Institute of Systematic Musicology, University of Hamburg
Abstract :
Well-maintained pianos are said to "mature" and to
"change to the better"
over the first years. When auditioning concert pianos for
purchase,
technicians do often not choose the best sounding
instrument but the one
with the greatest potential for future development.
The present work addresses the following questions: Are
structural changes
measurable on a piano after one year of operation in a
concert house? Are
these changes perceivable by listeners?
Measurements are performed on two occasions: First,
on a brand new
instrument prepared for sale. Second, on the same
piano after having been
played for one year in a concert hall. Single notes are
recorded with
dummy-head-microphones in player position in an
anechoic chamber. An
extended ABX listening test engaging approx. 100
players, tuners, and
builders, addresses the questions whether a variation in
tonal quality is
audible and if so, what sound properties could lead to
a perceived
difference. Semantic sub-grouping allows for
indication on the vocabulary listeners of varying
expertise use to verbalize
their sensation. The statements give hints
on what could have changed over the year and are
used as a basis for the
analysis of corresponding physical properties and
psychoacoustic
parameters related to the described sensations.