🎹 The Evolution Of The Upright Piano | C. Bechstein A6 | Bechstein A124 Redesign 🎹
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- Опубліковано 21 лип 2023
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#CBechsteinA6 #UprightPiano #CBechsteinUprightPiano
Upright pianos are one of life’s necessities, but they’re seldom a thrill. The idea is to take the parts of a grand piano that occupy the most floor space and tip it up so that it’s occupying vertical space instead. In doing so, it becomes infinitely harder to create an equally magical experience because engineering and design realities compromise or change how you hear or feel the piano.
Mechanics
In an upright piano, the hammer has to be pulled back to its reset position instead of simply falling with gravity. Because of this extra bounce, it’s easier to miss notes. The tone, of course, is usually locked into this box and backed up against a wall versus being able to fill a room with double-sided speakers the size of a table, kind of like what a grand piano can do. Let’s face it, it’s usually not the same sexy look that a grand can give a home.
Advancements
With space in short supply in most apartments and homes in Europe and Japan, upright instruments have evolved over the decades to really become elegant and incredibly nuanced instruments that make up for their inherent shortcomings with better engineering and perfect execution. The result in 2023 is that there are several upright pianos that are equal to or better to play than similarly priced grand pianos. There’s a sweet spot where upper-mid-tiered German upright pianos cost the same as institutional mid-sized grands, and in many cases, the uprights can deliver a more sophisticated tonal experience. Until the Bechstein A6 came along, their A124 was absolutely right at the top of that list.
Comparison of the A6 to the A124
The German-built A6 upright is a redesign of the A124 model, itself a fresh release from the iconic German maker. It’s part of a wider realignment of Bechstein’s model naming conventions, but those changes have come with major redesigns as well; from hammers to scale design to things like the soundboard taper. The pace of refinement and expansion at Bechstein has been dizzying as if Tesla got into the piano business.
The A124 was what first grabbed me at the NAMM 2016 show in Anaheim when I was first getting acquainted with Bechstein’s modern era of pianos. It was slightly aggressive, without being harsh, had the widest tonal palette of any German upright that I’d played to date, and had one of the most beautifully balanced bass presentations I’d heard.
The A124 played well in NAMM ballrooms, but also in larger showrooms and halls. It was even beefier than Bechstein’s Residence R124, and might very well have been in the running for the most powerful 50-inch German upright piano period. The first time I heard it in a customer’s home it was a little more dominant than I’d have liked, but the new A6 has achieved the best of both worlds.
In a typical home setting the instrument gives the same tonal range and dynamic impression as the A124 gave in larger spaces, but it never becomes so overbearing that you need to underplay or over dampen the room. The low-end response at the forte range of the A124 can now be achieved at the piano or pianissimo range on the A6.
There are substantial scale-design differences that have been undertaken to achieve this. Longer and slightly higher tension bass strings seem to be delivering an even tighter and clearer low end but without any compromise to the warmth and balance. The shape of the taper on the soundboard has also been redone, and so unsurprisingly the bridge placement and its contour has had to be updated.
If you loved the A124, do not look to the A6 to be more of the same with improved branding or cabinets; it’s a very different beast. It is far better suited for a typical home than the A124 ever was. With a clearer low-mid range, and improved response and control in the quieter dynamic ranges, it’s deliberately moved from a more traditional German bell-like upper-mid and treble ranges that you’ll find on similarly priced Schimmels or Sauters, but instead delivers a rich complexity that is far more reminiscent of a Shigeru Kawai SK2 or a Hamburg Steinway M.
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Been excited to see your take on the new Bechstein uprights! Thanks for this 😀
You're very welcome! Thanks for taking the time to tune in! We are huge fans of C. Bechstein pianos here at Merriam Music. Their musicality and expressivity is immense to say the least!
I’m surprised you’re demonstrating and evaluating this piano with the top and front open. That usually makes an incredible difference in the player’s experience, versus a normally closed piano.
Many players prefer to record an upright piano like this to ensure as much of the musical nuance and articulation of the player's performance are captured. Even with the top and front closed, the A6 sounds remarkable however! :)
Stu speaks so enthusiastically about this and other acoustic pianos but even he has a digital hybrid piano at home. It is simply a reality of living with others (family and neighbours) that makes an acoustic piano impractical or even impossible to have. As a matter of fact, portability is also important for many. Unfortunately the action of portable digital pianos is usually very simplified and stage pianos are more and more often released with the most basic action.
There is of course a need to be pragmatic sometimes, but I feel that most pianists would prefer an acoustic piano if and when it was possible. Digital piano technology has improved leaps and bounds in recent years, but, at the end of the day, it is difficult to fully capture the magic of a real soundboard and set of strings resonating.
I think it's because portable digital pianos need to be more portable, and making the action more sophisticated or grand piano like might just add more weight.🎹🎶
@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 I thought the same when writing my comments 😄 Nevertheless, I wish I could just buy a good piano action in a form of very simple piano (very few options) or a MIDI controller. I may just get VPC1 after all.
@@MERCEDES-BENZS600GUARD_V12 The only short coming I can see in a digital action is the shorter key stick. I play a DGX-670 with Yamaha's GHS action which many have criticized. However I have no complaint about the action at all other than on a limited number of pieces such as Scriabin's Prelude for the Left hand only, it makes it difficult to play chords with a wide stretch.
I've worked up the tone of my digital to the point that I really like it. It's much better sounding that whatever piano Stu is playing at the moment in this video. If you are going to go acoustic, I would want at least a 5'8" grand, not an upright. In my opinion digitals have totally eclipsed the smaller acoustic market. Of course there are a very wide variety of digitials and most are not going to sound as good as what I'm playing which is largely, but not entirely based on Pianoteq Pro.
@@JoeLinux2000 well I think that is still subjective because I know there are still people who like or prefrer the sound of a good acoustic upright piano, and in some cases even over a grand piano. I just played an upright that was just under 2,000 dollars, that to me atleast sounded, and played great for the price which in my opinion is a great deal especially since in my area with a bit more munny you could get a Yamaha YDP145 which isn't bad. Personally I wouldn't say what I'm hearing on my device especially threw youtube is exactlly what Stu's hearing🎹🎶
I have the very good digital hybrid Roland LX 708, and I'll keep it. But I'm buying a C. Bechstein R6 with the Vario silent system. I need to feel a real piano beneath my hands, feel the vibrations, hear it in the room. I'll go to the C. Bechstein factory in Seifhennersdorf, Germany and select one. I'm quite excited about that. I've watched many of your videos, all the C. Bechstein videos, and have really enjoyed them. I was going to buy a C. Bechstein C8, but I felt that it was a bit too strong for my apartment. As much as I wanted the best upright in the world, I also need something that is reasonable for an apartment. Thanks for all your excellent videos!
Thanks for tuning in and writing in! The LX708 is a remarkable digital piano, but, needless to say, the musical experience that the C. Bechstein R6 will offer you will be on a completely different level. They are immensely expressive and musical. You will be extremely pleased! That is awesome that you will get to go hand select one too from the factory. :)
Hello Stu/Brent, thank you! I have been waiting for this.
Thanks so much for tuning in! We're glad we were finally able to get this review released. :)
If the upright piano in general is to really evolve, I think we need to see the sostenuto mechanism implemented as standard. Some people seem to think it's almost useless, but if you are a composer, it can often be a vital tool!
Perhaps, we will eventually see a situation where more upright pianos have the option of having the middle pedal be a sostenuto pedal opposed to a practice pedal. As for now, there are only a handful of models that offer that feature.
I so second this! The sostenuto is needed.
I have been playing classical repertoire for 15 years. I have never once used the sostenuto pedal on my grand piano.
We needed this. These new ones had piqued one’s interest! Thank you!
You're very welcome! We're excited to be able to finally publish the review of this impressive new Bechstein model! :)
Beautiful!
Thank you so much!
This is great!
Thanks so much! We're glad you enjoyed it! :)
My Kawai NV5S has just arrived today and I’m very pleased with the instrument (this is my first piano with a real mechanical action), despite my teacher’s annoying preference for a “grand action”. Upright pianos can be a practical solution for piano student with limited home space and a good upright (even a hybrid one) can provide you with satisfying experience and practice hours. It’s nice to listen to someone like Stu who has an appreciation for uprights talking about these instruments.
I certainly agree with the sentiment! The NV5S is fantastic! In some ways, namely the soundboard system, I actually prefer it over the NV10S. Congrats on your new piano and happy playing! :)
Congratulations on your new NV5S. I got mine a month ago and love it. I tried it side by side with the NV10S and the NV5S definitely sounds better and frankly, at least for me, the actions weren’t that different enough that I felt I needed the grand piano action. I looked at a number of digital and hybrid pianos including Yamaha’s Avantgrand offerings and nothing else even came close. I hope you enjoy your new piano as much as I have mine.
@@hwaldman6479 Thank you, this piano is certainly outstanding. It exceeds my expectations as I just upgraded from an entry-level digital keyboard (DGX-670). It’s like relearning how to play and it’s nice to have a piano that actually responds to your touch.
@@FingersKungfuIt is not annoying. A grand piano will always be better than your digital Kawai. I have all three for variety tho. A Kawai GL10 Baby Grand, a CasioGP510 to give lessons on and a Yamaha P515 just in case I need to take. I used to have a hand 🤚 made Charles R Walter upright but after making the move to a baby grand there’s no going back.
@@gustavogo2915 just to put in my 2 cents worth, it’s true that at this point in time digital pianos aren’t quite up to a decent acoustic piano (although a number of blind tests have shown that many experienced pianist couldn’t tell the difference) and generally a grand piano action is going to be preferable to an upright one. That being said a hybrid piano at the level of a NV5S is going to be very close and would likely suffice for most pianist (hence Stu Harrison owning one). Obviously financial restraints, space limitations, multiple instrument sounds, and the ability to play silently can be significant issues making a digital or hybrid instrument a better individual choice. In my case I live near the ocean and acoustic piano maintenance is somewhat of a nightmare with rusting strings and frequent tunings. In my limited experience piano teachers traditionally prefer acoustic pianos partially based to some extent upon dealing with students that have lesser or older digital instruments that may have limitations, especially as the student progresses technically. Acoustic pianos and more specifically grand pianos have been the “gold standard” since the piano’s inception and it is only relatively recently that digital and hybrid instruments have progressed to a point that they are becoming viable acceptable alternatives to informed teachers. It is unlikely that in the foreseeable future any non acoustic instrument is going to go head to head with the likes of a C. Bechstein, but the gap is narrowing.
Been waiting to hear your thoughts on this! They sound awesome I can’t wait to get in front of one!!
My upright suffers from the overwhelming sound issue you mentioned at the beginning!
I certainly recommend it! The Bechstein uprights are fantastic and full of expressivity and musical potential! :)
Consider putting two ATS 24x48 panels behind the A124, or any large acoustic upright.
So pleased to hear what you said about the volume of the A124. I played one, albeit in a practice studio (so not the biggest room), but it was just so overpowering. I was concerned it might just have been me (and I do have some hearing issues, so I do get distortion with some notes), so what you have said is reassuring, thank you. Sounds like the A6 has addressed this to an extent.
To my ears, the A6 has a more refined and controlled sound. With that said, volume output to room size is certainly a concern. Thankfully, Bechstein has several smaller models with less volume output that are more appropriate for smaller spaces.
this sounds more like the residence line now. not sure about the A124 video but some of the notes appeared to be a bit out of tune for the video, either that or it was a fundamental design quirk of that particular piano unit at the time, but this piano sounds absolutely ideal for recording classical music. thats for sure. (from a proud C Bechstein upright owner)
The C. Bechstein A6 is a wonderful piano! There is certainly no doubts about that. The slightly larger scale design allows it to offer an event greater tonal and dynamic range than its already fantastic predecessor, the A124.
Love the look and sound of this piano - just beautiful. I have come to really love acoustic pianos and would prefer one over my beginner digital piano. However, I enjoy the convenience of being able to connect my headphones and practice late, or early in the morning. I must look more into the Bechstein range. Thanks for the video!
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! I can certainly understand that. Headphone functionality is definitely convenient, especially when playing late into the evening or very early in the morning. With that said, Bechstein offers a proprietary silent system, called the Vario system, on anyone of their pianos. This allows you to play with headphones anytime of the day. The Bechstein sample sets that are onboard the Vario system are quite fantastic too! :)
@@MerriamPianos Ah, thank you for letting me know about the Vario silent system, that’s useful! If I was based in Canada, I would definitely look you up.
Thank you Brent, I have receive my A6 from Merriam just in time for my birthday. The only two other pianos that I loved in the Oakville showroom was the Bechstein B212 (go figure) and the Seiler SE186 (totally surprised by this one, as did not expect much from Seiler but what a pure tone, might upgrade soon to this one).
Brent here! You're very welcome my friend! It was a pleasure to help you out through your piano journey. The A6 is a spectacular instrument that is certainly worthy of being a lifelong companion in its own right. The B212 and SE186 are of course exceptional instruments as well. The simplicity and elegance of the SE186 and its beautifully-transparent tone often gets people quite excited to say the least. ;)
Brent, I want to take this public forum to praise you and Merriam Team. You have been nothing but patient, kind and gracious to me as I go through my personal journey since last November to get the A6. Both you and Ena are amazing.
And Stu, if you ever see this, you have an amazing Team that enables you to do these awesome videos. Kepp up the fantastic work. And I am sure you do it often, however, I would prefer to see one video where you thank the Merriam Team because they are just awesome.
Hello Stu/Brent, I somehow find that I prefer the audio quality in some of your older videos where the sound was captured from behind the piano, right off the soundboard, as opposed to here, from the strings and hammers. Just an observation. Anyhow, a great review as always. You helped me make my decision last year on the Zimmermann S6, and although I already bought my piano, I still enjoy watching your piano reviews.
Hi! Brent here! Thanks a million for supporting our channel and videos! We appreciate it. We also appreciate the honest feedback. Our production team is always seeking to improve the sonic and visual experience for our viewers. With that said, I believe the team is still using microphones on the soundboard as well in some more recent videos. In any case, I will be happy to pass along your feedback to them team. Thanks again and all the best! :)
Your video convinced me to buy Concert 8. I ordered 124 Classic and after 3 month of production I canceled it and payed more for the white Concert 8. I waited one year for it.
The Concert 8 is remarkable and the great thing about it is that there is really nothing else above it in an upright form. :)
Thank you! Interesting as always! Beckstein Pianos are stunning instruments. Will you also review the new Bechstein Concert 6?
You're very welcome! Thanks for tuning in! We sincerely appreciate it. We are certainly planning on reviewing the new Concert 6 model. I am not sure when we will get to that, but it is on the list. :)
@@MerriamPianos Thank you very much for getting back to me that quickly. I really appreciate it! That‘s great news. I’ve been trying to obtain more valuable input about this new piano, but it‘s still rare. I‘m really looking forward to watching your in-depth review. :)
@@MerriamPianosHello, Stu, here is another request for that review! Thanks. I also would love to see the C6 being reviewed. Also wonder what is the difference between the C6 and the R6.
Sounded like Stu went into Keith Emerson type Fugue of course in a different key during the first demonstration. Very good pianist for sure. With all of his piano knowledge I'm curious if Stu can tune, voice and regulate actions. I wouldn't be surprised at all.
Hi! Brent here! I can totally understand that reference! Stu is certainly a man of many talents and I have seen him tune and perform some technician work on pianos before. Good ears and a deep understanding of the instrument certainly go a long way! :)
Not to mention perfect pitch!
Hello Stu, great video, thank you! The A6 and R4 are both very similar priced. Just wondered how they compare and in what situation one might be a more appropriate choice over the other?
Hi! Brent here! The A6 is a taller piano than the R4, which usually means a wider dynamic range and clearer bass section. But, the quality of the materials also play a part. Generally speaking, the big difference musically between the A6 and R4 is going to be the tone. The Academy series instruments have a warmer sound, whereas the Residence series have a much brighter sound. At the end of the day, it comes down to a matter of personal preference between these two wonderful pianos. :)
Amazing review, as usual! I have bought my first acoustic piano (in the last 20 years I have been playing only digital) last month, a Kawai K500, based on many reviews including yours. I love this piano, 100%. However, I hear “buzzes” which, I don’t know, but I believe might be coming from the silent system (a small box below the keyboard). Have you ever seen a problem like this? Sometimes I even think of getting a new K500 but without the silent ATX4 system. What would you recommend?
Thanks so much! Congrats on your Kawai K500 ATX4! The K500 is a remarkable piano. I am sorry to hear you are dealing with some buzzing. My recommendation would be to get a technician to inspect the instrument. The piano should still be covered under warranty, so you should be able to coordinate that with your dealer. It might be a very simple fix. :)
@@MerriamPianos thank you very much! Besides this “buzzing”, I am totally in love with this piano. Going from digital to acoustic has been an incredible experience (oh, those colors!!!). This piano, as you said in your review, is absolutely incredible. Thanks again for your help and congrats once more for this amazing channel which is becoming a reference for piano buyers around the world (I live in Vienna). All the best!
A few years ago I had some buzzes on my K300 Aures. Turned out to be some loose hammers.
Thank you for this detailed review, I currently own a Yamaha SU7 and am wondering if this would be a significant upgrade. I take lessons on my teachers Blüthner Grand, I only have room for an upright at home.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! It all comes down to a matter of personal preference of course. With that said, the Yamaha SU7 is a very high quality instrument as well. The piano literature out there suggests that the A6 is one category/tier higher than the SU7, but beauty is in the ear of the beholder when it comes to pianos. :)
Thanks for the response Brent, I have a reasonable budget available so plan to try both the A6 and the Concert 8. My SU7 is surprisingly good particularly in the mid and down the bottom end. A friend of mine has a CF6 and was blown away when he tried my upright.
Beautiful tone, with especially good bass to treble range. What year did Bechstein begin manufacturing the new A4 and A6 design?
I may trade in my Hoffman P126 for this especially because of better clarity in that break area ...no hollow buzz for those 5 or 6 transition notes. That new bridge design seems to be a key difference?
Thanks Stu for your excellent reviews and artful playing.
Dale Witt, CA USA
Hi Dale! Brent from Merriam Music here! The new models/scale designs were launched in 2022, so they are still quite new. The A6 is certainly a gorgeous instrument with a wonderful tone throughout its entire register. The new updates to the model seem to be quite meaningful. Thanks for tuning in! We're glad to hear you've been enjoying the reviews. :)
The German pianos sound is so different from all the others the upper mids on this are incomparable... Clarity and power in one.
I know what you mean! The Bechstein pianos in particular seem to have all of those great musical elements firing off simultaneously. Brilliance and warmth, clarity and depth all in one package! :)
@@MerriamPianosI expected to hear a more European sound. I could easily imagine the A6 being played McCoy Tyner and Keith Jarrett.
There is a virtually brand new Bechstein A6 for sale on pianomart
The A6 is a wonderful model, so that sounds like a very attractive opportunity! :)
It’s priced at under $20k USD. Is that a good price? Thanks!
Does anyone know name of the song at 3:39? or what kinda style/class of playing is this? His playing reminds me of songs from old Sims game? Want to know so I can listen to similar authors
Thanks so much! I would have to ask Stu as to what the piece is and who the composer is! I do agree though that is quite an exciting piece. I believe this is in fact a specific composition, but I will say that Stu is also a master improviser and many of the videos feature improvisations that he is performing on the spot. :)
Hi :)
Could you do a similar comparison between Kawai K-2 vs K-200 and K-3 vs K-300? 😀
Hi there! While it is a great idea, the K2 and K3 models have been discontinued, so, unless we get some come in used, we will not have access to those models. Thanks for the suggestion though! :)
I would like to see another video with some more playing lid propped open, then closed, including a classical piece or two. Lose to hear you demo attack; sustain as well.. Thanks
Thanks for the suggestions! I will certainly pass them along to our production team. :)
Great review, I'm just wondering why no proper tuning was considered as preparation for such a video?
Thank you kindly! We appreciate the kind words. I believe the A6 was just uncrated and brought on the floor when this video was shot. We were just eager to tackle a review of this exciting new Bechstein model. :)
Hello! I'm owner of Bechstein Concert 8 2022. I very interesting what is new C8? Please make your beautiful review with it as you will get it. Thanks you for another cool video! Like! And now you have much better sound with new mic in your video compared to overview of Concert 8!
Thanks for tuning in and congrats on your C. Bechstein Concert 8 piano! It is without question one of the finest upright pianos ever made. I know it will serve you well for many years to come! We will do our best to tackle that review for you as soon as we can. Thank you for the suggestion! :)
Hi, Stu, what is your overall favorite between the A124 and the A6 ?
Hi there! While I can't speak on behalf of Stu, the scale design of the A6 does allow for greater musical potential, specifically in regard to tonal and dynamic range/capabilities. Although 2 cm might not seem like a massive difference, in the world of pianos, it is quite substantial. The increased soundboard surface area and longer bass strings will have a impact on the instrument's capabilities. Thanks so much for your question and hope this helps!
@merriampianos what your thoughts on A4?
Hi! Brent here! The A4 is a wonderful model, which features the same material quality and beautiful, nuanced tone as the A6 in a smaller scale design. If you are looking for the musical qualities of the A6, but require a smaller, less powerful instrument for a smaller space, the A4 is certainly worth considering. :)
@@MerriamPianoshi Brent thank you so much for info. Actually I am swinging between W hoffman t128 and A4 and not sure which one would be a better choice considering all factors. What your thought comparing these two and what be your choice?
Stu, What are your thoughts on A4?
Hi! Brent here! The A4 is a wonderful model, which features the same material quality and beautiful, nuanced tone as the A6 in a smaller scale design. If you are looking for the musical qualities of the A6, but require a smaller, less powerful instrument for a smaller space, the A4 is certainly worth considering. :)
Is there a huge price difference of the A124 vs A6?
They are a bit different musically in my opinion. There is a 2 cm difference in the scale design, which does have an impact on the tonal profile. With that said, they are both extraordinary instruments!
Maybe if it possible could you make new video of playing Concert 8 with this new mic. UA-cam has no video at all of sounding this instrument except your review. I even asked Bechstein to public it because they posted and posting only video with they 282, and its strange because they have to promote not only one concert piano. And if we talking about upright pianos Bechstein produce the best product of all manufactures and it's very strange to see lack of sound promoting videos of their upright.
Thanks for the suggestion! We are in the process of doing some updated reviews on some models. I will certainly add that to the list for our production team and I'm sure they will do their best to tackle that as soon as they can.
@@MerriamPianos thank you! I am in all of your videos!
Good for quiet playing, but through my cheapo earbuds the mid and bass sound a bit muted, not just more sensitive or smooth in the action but like the hammers are overly softened down for the strike? The fundamentals in low bass may be clearer than prev generation but i wish they made a wider or taller cabinet to squeeze in those few extra inches for deeper sounding / less brassy bass strings on high end uprights in general, like the left and right sides of uprights could have really wide "empty" chucks of wood at the keyboard for stationary & cup holders lol (for pens ofc) ?!? a metronome could sit there and not be in the way of hands...😅 bigger deeper music depths too for extra thick binders and 8 std pages XD
*music DESK depths
The A6 sounds quite excellent in person. Of course, it is sometimes difficult to convey all of the musical and tonal nuances through a video. With that said, the Academy series from Bechstein are definitely a warmer, softer tone, whereas the Concert and Residence series pianos are brighter and more powerful. Thanks for tuning in!
@@MerriamPianos Ah i see :) Thx for reply! Really appreciate all your videos
@@MerriamPianos Ah i see :) Thx for reply! Really appreciate all your videos
It would be great for Stu to review the C6.
Thanks for the suggestion! We will certainly do our best to tackle a review of the C6. :)
Great video would be to review the A6, R6 and C6 side by side!
I didn't realize that actually this new A6 is 126cm tall, 2cm taller than that of A124. Might be the positive differences coming from extra 2cm?
For sure! There is that profound difference between the two. I will say that the A6 seems to have more power and a wider range of tone than the A124, which can be attributed to this change in part.
Big Bechstein Bass
There really is something quite wonderful about the lower register of the Bechstein pianos. :)
I guess the longer bass string is because of Steinway~ Regarding power of the 2 brands Steinway wins. So Bechstein got an idea, longer bass for more power~~~ My humble opinion~~
While Steinway and Bechstein both make exceptional instruments of the highest-quality standards, they offer very different musical experiences and tones. Ultimately, this is a highly-subjective consideration and every player will have their own musical preference. :)
The naked Klavins/Unacorda approach is the way to go regarding uprights, but this Bechstein is too dark honestly.
Tonal preferences are a very personal and subjective thing of course. Not every piano will be for every player. The most important thing is to find a piano that you connect with musically of course. :)
An upright piano has been the choice for many pop, country, and rock artists in the world
Absolutely! It has a more intimate sound (especially when recorded) than a grand piano. Furthermore, some players prefer to play an upright piano because they hear and experience the immediate feedback from the soundboard given its disposition to the player and their ears. :)
Maybe it's me but I'm just not hearing anything that much different than other uprights. Sounds good, but not anything that far out of the ordinary to my ears.
Tonal preference is a very subjective and personal thing. Every player will hear things different of course. With that said, I would certainly recommend playing a Bechstein A6 in person if you ever get the chance. The tonal richness and expressivity of the instrument is out of this world! :)
Acoustic pianos are ridiculous instruments, requiring tremendous resources and expense to build and maintain properly (and I am a 36-year tech, RPT/PTG). However if you really want to have one, consider an older instrument, specifically a small grand by a quality defunct maker (say, an old Baldwin, Hardman, Sohmer, etc), have it regulated, and get to appreciate its unique and possibly quirky sound. These pianos can often be had for free or close to it, and by choosing them, much fewer materials and energy will be used up in our fragile world.
While I certainly understand the sentiment, it is important to note that pianos, like cars, do have a lifespan, which averages 40-60 years. It is certainly possible to get more life out of them than that with proper maintenance as well as some eventual restoration and repair work. However, for discerning players, having a young instrument that is at the apex of its capabilities musically is paramount to help them reach their own performance apex. With that said, it is a deeply personal consideration that every player will have to make for themselves. :)
@@MerriamPianos It is a great disservice to musicians to push them toward newer pianos, especially in the case of uprights. I play regularly on three upright pianos: a Steinway 45 built 1978, a Weber 50 from 1895 and a Layton Bros 56 from about 1915. In various states of restoration. I sometimes play and record on a friend’s Steinway B. The only piano that prepares me for the performance level qualities of the B is the Layton Bros piano. It has the longest keys, and the smoothest action, and of course obviously an actually competitive lower half of the keyboard tonewise and expansive tone qualities overall. The only company I know making them this size is Bluethner and selling them for $80k, while many perfectly good candidates for refurbishment are going to dumps because people are steered to new pianos, as you are. The truth is that pianos are just like guitars and violins and are only treated differently because dust in small parts triggers feelings of defeat, and because the exterior ages like furniture.
Stu, I am not hearing the 'wow-factor' of this piano, especially at $40,000 or more....it did not come through on the video, and did not reveal any charm or sparkle honestly.
Hi! Brent from Merriam Music here! Tonal preference is a very personal and subjective experience of course. Not every player will resonate with a particular piano. With that said, I would recommend testing out an A6 in person. They have an incredibly rich tone and impressive musicality.
Go digital !
There is an argument for a digital piano in some cases, but, when compared to a C. Bechstein A6, it is really hard not to favour the musical differences and level of nuance that the Bechstein A6 provides.
That's a subjective choice🎹🎶