ABRSM: what do you think?

With that amount… let's even get a regulation check included. Hammer strike near the string, general key dip check (about 10 mm), hammer-to-string distance about 45mm. Hammer escapement in the "forte" touch about 15mm. Check straps and sustain pedal release. Tuning and voicing. Bye

P.S: absolutely do not alter the keyboard weight. Rather, check if the center pins of the action are too loose, causing the parts (especially the hammers) to "wobble" laterally. If so, they should be replaced. Also check the play in the felts/bushings of the front part of the keys and the central part. These are elements that give a sensation of "slowness" and too much play if worn. (The front pins of the keyboard can be turned a little because they are oval, but even if so, the bushings must be changed later)

Hi pianoexpert, the technician came today; he worked on my piano for 3 good hours, having me try it 2-3 times during that time so as to refine the regulation according to my taste...

I must say it feels almost like a different piano!

He started with the tuning, explaining to me that the shrill sound was largely due to being out of tune... a matter of harmonics going their own way and perhaps some sympathetic effects, I don't know... anyway, I noticed a marked improvement after the first hour of work...

Then I asked him to make the sound warmer, rounder, and I explained to him (in my layman's words) that despite knowing my limits, I cannot play softly, whereas on other pianos I can do it better... well... after another hour of work (focusing mainly on the hammers), I felt as if I had a new keyboard, with a response much closer to my intentions... it felt like I had gained much more control...

Playing my few little pieces, I had fun doing dynamics that were somewhat random but controlled... and when I wanted to play softer, I heard the sound softer... and to do so, I didn't need to play as if walking on eggshells... on the contrary... I felt much more decisive than usual!

I noticed that in some passages I heard a sharper peak on some relatively low notes... I told him and he, smiling, said "yes yes, I know... I'm not finished yet" he fixed that too and now I am happy as a child... although as soon as the invoice arrives I will be a child with about 300 euros less... anyway, about a hundred euros less than the 388 EUR indicated by the dealer. The technician explained to me that the dealer typically indicates the maximum price for the intervention... but then it is the technician who defines the final price... so a nice surprise in my case I hope it's money well spent...

Overall, this technician inspires a lot of trust in me; every time he asked me to try the piano during his working hours, he always put the panels back in place, leaving me alone to relieve me of the embarrassment of public performance (something not necessary for me but which I appreciated nonetheless); then he asked me many times which direction I wanted to go with the regulations... he asked me what I wanted to change about the timbre... but honestly, I didn't know what else to tell him... I think he got his answers simply by looking at my expression of a happy child when I tried playing after some modifications... or by interpreting my cryptic sentences in which I tried to explain to him what I liked...

When he saw me embarrassed by some of his questions, he reassured me saying that "I am also a pianist, albeit a beginner, and therefore I also have a preference for one type of sound/piano over another"... and that with time I will develop a certain sensitivity and musical maturity such that I can tell him exactly what I want him to do... in short... he didn't treat me like someone who (objectively) doesn't know much, but rather encouraged me to develop my own personal preference towards things like timbre, touch, etc.

I thought about recording the little Bach prelude, but I was thinking, if it's not too much trouble, of recording one of the pieces you have already heard, so as to compare not so much my performances, but rather the quality of the sound... do you happen to have a preference?

Thank you very much in advance!

zxxz

Absolutely available to listen!!! Your technician is good. I am sure of it. He worked with expertise and availability. Even if the hammer voicing doesn't last long, don't worry. It is better to intervene not in a radical way, changing the general timbre of the instrument. From what you are telling me, he handled the voicing with several steps ("...I haven't finished yet"), meaning, I intuit, that he lowered the general tone and then leveled out the discontinuities and differences between one key and its neighbor. We shall see. Compliments to you and to him (in advance.. based on what you are telling me)

Hi pianoexpert, I have just created a topic in the section dedicated to performances... here is the link: http://www.pianoconcerto.it/forum/index.php?/topic/3351-zxxz-j-s-bach-little-preludes-and-fughettas-bwv-939/

:-)

ABRSM is either too overrated or too underrated. I know it very well and I even have some books. It's not bad, it does what it does: it systematically organizes professional musical knowledge, but very basic, yet serious; on the website you can download the 'syllabuses' for each level with the required pieces, etc., for free.

Furthermore, the numerous 'books' are too many; you need one on scales, one on arpeggios, one on this, one on that, and for every grade. Each 'book' has about 20 pages. But complaining about these points makes little sense: that is the system, take it or leave it.

As an experienced self-taught musician, I can say that it is better to follow ABRSM than to have no system at all. In fact, I started to really work hard on my practice a few years ago, precisely upon becoming aware of ABRSM.

Anyway, criticizing it makes no sense; it's like criticizing the invention of the bus ticket. If the bus works for you, feel free to use it, otherwise choose another means of transport; certainly, ABRSM takes nothing away from anyone, and from what I understand, the proceeds also go to charity, so I believe the whining is useless.

There are similar systems to ABRSM, such as LCM or the Trinity College system, anyway. In terms of quality, some say that ABRSM is 'better' or 'more recognized', but in my opinion, that's bullshit. Some ABRSM programs only go up to level 5, like in the Jazz piano program, which in the LCM system reaches the highest level, level 8; therefore, there are things that ABRSM does not offer at all compared to LCM.

Other differences are, for example: in ABRSM they will ask you to perform many scales, while in LCM or Trinity (I don't remember which of the two) you can choose to perform studies recognized by the systems instead of scales.

The problem is this: believing that ABRSM or others are a complete musical preparation system for those who make music their life: they are not at all, and it is only what I said before, a BASIC professional preparation. A starting point for those who are serious about music, nothing more. But in my opinion, it is something, and furthermore, they are well-organized systems; you can even find exams (in English) on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plA1CQDnins&feature=plcp

Then it is also ridiculous to demand from the system itself, for example, to be able to choose, say, among Beethoven sonatas to pass a level 8 exam. There are people who prepare for their exam for one or two years, and then end up with all they can do being playing a Beethoven sonata. But it is certainly not the fault of the system itself. A musician who calls themselves an aspiring professional is not a child, and no one better than themselves can decide which improvements to make or which paths to change.

Anyway, in my view, they are all valid systems; ABRSM is no joke—if you don't know how to perform at least well enough all the scales they ask for, sight-reading, ear tests, pieces, etc., you won't pass. In my opinion, there is no sense in either overvaluing it or undervaluing it, and it is anyway better than if it didn't exist; it's not like they are taking anything away from anyone. It is a series of exams that requires basic preparation but is carefully recognized by the system, more or less. Personally, I have nothing against it; on the contrary, in my opinion, it's good that it exists and as a musician I approve of it very much; if someone doesn't like it, they are not obliged to do anything.

Open content (youtube)

the boy in the video passed with 'distinction' and it seems to me that he deserved it, he played well and with precision and went prepared, even if he stumbled a bit in the other ear tests etc. ABRSM level 5 is considered 'early intermediate', level 6 'intermediate mid', level 7 'advanced intermediate' and level 8 'advanced', then I believe there are diploma levels. In fact, I intend to take the level 8 exam myself next year, I believe it costs about seventy euros, and lasts about 25 minutes. Regarding books, I think one can do without them, the required material can be found in the 'syllabuses' which are free to download, but I advise against taking the exam without knowing exactly how it works.