Search found 4028 matches
- by Gill the Piano
- 22 Apr 2018, 13:13
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Challen Bureau Piano
- Replies: 21
- Views: 27044
Re: Challen Bureau Piano
Can you take the bottom door off (the bit in front of your knees when you sit at the piano) and then sit on the floor and play the note. If the click is in front of you, it's a notch felt. If it's above you, it's possibly felt under the flange (what your arrow indicated) that's been eaten. Google 'p...
- by Gill the Piano
- 19 Apr 2018, 18:04
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Challen Bureau Piano
- Replies: 21
- Views: 27044
Re: Challen Bureau Piano
The click is probably a missing notch felt; when the jack goes back to its original position it should be resting on a tiny felt pad. These get eaten, worn or the glue gives up and the pad drops off, so instead of a silent repositioning of the jack, you hear the click of wood upon wood. Tell your tu...
- by Gill the Piano
- 18 Apr 2018, 16:31
- Forum: Piano History
- Topic: J.&J. HOPKINSON PIANO
- Replies: 7
- Views: 12265
Re: J AND J HOPKINSON PIANO
Could you take a photograph of the inside of the piano for us please? The top opens up and each end of the inside of the top door there should be a swivel peg that will allow you to remove the top door. Specifically, we are looking for a serial number stamped amongst or above the tuning pins. The pi...
- by Gill the Piano
- 17 Apr 2018, 18:23
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: Boyd Autoplayer disposal
- Replies: 2
- Views: 9173
Re: Boyd Autoplayer disposal
Found the playerpianogroup.org.uk and pianola.org.uk .
- by Gill the Piano
- 17 Apr 2018, 18:20
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: Boyd Autoplayer disposal
- Replies: 2
- Views: 9173
Re: Boyd Autoplayer disposal
See if there's a local(ish) pianola society who might be interested and there may be a pianola specific website where you could offer it. It would be nice if it went to an enthusiast rather than someone who only wants a piano - and as a piano they're big beasties which a lot of people find hard to a...
- by Gill the Piano
- 16 Apr 2018, 17:59
- Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
- Topic: Metronome/click
- Replies: 10
- Views: 16142
Re: Metronome/click
You can get a PICTURE CHORD DICTIONARY FOR PIANO which has photographs of a hand in all the positions for the various chords; mine was about £25 i think from eBay. All the 'D min dim 7' and all that cods doesn't mean a thing to me, so it's been a godsend if I'm given trendy music to play with nothin...
- by Gill the Piano
- 15 Apr 2018, 13:49
- Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
- Topic: Metronome/click
- Replies: 10
- Views: 16142
Re: Metronome/click
Not crucial, no - but it can be useful. People who play with a metronome all the time sound slightly robotic and never develop their own sense of tempo. However, where it is very useful is where there's a difficult bit. Either the pianist goes from 100 mph to 2mph (in effect saying 'Helloooo, I can'...
- by Gill the Piano
- 04 Apr 2018, 16:25
- Forum: Piano History
- Topic: Kemble minx age
- Replies: 6
- Views: 10817
Re: Kemble minx age
Ooo, older than I thought then; I had a punt at late 50s/early 60s but wasn't sure. I knew you'd know though! I'll have a look at the key frame on my next visit. Ta!
- by Gill the Piano
- 03 Apr 2018, 14:04
- Forum: Piano History
- Topic: Kemble minx age
- Replies: 6
- Views: 10817
Kemble minx age
Bill, could you give me an approximate age of a Kemble Minx serial no 64283 please? Ta!
- by Gill the Piano
- 07 Mar 2018, 17:29
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Spinet...Nils Frahm...Stock or modded?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 15206
- by Gill the Piano
- 05 Mar 2018, 17:25
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Spinet...Nils Frahm...Stock or modded?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 15206
Re: Spinet...Nils Frahm...Stock or modded?
Oo yes, nought out of ten for observation then! Sorry...do the strings go through the pin like a Brinsmead ? Must be really awkward to tune.
- by Gill the Piano
- 04 Mar 2018, 14:31
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Spinet...Nils Frahm...Stock or modded?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 15206
Re: Spinet...Nils Frahm...Stock or modded?
I tune three Minxes, all top tuners - in fact I only know Eavestaff as the dreaded piano with pins under the keyboard. One of the 3 has a few loose pins owing to its having been parked by a radiator in an old lady's home for many years but the other two - both dating from the 1960s - are fine and at...
- by Gill the Piano
- 03 Mar 2018, 15:42
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: Has anyone in the UK been snowed in ?
- Replies: 9
- Views: 16818
Re: Has anyone in the UK been snowed in ?
Fortunately I had a light week this week and left it empty once I saw the forecast. Had THREE telephone calls this morning (weekends? What are they?) from people with sticking notes though - probably bowed lockrails, I expect.
- by Gill the Piano
- 03 Mar 2018, 15:39
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Spinet...Nils Frahm...Stock or modded?
- Replies: 10
- Views: 15206
Re: Spinet...Nils Frahm...Stock or modded?
Kemble (not Kimball - they're american) Minx are normally fairly well made and as long as it's been well looked after and not overheated there's no reason it should have the problems that you mention. Why not get it looked at first before you start to panic?
- by Gill the Piano
- 31 Jan 2018, 18:20
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
That#s because LVB is ALWAYS depicted as a miserable old git. I have a small bronze of him as a young man - still brooding but gorgeous. Knocks Liszt into a cocked hat and women used to swoon over him!
- by Gill the Piano
- 30 Jan 2018, 14:47
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
Glad it's not just me who's iffy about Brahms...we always referred to him as the Miserable Old Git at school! :D I moved your Broadwood question to the Piano Advice bit, as I think it will find a greater audience there...sometimes I think it's just thee and me here! Good idea to get it evaluated; mo...
- by Gill the Piano
- 29 Jan 2018, 21:27
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
Blimey...isn't the Brahms difficult? I never seem to find him very user-friendly. Probably because I don't like practising! Excuse radio silence computer's been awol.
- by Gill the Piano
- 22 Jan 2018, 16:36
- Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
- Topic: How to accompany someone with the piano?
- Replies: 2
- Views: 10566
Re: How to accompany someone with the piano?
Firstly you both need to listen to eachother - and pianists in particular are not used to that! Also, practise with a metronome for a little while (not too much or your music can sound mechanical) that you both need to listen to while playing. Any tricky bars need to be taken out and practised caref...
- by Gill the Piano
- 15 Jan 2018, 16:03
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
My brother and I were left money and he blew his on a top range Skoda (the Superb? Something like that) and he loves it to bits. I drive my smart about and spent mine on a piano!
- by Gill the Piano
- 15 Jan 2018, 16:01
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: Introduce yourself!
- Replies: 118
- Views: 197436
Re: Introduce yourself!
Nice to have you aboard! Are you a beginner or an established pianist?
- by Gill the Piano
- 13 Jan 2018, 19:37
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
Look at new Zimmermanns which are now under the auspices of Bechstein (like Volkswagen did for Skoda and Seat). I've been very impressed by the ones I've seen, although I think Barrie has come across the odd iffy one. Older Zimmermanns are Cold War East German and not half as well made .
- by Gill the Piano
- 13 Jan 2018, 19:28
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Gor and Kallman piano appraisal
- Replies: 3
- Views: 6477
Re: Gor and Kallman piano appraisal
I think they were made in Britain in the 1930s I tune one very like it and found a date on the side of the bottom key. You could try looking there, or ask your tuner to.
- by Gill the Piano
- 12 Jan 2018, 21:12
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
But how many uprights did you play at Forsyth's? Kick a lot of tyres before you decide!
Yes, toning would make a difference to your teacher's piano, I expect. Has she ever considered it?
Yes, toning would make a difference to your teacher's piano, I expect. Has she ever considered it?
- by Gill the Piano
- 12 Jan 2018, 21:08
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Gor and Kallman piano appraisal
- Replies: 3
- Views: 6477
Re: Gor and Kallman piano appraisal
The pedal probably IS working but is fairly subtle and not noticeable; when the front is off as in the pic, can you see the hammers move closer to the strings when the left pedal is depressed? If so, it's working. If you were taking a guitar would you ask the landlord's permission? No. So as long as...
- by Gill the Piano
- 11 Jan 2018, 18:15
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
Could be that your ear and touch are becoming more discerning; you are also now hearing/feeling the difference between your piano and your teacher's. I liken this syndrome to having your first car; it's the Best Car In The Whole World and you love and cherish it and are proud of it. Then you start t...
- by Gill the Piano
- 11 Jan 2018, 18:01
- Forum: Piano History
- Topic: Year and make of Hoffman piano
- Replies: 4
- Views: 9023
Re: Help with year and make of piano
It looks very like a couple of Russian pianos I tune...if you look inside the top, down to the right, can you see any cyrillic script on a label there? If you could take a pic with the top door off (the bit against which your music rests, where the fancy moulding is) we'd be able to tell a bit more....
- by Gill the Piano
- 10 Jan 2018, 17:33
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
Depends on the amount of use it's had, obviously, It's a job for which I always recommend a colleague who is far better (and a hell of a lot faster) at regulation than me, having worked for a top piano workshop for many years. As leather and felt wears down with constant playing, levers which used t...
- by Gill the Piano
- 09 Jan 2018, 17:27
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
How old is your Kemble? Are you sure it wouldn't benefit from a good regulation? I had my old Bluthner restored and whilst the new strings and hammers and so on made a difference, it was the regulation that impressed me, and I could play with far more control than before. My new German one is even b...
- by Gill the Piano
- 08 Jan 2018, 17:24
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
An alternative for you would be a good upright rather than writing off a lot of floor space. Make a cutout of the shape of the baby grand and lay it on the floor to get a real idea of how much room it'll take up. A baby grand isn't much superior in tone to a good upright - tone is largely derived fr...
- by Gill the Piano
- 07 Jan 2018, 15:33
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
I've always thought it shows more pianistic control to be able to play very softly rather than loudly. When I got my new piano it was the quietness that it was capable of rather than its power that impressed me.
- by Gill the Piano
- 04 Jan 2018, 15:36
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: More chitchat about repertoire
- Replies: 31
- Views: 42593
Re: More chitchat about repertoire
A bit of discordant stuff is good for you (musical castor oil...) and as you say the more you play it the more you understand it. But I prefer stuff you can understand on first hearing - superficial, that's me!
- by Gill the Piano
- 04 Jan 2018, 15:33
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: Please help me what is this song??
- Replies: 7
- Views: 16226
Re: Please help me what is this song??
Teenagers absolutely adore Einaudi, and anything that makes a kid practise is a bonus!
- by Gill the Piano
- 03 Jan 2018, 18:27
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: Please help me what is this song??
- Replies: 7
- Views: 16226
Re: Please help me what is this song??
Re Einaudi, it depends on how long you intend to study it for; a week or so would be fine but any longer than that and I think you might tire of it. I shouldn't project my prejudices really - but to me it seems like 'I Like This Chord And I'm Going To Play it For Half An Hour'!
- by Gill the Piano
- 02 Jan 2018, 17:19
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: Choice of repertoire for performance at piano club
- Replies: 3
- Views: 10712
Re: Choice of repertoire for performance at piano club
There is a series of books by the ABRSM called 'A Romantic Sketchbook For Piano' in the various grades, containing some nice pieces often used (or at least they WERE, but not sure if they still are) as alternatives to the syllabus pieces. I think a good music shop would have some you could look at. ...
- by Gill the Piano
- 31 Dec 2017, 20:30
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: Please help me what is this song??
- Replies: 7
- Views: 16226
Re: Please help me what is this song??
It sounds a bit like the Argentinian tango composer Arturo Piazzolla. Too interesting to be Einaudi!
- by Gill the Piano
- 27 Dec 2017, 16:18
- Forum: Piano History
- Topic: Beringer & Strohmenger
- Replies: 3
- Views: 7896
Re: Beringer Strohmenger
And it's number! And a punt of my own... Never heard of the Beringer prefix to Strohmenger before. Pleeeeeease?
- by Gill the Piano
- 20 Dec 2017, 17:56
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Asbestos in piano
- Replies: 3
- Views: 7560
Re: Asbestos in piano
Stand corrected, sorry! Also look out for DDT in moth proofing paper strips, which I encountered once.
- by Gill the Piano
- 18 Dec 2017, 20:37
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Asbestos in piano
- Replies: 3
- Views: 7560
Re: Asbestos in piano
No; hammer felt is made of...felt! The worst you'll find is mothproofing stuff which has probably lost its efficacy years ago.
- by Gill the Piano
- 07 Dec 2017, 18:49
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: Songs that President Donald J.Trump might like
- Replies: 13
- Views: 21662
Re: Songs that President Donald J.Trump might like
Well they both seem to be doing an awful lot of damage to international relations!
- by Gill the Piano
- 07 Dec 2017, 13:54
- Forum: Piano History
- Topic: Beringer & Strohmenger
- Replies: 3
- Views: 7896
Beringer & Strohmenger
Hello Bill, any idea of the age of this piano serial no 33537 please? Looks about 1910ish to me ... Ta!
- by Gill the Piano
- 13 Nov 2017, 16:34
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: Misheard lyrics from songs.
- Replies: 161
- Views: 176225
Re: Misheard lyrics from songs.
I can't help thinking the lyrics are 'I can see clearly now Lorraine has gone'.
- by Gill the Piano
- 08 Nov 2017, 16:51
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Looking for a newish upright. Bentleys reliable?
- Replies: 11
- Views: 17568
Re: Looking for a newish upright. Bentleys reliable?
Also try Piano Gallery in Faringdon, Oxon; some good offers available there too.
- by Gill the Piano
- 29 Sep 2017, 14:44
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Is my piano worth keeping
- Replies: 2
- Views: 6334
Re: Is my piano worth keeping
All the things you mention can be fixed. Ask your tuner/tech for an estimate. Don't worry about the box, you don't play that, and the ivories can be either filed down (v.v.v.cheap), replaced (not so cheap) or the whole keyboard recovered with plastic/ivorine (most expensive option). If you have mone...
- by Gill the Piano
- 28 Sep 2017, 13:49
- Forum: Piano History
- Topic: Piano ownership in Britain
- Replies: 20
- Views: 22186
Re: Piano ownership in Britain
I had 2 pints of Peroni in the Italian restaurant (Francesco's - the last non poncey restaurant left in Marlow) the other night. Just to be polite, you understand...
- by Gill the Piano
- 23 Sep 2017, 16:02
- Forum: Piano History
- Topic: Piano ownership in Britain
- Replies: 20
- Views: 22186
Re: Piano ownership in Britain
Remember the 70s? Watney's Red Barrel and Double Diamond everywhere? That'd be one real ale pub for every million people then! I had to drink Guinneess at college as nowhere in the vicinity of the college did real ale. And I wasn't going to ask in the Blind Beggar in case the Krays still had feelers...
- by Gill the Piano
- 12 Sep 2017, 15:07
- Forum: Learning & Teaching Piano
- Topic: Improving a talent
- Replies: 1
- Views: 7877
Re: Improving a talent
It's quite simple; you need a new teacher who will inspire you and encourage you. You have rushed through the grades and so haven't been allowed to develop a repertoire. Grades should be a by-product of learning the piano, not an aim in themselves, but many teachers either like the kudos of a young ...
- by Gill the Piano
- 04 Sep 2017, 15:36
- Forum: Idle Chitchat
- Topic: Misheard lyrics from songs.
- Replies: 161
- Views: 176225
Re: Misheard lyrics from songs.
I always envisaged 'jelly choirs' in 'Hark The Herald Angels Sing'. I was quite disappointed when I learned to read and found the real words...
- by Gill the Piano
- 01 Aug 2017, 18:22
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Buying an old piano, but don't know if I should or not
- Replies: 1
- Views: 6537
Re: Buying an old piano, but don't know if I should or not
Usually a decent enough beginner piano, but not as good as an overstrung underdamped instrument. Bear in mind delivery costs, tuning cost and it would be advisable to get the piano looked at by a tuner/tech first rather than pay removals and find out it's no good. Ask why it's being sold and if poss...
- by Gill the Piano
- 25 Jun 2017, 12:37
- Forum: Piano History
- Topic: Squire & Longson #126359
- Replies: 2
- Views: 7354
Re: Request for information (Help)
I've moved your post to Piano History as Bill is the best chap to help you. Kemble were making pianos for Squire in the forties I think, perhaps earlier. Bill will probably know when Squire became Squire and Longson (or vice versa).
- by Gill the Piano
- 13 Jun 2017, 18:16
- Forum: Piano Advice
- Topic: Advice on used Kemble Classic
- Replies: 9
- Views: 20982
Re: Advice on used Kemble Classic
You can get a celeste rail (piece of felt on a rail which lowers between hammers and strings) retro fitted without too much trouble. You can get a proper piano which also plays digitally too - both Yamaha and Kawai make them, i think. Celeste rail would be far cheaper!
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