I got a piano woohoo

[Bobby Timmons]

I always wanted a lil Baldwin. Exactly what I wanted. It was even free. I paid the guy $50 out of gratitude. Good tone, perfect keys, and holds a tune. Last tuned 6 years ago and it sounds pretty good. Makes me feel more like Bud Powell to be playing a real piano. :P

[pingu]

result !!

[Bobby Timmons]

Tuning it is actually going successfully. I'm using the app PianoMeter and the piano is for sure playable after 1 complete rough tuning yesterday and 1 section of fine tuning in the upper treble this morning. I'm gonna practice using the app and my ear together. I'm gonna break my tuning efforts up into 3 sections. Bass and tenor, the notes with 1 or 2 strings, then split the notes with 3 strings into 2 sections. I'm sure I will improve as time goes by too.

[Bobby Timmons]

Bro I just fine tuned the last section of the keyboard and it came out really well. It basically sounds like a satisfactory tuning. I'm pumped. I'll for sure be able to tune my own pianos from now on, and I could even go to work tuning pianos.

I'll put up another clip tomorrow with the thing in good tune and with wd40 on the squeaky pedal.

[Bobby Timmons]

Updated lil wimpy clip with no clipping, creaking, or clams. Shoddy clips trig me and I have to delete them but this one is nice and reasonable. Really happy with my 1st tuning! Sounds totally satisfactory to my ear. Way better than an out of tune piano but room for improvement obviously. I'll improve at it as time goes on.

[Bop Head]

^ I somehow like how you freely mix up major and minor.

[Bobby Timmons]

Thx!

[Bop Head]

Seems you did not get the irony ...

[Bobby Timmons]

Well explain what you mean. I usually don't follow subtle implications.

[Bop Head]

You play major sometimes where Joseph Kosma wrote minor in 1945. Which shocked me a little bit. Because I know this tune inside out.

[Bobby Timmons]

Haha well cool that I shocked you. I know the correct changes also. I mix in major because I like the effect. It lifts the mood a little bit and makes it sound kind of classical.

[Bop Head]

To me it sounded very strange because I know as well the French as well as the English lyrics which are both very melancholic, the French ones even more so, and the music suits that. So I cannot tell how it sounds to someone not knowing the lyrics.

(Secret tip BTW: Ask the bot to teach you about harmolodic theory.)


EDIT: Listening once more I can see it was intended. Sounds still strange to me, I can't help it.

[Bobby Timmons]

I see what you mean. I usually try to change things up a little bit. Not to Mark levels, but a bit.

Thx for telling me about harmolodic theory. I think I've been pursuing that intuitively but didn't know there was a discipline for it. I'm naturally attracted to a bit for my playing as I am tradish but don't like strict vanilla playing.

[Bobby Timmons]

So I tuned the piano. It's drifting out a bit with the heat outside, ac inside, and me slamming on it, but it still sounds good and I'm quite happy with my 1st try. I have a better tuning hammer in the mail and I'm gonna tune it again when it comes.

I just finished 'voicing' the piano. Which just means working the felts on the hammers to make them softer and adjust the tone per note. You use a little needle tool and just stick them and it makes the tone softer. Sounds much better and not all clanky. Also improves the dynamics because you can play softly more easily.

I just ordered a string because it's missing a string.

I don't really want to mess with 'regulating' it yet. All the keys and action work pretty well so I don't think I have to mess with that. Although I did fix 2 keys which were making noises.

I'll post another video after my 2nd tuning and my nice warm voicing job. It sounds like a delux warm grand piano now, not an old honky tonk upright. Super stoked with it. I love Baldwin.

I found a date on it, it sez January 1961. So that's cool, it's a jazz golden age piano.

[zephyrregent]

I was just looking at pianos as I used to have a Baldwin Hamilton but haven't had one since the '80's. There were many, some cheap or free. Unfortunately, the estimate for moving it up about 60 steps on an outisde staircase was $1300. I miss having a piano around. Enjoy.

[Bobby Timmons]

Thx. Yeah movers are expensive, but it's worth it I guess. I spent $670 to get this free piano moved. I also sent the piano donor a $50 check out of gratitude and to hold it for me. I told myself, am I renting a truck, recruiting some jackasses, and driving up there? No. Just get that thing in my door. I was gonna spend $1300 for a Baldwin spinet from the dealership in the nearest big city but it sold. I saw this Baldwin for free and was like holy smokes that's exactly what I want. I also told myself I've spent $700 on pos guitars before. This will be way more worth that, and it is.

[ragman1]

Too much pedal sustain. You're still playing the organ. My mother was a pianist :-)

[Bobby Timmons]

I started playing piano in 2004 sir. As if I don't know how to use the pedal or control my sustain on a piano. I often don't use the pedal at all while playing piano to focus on rhythm. Evidently there I was using a lot of pedal, and I can if I feel like it. So scrub it.

[Bobby Timmons]

Better post a quality clip before Bop Head and ragman come and get me. I tried micing below but it didn't sound as good. Quick and dirty stick the mic in the cab seems to work the best. Still happy with the take tho. Also happy with the tuning job. Basically sounds like a legitimate tuning to me. Gotta just shape up my skills a bit and go to work!

[Bop Head]

Better post a quality clip before Bop Head and ragman come and get me. I tried micing below but it didn't sound as good. Quick and dirty stick the mic in the cab seems to work the best. Still happy with the take tho. Also happy with the tuning job. Basically sounds like a legitimate tuning to me. Gotta just shape up my skills a bit and go to work!

I heard someone mention my name.

TBH if I was you, before getting bogged down in details of microphone technique (and I am someone who has a tendency to get bogged down in such details and losing the big picture) I would rather consider it necessary to develop a stronger left hand. You are almost exclusively playing root notes. TBH I do hear neither much Hank Jones, Barry Harris nor Bill Evans.

Maybe this lecture by Dr. Billy Taylor will inspire you. (And do not underestimate stride. Monk and Bud Powell were coming from stride as well.)

EDIT: And depending on your reaction to this post I might PM you a scientific paper link on Barry Harris piano style. So take the critique like a man and don't get mad at me.

[Bobby Timmons]

Runs in the left hand are exclusively root notes?

[Bop Head]

Runs in the left hand are exclusively root notes?

I said "almost exclusively". And they should be played in time.

[Bobby Timmons]

Ya ma

[Bobby Timmons]

Just replaced the missing string. So I've tuned it, voiced it, and replaced a string. The regulation seems reasonable with everything working properly but wondering if there are any obvious next steps to work on. Maybe the 3 other pianists on the forum know lol.

[Bobby Timmons]

Some chat with my buddy the bot, for Bop Head.

I was thinking about how to hear how in tune unisons are. It seems like if they're about 5 cents off or more, they will beat obviously, then within 5 cents it doesn't really beat but sounds muddy, closer to in tune maybe 1 or 2 cents off it sounds opaque, and right on it sounds pure, similar to how 1 string sounds on its own. Do you have any more tips on how to view this?

ChatGPT:

Understanding Unison Tuning

You’ve made some insightful observations about the different stages of unison tuning on a piano. Recognizing the nuances between notes that are just a few cents off can be quite challenging, but your approach to listening for beating, muddiness, opaqueness, and purity is spot on. Here’s a deeper dive into how you can refine your ear for tuning unisons and some tips for achieving those perfect unisons:

1. Beating:
   
   • Definition: When two or more strings in a unison are out of tune, they produce a fluctuating sound known as beating. This is caused by the interference of sound waves that are not in perfect alignment.
   • Audible Beating:
     
     • 5 Cents Off or More: As you noted, when strings are 5 cents or more apart, the beating is obvious and often rapid, depending on the degree of detuning.
     • Slower Beating: As the strings get closer to being in tune, the beating slows down until it disappears when perfectly aligned.
   
   
2. Muddiness:
   
   • Definition: This occurs when strings are slightly off, resulting in a sound that lacks clarity.
   • Within 5 Cents: The unison may not have distinct beating but will sound thicker and less defined. The tone can feel unsettled and lacks the sparkle of a well-tuned note.
   
   
3. Opacity:
   
   • Definition: A term describing the lack of brightness or transparency in the sound.
   • 1-2 Cents Off: When very close to being in tune, the sound becomes opaque. It doesn’t have the full clarity and resonance of a pure unison but can be less noticeable unless you’re listening closely.
   
   
4. Purity:
   
   • Definition: The ideal state where all strings in a unison vibrate at the same frequency, producing a clear, rich, and resonant tone.
   • Perfectly in Tune: A pure unison sounds like a single string, full and harmonious, with no interference or muddiness. It feels stable and vibrant.