The Piano Man

[Anastasius]

Not sure where to post this and apologies if it's been covered elsewhere.

Stumbled across this little gem of a programme on Radio 4

"Piano technician Ulrich Gerhartz's job is to prepare Steinway pianos for performances by the world's leading pianists."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09vpnxf

[Bryn]

Not sure where to post this and apologies if it's been covered elsewhere.

Stumbled across this little gem of a programme on Radio 4

"Piano technician Ulrich Gerhartz's job is to prepare Steinway pianos for performances by the world's leading pianists."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09vpnxf

Yes, I think we discussed this at the time of its initial broadcast last month. Good that it will remain available via the iPlayer for a further month.

[Keraulophone]

It was lovely to chance unexpectedly upon this again. Caliban’s piano tuner! I wish I had one of Ulrich’s calibre.

[gradus]

It was lovely to chance unexpectedly upon this again. Caliban’s piano tuner! I wish I had one of Ulrich’s calibre.

I think I'd have to polish the case and clean the keys if Ulrich was coming round to tune the Joanna, in particular take the sticky note names off the middle octaves - it helps some kids.

[ardcarp]

in particular take the sticky note names off the middle octaves - it helps some kids.

Are you sure, gradus? When a pianist is sight-reading, he/she does not go through the following steps:

1. Look at the stave
2. Work out what letter of the alphabet is being represented
3. Look at the keys and work out what key corresponds to that letter of the alphabet
4. Press the key

No, he/she goes straight from the stave to the keyboard, missing out stages 2 and 3

Therefore, even at the most elementary level, it is surely best to teach sight-reading by matching the position of notes on the stave directly to the keyboard?

I am firmly of the opinion that various schemes (e.g. attributing colours to notes) which put an extra layer of information between stave and keyboard just make things more complicated.

Of course note-names have to be learned at some stage so that music can be discussed and theory exams passed.

Sorry...just one of my hobby-horses!

[gradus]

Are you sure, gradus? When a pianist is sight-reading, he/she does not go through the following steps:

1. Look at the stave
2. Work out what letter of the alphabet is being represented
3. Look at the keys and work out what key corresponds to that letter of the alphabet
4. Press the key

No, he/she goes straight from the stave to the keyboard, missing out stages 2 and 3

Therefore, even at the most elementary level, it is surely best to teach sight-reading by matching the position of notes on the stave directly to the keyboard?

I am firmly of the opinion that various schemes (e.g. attributing colours to notes) which put an extra layer of information between stave and keyboard just make things more complicated.

Of course note-names have to be learned at some stage so that music can be discussed and theory exams passed.

Sorry...just one of my hobby-horses!

You may be right but it seems to help some children at the earliest stage of learning to play. By the time of theory exams they certainly wouldn't be needed.