|
Welcome to the Piano World Piano Forums Over 3 million posts about pianos, digital pianos, and all types of keyboard instruments. Over 100,000 members from around the world.
Join the World's Largest Community of Piano Lovers
(it's free)
It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
|
|
78 members (beeboss, brdwyguy, benkeys, Abdulrohmanoman, accordeur, Animisha, 18 invisible),
2,219
guests, and
466
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 59
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 59 |
Hi,
I was wondering what everybody means with American sound or German sound. Is it safe to think that an American sound is more "in your face" and more powerful, and that a German sound is more soft and warm? If so, is an American sound better for baroque pieces and a German sound better for romantic pieces? I'm just starting to learn how to play so please forgive my ignorance and/or stupid questions. And what about a Japanese sound? Is it somewhere in between?
Thanks,
KN
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 10,512
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
|
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 10,512 |
Er, excuse me, but - what about the English sound? English pianos were very popular about 150 years ago . . I think we still make one or two..
"I am not a man. I am a free number" " "
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,115
2000 Post Club Member
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,115 |
This is a better question for the piano forum, not the ABF. But my understanding is that European pianos tend to prioritize the fundamental tone, while American pianos supplement that with richer overtones.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 59
Full Member
|
OP
Full Member
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 59 |
Er, excuse me, but - what about the English sound? English pianos were very popular about 150 years ago . . I think we still make one or two.. I'm sorry, I thought English sound was just a copy of American sound No just kidding, like I said, I'm a total beginner and wasn't really aware about the English sound. Sorry 'bout that.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,115
2000 Post Club Member
|
2000 Post Club Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 2,115 |
Er, excuse me, but - what about the English sound? English pianos were very popular about 150 years ago . . I think we still make one or two.. I've always understood the English sound as being sort of slightly awkward in social situations, with a dry, witty sound, and a propensity to stop playing at all around 4 pm due to this thing called "tea". ...imma gonna go hide in a corner in a fetal position now.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,607
1000 Post Club Member
|
1000 Post Club Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,607 |
As much as there are general characteristic difference between American, Euro, and Japanese instruments, it is impossible to say what's appropriate for whichever kind of music because it's whatever the pianist expects. Each pianist has a particular sound in his or her own head, and it's different for everyone.
The stereotypical argument is that a Viennese piano is perfect for Mozart, but this unnecessarily limits the music. There is no reason to believe that Mozart's music had such intentions, but even I fell victim to this stereotypical thinking when a competitor in the recent 14th Cliburn chose an American Steinway with its fat warm sound for her Mozart when she also had 2 German Hamburg Steinway available to her. The sound was warmer and thicker than I would like for Mozart, but again, that's my expectation, and not hers. So I think there are no rules. Besides, she played so well, I quickly forgotten how the piano sound and was just awed by her expressiveness.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,186
3000 Post Club Member
|
3000 Post Club Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,186 |
Er, excuse me, but - what about the English sound? English pianos were very popular about 150 years ago . . I think we still make one or two.. I'm sorry, I thought English sound was just a copy of American sound... It's true. What would the Beatles or Stones be without Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, etc.?
"Don't let the devil fool you - Here comes a dove; Nothing cures like time and love." -- Laura Nyro
|
|
|
|
|
|
Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
|
Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
|
|
Forums43
Topics223,405
Posts3,349,434
Members111,637
|
Most Online15,252 Mar 21st, 2010
|
|
|
|
|
|