Piano defect or...

[Danster]

I have an acoustic piano which we bought new about 1.5 years ago. I just noticed yesterday that the 3rd G above middle C, and all higher notes, sustain longer than the notes below. This is not a subtle difference I'm talking about. It is a significant difference which starts abruptly at that G note (i.e., the sustain does not increase gradually as you go into this range). It makes it impossible to sound a staccato note properly on one of these high notes. I really don't know pianos, so, is this normal, or is something wrong?

(I reckon this is a gear-related post, but I doubt this is what the mods had in mind when they instituted the "no gear talk" rule.)

[Malcolm]

My experience is with a digital keyboard, so I would not be a good source of information, however, for the amount of money you pay for an acoustic piano I'd be talking to the person I bought it from. Or asking this question at a piano music store.

I do not think having a piano tuner take a look at it would be all that expensive. At any rate the music store could give you an idea of what it will cost to fix.

Good luck.

[Marlbhoro]

well, I cant tell you why for sure this happens, but every single piano or electonic keyboard I have played does this, so yours is probably normal, I asked the same question to a music teacher at my school like a year ago and never got a real answer...

[Danster]

I found the answer to the question posed in the opening post of this thread. From this site: "Every note on the piano except for (approximately ) the top two octaves is equipped with a damper, which is a padded device that prevents the strings from vibrating." Before I found that website, I opened the top of my piano and saw that the upper notes had no dampers on the strings. I still didn't know if it was because it is a cheap piano, or that is the norm. From the site above, and others, I see that that is the norm.

Originally Posted by Marlbhoro

well, I cant tell you why for sure this happens, but every single piano or electonic keyboard I have played does this, so yours is probably normal,

That is interesting that the electronic keyboards also have that effect (of more sustain on higher notes). I think I read somewhere while I was researching my question, that the lack of dampening of the upper notes is so that you'll get sympathetic vibrations from those notes, which adds to the richness of the tone of acoustic pianos. There are no strings in electronic keyboards, so it seems odd to me that there would be more sustain built in to those upper notes, but maybe that's just to make it more like an acoustic?

[JazzMick]

Yes It could be something related to the Damper's. It is probably time you had the piano serviced anyway, more so if you have never had it checked. Old pianos are subject to many problems if they have not been well kept.

Call your local music store and ask about getting someone to check it for a tune and a service.

[Danster]

Originally Posted by JazzMick

Yes It could be something related to the Damper's. It is probably time you had the piano serviced anyway, more so if you have never had it checked. Old pianos are subject to many problems if they have not been well kept.

Call your local music store and ask about getting someone to check it for a tune and a service.

???

As indicated in my first post, the piano was bought new about 1.5 years ago. Wanna borrow my glasses JazzMick? We've had it tuned twice in its 1.5 year lifetime.

[leegordo]

Originally Posted by Danster

I have an acoustic piano which we bought new about 1.5 years ago. I just noticed yesterday that the 3rd G above middle C, and all higher notes, sustain longer than the notes below. This is not a subtle difference I'm talking about. It is a significant difference which starts abruptly at that G note (i.e., the sustain does not increase gradually as you go into this range). It makes it impossible to sound a staccato note properly on one of these high notes. I really don't know pianos, so, is this normal, or is something wrong?

(I reckon this is a gear-related post, but I doubt this is what the mods had in mind when they instituted the "no gear talk" rule.)

Hi leegordo here, I do not think a 18 month old piano should need 2 tunings, unless the piano was a cheap instrument, has been subject to a degree of physical abuse, or, has been kept in an environment which is unfriendly, for instance, is constantly subjected to extremes of temperature-roasted then frozen- on a regular basis.ORRRRRR a combinatoin of all three-on a regular basis!
leegordo

[Danster]

Originally Posted by leegordo

Hi leegordo here, I do not think a 18 month old piano should need 2 tunings, unless the piano was a cheap instrument, has been subject to a degree of physical abuse, or, has been kept in an environment which is unfriendly, for instance, is constantly subjected to extremes of temperature-roasted then frozen- on a regular basis.ORRRRRR a combinatoin of all three-on a regular basis!
leegordo

Hey leegordo. Danster here. Well, according to that same site I quoted above: "Pianos that are prized and appreciated by their owners are tuned regularly, roughly once every four to six months for domestic pianos, and always just before a performance in concert halls." I don't prize my piano enough to tune it every four to six months, but those two tunings were done free by the store where we bought the piano. The store suggested two tunings in the first year, and once a year after that. Again, I dunno about pianos, but that schedule seems reasonable based on that website I quoted.