In soundboard construction, I pay close attention to building a soundboard assembly that has a durable crown-a basic component of good tone in pianos. If you are geeky about pianos, want further information about how I view and do this work, or have a technician who is involved with you in your search, read on! The picture gallery may be helpful to understand some of this detail. Pedal system (lyre and trapwork) serviced and modified for smoother, quiet function and ease of adjustmentĪction thoroughly regulated and keys re-weighted New Renner hammers, shanks and wippens installed New strings, including GC Piano bass strings, Roslau wire, and Diamond tuning pinsĪgraffes burnished and treble string bearings resurfaced New soundboard panel made of European spruce The piano has a solid, ringing tone: deep and sonorous in the bass and tenor octaves, a singing treble, and a wide, colorful dynamic range. This piano offered me the opportunity to restore a worn-out instrument to fine form for the pleasure of another 2 or 3 generations of music lovers. The characteristic tone is a warm, rich sound with notably long sustain. They are renowned for solid, massive rim construction and the “Tension Resonator” system that stabilizes this structure bearing the string tension load. Add some reverb to the SFZ files.Mason & Hamlin pianos are held in high regard by piano technicians and musicians. A brighter sounding Samson GoMic was used a bit further from the piano – it’s what I had. Stereo recording was done using a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and two Audio Technica AT2035’s.

When the lockdown opens, I’ll sample my Dad’s AB Chase for posterity.

So, to practice sampling and mastering the Kontakt workflow, I decided to sample my Mason & Hamlin Model A. I guess I gravitated toward this sound character as many pianos of this era (made in America) have the “American” sound. Last year visiting my dad, my kids were playing his piano and told me that it sounds similar to our M&H. I didn’t realize that I had a connection to that instrument until last year after I bought a restored 1928 Mason & Hamlin Model A. It’s out of tune and needs a total overhall, and we fear that it will end up in the junk heap as not many pianos from the Golden Age are being restored unless they have Steinway written on them. In his house there’s an AB Chase baby grand piano that I learned to play on. We were lucky enough to have a funeral before the COVID19 lockdown, but because all of us are sheltered at home we cannot go to his house and sort through the family belongings.

Mason hamlin model a