Ultra light Acoustic piano exist?
MaestroJim
of the weight in an acoustic piano does not come from the "furniture"
aspect. It is due to the heavy cast iron plate and corresponding structual
assembly required to support the combined string tension of approximately
20 tons of tension! Although modern metalurgy can produce an appropriate
structure, it is presently way out of line from a financial standpoint.
Although I rebuild, tune and prefer to play acoustic pianos, and use the
next best SUBSTITUTE, the electronic keyboard when I need portability.
Note: before you electronic fans start screaming replys to this, keep in
mind that there is NO electronic keyboard that can do what an acoustic
piano can do. They can digitize it, synthesize it, ALMOST sound like an
acoustic piano, but when being played, I have not found ANY electronic
piano that can reproduce the effect that can be gotten from an acoustic
piano, i.e. sound waves blending, amplifying each other, canceling each
other, etc. which can only be gotten from a vibrating membrane such as an
acoustic soundboard.
Steven Michael Harp
Has anyone tried to develop a piano that is 100% musical instrument and
0% piece of furniture? One that is so light it could be considered as
portable as a vibraphone? If one does not exist, would someone please
invent one? Why should pianists be in heavy bondage?
Confined pianist
Moosenose
(MaestroJim) wrote:
I second the above opinion. Along the lines of lightER pianos, I have seen
some small spinets that are very nearly portable. They have a shorter
keyboard (something like 5-1/2 octaves? - don't quote me on that), and are
double-strung instead of triple-strung. There's an excellent Seattle
busker by the name of Johnny Hahn who plays one of these on the street.
His is on wheels, and I'm not sure how he gets it in and out of his van,
but it's very portable and sounds very good.
I don't know if anyone makes these pianos any more, but I have seen a
number of them around.
Moosenose
Stephen Birkett
: Has anyone tried to develop a piano that is 100% musical instrument and
: Confined pianist
Mozart had a portable piano about the size of a suitcase...he took it
with him on trips to use en route. The weight and size came with increased
tension (more volume at the expense of tone quality) and compass. Square
pianos were extremely popular until the turn
of the century...some small enough to rest on a table. Such acoustic
pianos are fine for personal/home use. For concerts you would have to
amplify them but at least you get the acoustic sound in a portable
package. You can pick up a good (antique) square at a bargain basement price.
Stephen Birkett
Blackwood Hall
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
John Daly
: Steven Michael Harp (ha...@bga.com) wrote:
:
: : Has anyone tried to develop a piano that is 100% musical instrument and
: : 0% piece of furniture? One that is so light it could be considered as
: : portable as a vibraphone? If one does not exist, would someone please
: : invent one? Why should pianists be in heavy bondage?
:
: : Confined pianist
:
: Mozart had a portable piano about the size of a suitcase..
: pianos were extremely popular until the turn
: of the century...some small enough to rest on a table.
: You can pick up a good (antique) square at a bargain basement price.
:
: Stephen Birkett
: Blackwood Hall
: University of Guelph
: Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Piano technicians tend to think that "good" and "square" do not belong
in the same sentence. :-)
If you see a good, square grand of the vintage and size of Mozart's
portable piano at a bargain basement price grab it. Most square
pianos one sees are easily 7' long and at least as heavy as a large
upright.
Another possibility if one of the "piano-fortes" now available. They
are generally light because they don't have the high tension, large
hammers, etc. Of course, they don't sound anything like a modern
piano either.
The bottom line is that there's very little about a modern piano that
is really furniture -- maybe not to 0%, but very small. Most of the
weight is in the iron frame, and wooden structure to support the frame
and keyboard.
John Daly
7230...@compuserve.com
Stephen Birkett
: sbir...@uoguelph.ca (Stephen Birkett) writes:
: : Steven Michael Harp (ha...@bga.com) wrote:
: :
: : : Has anyone tried to develop a piano that is 100% musical instrument and
: : : 0% piece of furniture? One that is so light it could be considered as
: : : portable as a vibraphone? If one does not exist, would someone please
: : : invent one? Why should pianists be in heavy bondage?
: :
: : : Confined pianist
: :
: : Mozart had a portable piano about the size of a suitcase..
: : The weight and size came with increased
: : tension (more volume at the expense of tone quality) and compass. Square
: : pianos were extremely popular until the turn
: : of the century...some small enough to rest on a table.
: : . . .
: : You can pick up a good (antique) square at a bargain basement price.
: :
: : Stephen Birkett
: : Blackwood Hall
: : University of Guelph
: : Guelph, Ontario, Canada
: Piano technicians tend to think that "good" and "square" do not belong
: in the same sentence. :-)
This is true of the instruments that proliferated in 19th Century...they
were esp. popular in U.S. The European instruments are different animals.
: If you see a good, square grand of the vintage and size of Mozart's
: portable piano at a bargain basement price grab it. Most square
: pianos one sees are easily 7' long and at least as heavy as a large
: upright.
The heavy 7' instruments are 6-7 octaves and have a full cast iron
frame...thus a `sideways upright'. Smaller squares without iron frame are
much more portable. I saw an 1820 Broadwood square, for instance, for
around $4,000 recently. So many of these were made there is no antique
value attached to them.
: Another possibility if one of the "piano-fortes" now available. They
: are generally light because they don't have the high tension, large
: hammers, etc. Of course, they don't sound anything like a modern
: piano either.
I make these fortepianos and the 5 octave ones can `easily' be moved by an
individual...they fit in a mini-van just...weigh about 150 lbs...7' long.
: The bottom line is that there's very little about a modern piano that
: is really furniture -- maybe not to 0%, but very small. Most of the
: weight is in the iron frame, and wooden structure to support the frame
: and keyboard.
: John Daly
: 7230...@compuserve.com
Stephen Birkett
media...@gmail.com
Actually, there are now some amazing hybrid keyboards now out. One somehow makes a large speaker into the soundboard.It's pretty weird. There are demonstration videos available online. I forget the maker, but it does signal a new wave of keyboard devices.
vaikoh...@gmail.com
nousn...@gmail.com
Can't remember the brand name but it was portable.
We carried it around to every gig.
helpimstuckina...@gmail.com
> RE: Ultralight acoustic piano - Sorry to disappoint you, but the majority
> of the weight in an acoustic piano does not come from the "furniture"
> aspect. It is due to the heavy cast iron plate and corresponding structual
> assembly required to support the combined string tension of approximately
> 20 tons of tension! Although modern metalurgy can produce an appropriate
> structure, it is presently way out of line from a financial standpoint.
> Although I rebuild, tune and prefer to play acoustic pianos, and use the
> next best SUBSTITUTE, the electronic keyboard when I need portability.
> Note: before you electronic fans start screaming replys to this, keep in
> mind that there is NO electronic keyboard that can do what an acoustic
> piano can do. They can digitize it, synthesize it, ALMOST sound like an
> acoustic piano, but when being played, I have not found ANY electronic
> piano that can reproduce the effect that can be gotten from an acoustic
> piano, i.e. sound waves blending, amplifying each other, canceling each
> other, etc. which can only be gotten from a vibrating membrane such as an
> acoustic soundboard.
Becky Thompson
> RE: Ultralight acoustic piano - Sorry to disappoint you, but the majority
> of the weight in an acoustic piano does not come from the "furniture"
> aspect. It is due to the heavy cast iron plate and corresponding structual
> assembly required to support the combined string tension of approximately
> 20 tons of tension! Although modern metalurgy can produce an appropriate
> structure, it is presently way out of line from a financial standpoint.
> Although I rebuild, tune and prefer to play acoustic pianos, and use the
> next best SUBSTITUTE, the electronic keyboard when I need portability.
> Note: before you electronic fans start screaming replys to this, keep in
> mind that there is NO electronic keyboard that can do what an acoustic
> piano can do. They can digitize it, synthesize it, ALMOST sound like an
> acoustic piano, but when being played, I have not found ANY electronic
> piano that can reproduce the effect that can be gotten from an acoustic
> piano, i.e. sound waves blending, amplifying each other, canceling each
> other, etc. which can only be gotten from a vibrating membrane such as an
> acoustic soundboard.