Thank you, Sarah! There were so nice-looking brand-new ebony-polished grands beside the digitals which I tested!!! I tried not to look at them, because they are too expensive and also seem to sound too good Actually I had to press some keys on those real grands to compare with the digitals, and the feeling on the brand-new ones were so wonderful... [sigh]

I suspected that. I had a look at a picture of the Yamaha and cannot see so much difference in the design, but well, that's a matter of personal taste.


Yep. There are five different "touch" settings. This is the only setting I changed from the default, since I also find the default setting a bit light.



I have tried the note from the Scriabin sonata you mentioned (it's e''' if I'm not mistaken) and the only unusual thing I can hear is a slightly "metallic" sound which comes from the damper resonance (so you have to hold the pedal and play the note quite loud to hear it). The interesting thing is that this "metallic" sound only occurs with the 5 or 6 half-tones grouped approximately around e'''. I'm not sure why that is the case, but I think (assuming something similar can also be heard on a grand) this is exactly the point above which the higher notes do not have dampers any more. Maybe this has something to do with that. It could of course be that someone just heavily changed all the "virtual technician" settings on the instrument that you tested (e.g. making all the resonance effects unrealistically strong). Maybe you could try to describe a bit more precise what you mean with "side tones" and I'll think about it again.


I'd say this is usually the case with (acoustic) piano technicians.

Cherry. Nowadays most pianos are either black or have a very light color and I decided to take something in between.

Thanks, Thorsten. That is exactly what I mean! I forgot to mention that you schould try that with the damper pedal, sorry... But on the tested piano the strange sound could be heard also when I played the note in piano or mezzo piano. Maybe this was so because of the heavily changed setting, as you think.

I think you're right.

I didn't understand this. Do you mean that the highter notes don't have damper effect, even if they are played with the damper pedal??

I should have tried to experiment with the settings at the store But the technician couldn't help me because he asserted this is also the case on acustic grands and therefore is nothing strange. (So I asked him, why I can't hear such a sound on CA 51, and he answered that is because CA71 is more expensive than CA51 ) So, do you think this metallic sound problem can be eliminated by adjusting the settings? Then I think I should go for CA71.

So, are you satisfied by the color?

Well, to my knowledge on every acoustic piano the notes above e''' or so do not have any dampers at all, i.e. for them it does not make any difference if you hold the right pedal or not. But I cannot see any connection between this and the metallic sound.


Yes, absolutely. You can just decrease the strength of the damper resonance. I made another sound file where I play all the white keys from c' up to c'''' (each one with right pedal), first with default resonance and then with resonance turned completely off.


Yes. But I have to mention that I'm not really a guy for whom the looks are so important, so I think I would be satisfied with any of the other available colors.

Let me know if the sounds on the file are similar to the ones you heard at the music store!

Thanks Thorsten for your time and kind efforts! The default resonance on this file sounds to me completely acceptable (yes, the sound truly seems to be sampled from a large grand), but now I'm getting sure the strange sound at that tested piano was resulted from excessively increased effect of that kind as you think.
BTW the sound of CA71 was better when you hear that directly from the instrument than from a recording, indeed. It wasn't bad at all. Now I understand why you said you're happy with that.

Yes, there is a difference, and I cannot really point out what it is. It's not the missing resonance effects like with the internal recorder; maybe it comes from my recording equipment.

I'm glad I could help you finding your ideal DP!

Yes, that was really helpful to me and I appreciate it very much!!
When I buy CA71, I'll think of your kindness whenever I play on that

...
and I bought me a CA71 !
After a long waiting it finally stands in my room since yesterday evening. (Until it came, I could borrow a portable piano (YAMAHA P-85) from the piano trader.)
I think it will take me some time to find a suitable setting though the Virtual Technician function.
However, to have a piano in my own room is wonderful! I always had to go out to play the piano and continuously to check the availability of the room where the piano stands, but now I don't need to do that Besides, I always had to be careful not to disturb others by my playing, but not now!
Let's see whether I'll be satisfied by the instrument itself and it'll yield a satisfying recording quality.

How are you doing, guys? Thorsten, do you have already the new semester? (here the new semester begins on the comming monday) What are you playing nowadays? Sarah, are you still in a "piano heaven"?

congratulations, Hye-Jin!

now I'll be able to listen to your Rachmaninov-Bach!
(I love that transcription of the prelude so much)

Thanks, Felipe! But the piano is not mine yet. I'll pay for it in installments and I haven't paid even the first one (my poor husband... )
After listening to Biret's recording I think I need a long time to play that piece properly... (She is just amazing, thanks Felipe) When you like the piece so much, I should ask you when I need to hear other's opinion about the piece. Can I?

Felipe, BTW you can watch someone playing the Franck's P, Ch and Fugue on medici.tv

"Dear Internet Viewers,

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Ce concert sera également diffusé sur www.louvre.fr et www.francemusique.com.
On Wednesday 21 October at 6 p.m. GMT, you can take in live and for free on www.medici.tv the recital by the young pianist Jean-Frédéric Neuburger at the Auditorium du Louvre in Paris!

The concert will also be broadcast on www.louvre.fr and www.francemusique.com.

neuburger

Ce génie du piano, qui a travaillé avec les plus grands maîtres et qui a rafflé non moins de 4 prix au Concours Marguerite Long en 2004, interprétera le magnifique Prélude, Choral et Fugue de César Franck, des Nocturnes de Gabriel Fauré, ou encore la célèbre sonate Hammerklavier de Beethoven.

Une soirée exceptionnelle à ne pas rater qui restera disponible gratuitement en VOD sur www.medici.tv pendant 60 jours.
This genius of the piano, who has been studying with many great masters and who won no less than 4 prizes at the famous piano competition Marguerite Long in 2004, will perform César Franck’s beautiful Prelude, Choral and Fugue, 2 Nocturnes by Gabriel Fauré and Beethoven’s Hammerklavier sonata.

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sure!
but... can I say EVERYTHING? I may be nitpick...

let me explain... if I was playing this prelude... I'd sure not be able to play like I'd like. I might play well, but not as perfect as it could be. so maybe I would exaggerate in my opinion, demanding too much. hehe

okay.
let's do the following...
I may say things reasonable and necessary, and those that are too nitpicking, I tell you, so you can ignore them (as I would if I was playing it, due to may own technical limitations). hehe


PS: thanks for the Medici.tv

Many congratulations, Hye-Jin! I am so thrilled and excited for you. I can't wait for the opportunity to listen to some of your new recordings.

Yes, I am still in piano heaven. Sometimes I just sit on the sofa beside it and look at it! Now that I have it and am accustomed to it I should be able to open the studio next spring (although I'm already working with seven students to get some much-needed experience).

Oh I'm very happy to read that you have a piano now. What are you going to study next (Bach-Rachmaninoff apart, I mean)?

Actually I thought of exchanging opinions about interpretations before I make an (even informal) recording of that. As I started learning this some months ago, there are some spots I cannot understand very well. Anyway I'll study this further and let's see what a development I could make.
Besides have you studied the other two pieces in the suite? I think they are also very beautiful.