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chrisw

Another option could be to have the frame, strings and keys etc completely removed and have an electronic piano fitted into your cherished piano cabinet. This would always stay in tune and be somewhat more pleasurable to play. The cost is still appreciable and I guess you could obtain a reasonable m...

chrisw

Hello Berntd, Do you intend restoring the whole piano back to the black finish. The graining is probably removable with a paint stripper but it may also remove the black coating as well. I must admit that I never like turned legs on grand pianos but then again I have given up on the idea of owning a...

chrisw

My teacher is also unable to span an octave and I think she tends to avoid pieces with lots of octave passages. I am learning a Beethoven sonata at present which is loaded with octave chords at a few places probably because Beethoven simply wanted to raise the volume to compensate for his hearing lo...

chrisw

I saw your article in the Piano History category. It raises the question of why does each hand need to play outside one octave anyway ?

chrisw

Colin, My family came from south Leeds rather than north west Bradford so I doubt if we will have any information regarding the fun fair at Shipley. In our area we did however have an annual horse fair (still in existence) and at one time small fun fair. This fair goes back hundreds of years under t...

chrisw

Just a humble upright Colin; a 85 note 1994 Kemble Classic. I am sure the tuner didn't adjust any of the actions and when I said,with tongue in cheek, it was easier to play I wasn't referring to physical effort. It is just that the harmonies seem so spot on it seems to encourage me to play the right...

chrisw

My piano has been tuned today and is now sounding very nice indeed. Is it my imagination or am I kidding myself that it is now easier to play ? I might add that the tuning wasn't a mile out before today. The treble had held pitch since the previous tuning. The tenor strings had dropped a little.

chrisw

I rarely listen to a piece of music before starting to learn or in the early stages of learning. It is probably accurate to say that I actually avoid recordings of the piece. I start by trying to play the first couple of pages hands together and at sight and I then tend to concentrate on the first p...

chrisw

Barrie,
Thank you for the info.

chrisw

During formal dinners are lounge suits acceptable or do the men have to wear dinner jackets ? Can the women wear trouser suits ?

chrisw

DaViD, Welcome to the Kemble Classic club. I sometimes get little noises when the front vertical board (sorry don't know its proper name and don't have time this morning to look it up) when the retaining clips are not fully engaged. They are found just inside the piano lid, one on either side. I ask...

chrisw

Whilst agreeing with the advice given by Gill the Piano as to the value of a second hand piano if one was about to be purchased (especially from a private vendor), for insurance purposes, if your instrument has been maintained in good order with regular tunings, I would refer to prices of similar pi...

chrisw

DaViD,

It is good to read your feedback. Please let us know when your piano is delivered and how you get on with it.

chrisw

I also made a mistake by saying the Kemble Classic 1981-1990 thread was started in Feb 2011 when I now think it was Feb 2012. These pianos seem to have a good reputation. During this year's tuning of my 1994 Kemble Classic I was advised that the pitch had not altered from the previous year and it on...

chrisw

The original poster may also be interested in another post on this forum started in Feb 2011. It was titled;
"Kemble Classic 1981-1990"

chrisw

Are any of these pianos in the same shop ? If so can you trust any of the staff to give some advice with regard to the second hand Yams and Kawais ?

chrisw

Thank you, Gill the Piano.

I still, occasionally, play Forgotten Dreams. Did so this morning whilst feeling quite emotional !

chrisw

It is forty years today since I starting working for my present employer (and its predecessors) and with just one more job to do I shall be heading for full retirement in the next month or so. This will give more time to learn new piano pieces but more importantly practice first thing in the morning...

chrisw

Best wishes,breakup, for your return to piano. Your existing repertoire appears to make a solid foundation. Sight reading improves with practice and I would encourage working on sight reading starting with simple pieces. I made a restart on piano some 25 years ago after a gap of almost 30 years. At ...

chrisw

Sorry I can't help much giving advice in digital pianos. However as a result of a post on a different forum, I found myself looking at web advertisements/demonstrations of the Kawai CA67 digital piano last weekend. It appeared impressive but at a substantial cost.

chrisw

If I wished to limit my budget on a replacement upright, I would probably look at reconditioned Kawai or Yamaha, which are sold by quality retailers with a guarantee. I would also enquire the price of new Kembles and Cavendish. I am not sure if Woodchester are produced anymore. It is a few years sin...

chrisw

Post Script.

Please see thread

Beginning to see the light Brodmann by poster joseph

chrisw

I seem to recall this piano retailer helping out a member of this forum sometime ago so they are likely to be reliable people. Other than that try as many pianos as you can within your budget and select the one which you like the most. Maybe the weight and response of the action is important to you ...

chrisw

Evamar, Have you seen the advertisement at the bottom of the page containing your post which gives the email address of the Brodman distributor? I have come across one professional pianist who bought Brodman a number of years ago, letting it be known that he thought they were very good pianos. I don...

chrisw

I have a 1994 Kemble piano fitted with a Langer 100 action. At one time I considered changing it for a grand but I have changed my mind following advice given both within this forum and by my tuner/technician that it would be difficult within a reasonable budget to better it. In any case the capabil...

chrisw

The full expression is "Leeds Loiners" as per the reference to Briggate in the wiki defintion. Briggate was the main thoroughfare through the city centre. My aunt used the expression many times.

chrisw

Could it be based upon the orchestral score for Mendelsohns overture to a Midsummers Night Dream ?

chrisw

Bravo. I enjoyed your performance and consider you are making good progress if you have been learning for only 2 or so years. Also taking only 3 months to get to this level of performance, including dynamics and well executed decorations is a good achievement. I imagine keeping control of nerves dur...

chrisw

Jbs,

Table of wood properties attached but not sure if it is easy to read.

Have you seen the Wikipedia article "Wood Drying"

chrisw

Since posting my reply I had a look at an interesting web site called "The piano deconstructed" (http://www.christophersmit.com). Also found an article on seasoning of violin wood (http://www.rocheviloins.com/html/seasoning_violin_wood.html) and on piano soundboards (http://www.pianobuilde...

chrisw

I was under the impression that modern pianos are designed to resist the effects of central heating although excess changes of temperature and humidity still need to be avoided. For example is not the wrest plank laminated so that it is less likely to be affected ? Timber never stops moving across t...

chrisw

Physicist by training. Went back to piano in middle age but play for "enjoyment" and not to obtain grades. Sometimes think not attempting grades may be a mistake.

chrisw

Dear Dorsetpiano, Like yourself, I first learned piano in early teenage years and then gave up later in my school career. (I also studied Chemistry,Physics and Maths at A level). After I finished my first degree I had forgotten how to read music but I found a piece of music and an upright piano in a...

chrisw

A teacher should be impressed by the pieces being tackled by dorsetpiano rather than horrified by technique. My teacher always encourages and has helped me to progress quickly. My goal however has always been to become a good sight reader rather than memoriser. After sight reading my next priority w...

chrisw

I have two versions of the Warsaw Concerto. The first is known as the 'theme' and is marked Richard Addinsell. The second is a piano solo version arranged from original score by Henry Geehl. Does anybody know if Geehl worked from the orchestral score by Roy Douglas or something direct from Addinsell...

chrisw

Photographs of Kemble Classic Herrburger Brooks action.

chrisw

I have always found right hand easier to read and play, even as a youngster. Now I am at about the same age as dorsetpiano but I am improving owing to efforts made by an excellent teacher. I find it easier to learn when practicing in the morning rather than late at night. Mind is more active and I g...

chrisw

Once again, thank you for this fascinating information. I should have said in an earlier post that my piano is located in northern England, indeed north Lancashire. When I purchased it I considered 88 key Korean pianos but I am pleased that I bought British. I was concerned about only having 85 keys...

chrisw

Many thanks for your replies. I may send in a photograph when we next download my wife's camera. The action on my Kemble Classic is labelled Langer 100. Both actions and keys appear to be made from the same type of wood. It is very white in appearance.

chrisw

I purchased my Kemble Classic new in 1994. I would be interested to learn more about HB actions.

chrisw

For some time now, I have been considering upgrading my Kemble upright for a baby grand. To be fair the Kemble is probably more than adequate for my skills and I like the sound and touch. However I do wonder if my ability would benefit from improved key action that a grand should deliver (trills, tr...

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