Can anybody explain the "felt" grand piano
I have been enjoying playing the virtual Steinway D Felt 1 (Pianoteq). Has anybody played a "real version" of this kind of piano ("Felt" is the key, not steinway). I am curious what gives it its particularly warm, intimate sound. What are the mechanics of this piano. Is it just that there is extra felt on the hammers? Really curios. Photos also appreciated if you are lucky enough to have such a piano
-
I played one for a soundtrack recording once. Basically, yes, just a layer of felt between the hammers and the strings. (Easier on an upright, but possible on a grand piano too, which is what we used.)
-
my upright ( a story and clark) has a lever that lowers the felt between the hammers and the strings , i do like having that its like two pianos in one. as far as virtual pianos I really like native instruments noire which has a very nice felt sound as well as a number of very kool features that are useful if you like composing and /or improvising
-
It effectively falls under the category of "prepared pianos," a kind of DIY technique if you will. As far as I know, no piano maker actually manufacturers a felt piano, rather it's something which composers and experimenters have messed around with. So that said, there's not really a hard and fast rule, though there are common approaches. It's a bit of a playground of experimentation which is fun! Playing with where you add felt (to the hammers, strips across the strings, beneath the strings, layers/thickness of felt, diameters of felt, etc) and also alternatively playing with different materials from felt which can give a similar muffling and softening effect but with different timbral colors - I've seen stuff ranging from other fabrics like velvet, leather, to gaff tape as well as gaff tape with small coins or washers on the strings, giving the hammer a metallic strike yet a muffled sustain. Felt is a nice material because it softens without totally killing the tone, and if you're doing it as a strip across the strings, it's fairly easy to add/remove on a whim for a recording, whereas other methods addresing individual strings or hammers are a lot more time-consuming and potentially destructive.
