Concert grand piano vs practicing piano

[@onemanfran]

I think sometimes the piano chooses you. I went to this huge piano warehouse with the intention of getting a grand piano or a higher end upright. After hours of trying them all I went home with a cheap 1967 Ronisch upright. I love the sound of it, very clear and rich, the keys are not too heavy and not too light, they are very responsive and allow me to do beautiful trills and repeated notes, all for only £1600. I get a very experienced (and expensive) piano tuner to look after it twice a year. I can't imagine getting another piano now - the Ronisch is my friend and companion and has looked after me. It's a member of the family.

[@JoseFuentes-fn3dl]

That's a great story. My upright wurlitzer will always be with me. It's not the best but I grew up practicing on it. The sound of it is amazing. It rivals small grands. The action is smooth and holds its tune for a LONG time. Only drawback is repeated notes at fast tempo, which is common. I'm saving for a grand piano now. But this one is staying lol

[@davidharlow2613]

Yes this happened to me too.i spent many months looking for a new piano.Then i bought an upright Ibach.its really suits me and and i have got attached to it.

[@RobHoffman83]

I set out last year to test drive a few grands. I had a small Wurlitzer Stencil (made by Samick) that was needing serious regulation and had become a pain to play. They had a nice used Baldwin L, a nice used Yamaha C3, a 7'2" Kawai (that I loved) but the new Hallet Davis and Co (made by Pearl River) 6'2" called to me. The action and the mellowness of it sold me. A year later, I'm still pleased with it. I think finding the right fit is the most important. I hope you have a lifetime with your Ronisch.

[@theodorwibergeriksson9991]

We can't afford a piano tuner, so I belive that you can guess how my piano sounds😬

[@JoseFuentes-fn3dl]

@@theodorwibergeriksson9991 A few years ago I couldn't afford them either. So I bought a $60 tuning program. DVD with basic tuning equipment. Now I tune it every couple months. It really helps and you can tune it whenever you want. It's also a great way to learn more about the instrument. All the masters in the past knew how to tune.

[@trainliker100]

My mother was a professional pianist with solo performances at Orchestra Hall in Chicago and elsewhere in the area and such. The piano at the hall was always just fine, but that wasn't the case everywhere. And she also had a string trio that would play all over and sometimes the pianos weren't so good. Later in life she accompanied classical singers or dancers, again, in venues all over the place where the piano was the luck of the draw. I remember quite a few times her coming home complaining not just about a piano's tune, but things like "The A below middle C would stick and on such and such piece it was hard to work around that." Her home piano for years was a Mehlin & Sons that was quite nice and got tuned twice a year. Later she got a superb reconditioned Steinway at probably half price. A very good friend of hers was Catherine Bielefeldt who had become the first woman manager at Steinway Hall in New York. Cathy helped find the Steinway for her. (Upon my mother's passing, my brother and I agreed that her piano should be donated to an up and coming female artist instead of selling it.) Cathy, in addition to the important task of babysitting me at one time, wrote the excellent book, "The Wonders of the Piano: The Anatomy of the Instrument". She and my mother met when they were both members of an all-woman all-piano orchestra during the war years. About fifteen pianists playing together. My mother was the lead pianist. She told me the enterprise wasn't financially successful and didn't last long.

[@ChrisKogos]

I wish I had a grand piano to play 😔

[@tobiaskolley]

I wish I had the skills to play :-)

[@ElProfeHorus]

I wish the same, even 1 key could be sufficient :(

[@keithkunikida1222]

Same Chris

[@worldsbestkiwi1097]

Dude... Same

[@agustinresendiz5745]

@@tobiaskolley i felt that

[@PianoMan-hx3ev]

Hall vs room, too...BIG BIG difference.

[@zeropiano5639]

When i am playing on a piano with different brand, i feel like i am playing on a different instrument, the sound quality, key action, depth of key....everything is different so i usually have a hard time adjusting to new piano.

[@Critique808]

Same with me. I play on my practice electric keyboard then I go to my acoustic upright and it's different. I remember doing a recital on a grand but it has a softer sound. It's probably the room was bigger than my livingroom with my upright. The volume and loudness was different.

[@FLH3official]

Yes, as pianists we always have to play on different instruments. BUT we don't have to carry them! 😁

[@maryourqueencatholicchurch608]

That has all the makings of a Far Side cartoon! Great comment! The double bass on the subway image and someone dragging a grand onto the train! At lease when you take the legs off a grand they are easy to move. It cracks me up that they charge delivery by the number of steps they have to climb.

[@scottanderson6807]

The Bosendorfer speaks so clearly with incredible note definition. Though a superior concert instrument, it requires a very intelligent player such as yourself.

[@RobHoffman83]

It was a shocking difference between the two pianos and I know the Yamaha is no slouch.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

@@RobHoffman83 Yamahas have really nice action and great tone, the CX has even improved on the C. However, keep in mind Yamaha makes several levels of pianos. Above the C/CX series is the SX and the absolutely superb, and expensive, CF. I really like Yamaha's CF pianos and the SX as well. They're very fine. As for Bosendorfer, I like the 280VC concert piano even more than the Imperial. It does not have the extra keys. For the most part, we'll hear Steinway Ds in concerts however Faziolis and Yamaha CFs are getting more popular and Shigeru Kawai has a following.

[@gerardvila4685]

@@RobHoffman83 I think the acoustics of the room she was playing in, compared to the concert hall (I think) the Bosedorfer was in, made a big difference as well.

[@ronan1686]

@@RobHoffman83 Pretty sure her piano is closed and in a smaller room so that's probably most of it

[@wildliferox2]

I have listened to recitals on the Bosendorfer; the one I heard sounded most unlike

[@jung4399]

6:30 the bass sound smashed my heart

[@henrygatlin716]

You are so right

[@chaser27]

@8:51 As I'm learning this great piece called "Chopstix" I completely agree with you. Some pianos fight me and don't make the sound I'm trying to make.

[@markus7894]

Your practicing instrument Yamaha C2 ist still high-end! There are many people playing on a shabby screeching upright piano with a lazy mechanic. I am convinced that developing fast-playing skills on such an upright is much more difficult than on a grand. The other thing is the hall acoustics that makes the sound appear from all around the room and not out of the instrument's body! I think that practicing the change between instruments often and repeatedly is crucial. The more experience one could gather on different instruments the easier each adaptation is when confronted with a new one.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

The C2 and the newer C2X are great Conservatory level pianos and are pretty high end. They have solid action. The difference between the C2 or even C7 is the bass presence. A 9 foot or bigger piano just has a good, strong bass.

[@misteron07]

Hall Acoustics that's a laugh. when I took piano at UCF my teacher had me in a practice room with tiles on the walls; ceiling and even the door you could not even hear the air bounce off the walls when you walked around in the room. she wanted me to practice in that room as well. I only got to play on the concert grand when I played a forum. The Forum was when students performed for other students on their instruments. its like a small recital.

[@TheJazzMatt]

Yup. I have to get by on a digital...

[@michaelbarton7295]

@@benjaminsmith2287 n

[@lexxx5911]

i also don't really enjoy the sound of upright lol

[@danwebster5439]

I hear your poor plant crying out for a drink!

[@andreeasocolaw4557]

Same here lol

[@deyarnobbs5387]

First thing I noticed, too! :-)

[@carmenfonseca1270]

HAHA Sameeeee

[@rudolfsibarani3771]

Haha you noticed it. I was focused with her hair shinning by the sun

[@adrianopiano5551]

🤫

[@helisoma]

I was watching D-274 and Bosendorfer playing videos then found this episode and your charm, natural beauty, and skill has me enchanted....subbed! :D

[@nathanfichter8629]

My favorite was a Steingraeber & Söhne E-272. I was in heaven while playing it. It was so perfectly balanced across registers and responded so well to touch. The tone was the most beautiful I've heard so far.

[@rogershaffer1]

Nice piano and well worth the $265,000 cost.

[@bobcole612]

As an absolute beginner, I feel like I'm slumming it on my little Recital Prestige Grand (88 weighted, graded hammer action keys) electric piano after watching you. But I do like my vintage 1947 Chickering console. 75 years old and still has a great action and tone.

[@StatischBenutzer]

5:15 I think of this whenever I play my practice piano and it always makes me sad that I am never really able to let it shine being fully open. I live with other people and it's already loud enough closed.

[@davidharlow2613]

A very beautiful and very talented young lady. You inspire me to save up and buy a grand piano.

[@AL-pu7ux]

I love Steinway B or D. The dynamic range and color palate is remarkable and they can be customized to a significant degree. It’s almost like looking into the last seeing how essentially the construction had been built upon and improved over 150 years. There’s a reason for every little detail on a Steinway.

[@luizaugustodeb.penteado1078]

I'm not a real pianist. I'm just a student but I love your videos. I'm always learning something new. Thanks Miss Göttler

[@vijaysundarrajan1785]

The Bosie sounds exquisite. Hearing the sound of a Bosie, all I can do is cringe when people call Steinway pianos "complex". I would take the beautiful notes of a Bosendorfer blending perfectly over any other piano on planet Earth any day, except perhaps Shigeru Kawai.

[@eddydelrio1303]

I own a Baldwin SF-10 (7'), which has a Renner action in it (just like the 9' Baldwin SD-10, the Bechstein and Bosendorfer grands). I prefer practicing on an instrument that has a heavier action/touch, because the very worst situation would be to practice on a light action and then engage a heavy action on stage! The other way (heavy then light), you have "reserve" so to speak.

[@kidlatazul]

That's a beautiful piano! You might find this story interesting. The best piano I ever played by far was at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City. The faculty invited me to give a recital of American music. As a pianist you never know what to expect, as long as all the keys work and it's reasonably in tune that's a good start. Some faculty members met me and led me to the concert hall at the University. On stage was this magnificent Steinway concert grand. It had four strings per note in the treble and midrange! The music practically played itself on this piano, the action was so perfect and the sound was unbelievably beautiful. After I finished playing I asked the faculty members how they happen to get such a wonderful instrument. They told me that the former first lady of the Philippines, Imelda Marcos, bought 2 of these Steinway concert grounds for the Presidential Palace in Manila. Imelda liked to invite famous musicians to play for her; I'm pretty sure Van Cliburn made an appearance there once. During the People Power revolution of 1986 that eventually toppled the Marcos government there was concern that the presidential Palace might be overrun and sacked by a mob. To prevent damage to the pianos some of the faculty members of the University of the Philippines rented a truck and went with some students to the Palace. They backed the truck up to a loading dock and liberated one of the two pianos, for safekeeping until the political situation had stabilized. It was that piano that I played in 1989. I don't know if they ever returned it.

[@joelhenderson4450]

This mainly demonstrates the limitations of the iPhone as a recording device!

[@theodorwibergeriksson9991]

Imagine being an organist who may have to play on a french symphonic organ one day and on a small baroque one the next, and for basically every new instrument you have to basicaly re orchestrate the piece, and let me tell you, it can be extremely difficult.😓

[@gerardvila4685]

Organists are the greatest! AFAIK they are the only classical musicians (excluding the Baroque revival people) who are still taught to improvise - 300 years ago every musician did it.

[@theodorwibergeriksson9991]

Yeah, improvising is actually one of my favorite things to do, though I am not very good at it, and I also love experimenting with different registrations and sounds. It's amazing!

[@JoseFuentes-fn3dl]

@@gerardvila4685 I improvise all the time. It's a nice skill. I like to add to pieces I play. Especially variations.

[@aBachwardsfellow]

Other than a few features (such the ability to play louder and softer, and a sustain pedal), a piano essentially generates all of its music as a "1-rank" instrument. Similarly we could ostensibly "play" the entire organ repertoire on a 1-rank instrument - that is, we might be able to hit all the notes. If we have 2 ranks our options for expression are "somewhat" increased; even more so with 3, 5, 8, 12, 15, 22, 37, 42, 56, and more ranks (and a couple more manuals). Some pianos are voiced and regulated better for Bach, others for Liszt. Some organs are fine for Bach but not so much for Vierne. Bottom line - we make the music happen with whatsoever instrument we happen to find at hand - yes?

[@MarnixMohrmannPiano]

At the moment I am looking into buying a C5, this video was very interesting! To me there are 2 main differences between the pianos here: acoustics and clarity. Somehow I think the C2 here sounds worse than it actually is due to room acoustics. But, the Bosendorfer has absolutely beautiful clarity between the notes which you just don't have in the C2. You feel the space, even over KZbin. (Can't wait to start properly testing various grand pianos!)

[@prestige2000rider]

Each piano regardless of size , type or price , is a personality all its own. Even between identical models. The first Grand piano i played in a studio was a Baldwin SD-10. It was transforming to me. A very moving experience. I believe what one practices on should be close to ones performance instrument, but need not be identical. Its all about that touch !

[@gogotrololo]

You play with some of them, some of them play with you. This is true for any instrument The quality of the musician can ALSO be found in the ability to play with all different types of instrument personalities that exist I love the way you interpret these realities in your video here :D

[@ClassicRoyal]

When I played the Steinway D, it was immediately like an old friend beckoning me to just let loose. The touch of the keys were perfect and my confidence was quickly gained (I had not played in 3 years). The sound was magnificent! I bought a Boston that day, which had a nice warm sound and fit my budget. It is also a business investment for my encore career. I will never forget my experience at the Steinway D - it was a dream come true to play! I know I will truly enjoy my Boston as well! I get it in June.

[@TheArtOfJerry]

2024, im just watching this video. Always so much to learn from you. 😊You are my Piano Queen 👑💓

[@bildGRAV]

While listening to the piano playing on the C 2 I had 3 thoughts: - have the instrument tuned, - Have the hammer heads pulled off in the treble, - Have bass strings re-spun and replaced. With a smaller grand piano, the bass range is always the weak point. The transition (blank strings - bass strings) also often sounds wiry. But I can imagine that a new bass cover will bring a lot: just ask a reputable piano builder.

[@nickbamber268]

Normally a hammer replacement would be the whole set. What brand of hammers would you recommend of this piano (the C2)?

[@groovizintheheart]

Favorite brand: Boston! Mostly because it’s diminishing returns when I go from Boston to Steinway. Have played on the same Boston model (two physically different pianos, same model) and the difference even then is incredible. The Bosendorfer on the video sounds so crisp like you can tell every note apart! Great vid!

[@JohnnyAGraves]

Greetings. This video showed on my feed maybe because I’ve been looking at videos about piano tuning and looking for piano concerts. Your video is informative. Thank you. While I am listening on an iPhone, I am able to notice the difference in sound between your practice and the Imprial. One key thing that affects the sound is the room. At your house, there is a lot to absorb the sound of the piano so the voice of the piano can’t fully be heard and appreciated. Where the Imperial is in a large open room, the acoustics are allowed to reverberate and allow the voice of the piano to truly and completely be admired. Both piano’s do sound great. As a result I subscribed to your channel and looking forward to watching more of your videos.

[@zzp1]

Remarkable! She tells me things I do understand but never realised. Very clever explanation!

[@Jon-xi4xj]

I have a Hamburg Steinway D -274, which was made in 2015. I love it very much.

[@jayboal5778]

My first piano was a (now) 100+ year old Chickering upright grand, which has been in my family since my grandparents purchased it used 70-odd years ago. A truly beautiful instrument for what it is. To this day my mother keeps it tuned and it really has a wonderful tone. The only problem with it is the ivory has chipped or come completely off some keys so it has been redone with plastic keycaps (is that the right word?). A few months ago my wife and I acquired her parents' piano, a 1910 James & Holmstrom upright grand. This piano has had a rough life; it was originally delivered by horse and buggy to my wife's great-grandmother as a 16th birthday present, and since then the family fell on some difficult times and the piano ultimately sat in a barn for over 30 years before my wife's parents decided to see if it could be resurrected. And resurrect it they did; they sanded and refinished the entire exterior and had it tuned, and it played like a new instrument (apart from J&H's transposing keyboard mechanism, sadly) for a little while. The first time I encountered this instrument, in 1997, it sounded very nice, but it hadn't been tuned since then and when we acquired it it was in sad shape. However, we had it tuned a week or so later and the tuner said that it was A) the oldest instrument he had ever worked on and B) that he didn't see any reason it would need attention within the next year or so. Now it sounds great and I'm so happy. :)

[@StilwellPianosTempe]

The "S" in that hall looks like our piano store logo! Thanks for sharing. Great video outlining the differences between the two calabre of instruments.

[@deyarnobbs5387]

The longer strings of the Bosendorfer definitely contribute to its impressive sound because of its much longer sustain before the strings themselves begin to decay. The C2 is impressive already, but the strings of a 5'7" piano will start to lose their vibration sooner than a full 9' piano. In effect, even a C2 can sound "smaller" and less grand.

[@jenncan6218]

The Imperial is 11' btw. 😉

[@chenchen5474]

YOU are the one truly deserves being a Steinway star/representative. I am sooooo happy! (In my local Steinway stores it used to be some silly random people who can barely plays piano properly selling the pianos...)

[@benca-alors3226]

She plays Yamaha and Bösendorfer in this video, I don't get the mention of Steinway.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

@@benca-alors3226 She's played a Steinway in some other videos. IMO, upper-end Yamahas are the equal of Steinway and Bosendorfer is beyond both. But it really depends on individual pianos, some upper end pianos can be disappointing or the techs haven't prepared them well.

[@dubbro222]

Какая прекрасная девушка и восхитительная игра! Браво, Чайковский Вами гордится!

[@sdevisch]

I chose a Yamaha AvantGrand N1X hybrid piano as my practice instrument. It has the keyboard of a CFx, the tone of both the CFX and the bosendorfer imperial. As it is a digital instrument (not the keyboard), the thing I love the most is the volume dial. I can retain the bosendorfer sound and protect my ears. The main downside, I find to be a perceptible stepped decay in the sound. But overall, I like the balance between price, keyboard and sound quality. Love your videos. Keep up the great work.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

I think the Imperial sound is way subdued on the N1X. However, it may be improved on Yamaha's new CLP700 series. The CFX is good but a real CFX has so much more sustain, resonance and color. Still, N1X is a very nice instrument. It's good for the price.

[@oliverpeters7485]

Thank you for this excellent presentation. And you are a great musician! I hope your career goes on well! As to the instrument, it really makes a huge difference. Until a couple of years I played on an old Ibach baby grand piano which I inherited from my grandma. It was built around 1910. I had some restauration works carried out on it but the sound hardly improved. So I decided to look for a replacement. During my search I bumped into a used Yamaha CF6, 5 years old. And I can tell you that was day and night. And thanks to this new instrument, my piano playing improved a lot.

[@cristobalv]

Blüthner model one sound Beautiful.

[@yucatron76]

Hello, Annique! Hope you're doing great. To answer the question at the end of the video, I would say I can work with anything. I play an unweighted, non-sensitive, low quality keyboard with no pedals and only 61 keys, but I still find it incredibly fun to play. I must say however, that I've played on 88-key, weighted _digital_ pianos before, and the experience far trascends that of my keyboard's. I've never even *seen* an acoustic piano in my life before because I live in a rotten third-world country, and I like to believe that playing one must be a sublime experience.

[@loveisall5520]

Great video! I don't play, I listen. I love learning about the instruments.

[@michavandam]

Hey guys, I thought I'd just single out these bits for you: 3:03 These darn Bösendorfers are swinging, man! 3:43 "The more wood you have to shake, the more energy you have to put into it."

[@jluebow2]

Enjoyed your lecture. As a mostly jazz-playing-but very classically trained- piano player, I still pay attention to the "soul" of the piano which is its characteristic sound. I chose the Yamaha C5 as a compromise but often wish I had a more colorful sound in it. Over time, I acquired three other instruments that help to cure some of that problem. Given the enormous acquisition costs of a new Grand, the choice of a home piano is very often a matter of your budget ( and perhaps room size too ).

[@christinebookman6906]

I have a Baldwin grand and a Steinway and love them both. At work I play a Steinway and a Hailun grand. I think my favorite is the Hailun but I feel like It’s not fair to answer such a question without trying all the pianos. I certainly haven’t tried every brand. Every instrument is so different! I think I’ll always be comparing and upgrading.

[@benjaminsmith2287]

Hailuns are very, very good. Some dismiss them due to their country of origin but they are essentially Viennese/German designed pianos manufactured (very efficiently) in China.

[@shashikant_naidoo]

My fav is Fazioli.. thanks for the video 🙏🏻

[@rhuang4076]

Can you share what you like about it please?

[@benjaminsmith2287]

Thanks! I truly enjoy your playing, presentations, and observations while practicing. Your Yamaha is a nice instrument and of course the Bosie is spectacular. There are so many great pianos out there many haven't heard of. You can get a 6 foot Mason and Hamlin, for instance, to sound quite full. You can upgrade Yamahas and get a 6 foot 1" S3X that has a spectacular sound and action. A Kawai GX5 is a fine piano similar in quality to Yamaha CX. But Shigeru Kawai SK5 or higher can give you a range of tones and expression and Kawai's action is quite great once you adjust to it. Then there's C Bechstein, Bluthner, of course Steinway, Grotrien-Steinweg, Estonia, Schimmell Conzert, Steingraeber and Sohn, Stuart and Sons, and Fazioli and more like Anton Petrov. They all have their wonderful qualities. Yamaha and Steinway kind of rule the venues in the USA but they certainly aren't the only pianos around. And yes, different pianos need different approaches. The piano is an incredible invention!

[@ralphrestubog5519]

The clarity of Shigeru Kawai pianos is just unreal.

[@ScaramouchedaVinci]

Yes, I am also a real grand piano fan and have several grand pianos. It's unbelievable how different they are. But the dimensions are also different. For example, my Estonia 190L weighs 380kg while the Steinway A-188 only weighs 315kg. And when it comes to hearing, try taking the lid off, then you will hear differently as a pianist.

[@R.Williams]

You must have a big house. A grand piano would take up most of my living room!

[@ScaramouchedaVinci]

@@R.Williams Yes, you are right, I have a large house (a private music school) but also a rented attic apartment in a city. And you don't believe how easily you can place a grand piano in it (under the sloping roof).

[@R.Williams]

@@ScaramouchedaVinci Very cool! 😊

[@gerardo4104]

You need that concert grand, it suits you well!!

[@Leonhart_93]

And play it where? Unless you have a room as big as a hall in your home, not only it will not fit, but the sound will not be great at all. Bigger is not better in any situation, it may have severe limitations.

[@Nero-fo4gi]

Yes she sounded amazing, but she had to put much more effort into hitting the keys so maybe it’s not the best choice for her

[@RJ9mech]

At the end of the day, the artist has a great deal in determining the tone and interpretation, but the instrument does matter! I'm personally a NY Steinway fan, (selected a wonderful B for my concert this Sunday in a medium sized hall), but you're absolutely right about learning to be flexible. I'm amazed at the tonal beauty an artist can draw out of nearly any functioning instrument.

[@allgood6760]

Experience yes... experience is the greatest teacher 🙂.. thanks from NZ 👍🇳🇿

[@DrQuizzler]

For MY purposes (which don't include classical repertoire), my Yamaha controller, and my PianoTeq virtual Steinway D work great!! Digital and virtual pianos are probably a generation or less away from being as useful for classical professionals as they are for those performing in other genres. There is a Johannes Seiler baby grand I've had my eye on for a while for home use, but size and room noise are factors.

[@halloola3636]

Digital and virtual pianos will never feel the same as a real piano. Pianists train to feel the connection between the mechanics moved inside the piano and the sound and even further incorporating that connection, making the piano and extension of the body. That connection is never as direct and obvious on any kind of digital instrument. Basically you feel that there´s a computer in between you and the sound.

[@byuri4849]

Tomorrow I will have a Yamaha C2 !!! I'm so happy !

[@brucecrane9605]

That was very interesting. I never knew the real differences ($$$). I have a beginner Yamaha. But, I have no concert in my future.

[@davidleesn]

Brilliant! You have very valid , non-messing points here ...before and after best preparation of self ...ear sensitivity training ...self with obedient fingers and whole breathing person as ....team... to deliver best performance with (1) home (2) best practice situation with responding piano (3) concert grand at hall acoustics .... projected to full, half full? etc effects that the ticket sales and 'weather' will inform you. 😉

[@mtnphot]

The best piano is the ine you want to play. My wife had a yamaha u2 which is a good upright piano. However we had the opportunity ti get a G2 baby grand which after much work got it playing fairly well. It was played more in the year we had it than the other one did in 10 years, A few years ago my wife and I were in Toronto and went into remenyi pianos to compare. We ended up with a 175cm johannes seiler. It too needed work as do all new pianos but it too gets played every day. A piano needs to be one that invites you to play.

[@RedWaveComing2024]

i got a digital piano with four concert grand plugins....right now i'm using Bechstein and Bluethner as my practicing piano....2/3 yrs from now, for sure i'll be using Steinway, Bosendorfer or Fazioli concert grand....i can't say i have a favorite one...they all have its own personality....love to bang those heavy bass sound though

[@silantoine5181]

My personal ranking is 1 - Steinway German D 2 - Kawai EX (love the warmth) 3 - Bösendorfer Imperial 290 4 - Fazioli F278 (haven't tried the 308) 5 - Yamaha CFX They're all beautiful instruments but I feel like Steinway is pleasant in all dynamics. I wish I could one day play on the Ravenscroft 275 but those are so rare. 😢

[@MrScar01]

I already practised on an old Bechstein, an Hammerklavier Original from Beethovens Era, an old Bösendorfer, Yamaha and also some different Steinway&Sons Grand Pianos and Pianos. I have to say, that I prefer to play on Steinway or Yamaha Pianos equally. It may be because the Bösendorfer and Bechstein were really old and not in a good shape, but these seem to have a way harder and slower touch in the keys. Soundwise i do like the deeper touch from Steinway better than the clean Yamaha sound. By the way I love your channel! Found it because of your 1min-10min-1hour Challenge from La Campanella (which is a piece I'm still not able to play)

[@lizannemaeda5508]

Same here - prefer Steinway or Yamaha. Also found this channel because of the La Campanella challenge! Subscribed!

[@nfexec1312]

All excellent points and underscores a part of concert prep many audience members don't think about. Oh - and your plant needs water! I have a Steinway B that nearly fills all the pre-concert approach needed. Nearly!

[@achaley4186]

I love the different light you shed on so many areas of piano playing. You really help me a great deal. I am a church hymn player and I do play on three different pianos, home piano, church piano, which is actually a Kawaii keyboard that looks like a grand, but is electronic ( and not my favorite, but we have this as it is easier to lower the pitch…as I am not good enough to transpose on the spot…for some song leaders who have a lower vocal range)…and the piano that I play with my teacher…her piano…an old Steinway, excellent piano, but a little loose due to age. You are such an inspiration in many ways, thank you. 🙏🏼❤️⭐️

[@craigdellapenna7103]

IIv'e always favored the August Forster pianos myself. There's a kind of sweetenss I value highly. Perhaps not as strong as the Steinway/Bosendorfer giants, more like a Fazioli with a dollop of that Germanic power. But that's just me.

[@inesschmidt1367]

I do own and play an August Förster too and I love it.

[@HidekazuOki]

Both pianos sound really good but I can hear the difference very well and the concert grand sounds absolutely spectacular!! You also play extremely well!

[@LynnDavidNewton]

I love my Steinway Model K, a 50-inch upright with more soundboard area than Steinway's smallest grands. Regrettably, it doesn't have a grand action, but it has served me well for 35 years and is still almost as good as new. I've known some fine pianists who were raised on the Model K and regard it highly.

[@asherwade]

I’ve read from many different violinist and cellists that the reasons that they chose a bowed string instrument is that that they could always “carry” them to each concert ‘and’ it was their very ‘own’ instrument which they knew extremely well, the only independent variable was the concert hall with, and without, an audience, i.e. the acoustics of the hall. Having said that, the biggest difference that I heard in your musical examples was primarily the effect of the acoustics of the hall vis-à-vis your practice room, and that the concert hall produced a much brighter and clearer sound quality.

[@realraven2000]

6:35 that's like day and night. I never liked the Yamaha but I had a Steinway D as a youth. Sadly had to leave it behind in my fathers house in Germany. unforutnately in my house I do not have space for a grand piano but I would love to trade up to a Kawai full scale upright, they are lovely, even for a Steinway snob like me.

[@rodrigoferreyra4414]

I wanna cry 😂😂 your piano practice is our great piano in Argentina, great video

[@teodorocromberg]

Tremendo piano el C2. Para no hablar de que se trata de pianos nuevos, no de pianos con 100 años encima

[@JoseFuentes-fn3dl]

I've played on many different brands. The most challenging was this old upright I owned. It was so old the information on it was faded. It reminded me of an old saloon piano from early 1900's. The action was so tough it was almost impossible to play fast pieces on it. This piano was designed for ragtime music I think or early blues.

[@Snipely]

I was lucky to be locked in a piano store alone for an hour while I tried 11 different grand pianos. I should have taken notes. There was a '21 and '83 Steinway, 2 Yamahas, and an assortment of oddballs. I liked the Schimmel best that particular day. It was very well balanced and had a rich tone that was not excessively shrill in the upper registers, and the action was very uniform and responsive.

[@martinhuse1766]

As an amateur, I am loving a Weissbrod Eisenberg, also about 170 or so cm long - so expressive! In the next few months I will be able to compare with a few others.

[@stephanschmidt2918]

Very interesting article! I'm not a musician myself, but I regularly record piano concerts or piano evenings (audio and video). Mostly the large Bechstein grand pianos, but also Steinways and other brands. Overall, I like the "Bechstein sound" best, especially as the upper registers are very clear, almost brilliant, but not too much. This means that I hardly need to change the frequency response or not at all later when sound mastering. Sehr interessanter Beitrag! Ich selbst bin kein Musiker, nehme aber regelmässig Klavierkonzerte oder Klavierabende auf (Audio und Video). Meistens hier die grossen Bechsteinflügel, aber auch Steinways und andere brands. Insgesamt gefällt mir der "Bechstein-sound" auch am besten, besonders da die oberen Lagen sehr klar, schon brilliant, aber nicht zu sehr sind. So brauche ich später beim Soundmastering den Frequenzgang kaum oder gar nicht verändern.

[@dianewilson7415]

Since you asked for comments about our own pianos, I have a Yamaha N3X, which is a hybrid. It has an acoustic grand piano keyboard and action (probably very similar to your C2), but digital sound, with samples from the Yamaha CFX and Bosendorfer Imperial. It's nice to have both (and others, including harpsichord) on one instrument, but I bought this, replacing a more ordinary digital piano, to make switching pianos easier. But I bought during quarantine, so I haven't actually tried a different piano yet....

[@bluefalcon5433]

The best instrument I've ever played on, and my favorite, is a Baldwin 6-foot grand at my church. It is simply gorgeous. I've played on a nine-foot Yamaha grand at a University, but the felts had just been replaced so the action and sound felt like a digital piano. 😊 Yamaha uprights have great sound and action as well, but difficult to play quietly on. I think the best when it comes to digital pianos are newer Rolands. They have a really natural touch, perfect action, and a great sound. Oh, that 96 key Bösendorfer? That is SCHWEET!!! Dream piano...

[@lumpichu]

Who knows, maybe with more experience I'd like a Roland, but when I tried all the instruments, I vastly preferred Yamaha's NWX action (at least among instruments with acceptable price. It's still a treat for me to just press a few keys when passing by, even without turning it on :)

[@amielukyanov3152]

i have a 1948 model d steinway in my home and i love it more than anything else

[@hannahblind]

Im so happy for you 😩🥺🥺

[@dianetychen7]

Helpful and great video. Is Yamaha good for daily learning and practicing classic pieces? I’m thinking upgrading to a grand piano for children. Thanks

[@reallynotpc]

My piano is a Yamaha N1X, so largely electronic, but with a full grand piano action. Main voice is taken from a Yamaha CFX, but you also have the voice of a Boesendorfer Imperial. So even on the 'same' instrument, you have to alter your interpretation to suit. In case you wonder why I chose this, I work in a log-cabin study at the end of our garden where the temperature can vary enormously and an electronic instument like this can tolerate the changes. I'd love an accoustic grand, but keeping it here would quickly ruin it.

[@misteron07]

There is one Pianist I knew of that used his own piano wherever he went. Horowitz brought his own piano to Russia for a performance. there is a video on here about that performance.

[@gerardvila4685]

His own piano and his own tuner. It was regulated so differently as to be almost a different instrument. Ironically, the action of Horowitz's piano seems to have been so light it might have been more like a cheap semi-weighted electronic piano than a high-end one with full weight graded action and wooden keys. But we'll never know now - I heard (on KZbin comment) that Steinway "corrected" Horowitz's piano so that now it plays like any other Steinway.

[@robertlouie1785]

What thg really interesting education on experiencing different piano. My knowledge I as limited, and I have never heard of a boost of imperial. The instrument is so impressive. Thanks for the education.

[@Jenairaslebol27merde]

der bösendorfer imperial ist und bleibt einfach mein traumflügel. wusste gar nicht dass die kreissparkasse auch sowas besitzt - aber dafür zahle ich meine kontogebühren natürlich ganz besonders gerne! XD

[@erikschwan1534]

Personally, I really like the sound of the modern Bechstein the best but that Imperial was impressive. The Bechstein concert grands have rich lush bass, a singing midrange and that beautiful crystalline bell like treble. It also has a somewhat wet sound ,vs dry, which to me sounds more switched on than say a Steinway. Other pianos sound impressive in places on the keyboard but not across the whole board. I personally have a W. Hoffmann T128 on order that is being delivered in a few days (l can't wait). PS - I really enjoy your videos.

[@studentjohn35]

Your comment at 3:55 echoes or mimics things people said to me in my years in a piano shop: "I cannot afford a Steinway so I have to settle for a Yamaha." Meanwhile, if you ever get the chance to try out an expertly-refurbished Bechstein model E (serial numbers above 155,000 are most desirable) prepare to have your ears opened.

[@MarianoPerez]

The brand for me doesnt matter, it really comes down to a specific instrument. I chose a kawai GL40 over steinways, bostons, yamaha cx, and even a beautiful shigeru kawai. All though, sometimes i regret not getting the shigeru i played because of the extra shine on the top end.

[@lumpichu]

I love the Bösendorfer Imperial 290. I can't play it of course, but I love the sound and everything about it, that's why my digital piano has it sampled :D My least favorite from the top pianos, is probably the Steinway D. I think it's that it seems to be most common at concerts combined with it being so bright. It gets a bit tiring and uninteresting to me.

[@jsguitargeek1432]

This was brilliant brilliant brilliant... wow

[@zakblue]

I love that kind of bright clear sound of the Bosen but I feel like it's not for everything. A nice big Yamaha equivalent might give it a run for it's money in the same room side by side. Thanks for the comparisons (and great playing!)

[@mrdarbab]

I have the p125 which is sampled from your model I think. Great for an apartment. But you keep having to take off the headphones to see if you forgot to turn the volume down. I love being able to adjust the acoustics.

[@adrianjager7640]

I love the pianos from Schimmel and it is really a personal thing, which piano manufacture you like. And there are of cause huge differences between piano Brands and the time when the piano was built. In my opinion also american pianos need more energie and aren't that clear like european pianos.

[@carljacobs1287]

I am privileged to own the best piano that I've ever played - it is a Schimmel. It was ridiculously expensive when I bought it (second hand), I extended my home load at the time. 15 years later and I have never regretted that decision. I bought it over a period of about 6 months, from the first time I saw it to when I finally purchased it, and it moved me more emotionally than has any other instrument that I've ever played. When we first met I played literally every piano in the shop, and got stuck on this piano for over two hours and left the shop literally shaking. Second hand pianos don't sell that fast, and 6 months later it was marked down as part of a storewide special. Some people ask if it's a baby grand, but at 213cm I have to so that no - it is not. Schimmels do have a nice sound and feel absolutely divine under the fingers.

[@manfredkrafczyk5755]

Swings -> vibrates... Anyway, the Imperial is my favorite grand piano. Keep it up!

[@maorblumenfeld4605]

you are amazing and i love your channel

[@billrunham9610]

I’m sure that the bosey is maintained and tweaked regularly for regular public performance and is always in top performing condition, as you sounded like a real pro with the imperial there, really beautiful. However our home pianos most of us can only afford a tune and a tweak once or twice a year at best 😅 so with the best will in the world even if you had an imperial at home it wouldn’t sound as good as the one being looked after on a (weekly?) basis by the industry’s top piano technicians. Our poor old but beautiful Yamaha D4 (00E) goes out of tune every 3 months with the change of seasons 😅😭 if you actually leave it 1 full year without touching the tuning it starts to sound better towards the end of the year than the 4th month so to speak 😂 it re-tunes itself as the woods move around.. guessing!

[@jenncan6218]

Ask your Technician about a Dampchaser system. It will help regulate rising and falling humidity levels as seasons change.

[@mfurman]

In my case, it is Yamaha digital piano at home and Yamaha C7 for final practice and recordings (not at home - just regular, paid access). Michael

[@gbantock]

That is a sensitive treatment of difference among pianos, expecially a concert grand vs. smaller grand. My favourite pianos have a sweet, clear sound, Blüthner (one of which I have) and Beckstein. Actually, most quality German and Eastern European pianos are also preferable to such a sensibility.

[@spinelldete]

Horowitz took his piano with him on concerts for a good reason. Brendel learned how to intonate hammers on Steinways (and he wrote on this topic too). BTW the comparison between your C2 and the Bösendorfer wasn't quite fair, the C2 was heavily out of tune (which is normal for professional player's practice instruments). I still remember a Baldwin grand that I got to play at the Musikmesse Frankfurt 20 years ago. That was talking to me very loudly. In the end you need a instrument that connects to your playing and your sound. I grew up playing a Steinway D, I never liked the sound. Now I have a Schimmel upright (selected from ~ 10 equal models) since 35 years, every tuning tech is very much impressed how this thing sounds. If the occasion arises I'd like to get my hands on a smaller grand piano, manufactured between 1920 and 1935. I once played a Ibach from that era, very pleasing to the ear, and a joy to play.

[@jmcleguir1]

Mi profesora de piano tiene un imperial y cuando fui a su casa me dejo practicar en el. Era como si todo me saliera bien 😅

[@zigeunerweisenop.2065]

Tu profesora de piano es muy rica para tenerlo 🤣🤣

[@jmcleguir1]

@@zigeunerweisenop.2065 jajsjajajajjsa ya que vive en un buen sector y tiene mas de un piano se podría decir que si XD

[@robertjuarez9381]

Son instrumentos de diferente medida y están en diferentes lugares tu piano está en desventajas en un espacio reducido igualmente me gustaron ambos pianos ya que eres una ejecutante exelente y le sacas muy buen sonido

[@funklover24]

If I rehearse in an empty concert-hall and later perform with audience, it often feels like I play a different piano. Of course this is not the case, but the acoustic has changed because of the people and it sounds different and it seems, as if the piano reacts different. So after adapting my playing to the piano I have to reinvent myself again.

[@Leonhart_93]

Ahhh, I haven't thought of this before, but it's certainly not an issue known by any non-keyboard player, since they always carry their own instruments. Different pianos, weights, interpretations adds another layer of difficulty for aspiring pianists.

[@annachepikovaconcertpianis791]

Thank you for this video!🌹🎹

[@ThisIsAven]

Ich habe keine wirkliche Liebelingsklaviermarke. Es gibt großartige Klaviere bei fast jedem Hersteller. Allerdings mag ich die Wärme des Tones besonders bei Kawai und Bösendorfer.