Most people believe a piano has one sound, but the piano is capable of being bright, mellow, dark or brilliant all in one instrument. The sound quality or tone of an instrument is known as its timbre, and it is what makes two different instruments sound distinctive even when they play the same notes. Musical notes are made up of a fundamental tone, which is the name we give the note, and the overtones, which give color to the sound. Change the timbre of a piano by using different techniques
Step 1
Practice the technique of playing the piano keys with your fingers. The way in which you strike the key affects the overall tone. Gentle strokes usually achieve a softer and mellower sound. Using a sharp flick of the wrist motion makes the keys sound brighter.
Step 2
Try a technique of playing as if you are sinking your fingers into the keys. Rather than striking the key or simply pressing it, this technique allows for more overtones and gives a richer sound to the piano. Look at the pieces you are playing on the piano; you must find the right technique for the sound you want to achieve.
Step 3
Practice pedal technique. The damper or sustain pedal, on the far right, allows the notes to continue even after you are no longer pushing on the keys. When you lift the pedal, the sustained notes stop. The una corda pedal, which is the one to the far left, affects the piano’s tone because it shifts the hammers slightly, so the hammers are striking only two strings instead of the three usually allotted to each note on the piano.
Step 4
Change the environment in which you play. Bare floors and windows allow for higher frequencies, and the piano will sound brighter. Rugs and soft furniture provide for a warmer, darker tone. Open the lid, even for an upright, if you want a louder and brighter tone.
Step 5
Try a prepared piano technique, especially if you are playing 20th-century or modern music. This technique involves placing items like nuts, bolts, rubber or screws in between or on top of the strings inside the piano. Some objects give certain notes a percussive sound, while others create bell-like tones.
Step 1
Practice the technique of playing the piano keys with your fingers. The way in which you strike the key affects the overall tone. Gentle strokes usually achieve a softer and mellower sound. Using a sharp flick of the wrist motion makes the keys sound brighter.
Step 2
Try a technique of playing as if you are sinking your fingers into the keys. Rather than striking the key or simply pressing it, this technique allows for more overtones and gives a richer sound to the piano. Look at the pieces you are playing on the piano; you must find the right technique for the sound you want to achieve.
Step 3
Practice pedal technique. The damper or sustain pedal, on the far right, allows the notes to continue even after you are no longer pushing on the keys. When you lift the pedal, the sustained notes stop. The una corda pedal, which is the one to the far left, affects the piano’s tone because it shifts the hammers slightly, so the hammers are striking only two strings instead of the three usually allotted to each note on the piano.
Step 4
Change the environment in which you play. Bare floors and windows allow for higher frequencies, and the piano will sound brighter. Rugs and soft furniture provide for a warmer, darker tone. Open the lid, even for an upright, if you want a louder and brighter tone.
Step 5
Try a prepared piano technique, especially if you are playing 20th-century or modern music. This technique involves placing items like nuts, bolts, rubber or screws in between or on top of the strings inside the piano. Some objects give certain notes a percussive sound, while others create bell-like tones.
Posted in: Piano