with ranges this large. I might wonder if I should request Kawai consider creating something like this just like their VPC-1, for example. I think I will! Why not. They may likely at least get and read the request -- there are not tons of us realistically aware of the progress being made here and yes seems many commenters do not fall into that category unfortunately! Hopefully they soon not too far into the future become actually economical to purchase. Doubt that. So maybe I'll just have to find someway of getting my hands on one of these Stuarts.... would love to improvise on one...

[@Extrocxon_YT]

No

[@dangerousnoodle3730]

i wanna play maple leaf rag and do some crazy jumps

[@ashribar]

Here's a recording of the Fingerbreaker which has some jumps! I'd love to revisit this and jump some more! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWO9c4mdrd1mqLM&ab_channel=AshleyHribar

[@microsoftice6498]

3:30 whats the name of that piece?

[@ashribar]

it's the Mephisto Waltz by Franz Liszt

[@Plejaden]

Imagine if Beethoven had this piano and he wasn't deaf 😳

[@lufknuht5960]

first, you hit the keys to fast to allow careful listening. The top keys don't sound different in pitch, but like clicks

[@gayhomelesswithpinknails4424]

0:16 that was a C#8? I think that was a c#7

[@ajjones6114]

0:16 this was C#9

[@z131720]

The highest note I hear is A8

[@tommychappell6359]

can you make 120 key piano?

[@davidbutterworth5258]

I am only able to hear up to he top F sharp/G. Beyond that I only hear a light tapping sound. Perhaps if he had played them more slowly I would have had a chance..

[@ashribar]

One day I'll make another updated review

[@f67739]

@@ashribar make use of those studio mics for the updated video if you could

[@ashribar]

@@f67739 cheers, will do next time I’m there!

[@elizerpreligera467]

Damn! 3:30, That's "Mephisto Waltz No.1" by Liszt, I like how you tinker that part, if Liszt had that

[@ashribar]

Hello Elizer, you can hear the whole Liszt recording here open.spotify.com/track/3IjRgO3m0WJs6JSRc3u1o9?si=bc7309d9aa2044bf

[@carphy6982]

the day 29va and 29ba got used in sheet music

[@peterbayonet1266]

Not yet. We need to reach the 10th octave first, but there is no reason to go that high because some people may not be able to hear those notes that high.

[@nassera]

@@peterbayonet1266 There might be a new Kinderszenen for kids. They will be able to hear 30% of the notes adult people cannot. Fabulous!

[@ajjones6114]

Convert it to hetrz A4 = 2^(12/12)*220

[@wesackerman]

Only dogs can hear the top notes

[@ashribar]

as well as cats too. koalas can hear them particularly well

[@rogerwallace5473]

Woof!

[@vicensk270]

3:04

[@chevelleman88]

I see no use for this that would justify its creation, much less its purchase. A novelty. The shock value effect would wear off quickly. Those highest notes are almost all hammer impact noise.

[@Persun_McPersonson]

I wish this could become standard.

[@ashribar]

So do I!

[@servantofaeie1569]

they need to make it to a d10

[@somerandomdragon558]

There are a few problems with that. First of all the usefulness. A D10 has a frequency of 18794.52 Hertz (ideally). This is still in the 20-20000 Hertz range that is usually told to be the hearing range of humans. But actually most people do not hear that far up. The older one becomes, the more frequencies are lost. I am only 21 years old but already have a very hard time making out 18000 Hz (i pretty much loose it at 17500). And i do not think others in my age would really hear much higher than me. That being said, people loose high frequencies with every year they age. The hearing range of older people might already end at 10000 Hz. On top of that, *all* harmonics of these notes would definitely be inaudible leaving nothing but the fundamental. But the harmonics are actually what gives notes their timbre. Next problem: Actually tuning the high notes. Treble notes have very poor sustain. So by the time the tuner has figured out the pitch (if its being picked up at all), the note is already dead. That problem would occur long before actually reaching D10. All i can say about that is: Good luck tuning a note that is not picked up by any tuning device, that is inaudible and a sustain of not even half a second. Next problem: Breaking tension of the strings. On their website there is an explanation of why the highest note is a B8 and not a C9 or higher. Simply: If you tune the highest note just a little higher, there is a good chance the string will just break. So the only remaining option would be to make it even shorter. But since the treble notes are already ridiculously short, that would not make much sense. At some point the strings do not behave like strings should behave, but more like a rod. It would actually make more sense to go below C0. Even tho the fundamentals of these notes are in the infrasound range, their harmonics (which make up for the majority of the sound) are not. The resonance of the whole instrument would profit from having such extra extra low notes. The problem with them is that they have to be big. A C-1 for example would require strings that are like 4 meters long. So the entire instrument would have to be significantly larger just for another octave down.

[@servantofaeie1569]

@@somerandomdragon558 i can hear it, some other people can too. i only said d10 cause thats the highest musical note i can hear. Im not a musician so i dont understand most of what you said, or how it really works.

[@ashribar]

This conversation is so interesting! Wayne did speak of building a piano going down further to the A and up on more note to the C, so essentially an octave on wither end. PS in case it interests you, here is my album "Faust: a Mortal's Tale" all tracks recorded on this piano: open.spotify.com/album/4HGcGiFeMCwBIs0vsrdAvd?si=dWdzHti-S_ScQ_ValvhiSA music.apple.com/au/album/faust-a-mortals-tale/1535934274 and all major platforms. AND in physical form: ashleyhribar1.bandcamp.com/album/faust-a-mortals-tale

[@henzolucassilva9405]

This piano: a Sheet music: please noo

[@ashribar]

You would like some sheet music? Not sure I understand..

[@ankoslitoflower]

0:46-1:26 was that a piece or did you improvise that? Please the name if there is one.

[@ashribar]

hello there, it was improvised

[@ankoslitoflower]

@@ashribar both amazing and disappointing. also thanks for the fast reply. it was so cinematic/score-ish and i pictured something like darker scenes of Batman. Now I'm just gonna have to result to listening to the video over and over again to get my fix. :-)

[@ankoslitoflower]

@@ashribar thank you for that little piece of what life is worth living btw. you know... those limit moments that add up to make a compelling story of a whole.

[@ankoslitoflower]

@@ashribar i also have to add, your use of dynamics is on par with even great drummers (and you know that's basically all they have to work with) it was the first thing i noticed.

[@ankoslitoflower]

Also side note. you ever seen any 10 octave pianos? Specifically any with one lower octave on the bass side? But also has this extended higher end?

[@youssefselkani]

I've listened to this on studio monitors you can't hear that higher octave but it's cool, nice review!

[@ashribar]

Yes I find hard to hear also, but it's interesting how the brain and ears can imagine these notes.. I personally love the sound, especially the bass notes!

[@ashribar]

PS: In case you'd like to hear the album "Faust. a Mortal's Tale" it was all recorded on this piano: open.spotify.com/album/4HGcGiFeMCwBIs0vsrdAvd?si=dWdzHti-S_ScQ_ValvhiSA music.apple.com/au/album/faust-a-mortals-tale/1535934274 and all major platforms. AND in physical form: ashleyhribar1.bandcamp.com/album/faust-a-mortals-tale

[@alternateunreleasedshellac505]

Could you play "Goopy Gear"?

[@anonymousfairydrones5626]

Where is this?

[@ashribar]

It’s at Beleura House in Australia, Mornington Peninsula

[@edward_grabczewski]

This recording is a bit reverberant for my taste. Also, Ashley, you forgot to mike yourself! Having extra high notes sounds pointless since they become almost indistinguishable. Nice bass notes.

[@kabouktli]

I couldn't distinguish the extra low ones either.

[@ashribar]

I agree, this audio recording doesn't really do it justice, especially when listening through a computer. ultimately, you need to hear, or rather, 'feel' them live. So, this recording is just a guide and reference for those interested in the general Stuart sound. When you play the bass notes individually, I find them impossible to distinguish.(much like pipe organs from the 1900s which go even lower and higher) When you add the upper octave played either loud or super soft as I demonstrate, you can really hear the added depth of the bass. It's quite special. Adding the lower octave to the higher notes, there is a similar effect, but for me have a different function. That is, the ear can really imagine the sound when playing scales up and down into these notes. It's quite surprising and creatively quite refreshing (for me).

[@zapzenn1199]

The upper notes are beyond the range of my cheap pc speakers and I bet some older people's hearing won't pick them up live either, perhaps they should be attenuated less to compensate?

[@ashribar]

It's difficult to hear the actual notes on either end but octaves in the LH definitely sound SO much richer and fuller and also, different! The top end is fascinating because the ear imagines where it's going, especially with chromatic scales and other melodies and musically it opens up another door. It's really to beast to improvise on!

[@zapzenn1199]

@@ashribar That's a good point. The harmonics will be richer for sure. Thanks for replying.

[@ashribar]

@@zapzenn1199 You're welcome!