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The voicer is utilizing what is called compass point needling. I first learned of it some years ago at a technical given by Boaz Kirschenbaum. I believe that the technique originated with David Stanwood. A close look will show that the tip of the needle is tapered like a cone, and these needles are literally otherwise used as compass points. The tapered point spreads the felt of the outermost layers the most, and graduates the lessening of the effect the deeper the point goes into the crown.

It will bring more warmth and color to the tone, and adds some sustain. You can hear that his playing has become more open and expressive because the piano is carrying more.

My variation on the technique is to use the rounded point of a 2 oz hammer on the crown, chased by shoeshining the crown with 1000 - 1200 grit sandpaper. That will add back a bit more focus to the tone, yet leave the other benefits.

Still, I think there is more that could be done. The tone still sounds pinched and closed in places. Likely, some deep shoulder needling would open up the tone more and add body. It would gain yet more sustain and volume - we are not yet hearing all the soundboard has to give. Typically, the shoulder work would be done first, and often several rounds of it before the hammers stabilize. You would save the compass point needling for last.

BDB is right that there are some important lessons here. Too many pianists think of the voice of a piano as something innate and unchanging. The other term for voicing is tone building, and that is being done when we apply these techniques..

I think I have heard the compass point voicing referred to as sugar coating. Its effects are more temporary.

Piano*Dad, sugar coating is not the same thing as compass point needling. Sugar coating uses a straight needle without taper beyond the immediate tip and the penetration into the felt is not very deep. It is often done through the strings using a long narrow handle to selectively voice down a few notes on a performance instrument. It is indeed temporary, and that is by intent. A little bit more playing and things go back as they were - you have not made permanent changes to the voice of the piano.

On the other hand, compass point needling is lasting, and has a different and larger effect on the tone. It really does give you nice gradations as you step up and down the soft playing ladder, as Rich indicates.

Thanks for the info.

Rich, Thank you so much for your post. I have toured the Bösendorfer factory in Wiener Neustadt, Austria a few times during master piano classes and spent time observing their voicing technicians doing the voicing. It is interesting how one person does the voicing, and then needs two higher levels of authority to approve their work. Each piano has an archive of who did what on each piano, and who approved it.

Why do you feel more voicing is necessary to a brand new piano? Was it the preference of your client, or do you do you routinely voice all new pianos?

I noticed your tech isn't using a strap to pull the action in and out of the piano. There are two small screw holes at the bottom of the action around middle C. Bösendorfer technicians use those to screw in a temporary strap which makes it easy to pull the action in and out of the piano like a drawer. While doing the voicing, they pull the action out hundreds of times I would imagine and the strap saves time and effort.

I liked the tone after your voicing better.

All the best / Steve
Bösendorfer 170

Hi Steve - this was a custom voicing for a customer but i have to tell you that I prefer the voicing we did on a 225 for the home. In addition, IMHO pianos can always be improved and even the finest in the world can benefit from more work, provided you have a focus on exactly what you are looking for out of an instrument.



I am aware. I have visited the factory many times myself, have sent staff to work there, and have had staff that had worked there in the past. Since most other pianos do not have the screw holes, most technicians (who are not in the factory) simply get used to pulling an action a certain way.

Cheers!

Thank you Rich, I always enjoy and learn from your posts.

Steve
Bösendorfer 170

With the cheek blocks out of the way, it's not so difficult to just grab the sides. The strap would be a convenience, though. It also protects you from accidentally touching a key and breaking a hammer. I might put a couple straps on mine if I ever get into trying my own voicing. Two would give you better control. Thanks for the idea.

Hardman grands had a handle in their Wessell, Nickel, & Gross actions, which was a wire loop recessed in the middle of the keyframe, similar to this but permanent.

I liked the second one for living room playing or recording. The first would be ok for live concert in a larger room. Who sells compass point needles?

Boaz sells them.

Pwg

In the after voicing there is much more of the body resonance Bosendorfer is famous for.

Although I do like the overall sound AFTER the treatment, I would suggest that it needs a bit more sustain. I would think it is capable of that, though a different method would be needed to bring it about, as well as time spent playing. Otherwise nice demonstration.

Pwg

Great post Rich Galassini and super comments WilliamTruitt !

Relative to RPT's Boaz Kirschenbaum and David Stanwood's compass point needling voicing techniques, I had the great pleasure of inviting and contracting Mr. Kirschenbaum to spend a weekend tone regulating and voicing both my new Mason & Hamlin BB w/ WNG action and restoring my older Yamaha C3 w/ new WNG CF shanks in October 2016. The before and after differences in warmth and color of each piano's tone, and control of playing soft and melodically were dramatic. We also voiced each of the pianos correctly for the room. Ultimate three goals for each piano was to produce a tone that was: 1) smooth, round and creamy, 2) provide a balanced time to power, and 3) maximize each piano's sustain and ring time. I believe we were very successful on both instruments. I also think my playing "has become more open and expressive, because each piano is carrying more"...

For your viewing reference and another fun voicing comparison, I chronicled both of these experiences on two separate PW threads and photo galleries. The audio comparisons are available on SoundCloud and YouTube:








VOICING & TONE REGULATION PIANO WORLD THREADS

Mason & Hamlin BB: Optimal Tone Regulating & Concert Voicing (10/9/16)
2013 Mason and Hamlin BB Optimal Tone Regulating & Concert Voicing Photo Gallery

Yamaha C3 w/ WNG Carbon-Fiber Shanks & Abel Natural Hammers (10/9/16)
1980 Yamaha C3 w/ WNG Carbon Fiber Shanks & Abel Natural Hammers Photo Gallery

VOICING & TONE REGULATION AUDIO COMPARISONS

2013 Mason & Hamlin BB - With Concert Level Tuning

SoundCloud: AFTER Voicing: Mason & Hamlin BB
SoundCloud: BEFORE Voicing: Mason & Hamlin BB

YouTube: AFTER Voicing: Mason & Hamlin BB
YouTube: BEFORE Voicing: Mason & Hamlin BB

1980 Yamaha C3 - WNG Installation Only - No Tuning

SoundCloud: AFTER Voicing: Yamaha C3 w/ WNG Carbon Fiber Shanks
SoundCloud: BEFORE Voicing: Yamaha C3 w/ OEM Wood Shanks

YouTube: AFTER Voicing: Yamaha C3 w/ WNG Carbon Fiber Shanks
YouTube: BEFORE Voicing: Yamaha C3 w/ OEM Wood Shanks

Jason,

Great post! Thank you for adding this. It is really opening up this conversation. (This is turning into a cool thread).

I really enjoy listening the before and after of your two pianos. The beautiful part about voicing is that if there is good communication between a technician and a client, tone with personal taste and the actual performance space can be kept in mind. The result can be musically inspiring and personally satisfying. From what I hear, that is the result you and Boaz got after working as a team to get there.

In the end that is what it is all about, isn't it?

Thank you to all the contributors here as well. There have been some insightful observations on this thread.



That is true. I was speaking to Boaz yesterday about something totally unrelated and he shared that he is simply too busy to make compass point needles at the moment. He and his partner make them by hand and they take time (which is in short supply for him right now). Anyway, if you are reading this and you so inspired, call him anyway. I just thought I would relate that.



You are close enough, Dave B.! Stop by and hear this piano first hand before it leaves us. Consider this an invitation if you have the time and inclination.

I usually just browse these forums with my iPad and its built-in speaker, but since I had my Grado Prestige headphones on today, I thought I'd go back and listen to this video again.

I love the sound before voicing, and that is the sound I'd prefer for, say, a recording of Bach. However, I also love the sound after voicing, and that is probably closer to what I'd want in my own home.

And I agree whole-heartedly with the comment that everyone should have two grand pianos, one mellow and one bright!

I couldn't agree more.

[i][/i]

I have two like that, as well.

To me, the value of this topic is that it shows that the possibilities for an individual piano may be greater than what some people consider to be the characteristics of an individual brand or model.