Frequent use of the mute on an upright piano

Hi titowsky, I was wondering exactly the same thing. What timing! I join you in your doubts, and await clarifications from the experts!

Thank you

I am not a piano expert (in the strict sense of the instrument's mechanics), and therefore I say nothing regarding the hammers.

In my opinion, however, one thing that is certainly ruined by the mute (the interposed felt) of an upright piano is the touch of the pianist who uses it.

i myself, unfortunately, used it extensively for 19 years.

Then I switched to a good digital piano, and I think it has only done me good: also pianistically (not just in terms of neighbors).

A clarification: my judgment concerns only the relationship between upright piano/digital piano.

No digital piano equals the expressive possibilities of a grand piano (even a modest one).

ciao

In my opinion, however, one thing that is certainly ruined by the mute (interposed felt) of an upright piano is the touch of the pianist using it.

There is no doubt about this! The felt comes between the hammers and the strings and, by dampening the impact, it makes the keys feel quite heavy.

If that were the only consequence, I would be fine. I tried it yesterday solely to practice certain sections of a piece (in the refinement stage).

In fact, perhaps at a practice level, one might even benefit from it, since once the mute is removed, the section might turn out to be more fluid.

So I wonder: can the mute be used for practice sessions of, let's say, no more than 15/20 minutes?

In my opinion, what you have said so far is correct. I participated amicably in an expert assessment for a lawsuit involving a friend who had been reported by his neighbor... for his insistence on practicing during the day... and late at night. Tests were conducted by placing the detector on the floor below and engaging the mute on my friend's piano (which, on that occasion, had the cleverness to "double the felt"!!!!!!). Well, while playing chromatic scales across the entire range of the keyboard, the decibel tolerance was at the limit of the values established by law. This leads to the observation you have already made: The pianist cannot hear and ruins their touch... but the neighbor hears it... and how!!!

The mute was a commercial gimmick, given that upright pianos are intended for small spaces in apartments, within a condominium setting..... "See, Madam, this way the child, when studying, does not disturb the neighbors...."

As for the hammers, they are not damaged at all; on the contrary, their wear is reduced. As for the sensation of hardness, it is psycho-acoustic in nature. Not hearing much, the pianist has to play with more force. When the mute is suddenly removed, one gets the sensation that the piano plays too loudly and that the keyboard is lighter. After all, it is the same principle applied in many digital pianos: by varying the touch, the instrument does nothing more than make the keyboard more or less sensitive, without however altering its weight.

I've never minded a bit of study with a mute... more so for my neighbors, but for myself: to avoid becoming obsessed by the first hour of practice which involves quite repetitive exercises, which are more "mechanical" (for strengthening and loosening the joints) than musical.

For many years I have been used to "playing" even a Yamaha Silent (with slightly weighted keys) without listening to its sound, concentrating on the muscular feedback, on the sensations that my fingers and arms transmit to me... up to "performing" all of Chopin's studies simply by imagining in my mind what the fingers would be producing. In this way, I haven't encountered any problems with touch, and I discovered a double advantage: the usefulness of not being, at times, distracted/carried away by the sound and of not getting bored by listening to the pieces too often, thus maintaining that stimulus to recreate them every time I perform them.

But this is a completely personal "pianistic perversion" that I do not necessarily intend to recommend

I must say that I hadn't thought of these things. Seen from this perspective, the experience proves interesting.....but with Silent

I really like the sound of an upright piano with a mute. I would love it if there were mutes of that type on grand pianos as well.

I have an upright in a house in the countryside and when I can play it, I regularly use the mute.

For Bach, it is a marvel.

Lucio

Slowtempo wrote:

one thing that is certainly ruined by the mute (interposed felt) of an upright piano is the touch of the pianist using it.

(...)

 

can the mute be used for practice sessions, let's say, not exceeding 15/20 minutes?

In my opinion, a little like in all things - and, as far as the piano is concerned, for me in particular regarding the metronome - a bit of common sense and (self)judgment reigns supreme.

The mute will certainly not benefit the touch to be used in a general way, but it has its utility and can result in being simply "not useful" rather than "harmful"; and I believe there is some small difference in this... ^__^

I think that the "trick" lies in not neglecting study time without the mute, rather than worrying about how much one uses it.

Besides, the fact that I know how to drive a car does not prevent me from riding a bike.

pianoexpert wrote:

When the mute is suddenly removed, one has the sensation (...) that the keyboard is lighter.

How strange... I get the opposite sensation, meaning I need more "strength" when I play without the mute...

It must be said that, when I use the mute, I... Want... a "muted sound" - so low - for this reason I don't put more strength than necessary to try to hear it better, because perhaps that is what you meant...

but in general, it seems to me that it flows even more lightly...

Anyway, it is not very important.

titowsky wrote:

For many years I have been used to "playing" even a Yamaha Silent (with slightly weighted keys) without listening to its sound, concentrating on the muscular feedback, on the sensations that my fingers and arms transmit to me... up to "performing" all of Chopin's studies simply by imagining in my mind what the fingers would be producing.

http://youtu.be/FpWPYa7B7fQ

Open content (youtube)

I saw the video of Cziffra. The matter is totally different. The silent keyboard is extremely useful because, every now and then, with a grain of salt, it calls us back to absolute concentration on the notes, on the positions and almost... we manage to hear the sound that isn't there ourselves. So we are in the absence of sound, not in the presence of a false sound. What Lapuska says is also correct: if one has a good reference of the sound in mind, one is not misled by the "muted" sound; in short, one must not be misled by the intensity-duration concept of the sound, which the pianist must always keep in mind to obtain a good cantabile and more. For the beginner it is different: the mute makes us listen to a sound that is completely false in intensity and duration... therefore it can induce playing with a different "energy," altering the young knowledge of "technical gesture" learned. I hope I have sufficiently explained my thought..it is a bit difficult to put into words