I am writing to you in the hope of getting some suggestions to resolve a problem with my piano.
In 2013, I purchased a new C.Bechstein upright; it has a beautiful sound, almost like that of a grand piano. In April 2014, during the second or third [tuning], I don't remember, I asked the tuner to lower it a bit in the high register, which sounded too bright to me. After that, I started having problems. Meaning that in the two octaves, both the middle and upper ones, both the white and black keys do not behave as they should: the sound is somewhat dull and I feel a certain resonance, which is amplified with the pedal. At the moment of tuning it seems to improve, but then when the instrument is closed, it returns to how it was before. From January of this year until today, the company tuner has come well 3 times to try to resolve the matter. The last time, he even lowered it from 440 to 438 hertz.
I also wrote to the manufacturer, who obviously referred me back to the dealer where I purchased it. According to them, however, it is a problem of temperature and humidity. In my house, I have about 30-40% humidity depending on the day and 20-23°C depending on the winter or spring season. In summer with the air conditioning, I reach 25-27°C. But I am not convinced it is a problem of this type.
To tell the truth, I also started to suspect that I might be too critical. But I also played it for my teacher, who agreed with me.
What would you suggest? Should I be worried? Should I just keep it like this? I paid a significant amount... and I cannot resign myself to it.
I am replying to you because I see that you haven't received a response since yesterday, but I am certain that the technicians' replies will arrive shortly.
Zirli and things like that are normally not unsolvable problems; in fact, practically all piano problems can be resolved, the important thing is knowing how to research their causes.
If the piano is from 2013, then I don't think there could be all these problems. The fact that the tuner lowered the pitch to 438 Hz sounds bizarre to me at the very least!!
Pianos are built to work at 440 Hz; if we are talking about recent models, they can easily withstand the tension imposed by 442 Hz.
If the problem arose after the voicing of the hammers in the treble and super-treble range, I would say that the problem could lie in poor voicing of the hammers themselves.
One must take things step by step and not mix problems together. Tito S., who lives in Germany, purchased an upright Bechstein and had the same problems. I went to see him about a year ago because I was in the area for Musikmesse, also to prevent him from reselling that wonderful instrument. Now he is happy. The Bechstein is a refined piano and must be prepared in a refined manner. It seems to me that people are looking for "the hare" where there is none. One must start from scratch with a precise regulation of the action (which also affects the sound), a good tuning, and if necessary, voicing. I hope that the last time it was voiced, the hammer felt was not damaged. Voicing is sometimes an intervention that produces irreversible results because it acts on the nature and differentiated compression of the "regions" of the hammer, and if not well executed, it risks nullifying the energy that the hammer must have to develop good harmonics. Sometimes it is better to forgo this intervention rather than perform it incorrectly. Furthermore, voicing must be considered across the entire extent of the hammer felt, so as not to have permanent timbral discontinuities in different areas. Okay. The temperature and humidity are perfect, and at these levels, they do not affect the sound much. I have respect for all those who sell and work in the sector, but sometimes someone fails to hit the mark regarding the problem. In Tito's case, with all due respect, three technicians from the Company had already gone. I did nothing more than what needed to be done. Another thing: it is true that the Company dictates certain regulation specifications, but for such refined pianos, one must evaluate the acoustics of the listening environment. Sometimes with a small adjustment in regulation... everything changes. Therefore, I advise "simplifying" the problem and returning to preparing the piano as if it had just come out of the shop. A good Technician, who is also musically sensitive, can help you with the choices that you can make together with him. Last thing: tuning at 440!!!!! The modern piano is built and calculated (plate) to best express its timbre at this tuning level. It is evident that some oscillations may occur. It is also important how the tuner "stabilizes" the tuning, which, barring some small out-of-tunings, must last over time. A well-tuned piano should go out of tune uniformly.
In the first few days, all the small movements of the strings (small out-of-tunings... some unisons... some octaves) are noticeable, but then everything stabilizes. It is evident that the "same hand" (expert) contributes to stabilizing the instrument over time. After three or four tunings, stability should increase—that is, it sounds strange, don't take me for a "madman," but it almost seems as if the instrument recognizes the tuner's "expert hand." All this, naturally, must contend with the hours of practice the instrument endures and also with "abrupt" differences in temperature and relative humidity (like opening nearby windows in the middle of winter when it is raining!)... but often such pronounced dissatisfaction does not depend on this change in conditions, especially if they are minimal.
thank you so much to both Simon and Paolo Ferrarelli,
you have given me hope. I had noticed that the piano was delicate. I wanted to make a clarification: the tuning at 438 Hertz was not done by the tuner. But if it was found after a few months from the last tuning (in January of this year), as if the piano itself set itself in that range, I don't know if that is possible.
so I was wondering if, as a first instance, contacting the dealer and pointing out what you wrote would be the right thing to do. Or if calling someone else outside of the manufacturer, even just to verify and frame the problem, is an alternative. I wouldn't want to make enemies with my tuner who anyway maintains all the house instruments and the Steinways.... in short, to say he should know his business.
Finding a good technician, however, is no small feat....
we absolutely do not want to push anyone to become enemies; this is not my intention, nor is it Paolo's, of that I am sure. We do not know who your instrument's tuner is, and we only reflect and respond based on what is communicated to us. However, you understand well that if I were to go on a motorcycle forum and write that ever since my mechanic laid hands on my bike to perform a service it hasn't run well again, even after he worked on it 3 more times, the most natural thing for members to write would be that perhaps the damage was caused by some intervention not performed according to the rules of the art. However, our intention is not to make a consideration that pushes you to "take justice into your own hands," especially because we do not have the piano at hand and can only draw conclusions dictated solely by your sensations and how you report them to us. You understand well that it is already quite difficult for a technician to try to understand a pianist's intentions when they are discussing it in front of the instrument, let alone behind a forum platform; therefore, take our considerations as "logical consequences" of what you have reported to us. We do not allow ourselves to express pro/con opinions for either party in any case, especially when we do not know the subject and above all when they cannot respond. Regarding the tuning, it should have settled long ago; that it has even dropped by 2Hz seems a bit much to me, unless you forgot to tune it during these 2 years.
The simplest solution seems to me to calmly contact the company and your tuner to try to resolve the problem. Should they fail, perhaps it will be necessary to listen to other opinions.
certainly Simon, I agree with what you are saying. I don't think the tuner did anything wrong, especially because I repeat, he is the in-house tuner; I only wanted to say that for some reason at a certain point the instrument no longer behaved as it did at the beginning.
i have taken your advice to heart and I am convinced that the opinion of more than one expert in the face of a non-simple problem should absolutely be taken into consideration, without taking anything away from the work done by one or the other. I don't think this is a reason for lack of trust or esteem towards my tuner.
