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Hello everybody.

I didz a square rebuild, it wuz hardses, no do again, EVERZ, I can haz cheezburger nao?



Seriously, hi.

Happy to answer questions.

And to think I was offered an old Steinway square grand for free and declined...

Oh well...

Welcome to Piano World! And, yea, by all means, have you a cheeseburger now.

Rick

I don't think I've ever heard a square grand with this much sustain before, so you must have done something right..
Not sure why, but when you alternate softly between notes below the left-hand end of the fallboard nameplate, it reminds me of the sound of playing harmonics on a guitar. There's maybe a bit of clanking to be resolved there after you've finished with your cheeseburger?

Thanks! But you were right to decline sorry to say. This has had special attention.

If you'll read the text on youtube that goes with the video the harmonic sound will be explained.

I can't find any text on youtube...

Short version: I invented a thing for this piano.
When the left pedal is depressed, the 19 notes from C3 through F#4 all play the octave fifth harmonic instead of the fundamental.
Can be used with or without the right sustain pedal at will.
So C3 will play G4, F#4 will play C#6, etc.
Light foot pressure combined with light playing produces a very pure harmonic tone, heavy foot pressure combined with heavy playing produces a distorted tone and a knocking sound.
Many possible combos of foot pressure and finger force produce many possible sounds and tones.
Learning curve for pianist.

You have to click 'show more' to expand the video description.
"...it is the only piano in the world able to play the octave fifth harmonic instead of the fundamental when the left pedal is pressed."
I forgive myself for not expecting the piano to be equipped with a magical harmonic thingamajig.

Ha!

Now that your ears are primed for what's going on, have a re-listen.



This is the best six minutes out of twenty that my friend Melanie played last week, with some pretty good photos my sis took a few months ago. Missing from the photos are the damper stop rail (forgot to put it on, just attaches magnetically now, no stupid wires) and the lapis lazuli and opal bridge end piece (created since she took them), which covers the spot where the original left pedal mechanism attached to the bridge.

The harmonic effect is crystal clear in much of this recording. The mechanism that does this took over a dozen failed prototypes that ate up years, and then vast hours perfecting the last prototype design that actually worked.

Originally, the left pedal just interposed some felt in between the hammer and strings to produce a muted (dull boring bleh) sound. Having done maybe a dozen restorations of those on squares over the years, and being unwilling to do one yet again, I asked myself, what'd be cooler to make the left pedal do?

Answer: make it play the octave fifth harmonic instead of the fundamental, on as many notes in the center as possible, so that compositional possibilities that have never existed become possible.

Then it became just a matter of "how" (without knowing it was even possible).

The reason I lost my mind and did this is because of the provenance of the piano, being the first concert quality instrument to arrive in Santa Fe, and belonging to the most historically important family of that era and was the centerpiece of high society and culture at that time, in a city that's become known for its cultural richness.

This was a good read, very informative, there are few new ideas to know about.
know more: https://allroundclub.com/blog/category/music/

OH WOW! I really want to play this piano!

Or, better, have George Winston play it while I listen in person! And then maybe someone else atmospheric like Ludovico Einaudi... Or, those boys can stay home and I'll just play. Wow, I'm listening for a second time, so interesting!

That's quite a thingamajig you've accomplished with the left pedal octave fifth harmonic option.

What was the inspiration for doing that?

Thank you very very much!

Inspiration for that, long story.

I've tuned for Mssr. Geo. Winston in concert twice (at least, long career + failing brain cells).

No, yeah, just twice.

In fact, he's on my short list of possible buyers.

But don't tell him yet, lol.

He don't know this exists.

I'm having MANY local pianists playing that for recordings soon, will be on youtube... Bach, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Joplin, etc.

And OMG, I want to hear Satie and Debussy on this SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad.

Suggestions for pieces to play on this !&(*&#$@ beast welcome from anyone.

(Sentimental Walk by Vladimir Cosma already on it. GAWD, that's a simple piece to die for.)