Mystic_Thing lol :D Yamaha feels like a 14-year-old energetic sociable extrovert tomboyish girl who speaks, runs and sometimes screams. Total showoff feminist bitches which I hate Steinway feels like a well balanced girl who isn't shy or a little shy but doesn't talk a lot either. Again hate them Bösendorfer feels like a womanly, gentle, shy, introvert girl who is shy and usually doesn't talk and if she does, she speaks very quietly. LOVE LOVE LOVE IS IN HERE. I'm not feminist as someone else said...
I agree that the Yamaha sounds very bright, the bosendorfer very warm and the Steinway is just perfectly balanced. But if you ever played with microphones you would know that moving them just a few inches can drastically change the sound of the recording. Take note that the pianos recorded in this video are not recorded in the same place, th bosendorfer seems to be located in a corner, the steiway in the middle of the room, this is also an important factor... So the video is interesting but not very scientific.
Agreed. The stereo image was kind of screwed up on at least the jazz recording of the Steinway piano as well. So it gives you some idea of the tone of each piano, but not really the full story.
I feel maybe is also his playing(in the classical one). Don’t get me wrong he’s super talented, but you can clearly see the different between him playing jazz and Chopin. First I thought it was the Yamaha that made the piece sound so bright, but even at the Stainway it sounded kinda of like that
Aye. Putting a speaker - or, indeed, piano - in a corner greatly reinforces the bass. Having said that, Bosendorfers are renowned for being a lot warmer.
Lol, peculiar way of phrasing it but very true. I personally preferred the Steinway for the first piece, but in the second piece I would argue that the mellow sound of the Bosendorfer better suits songs with any dissonance and gives them an old-fashioned feel
The variability between pianos of a particular solid brand is more important than the brand itself. You need to find a *good* Steinway or a *good* Bosendorfer or a *good* Yamaha. The Bosendorfer is also a bigger model than the Steinway here.
I like the warm mellow sound of the Bosendofer for ballads and many classical pieces and Yamaha's brightness for jazz, and Steinway to cover it all, I'm sure anyone would be totally happy owning and playing anything on these beautifully crafted pianos.
I like the Bosendofer for both. The sound was just more pure. The Yamaha sounds tinny to me, even for the jazz. The Steinway is nice for both, but there seemed to be something lacking.
@@100M2B Not really, I was able to score a bosendorfer 170 on facebook marketplace down in south florida in 2018 from an old gentleman, his wife had passed away who played the piano and he was downsizing. He was so impressed with my playing when I came to test it out that he lowered the asking from $10000 to $7000, it was a 1957 model that was in immaculate condition. Just keep your eyes open.
I do love Bosendorfers - but I admit I think of it as a jazz piano (because of Oscar Peterson). You get the 92 and 97 key model and that lower end just adds so much to the bottom, even when you don't hit one of those added keys. Then there's the Australian piano maker Stuart and Sons who have a nine-octave keyboard piano - 108 keys (the Big Beleura). What's ironic is Bosendorfer was inspired to make their 97-key piano so he could transcribe Bach organ works for piano (organs have 9 octave ranges.) Btw, it costs $220,000. For classical music I'm still a Steinway fan, especially the Spirio model.
Yamaha - lively, joyful, bright, loud n clear Bosendorfer - elegant, deep, dim, muffled, blurry Steinway - in between .. I personally liked the Bosendorfer because i am a melancholic person.
I closed my eyes because I didn’t think any of them would sound that different, but man! It’s night and day with all three, they have their own unique sound. Simply amazing.
I closed my eyes to and listened and didn't know which piano was being played in what order, so when i found the one i thought superior it was the Bosendorfer... Very cool
I did the same but the third had by far the best sound , which I guessed correctly . Of course I'm used to the sound of Steinway as it's the piano I hear from the top pianists recordings on the radio and youtube .
@@george40nelson4 Not so much the hammers as overall design. Bösendorfers use an old technique to create the rim of the piano from solid wood (and the wood-type is the same resonating softer one as the soundboard), while the other brands use laminated hard wood. Also, Steinways have hand-drilled pinboard, so the sound of each key is less precise (which is the reason why all other brands use computer-controlled machines, even when the rest of the piano is handmade). Yamaha uses metals in many places where other brands use only wood. This is what mostly gives the brighter sound. There are smaller differences, like the hammer hardness and action structure or string composition, but those give less distinction to the sound.
You can sleep in your piano but you cannot PLAY music WITH your house...i'd sleep UNDER my piano...or downsize into a singlewide, as long as they could get it inside!
@Butterplease Thanks for the F-140R recommendation. Today synthesizers are GREAT value for money. And I think the professionals agree, keith emerson, stevie wonder, etc. they played mostly on synthesizers even though they have real pianos, and have the money to buy any piano they want. Real pianos are like a pagani or bugatti supercar, VERY expensive and complicated, but a luxury you can experience if you can afford it.
I've played a Bosendorfer belonging to an acquaintance of mine. I didn't like it at all. I didn't like the sound or the touch but then it was new so it probably hadn't settled in. I've never played a Steinway (yet) but I have played a Bechstein many years ago. It belonged to the head teacher/owner of the music school I went to from the age of 6 till I was 14. She taught along with two other teachers. Just before the exams or the music festivals we got to play her Bechstein. Loved it then and would love one now. Sadly, the head teacher passed away from old age quite suddenly but I stayed with my teacher until I was 18. Stopped taking lessons until 5 years ago when I bought a new piano and decided I needed lessons again. I just passed my Grade 7 with Distinction a week before Christmas. I'm 65 now.
The pianos are not recorded in the same place, the Bosendorfer was in a corner, the Steiway in the middle of the room, this is also an important factor.
Was thinking exactly the same, also these pieces are not best played at the tunes they are tuned too... Also my own personal taste though I really felt ill hearing him play so harsh and rough... Chopin would have never played that harshly, his music was mostly written in 422.6, least from what I read and notice.
Absolutely. Also the stereo image of the recording of the Bosendorfer was different than for the Steinway and Yamaha, you can even see the microphones set up at a different angle for the Bosendorfer. It seems for the Bosendorfer they unfortunately set up the microphones to where it impacts negatively on the stereo image and therefore perception overall.
I love the Bosendorfer. The sort of soft muted sound it makes is just incredibly lovely and would sound amazing with a lot of my favorite songs to play. Such as kiss the rain by Yiruma. But Yamaha is also really nice.
It reminds me most of a good Gerard Heinzman from the late 1800s or early 1900s. That same mellow undertone that just works. Years ago the Catholic School Board in Hamilton, Ontario broke up a dozen Gerard Grand pianos for firewood as nobody would take them for free. 10% of the cost of the least expensive of these would have netted a piano equal to if not better than these expensive modern instruments.
NOT True!! I played Bösendorfer and it's bright like Yamaha in real live. Bot it got more bass and "air". I played also at Steinway and really hate this brand. If you want to know which "big name" piano's brand is really dark and dull I will tell you: Bechstein (but got best mechanics - keys action is a charm)
Danyele Borsellino What you said about the Bösendorfer makes it more appealing for jazz for me. Jazz as a musical form was developed on crappy pianos in seedy bars and saloons, and IMO loses some of its unique flavor when played on the sonically more precise Steinway versus the Bösendorfer.
I had to play a Bosendorer for a TV recording. A fine piano, but it had one problem. It was their largest model with a keyboard which went down to bottom C. That meant that the name-plate was not in it's usual position related to the middle octave. I had never realised how much we rely on the geography of a piano telling us at a glance where we are on the keyboard. I told the sound engineers about the problem. They said that other pianists had told them the same thing and covered the name-plate with black tape. After that we were fine.....
I like the fact that altough Bösendorfer has been a wholy-owned subsidiary of Yamaha for the last 13 years, Yamaha themselves have given Bösendorfer almost free reign when it comes to production and design and greatly value the Austrians' input and requests. Sure, there is some general guidance and marketing by the parent company, but Bösendorder themselves remain relatively independent when it comes to manufacturing and maintaining their own products. The headquarters remain in Vienna and every Bösendorfer piano is handcrafted to meticulous detail and quality control there. Plus, it must be great for Bösendorfer to have access to Yamaha's supply chains. Essentially, Bösendorfer is to Yamaha what Lamborghini is to VW and that is a good thing.
Bösendorfer wins by a mile ( or an octave?). The Steinway and Yamaha both sound too shrill- although I have played all three and always was pleased with the Steinway and Bösendorfer- not so much the Yamaha, whose sound is almost manufactured in timbre. Of the Steinway and Bösendorfer- I would pick the Bösendorfer for my home and small theatres, and the Steinway for a large concert hall. Let me know when you’re ready to ship, and I will email you my address!
I strongly disagree, because there is no way jazz on a Bosendorfer sounds as good as a Yamaha. The Steinway is the more balanced piano. I think people pick based Bosendorfer for reasons beyond those we can hear. Just like someone picks a Patek over a Rolex, to go against popular opinion.
The Bosendorfer beats the Steinway with the law of diminishing returns and actually sounded the best to my ear. The Steinway sounded more balanced but not a hundred thousand dollars more worth of balance.
The Bösendorfer is honestly the best. Having played all three types in person it also has a deepness that doesn't come through the records that the other pianos don't have. This was an imperial grand though.
Well I found the Bass from the Bosendorfer very dirty and mixed. Notes from this piano aren´t clean what so ever specially the Bass. Yamaha is clean all the way but Bass is very weak. Steinway is perfect from the deep strong clean bass hearing all thunder notes to the crips detailed and smooth highs.
@@brunoampm1 i personally think the borsendorfer is great for unplugged live vocal performances, especially for ladies. yamaha grand more suited for an orchestration's performance and the Steinway, good enough all on its own.
I got your point of view... but I am very audiophile and perfectionist and I can assure you that in all this situations the all perfect Steinway notes and volumes each note produces especially in the bass department is essential to get the best results! I like and respect you opinion though... great opinion
They all sounded beautiful, but since I have some industrial deafness, the Yamaha was more exciting to me with it's more high pitched trebles. I would happily eat dinner to all of them. This made me think that a best quality electric keyboard with the frequency adjustment is where I'll head.
No doubt true, but the initial soundwave would have hit the mic first. Any difference we hear and it's quite immediate is from their inability whether it be skill, software or inefficient hardware to edit that out. A piano in the middle of a sound room does alot of that work passively. I agree with your statement yet feel that this is a great opportunity to learn the tonal qualities at the very least. There is a slight impact from the room's acoustic qualities but it isn't to the point where we are unable to differentiate that at the very least.
You make a great point. I would like to hear all three on the same stage in identical settings. Also microphone placement can make a great deal of difference.
I've heard several Bosendorfers, and they all sound extremely mellow to my ear, similar to the one here. While I can certainly appreciate the difference acoustics of a room, I still believe this test was relatively accurate and honest.
I've been a concert pianist for over 50 years. Each Piano has it's own distinct merits. I've played on really good Steinways and bad ones. I've played where a Yamaha had blown away a Bosendorfer, visa-versa etc.... Si, it rally comes down to the actual instrument. However, when playing for a concert even though I prefer the sound of a Bosendorfer over the other two, I would always choose a 'good' Steinway because of reliability. The sound of a Steinway is a kind of mix between a Bosendorfer and a Yamaha but, once again, it's down to the instrument.
Bösendorfer has that incredible base. Yamaha seems to be more bright on top and mello on the bottom. Steinway is a all rounded sound. As stated they can out do each other in different things or places but they are all built different. I personally like the bösendorfer, it works well with classic and new music. I also just like the great power behind the bösendorfer base... I just like base😶
Roger, what do you mean by reliability? If you refer to keys action and mechanics - Bechstein is for you:). Each Bösendorfer I heard/played got it's "special" signature. Worse/better depending on piece but you will never mix Bösendorfer with any other. As far as I know they use special alloy with "secret" proportion of the iron for the frame, that's perhaps it got this "dingle" in the sound.
What I hear at first as a classical pianist is: Yamaha has a clear and bright voice that is very desirable when playing etudes. Bösendorfer has a warm tone combined with a bass that sounds unique and would be appropriate for cantabile playing in the middle register. Steinway explicitly pulls out more resonance and enharmonic qualities. Excavating the voices that usually only the trained pianist hears to the audience. In an ideal world I would have a Yamaha for practice, a Bösedofer for playing Liszt, Bartok, Rachmaninoff and Beethoven. As to utilize the percussive base and passionate tone. Then have a Steinway for performance of Bach, Mozart, Chopin and Debussy... In order to use the magic in the harmonic resonance to highlight the genius chord progressions and singing melodies. This is just my humble opinion.
I see what you mean, but the Steinway can cover what the others do with no problem. You can pour notes through a Steinway like no other, and each one glistens with individual sweetness, like a shower of candy. I assure you, Beethoven wouldn't mind you playing his sonatas on a Steinway.
Here's my take on all three, both as a pianist and as a sound engineer. The bright tone and presence of Yamaha pianos make them excellent picks for rock and other modern styles, wherein they can sit perfectly in a mix without too much adjustment. Steinway pianos have a balance between Bosendorfer's refinement and Yamaha's liveliness which proves fertile for jazz music. And whilst I'm sure you're right about which composers sound good on Bosendorfer and which ones sound better on Steinway, I will say that Bosendorfer pianos have a dark, rich tone that makes them a serviceable all-round pick for recording orchestral material.
Gwyneth Chloe Gilana I was just thinking that while listening to the video. The Steinway has some of the brightness of the Yamaha and some of the muted haunting quality of the Bosendorfer. I like it the best out of the three.
I would say Yamaha is for energetic pieces like Mozart's. Steinway & Sons is for class like Chopin's. And Bösendorfer is for deep music like Beethoven's. Agree?
our 13 year old yamaha upright sounds slightly like the bosendorfer than its original yamaha sound now. The hammers are worn, hasn't been tuned in a year and general wear and tear. Other than a service 6 years ago it hasn't been touched since other than biannual tunings. Love how it's been maturing with our family. Even if we decide one day to get a really expensive baby grand or even a top of the line keyboard i don't think we'll ever sell it.
I'm a musician so this guy is touching my heart right now. He obviously spent a huge portion of his life in front of the keys. Thanks brother! Keep playing. Our hearts need that in this pandemic right now.
The Yamaha was definitely the brightest sounding and the Bosendorfer had the most mellow sound to it. The Steinway to me captured both pieces exceptionally well as it took the best of the other two and met right in the middle. Very impressive!
Yamaha: Very bright, crisp Steinway: Deep, and rich sounding Bosendorfer: Very rich and mellow Depends on what sound you're after. I'd probably go with the Yamaha because I like the bright and crisp sound.
I prefer the Bosendorfer. Deeper, darker, mellower tone. Bass sound that goes miles deep, but also has a quick decay (perfect for both classical and jazz), with a mellow sweetness in the treble that is not hard or glassy like the Steinway (or to lesser extent, the Yamaha). All depends on what you want. The Steinway sound is brighter, more clangorous, with more overtones (at least, to my ears). The Bosendorfer is much "cleaner" - perfect for jazz pianists or classical musicians who specialize in the pre-Romantic repertoire. The Bosendorfer is the most distinct sounding of the 3, as the Steinway and Yamaha have a similar tonal profile. It (the Bosendorfer) is the warmest, cleanest, and deepest toned. I would describe it as having a "linear" sound. Clean from bass to treble but also distinct from register to register. Thus, the bass notes/chords are nicely set-off against the mids and treb. The Steinway & Yamaha don't have as much distinction in tone color between the registers, so the sound is more homogenous from low to high notes. If the Steinway has a tone that is a mile wide, the Bosendorfer's is a mile deep. Hard to express tone color in words. But I think the differences between the 3 are audible and obvious. If it sounds like I vastly prefer the Bosendorfer, well, that's right, I do. But that is no knock on Yamaha or Steinway, and both sound lovely here. I just prefer that cleaner, deeper sound. Backhaus, Gulda, Badura-Skoda, Annie Fischer, Walter Klien all preferred Bosendorfers. It is generally more popular in Central Europe, and also among jazz pianists (Gulda being a famous cross-over). Would have been cool to hear a C. Bechstein in this comparison...very distinct sound on that piano, almost bell-like. Baldwin would have been another interesting profile. Many today tout the Fazoli, which to my ears sounds like a cross between a Bosendorfer and a Steinway (clean like a Bosendorfer, but bright like a Steinway).
The one I enjoyed the most was Bosendorfer then Steinway and then Yamaha even though all of them are pretty close but for me the clear winner is bosendorfer
Spanish Moustache No. i'm sayin' that because I also play piano and that's my PERSONAL preference sound wise. When I shopped around for my piano I tried a Yamaha and a Kaway...same price. Couldn't stand the sound of the Yamaha, too bright. So I ended up with a Kawai.
Spanish Moustache That’s quite ignorant to say. I’ve played piano for years and I can clearly hear difference between different brands. And has the thought came across to you that maybe, just maybe a higher price could equal high quality sound?? Maybe that’s the point of a high price.
*__________Yamaha_______Bosendorfer_______Steinway* Song 1 ....... 0:35 ....................... 1:27 ................... 2:18 Sond 2 ....... 3:20 ...................... 4:03.................... 4:46 All of them are nice. All of them have a different style and character. Different songs will fit better on the different piano. In the perfect world an Ai piano with real hammer keys would be able to simulate all of them on the digital piano.
I just had the craziest Idea when you said that. WHAT IF....you make a piano with a revolver like mechanism that can switch between a sortiment of maybe 3 or 4 different strings?
The microphone position was different, as was the location of the piano in the room, which has a lot of impact on the sound. Yamaha and Steinway sounded rather bright. Bosendorfer was richer and warmer - my favorite
@@lyon7697 That's the recording, NOT the keyboard irl. I've played with one. They're DARK, NOT muddy, tho. I LIKE dark. I seek it out. I like Bose speakers as they do great with bass frequencies.
I guess I was expecting the differences in tones to be extremely subtle, since I’m not a musician, but wow, I think anyone could hear big differences between the three. Steinway seems to capture the widest range of musical styles and genres. But, of course, it really comes down to what your requirements are as a musician.
The steinway has such great clarity and dynamic range. The Yamaha is brighter and the bosendorfer has a richer warmer tone but the steinway covers the whole range
Position and direction of your mics looks different throughout the recording and that also plays a HUGE role in sound quality, but I preferred the Bosendorfer overall. Each had a noticeable difference. Steinway resonates so much more than that of the others and maintains more overtones. STILL going with the Bosendorfer.
I also thought the mic placement was not fully consistent. That combined with where the pianos were in the room makes me feel like we can't really get the best sense of the differences.
Just rewatched. It looks like the Bosendorfer had only one mic and the other two had two mics. And the positions are all different, as far as I can tell.
The Yamaha didn't have the richness of the other two. The upper register of the Bösendorfer sounded too bright. I liked the Steinway best, but I admit to being biased, since that's the piano I played the most when I performed.
I'm with you. It's definitely between the Steinway and the Yamaha, and I think if I had to pick a single winner it'd be the Steinway. The Bosendorfer seems like it would be good for something dark and smooth, but not so much for jazz.
For me the bosendofer has the more refined and elegant sound, definitely its my fav piano for classical but it lacks the bite for Jazz. The Steinway on the other hand has that bite and that bite/flair is more rich and elegant than the yamaha imo.
Ludwig Van Beethoven Yeah, it's kinda muffled but on the other hand it's very powerful and convincing in the low registers. Great for e.g. Rachmaninow but Bad for Jazz.
Piano hammers can be voiced by a technician to sound brighter or more mellow. Pianos are meant to be voiced to the room they are played in. Voicing can DRAMATICALLY change the tone of an instrument. This is one demonstration and we have no idea how those pianos are voiced. Steinway tends to lacquer their hammers for a brighter tone and many technicians voice them down a bit once the piano finds a home. Any piano can be made to sound warmer or brighter. It’s all about finding a knowledgeable piano technician.
I’ve always been impressed by the quality of most Bosendorfers that I’ve played (there was one upright that didn’t blow me away).. Its low and high range have a pure, ringing tone. It’s a beautiful sound.
The Yamaha’s high notes were the most vibrant and I thought too “pingie” for classical music. The Bōsendorfer was a welcome relief to my ears with soothing deep and middle sound. The Steinway had the most mellow tone. Before making a decision, I’ll have to listen again to piano #1 and piano #2.
Bosendorfer sounds very warm and deep, Yamaha sounded bright and the Jazz song came alive with it. The Steinway and Sons just sounded well balance between the two. I'm sure in the right setting and environment they will all sound phenominal.
It's not as simple as that: I once visited two music colleges in England. They both had several Steinways and several Bösendorfers, but in one college all the Steinways were brighter than the Bösendorfers (as I expected), but in the other it was the other way round. I put that down to the voicing. In any case I don't agree that Bösendorfers, (Hamburg) Steinway and Yamaha are necessarily the top three: Bechstein, Blüthner, Fazioli, Grotrian-Steinweg and Shigeru Kawai, deserve consideration. Lists on Google also suggest Baldwin, Mason and Hamlin, Sauter, Schimmel and Steingräber, which in my opinion can't compete with my top eight. A couple of lists also mentioned Cavendish, Feurich, Förster, Petrof, Pleyel, Samick and Young Chang,, all of which I would put in the third division.. I've never played or heard a Stuart, so I can't express an opinion about them. an interesting comparison for me is between Yamaha and Kawai. The former has a translucent bell-like quality, which can sometimes come across as tinny, and I'd tend to think that Kawai generally have the edge, out of the two.
Not that I agree with you on everything but I do think people should go beyond just Steinway as some standard and Yamaha as another but with different characteristics. Those other brands you mentioned make great-sounding pianos and great actions as well. I've not heard a Stuart either, not live anyway, and would love to hear one live. btw, I can't decide on Kawai or Yamaha but Kawais are seriously great pianos that aren't known by enough people and the Shigeru SK6 to SK-EX are some great pianos. But I do love some Yamaha SX and CFs I've heard while others were just OK. But it's that way with a lot of pianos.
I've once practised firstly with a Yamaha grand piano and then on a simply gorgeous Bosendorfer 280VC in my music school. I also have a Yamaha at my place so I can say that I'm more familiar with its tonal personality. As soon as I started playing the Bosendorfer right after playing the Yamaha my first thought was: "Did someone put a mute onto this piano?". I guess this shows nothing more than how massively significant the difference between the two brands was. When I played a number of Gershwin on the Yamaha, it was bright and colourful. It felt like fireworks were coming out of the piano! My thought is that the Yamaha is perfect for sprightly, relaxed occasions (e.g. The Entertainer - Scott Joplin). I find the Yamaha to be a bit of a wild horse when it comes to romantic pieces such as Chopin due to its hyperactive personality. Whereas when I played the same number of Gershwin on the Bosendorfer, it sounded more laid back, as if it's a bit too modest to show off its tonality. However, no one should take it lightly when first coming upon it, as its bass notes are a beast to behold. In my opinion, the Bosendorfer's humble personality is the perfect suit for romantic pieces. I've recently went to a showroom to try out a Steinway and Sons Model D, and I instantly fell in love with it. And it was then that I understood why so many world-class concert halls around the globe bestow this piano to grace their stages. The piano was stunningly versatile, and I felt like I was playing out of a live professional recording! I also felt like the piano had no problems understanding and interpreting the touch of my fingers when I play a piece, resulting in perfectness of how I imagined the piece the sound for such a long time in my mind. In conclusion, I would choose a Steinway and Sons, but if only I ever had the opportunity to own one of each brand and select which would be best for specific events... that is my ultimate dream if I make it to be a concert pianist!
LOVE 'the bright' YAMAHA, MAN! (and Im a Julliard-Grad... Navy-Musician.. much worn, much accomplished, Studio-keyboardist. played 'em ALL!!!). YAMAHA DEFINITELY.. POSITIVELY the "funnest" to play - *people* just respond better to!! 2nd: STEINWAY... of course!
I think that the position in the room is doing a difference as well here... but still, you can clearly perceive that each one of them has its own distinctive sound. Nice comparison! (I probably prefer the Bosendorfer, I like that glue in the mid-low register)
Exactly. The position in the room and also the position of the microphones, especially noticeable on the Steinway recording, which picked up a lot of room sound. Still a nice comparison.
Steinway are made for concert halls and flexibility to be able to play multiple registres for different pianist. The thing is that when you are a concert hall you don't have 10 grand piano at 220k so you chose wisely which one to buy. But... the thing that is not counted is that there is a lot of parameter that can be changed and are changed on demand of the musician. Because each has its habitude. They might sound different if they were parametered differently.
I think the Bosendorfer wins the ticket for both! The upper notes sound less tingly, and more smooth. The deep notes come out more, and feel more connected!
I’ve performed on both S and B concert grand. It’s a shame he didn’t mention the action of all 3. The Steinway’s action is incomparable! The sound on it: crystal clear, where you can show off articutation without being tinny on the higher register, nor being muffled in the lower register. A no brainer for “classical” music. If a more muted sound is your thing, no poblem, just buy a cheaper piano. A win-win situation.
In essence, we have The Three Bears children's story here - There are three great pianos that will fit the needs of three different pianists. The Yamaha is very icy and shrill, but would sound out perfectly in a loud noise floor environment, i.e. airport terminal or a night club with talking patrons. The Bose is a bit dark but perfect for those pianists with commanding technique who could draw the brightness out of it. I've played many different Steinway pianos and have found them to be quite varied in their tonal output. This Steinway sounds clear, clean and precise. Overall, I prefer not only the clear, balanced tonal aspect of most Steinways that I've played but also because the keyboard action is so incredibly delicate and responsive: It's like touching warmed butter.
If I ran a recording studio, I'd put a Yamaha in there. If I had a concert hall I'd put a Steinway on the stage. I'd take the Bosendorfer home to play for myself.
Bosendorfer was warm all over and pleasant to ears; Yamaha and Steinway were bright in general and especially bright in the higher ranges. I prefer Bosendorfer. It must be those 500 hours spent building it by hand. Thanks for the side by side. Please do a comparison of a different price range, maybe including Petrof?
First off --- HOLY CROW ! I had no idea that a grand piano costs that much ! Wow ! The Steinway had a fuller richer sound -- it sounded perfect for the classical song. The Bosendorfer sounded dull at first - then I realized it had a darker sound to it, which isn't bad -- it sounded great and the best for the jazz piece.
Grand pions cn be much more expensive than this if you buy a bigger concert grand piano. The 325 kg Steinway A-188 in this test is a 6'2'' / 188 cm (hence the name A-188) long salon grand / parlor grand / boudoir grand piano, so rather small compared to concert grand pianos. The 500 kg Steinway D-274 (8'2'' / 274 cm) is their flagship model, meant for big concert halls and is much more expensive than their A-188. I think D-274 can be had for about $300,000 in standard black finish, but it's hard to even google a price for D-274, you often have to request a price and the price also varies depending of the finish you choose. Often they are just rented for big concerts or belong in big concert halls like Carnegie Hall. Sizewise the A-188 is right in the middle of Steinway's grand piano lineup with and 3 larger models and 3 smaller models (their smallest baby grand piano S-155 is 5'1'' / 155 cm long). According to Wikipedia an estimate from 2003 suggested that more than 90 percent of concert grand pianos worldwide are D-274. So Steinway almost has a monopoly for the very large "concert grand piano" category.
Investing for Tomorrow Digital samples don’t do much justice to the actual sound of a live grand piano, much less a Bösendorfer. Not to say that digital pianos aren’t good, they can be very good. If you want to buy a digital piano, go for Kawai. Their key action and feel is far superior to their competitors.
Yamaha is bright, bösendorfer is soft & mellow, and steinway is in a mid (the balance one). It depends on the songs that we want to play, these 3 pianos are so unique!
There is no *best* piano. That is beyond ridiculous. While highly consistent, each brand's offerings can be set up differently to sound different. I play in an orchestra for a living, and we own four 9' Steinways, two 9' Bösendorfers (with the extended low range) and two 9' Yamahas. Every one of them is different in touch/response/timbre/color/weight/sustain/etc. One of the Steinway pianos is perfect for Haydn and Mozart, while it sucks for Beethoven. We have one that is particularly good for the concerti of Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky. We have one for Gershwin. They all do well at what they have been selected for, and not so good for other styles or genres. We used the Mozart Steinway on a program this weekend, for Bernstein, Adams and Stravinsky. It worked and sounded the best in the orchestra with the lid removed. That is right, some of these only see use in the ensemble, some are only for use as a solo instrument. All of them are different because they are set up that way. I prefer the Bösendorfers for Brahms and Beethoven, but our principal pianist assures me that one of the Steinways is better for those works. It is all a matter of taste. The real differences in these brands is assembly and materials; the end results are always excellent, and again, a piano can be set up to order, with variations in the sound board, the action, etc. These are not Baldwin or Kwai uprights in some old lady's living room. At this level there is no *best* brand, just different brands. They all three are top notch. (However, in recent years Steinway has started using some plastic internal bits that I think are going to be a long term mistake for them. Just an observation from an orchestral musician of 26 years.)
All excellent points... Add to that the fact that if the microphones are placed even a little differently when moving from piano to piano, the recording is going to sound different, and also that most people are listening to these hyper-expensive pianos on $30 computer speakers, and the whole point of the video becomes kind of silly. That said, I actually enjoyed it anyway.
Can I just add that most of the audience who come to classical music concerts aren’t musicians and don’t have trained ears and the sound won’t matter that much as long as it’s still good
The Yamaha had the most sterile sound of them all, while German pianos have that soft reverberation to them. Especially the Bösendorfer is great for jazz due to that, because the reverberation makes it sound "cozy" and "heartwarming". Steinway amazingly enough has both the clean sound *and* gentle reverberation. To me, Steinway and Yamaha are a good fit for classical pieces, Yamaha for sonatas, Steinway for ballads preferably.
My humble opinion: 1) Steinway (full harmony and very well balanced sound) 2) Boesendorfer ( somewhat dark and heavy) 3) Yamaha (Classic: Empty and weak / Jazz: Perhaps the best!) NB: Had an old Boesendorfer when lived back in Vienna, the sound was much better than this one! Like your comparison, great job.
That's how I feel about all Yamaha instruments. They have a very flat response so to speak and are great for students but once you get good you need a real instrument with character.
They all sound naturally different but the placement of the piano in the location of the room makes a big difference and in this case the Bosendorfer was placed in the corner of the room so it sounded more "warm". Low frequencies are augmented the closer you are to a wall, and corners "double" this effect. The Jazz piece was nice!
- so - this was a comparison of these three instruments in this room - and we're expected to make a "brand" decision about which "brand" is the best ? Not at all realistic or conclusive. It would be possible for a technician to alter all of them to darken the Yamaha (soften the hammers), brighten the Bosendorfer (harden the hammers), and destroy the Steinway by over-hardening the hammers so it sounds like the Yamaha. Here's an interesting example of just how different pianos of the same brand can sound -- due to who knows what factors - hammer felts, contact points, string scaling, sound board, etc. etc. : ua-cam.com/video/yW6O8shL_R8/v-deo.html
@@aBachwardsfellow well yes, you have a good point, but then obviously the channel needs content, and enough people are interested in "such" a comparison.
It is true but pianos placement would never sound so differently. Well I found the Bass from the Bosendorfer very dirty and mixed. Notes from this piano aren´t clean what so ever specially the Bass. Yamaha is clean all the way but Bass is very weak. Steinway is perfect from the deep strong clean bass hearing all thunder notes to the crips detailed and smooth highs. It is the most expensive but there is a lot of technology evolved on it.
Surely it's all a matter of taste, some old pianos may be 'better', also if you're a good player you can make any piano sound great, the actions on higher priced pianos may be the only factor that makes a difference, if the action is really well made its easier to play more musically I will say I have experience of playing some expensive grands and the actions are superior and make playing piano a more pleasurable experience, people listening I have found don't care what piano it is you're playing on though lol, so it's very personal to you the pianist.
You are exactly right. It's a personal preference. Each pianist has their own ideal sound and which instrument helps them achieve that will vary from pianist to pianist.
Each Stienway, Bosendorfer, and Yamaha piano is also individually constructed. In other words, it is not always a guarantee that one piano will feel or sound equally to another -even from the same manufacturer. This is why most concert pianists play the instrument first, choosing the one best for them.
No he's not 'exactly' right.... A beaten up piano played well will sound far from great. Also I thought your suggestion that we should decide which was best was ludicrous. The way the piano feels to play is a huge part of it and on top of that we don't hear the pianos, we hear a digitally compressed version of the audio that's been recorded... That said I enjoyed the video
a british guy I said old piano, not beaten up old piano... And some antique or older pianos made decades or centuries ago may be beautiful and inspiring in their own ways, how could you possibly know if they aren't. I've heard about materials that were used back in the day as opposed to nowadays that made the pianos sound better, I thought the 20's and 30's were the golden age of piano building! Using better seasoned wood for the soundboard and plank than the timbre used nowadays.
Test 1 Classical : - Yamaha : More emotional, lightness, nostalgia. - Bosendorfer : Elegant, dramatic, pretentious. - Steinway : Melodious, melancholy, quiet strength. For this kind of classical music I prefer the Yamaha. Otherwise for other kinds of classic in general I really like the Steinway or Bosendorfer. But. Sometimes I find the Bosendorfer too "dry" and "classy" and less emotional (Except for action music or the classical music bass etc.) I really like the Yamaha for movie / modern music. Because of its fluidity (and for some music, the Steinway) Test 2 Jazz : - Yamaha : Happy, lightness. - Bosendorfer : Classy and chic. - Steinway : Arrogant, disinterested, free. For jazz I have a great preference for the Steinway.
So the Yamaha fills the room with it's clear and clean, yet a bit "tinny" sound, to my ear, the Steinway just sounds like a "real" piano to me, (ie very balanced,) and the Bosendorfer sounds beautiful but slightly depressive.... I think you need all three, (lol,) and play them according to type of music you have chosen!
In this test I prefer the Steinway. But the acoustic conditions of the rooms the pianos were in will have an impact on the sound. This test was not done under equal terms and is therfore irrelevant. Very nice playing though.
Selber Denken all 3 pianos were in the same room with the same mics and same mic placement. Same recording equipment and same recording levels. I tried to play the pieces with the same dynamics as possible so I would say it’s a fairly controlled environment.
Yes, but they are in different positions in the room, so each will sound different because of the slight difference in acoustics... different relationship to walls. The Bosendorfer is right against the wall. The Yamaha appears to be in the same row but farther from the wall. The Steinway is in what appears to be a more open space with fewer instruments close to it. These things matter a great deal acoustically.
The difference isn't that big, especially in a room like that. I have played on many pianos, and this recording rings true to the general timbre that each brand tends to produce. Yamahas tend to be bright and clear - when I play them, I think of a clear, fast-moving, brook on a sunny day. Steinways and Bosendorfers tend to have richer tones that remind me of chocolate cake (don't ask me why food and water, I have no clue), or a steak smothered in A1, and a cozy seat by a fire in a wooden room decorated with deep reds or greens (along with a cup of hot cocoa).
True. Unless the recordings are made direct injection (which is impossible because these are acoustic instruments) the sound of the room vis-a-vis placement of the instrument will be recorded. Mics also have pick up patterns and so, its position relative to the instrument also affects the recordings, unless an omni is used. Different distances of sound source from mic also will affect the recordings e.g. proximity effect. A recording/audio engineer will be able to give more info on how these work.
I would like to tell you a huge thank you for posting this video. I spent a huge chunk of my 2020 repeatedly listening to various piano brands to learn how to compare them, and your video was one of the most helpful (if not the most helpful) in teaching me how to metaphorically describe them. Thank you!
Based on these 3 recordings, my preference would be Steinway, Bosendorfer then Yamaha. The Bosendorfer is more muted and doesn't sing as loud. Its mellow. The Yamaha sounds too bright and crystal high. The Steinway sounds just right. Of course with the video, the viewer cannot perceive the quality of the key's action and response.
The yamaha sounded like a young energetic kid, the steinway was a well balanced middle aged man, and the Bösendorfer was a warm old man.
Well said, I felt exactly the same!
Mystic_Thing wow this literally describes my feelings towards these pianos!
Nice breakdown
Mystic_Thing
lol :D
Yamaha feels like a 14-year-old energetic sociable extrovert tomboyish girl who speaks, runs and sometimes screams. Total showoff feminist bitches which I hate
Steinway feels like a well balanced girl who isn't shy or a little shy but doesn't talk a lot either. Again hate them
Bösendorfer feels like a womanly, gentle, shy, introvert girl who is shy and usually doesn't talk and if she does, she speaks very quietly. LOVE LOVE LOVE IS IN HERE.
I'm not feminist as someone else said...
Exactly!
I agree that the Yamaha sounds very bright, the bosendorfer very warm and the Steinway is just perfectly balanced. But if you ever played with microphones you would know that moving them just a few inches can drastically change the sound of the recording. Take note that the pianos recorded in this video are not recorded in the same place, th bosendorfer seems to be located in a corner, the steiway in the middle of the room, this is also an important factor... So the video is interesting but not very scientific.
Agreed. The stereo image was kind of screwed up on at least the jazz recording of the Steinway piano as well. So it gives you some idea of the tone of each piano, but not really the full story.
I agree there's lots going on in a recording studio. This demo however was I think pretty good at hearing the diffence.
I feel maybe is also his playing(in the classical one). Don’t get me wrong he’s super talented, but you can clearly see the different between him playing jazz and Chopin. First I thought it was the Yamaha that made the piece sound so bright, but even at the Stainway it sounded kinda of like that
Very good points.
Aye. Putting a speaker - or, indeed, piano - in a corner greatly reinforces the bass. Having said that, Bosendorfers are renowned for being a lot warmer.
The Steinway sounds like what a piano should sound like. The Bosendorfer sounds like what I want MY piano to sound like.
Exactly! Well said. I’m currently wanting my Steinway to sound like a Bosendorfer. Lol
Lol, peculiar way of phrasing it but very true. I personally preferred the Steinway for the first piece, but in the second piece I would argue that the mellow sound of the Bosendorfer better suits songs with any dissonance and gives them an old-fashioned feel
The variability between pianos of a particular solid brand is more important than the brand itself.
You need to find a *good* Steinway or a *good* Bosendorfer or a *good* Yamaha.
The Bosendorfer is also a bigger model than the Steinway here.
yeah samr
And the yamaha is how your piano sounds like.
I like the warm mellow sound of the Bosendofer for ballads and many classical pieces and Yamaha's brightness for jazz, and Steinway to cover it all, I'm sure anyone would be totally happy owning and playing anything on these beautifully crafted pianos.
I agree!
I also agree.
I like the Bosendofer for both. The sound was just more pure. The Yamaha sounds tinny to me, even for the jazz. The Steinway is nice for both, but there seemed to be something lacking.
For easier comparison:
0:32 Yamaha (classical)
1:23 Bösendorfer (classical)
2:14 Steinway (classical)
3:19 Yamaha (jazz)
4:03 Bösendorfer (jazz)
4:47 Steinway (jazz)
Hope that helped.
Thx
This really did help
Its more like ragtime than jazz, thanks for time stamp anyway dude!
It starts out with ragtime, but moves into jazz
Its jazz? I thought it was boogie woogie blues
I’m perfectly capable of making any of these pianos sound terrible!
you are certainly capable of making old jokes.
And you are master of self deprecating humor!
WKWK... like me
LOL. Amen brother!
I wonder if popeye the sailor sounds great on any of these pianos
Yamaha is perfect for open grounds
Steinway is perfect for concert halls
Bosendorfer is perfect in a living room with a high ceiling
Yes!!
Thank you
My ceiling is 3.33 meters high. So i should get a Bosendorfer right? If only i had the money lmao.
Drake said in high ceilings you say? I’ll take one. Puts it in his new mansion
@@100M2B Not really, I was able to score a bosendorfer 170 on facebook marketplace down in south florida in 2018 from an old gentleman, his wife had passed away who played the piano and he was downsizing. He was so impressed with my playing when I came to test it out that he lowered the asking from $10000 to $7000, it was a 1957 model that was in immaculate condition. Just keep your eyes open.
I’ve come to love the sound of Bosendorfers, especially for Beethoven, Schubert and Mozart!
I do love Bosendorfers - but I admit I think of it as a jazz piano (because of Oscar Peterson). You get the 92 and 97 key model and that lower end just adds so much to the bottom, even when you don't hit one of those added keys. Then there's the Australian piano maker Stuart and Sons who have a nine-octave keyboard piano - 108 keys (the Big Beleura). What's ironic is Bosendorfer was inspired to make their 97-key piano so he could transcribe Bach organ works for piano (organs have 9 octave ranges.) Btw, it costs $220,000. For classical music I'm still a Steinway fan, especially the Spirio model.
Yamaha - lively, joyful, bright, loud n clear
Bosendorfer - elegant, deep, dim, muffled, blurry
Steinway - in between ..
I personally liked the Bosendorfer because i am a melancholic person.
Cool. Yes it’s a very personal choice
Yeah, i have a feel for bosendorfer too. But not melancholic.., the deep, warmer sound feels a thud to my being...
Thats literally the austrian spirit hahaha
I love the sound of bosendorfer too. It's calm, deep and warm to me
I closed my eyes because I didn’t think any of them would sound that different, but man! It’s night and day with all three, they have their own unique sound. Simply amazing.
I thinks a lot of it has to do with the voicing of the hammers and Japanese hammers are a lot different from Western European hammers.
I closed my eyes to and listened and didn't know which piano was being played in what order, so when i found the one i thought superior it was the Bosendorfer...
Very cool
@@george40nelson4 I hear the CFX uses german hammers/strings, and a european spruce soundboard🎹🎶
I did the same but the third had by far the best sound , which I guessed correctly . Of course I'm used to the sound of Steinway as it's the piano I hear from the top pianists recordings on the radio and youtube .
@@george40nelson4 Not so much the hammers as overall design.
Bösendorfers use an old technique to create the rim of the piano from solid wood (and the wood-type is the same resonating softer one as the soundboard), while the other brands use laminated hard wood. Also, Steinways have hand-drilled pinboard, so the sound of each key is less precise (which is the reason why all other brands use computer-controlled machines, even when the rest of the piano is handmade).
Yamaha uses metals in many places where other brands use only wood. This is what mostly gives the brighter sound.
There are smaller differences, like the hammer hardness and action structure or string composition, but those give less distinction to the sound.
Welp, I guess I'll have to sell my house and live under my $220k piano.
You can sleep in your piano but you cannot PLAY music WITH your house...i'd sleep UNDER my piano...or downsize into a singlewide, as long as they could get it inside!
Wow so expensive..
Why Do You Need My Nam
You could try to live in it....
@Butterplease
Thanks for the F-140R recommendation. Today synthesizers are GREAT value for money.
And I think the professionals agree, keith emerson, stevie wonder, etc. they played mostly on synthesizers even though they have real pianos, and have the money to buy any piano they want.
Real pianos are like a pagani or bugatti supercar, VERY expensive and complicated, but a luxury you can experience if you can afford it.
There’s just such depth and warmth in the bösendorfer pianos that I can’t get enough of
I can only hear the sound of my wallet crying.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
What your?
LOL
LOL
Yeah ! That true 😂
Bösendorfer was like a beautifully matured bottle of wine.
well, that makes it bad for jazz
Absolutely!
nice
@@africanhistory how so?
I've played a Bosendorfer belonging to an acquaintance of mine. I didn't like it at all. I didn't like the sound or the touch but then it was new so it probably hadn't settled in. I've never played a Steinway (yet) but I have played a Bechstein many years ago. It belonged to the head teacher/owner of the music school I went to from the age of 6 till I was 14. She taught along with two other teachers. Just before the exams or the music festivals we got to play her Bechstein. Loved it then and would love one now. Sadly, the head teacher passed away from old age quite suddenly but I stayed with my teacher until I was 18. Stopped taking lessons until 5 years ago when I bought a new piano and decided I needed lessons again. I just passed my Grade 7 with Distinction a week before Christmas. I'm 65 now.
The pianos are not recorded in the same place, the Bosendorfer was in a corner, the Steiway in the middle of the room, this is also an important factor.
Ahh, thanks for the info!
Yes, I also have the same thought. The sound in a room especially with carpet could make big difference.
Was thinking exactly the same, also these pieces are not best played at the tunes they are tuned too... Also my own personal taste though I really felt ill hearing him play so harsh and rough... Chopin would have never played that harshly, his music was mostly written in 422.6, least from what I read and notice.
Absolutely for the most fair judgement all three should be placed in the same spot in the room
Absolutely. Also the stereo image of the recording of the Bosendorfer was different than for the Steinway and Yamaha, you can even see the microphones set up at a different angle for the Bosendorfer. It seems for the Bosendorfer they unfortunately set up the microphones to where it impacts negatively on the stereo image and therefore perception overall.
I love the Bosendorfer. The sort of soft muted sound it makes is just incredibly lovely and would sound amazing with a lot of my favorite songs to play. Such as kiss the rain by Yiruma. But Yamaha is also really nice.
It reminds me most of a good Gerard Heinzman from the late 1800s or early 1900s. That same mellow undertone that just works. Years ago the Catholic School Board in Hamilton, Ontario broke up a dozen Gerard Grand pianos for firewood as nobody would take them for free. 10% of the cost of the least expensive of these would have netted a piano equal to if not better than these expensive modern instruments.
Bösendorfer is dark and alluring, Yamaha is sparkling and attractive.. Steinway you take home to your mum.
You bring a unique beauty to all the three. Fabulously described. Some discernment. Stay Blessed and Stay Healthy, Danyele.
NOT True!! I played Bösendorfer and it's bright like Yamaha in real live. Bot it got more bass and "air". I played also at Steinway and really hate this brand. If you want to know which "big name" piano's brand is really dark and dull I will tell you: Bechstein (but got best mechanics - keys action is a charm)
Danyele Borsellino What you said about the Bösendorfer makes it more appealing for jazz for me. Jazz as a musical form was developed on crappy pianos in seedy bars and saloons, and IMO loses some of its unique flavor when played on the sonically more precise Steinway versus the Bösendorfer.
I had to play a Bosendorer for a TV recording. A fine piano, but it had one problem. It was their largest model with a keyboard which went down to bottom C. That meant that the name-plate was not in it's usual position related to the middle octave. I had never realised how much we rely on the geography of a piano telling us at a glance where we are on the keyboard. I told the sound engineers about the problem. They said that other pianists had told them the same thing and covered the name-plate with black tape. After that we were fine.....
@@johnmitchell4838 you are pulling our legs, aren't you:) Who is looking at the keyboard after 20+ years of play? :)
I like the fact that altough Bösendorfer has been a wholy-owned subsidiary of Yamaha for the last 13 years, Yamaha themselves have given Bösendorfer almost free reign when it comes to production and design and greatly value the Austrians' input and requests. Sure, there is some general guidance and marketing by the parent company, but Bösendorder themselves remain relatively independent when it comes to manufacturing and maintaining their own products. The headquarters remain in Vienna and every Bösendorfer piano is handcrafted to meticulous detail and quality control there. Plus, it must be great for Bösendorfer to have access to Yamaha's supply chains.
Essentially, Bösendorfer is to Yamaha what Lamborghini is to VW and that is a good thing.
There’s a sophistication and refinement with the Bösendorfer that’s irresistible.
Well said
I would agree, Bösendorfer has just a gorgeously rich and refined sound. The Yamaha is almost shrill by comparison.
Bösendorfer wins by a mile ( or an octave?). The Steinway and Yamaha both sound too shrill- although I have played all three and always was pleased with the Steinway and Bösendorfer- not so much the Yamaha, whose sound is almost manufactured in timbre.
Of the Steinway and Bösendorfer- I would pick the Bösendorfer for my home and small theatres, and the Steinway for a large concert hall. Let me know when you’re ready to ship, and I will email you my address!
I strongly disagree, because there is no way jazz on a Bosendorfer sounds as good as a Yamaha. The Steinway is the more balanced piano. I think people pick based Bosendorfer for reasons beyond those we can hear. Just like someone picks a Patek over a Rolex, to go against popular opinion.
The Bösendorfer is so warm. Lovely tone.
The Bosendorfer for me. I think an important factor to consider is application. Where will it be played? Who’s singing on top of it?
Honestly speaking, i liked the Bosendorfer better for its "immersive and richer" sound compared to the other two.
me too
Leonard Bernstein played the Bosendorfer in concerts and owned one.
Well said.
Well depend on the song. Bosendorfer maybe not as good if you play jazz or modern pop music
I agree with you completely.
The Bosendorfer beats the Steinway with the law of diminishing returns and actually sounded the best to my ear. The Steinway sounded more balanced but not a hundred thousand dollars more worth of balance.
Exactly what I thought
Arts cannot be quantified with an economics theory.
The Steinway would definately effect your bank balance.
True,,, price that U can build a House with Garden for a Family with.
Regardless of price, my vote also goes to the Bosendorfer
The Bösendorfer is honestly the best. Having played all three types in person it also has a deepness that doesn't come through the records that the other pianos don't have. This was an imperial grand though.
Well I found the Bass from the Bosendorfer very dirty and mixed. Notes from this piano aren´t clean what so ever specially the Bass. Yamaha is clean all the way but Bass is very weak. Steinway is perfect from the deep strong clean bass hearing all thunder notes to the crips detailed and smooth highs.
@@brunoampm1 i personally think the borsendorfer is great for unplugged live vocal performances, especially for ladies. yamaha grand more suited for an orchestration's performance and the Steinway, good enough all on its own.
I got your point of view... but I am very audiophile and perfectionist and I can assure you that in all this situations the all perfect Steinway notes and volumes each note produces especially in the bass department is essential to get the best results! I like and respect you opinion though... great opinion
@@brunoampm1 totally respect your opinion :-) Tori Amos and her bosendorfer makes a lethal combination!
@@brunoampm1 I agree with your assessment. Bosendorfers typically have muddy bass compared to a Steinway or a Yamaha.
They all sounded beautiful, but since I have some industrial deafness, the Yamaha was more exciting to me with it's more high pitched trebles.
I would happily eat dinner to all of them.
This made me think that a best quality electric keyboard with the frequency adjustment is where I'll head.
The Yahama is sharp and bright, The Bosendorfer is round and deep. The Steinway is vanilla and neutral.
I agree!!!! Great comment!!
Yahama?
That's pretty much my tough! I like the response (attack) of the Yamaha!
Yes. But Bossen is the best in the jazz
Lol yup vanilla
I have grown up on a Steinway grand since I was 13 months old. They are my favorite because I am deaf and it lets me feel the vibrations and the beat.
HiDeaf 2004 yesssss!!! This is EXACTLY why i love steinway!!! It's vibrations are so alluring
HiDeaf 2004 Hi are you really or your name is deaf.
How do you even enjoy playing music if you’re deaf?
@@squidwardstesticles5914 he legit just said he feels the vibrations deadass
ayy lmao okay but feeling vibrations isn’t fun (unless...well you know). If he/she was born deaf, they wouldn’t know what those vibrations represent
Not really a valid test. The Bösendorfer was in the corner of the room which drastically changed the acoustics and reverb hitting the microphone.
One of many reasons it isn’t a valid test.
@Dapunta Angkasa That's exactly why it should have to be in the middle like the others. It's quite simply an unfair advantage.
No doubt true, but the initial soundwave would have hit the mic first. Any difference we hear and it's quite immediate is from their inability whether it be skill, software or inefficient hardware to edit that out. A piano in the middle of a sound room does alot of that work passively. I agree with your statement yet feel that this is a great opportunity to learn the tonal qualities at the very least. There is a slight impact from the room's acoustic qualities but it isn't to the point where we are unable to differentiate that at the very least.
You make a great point. I would like to hear all three on the same stage in identical settings. Also microphone placement can make a great deal of difference.
I've heard several Bosendorfers, and they all sound extremely mellow to my ear, similar to the one here. While I can certainly appreciate the difference acoustics of a room, I still believe this test was relatively accurate and honest.
My college had all 3 on our recital stage. I loved the touch of the Yamaha, the sound of the Steinway, and the quirkiness of the Bosendorfer.
Watching this with my 5 dollars headphones
2 dollars *
Speakers
The ear/brain is so amazing that you can tell the difference even on the crappiest audio system.
LOL...The irony 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
200 dollars (audio technica m50x)
The warm and full sound of the Bösendorfer is my love.
I've been a concert pianist for over 50 years. Each Piano has it's own distinct merits. I've played on really good Steinways and bad ones. I've played where a Yamaha had blown away a Bosendorfer, visa-versa etc.... Si, it rally comes down to the actual instrument. However, when playing for a concert even though I prefer the sound of a Bosendorfer over the other two, I would always choose a 'good' Steinway because of reliability. The sound of a Steinway is a kind of mix between a Bosendorfer and a Yamaha but, once again, it's down to the instrument.
I enjoyed the Yamaha better but I still voted for Steinway because of reliable reputation.
Melinda Mills that, my friend, is called effective branding.
Bösendorfer has that incredible base. Yamaha seems to be more bright on top and mello on the bottom. Steinway is a all rounded sound. As stated they can out do each other in different things or places but they are all built different. I personally like the bösendorfer, it works well with classic and new music. I also just like the great power behind the bösendorfer base... I just like base😶
Yup, 3 identical pianos can sound very different. Tuning voicing and regulation are everything. Of these 3? Bosendorfer.
Roger, what do you mean by reliability? If you refer to keys action and mechanics - Bechstein is for you:). Each Bösendorfer I heard/played got it's "special" signature. Worse/better depending on piece but you will never mix Bösendorfer with any other. As far as I know they use special alloy with "secret" proportion of the iron for the frame, that's perhaps it got this "dingle" in the sound.
What I hear at first as a classical pianist is:
Yamaha has a clear and bright voice that is very desirable when playing etudes.
Bösendorfer has a warm tone combined with a bass that sounds unique and would be appropriate for cantabile playing in the middle register.
Steinway explicitly pulls out more resonance and enharmonic qualities. Excavating the voices that usually only the trained pianist hears to the audience.
In an ideal world I would have a Yamaha for practice, a Bösedofer for playing Liszt, Bartok, Rachmaninoff and Beethoven. As to utilize the percussive base and passionate tone. Then have a Steinway for performance of Bach, Mozart, Chopin and Debussy... In order to use the magic in the harmonic resonance to highlight the genius chord progressions and singing melodies.
This is just my humble opinion.
Thanks for sharing your humble yet wise opinion. I wish I had all three too. Depends on the day and how I'm feeling which one I'd choose.
I see what you mean, but the Steinway can cover what the others do with no problem. You can pour notes through a Steinway like no other, and each one glistens with individual sweetness, like a shower of candy. I assure you, Beethoven wouldn't mind you playing his sonatas on a Steinway.
I was thinking the same whole time, that's amazing wow...
Here's my take on all three, both as a pianist and as a sound engineer.
The bright tone and presence of Yamaha pianos make them excellent picks for rock and other modern styles, wherein they can sit perfectly in a mix without too much adjustment. Steinway pianos have a balance between Bosendorfer's refinement and Yamaha's liveliness which proves fertile for jazz music. And whilst I'm sure you're right about which composers sound good on Bosendorfer and which ones sound better on Steinway, I will say that Bosendorfer pianos have a dark, rich tone that makes them a serviceable all-round pick for recording orchestral material.
I can't believe I agree so much!
Steinway in my opinion is like a mix of Yamaha and bosendorfer s
Cool. Thanks for voting!
Jacob Koller / The Mad Arranger no problem!
Gwyneth Chloe Gilana I was just thinking that while listening to the video. The Steinway has some of the brightness of the Yamaha and some of the muted haunting quality of the Bosendorfer. I like it the best out of the three.
Yes. The Bosendorfer is definitely the most mellow of the three, but the Steinway seems to have more depth than the other two.
Yep...the Boze is deep and heavy..the yam is bright and sharp!
I would say Yamaha is for energetic pieces like Mozart's. Steinway & Sons is for class like Chopin's. And Bösendorfer is for deep music like Beethoven's. Agree?
I think Rachmaninoff or Scriabin would sound good on the Bösendorfer, Beethoven would probably fit the most on a Steinway
It's 2 am in Belgium and I just found out that Yamaha is my favorite. Thank you so much
All of them sound great compared to my piano
our 13 year old yamaha upright sounds slightly like the bosendorfer than its original yamaha sound now. The hammers are worn, hasn't been tuned in a year and general wear and tear. Other than a service 6 years ago it hasn't been touched since other than biannual tunings. Love how it's been maturing with our family. Even if we decide one day to get a really expensive baby grand or even a top of the line keyboard i don't think we'll ever sell it.
Very funny
😂😂😂😂
@Sojiro Shimbo: What brings a moron like you to a video like this?
*Cries in crappy keyboard*
I'm a musician so this guy is touching my heart right now. He obviously spent a huge portion of his life in front of the keys. Thanks brother! Keep playing. Our hearts need that in this pandemic right now.
The Yamaha was definitely the brightest sounding and the Bosendorfer had the most mellow sound to it. The Steinway to me captured both pieces exceptionally well as it took the best of the other two and met right in the middle. Very impressive!
- I agree ! :-)
@@aBachwardsfellow me toooo!
for energetic piece, yamaha is better.
My Piano
ua-cam.com/video/U42KgH2OCiA/v-deo.html
The Yamaha did not have the warmth and character of the other two.
They all sounded great. Its a matter of personal taste.
Personally I liked the bosendorfer best. A very mature warm sound.
Also, great skill!
Yamaha: Very bright, crisp
Steinway: Deep, and rich sounding
Bosendorfer: Very rich and mellow
Depends on what sound you're after. I'd probably go with the Yamaha because I like the bright and crisp sound.
Yamaha prefer for faster rock, jazz and pop
Steinway all round piano
Bosendorfer prefer for sensual, minor octaves
@@tihomirrasperic Agreed, Steinway a lil confused though
I love that! Yamaha is increíble
Bosendorfer is my Fav
bro literally what would i express... agreed I could say steinway is all-rounded
I prefer the Bosendorfer. Deeper, darker, mellower tone. Bass sound that goes miles deep, but also has a quick decay (perfect for both classical and jazz), with a mellow sweetness in the treble that is not hard or glassy like the Steinway (or to lesser extent, the Yamaha).
All depends on what you want. The Steinway sound is brighter, more clangorous, with more overtones (at least, to my ears). The Bosendorfer is much "cleaner" - perfect for jazz pianists or classical musicians who specialize in the pre-Romantic repertoire.
The Bosendorfer is the most distinct sounding of the 3, as the Steinway and Yamaha have a similar tonal profile. It (the Bosendorfer) is the warmest, cleanest, and deepest toned. I would describe it as having a "linear" sound. Clean from bass to treble but also distinct from register to register. Thus, the bass notes/chords are nicely set-off against the mids and treb. The Steinway & Yamaha don't have as much distinction in tone color between the registers, so the sound is more homogenous from low to high notes. If the Steinway has a tone that is a mile wide, the Bosendorfer's is a mile deep.
Hard to express tone color in words. But I think the differences between the 3 are audible and obvious. If it sounds like I vastly prefer the Bosendorfer, well, that's right, I do. But that is no knock on Yamaha or Steinway, and both sound lovely here. I just prefer that cleaner, deeper sound. Backhaus, Gulda, Badura-Skoda, Annie Fischer, Walter Klien all preferred Bosendorfers. It is generally more popular in Central Europe, and also among jazz pianists (Gulda being a famous cross-over).
Would have been cool to hear a C. Bechstein in this comparison...very distinct sound on that piano, almost bell-like. Baldwin would have been another interesting profile. Many today tout the Fazoli, which to my ears sounds like a cross between a Bosendorfer and a Steinway (clean like a Bosendorfer, but bright like a Steinway).
Yamaha too bright, Bosendorfer too warm/dark...Steinway the best, right in the middle soundwise
SpaghettiKillah thanks for voting and sharing your opinion.
The one I enjoyed the most was Bosendorfer then Steinway and then Yamaha even though all of them are pretty close but for me the clear winner is bosendorfer
Spanish Moustache No. i'm sayin' that because I also play piano and that's my PERSONAL preference sound wise.
When I shopped around for my piano I tried a Yamaha and a Kaway...same price. Couldn't stand the sound of the Yamaha, too bright.
So I ended up with a Kawai.
Rui Silva in the end it comes down to personal preferences. They're all great pianos.
Spanish Moustache That’s quite ignorant to say. I’ve played piano for years and I can clearly hear difference between different brands. And has the thought came across to you that maybe, just maybe a higher price could equal high quality sound?? Maybe that’s the point of a high price.
The Bosendorfer sounds so delicate, I don't know how they manage to build such an amazing instrument ❤
I've always liked the more mellow tone of the Bosendorfer and I stand my ground after hearing your tests.
*__________Yamaha_______Bosendorfer_______Steinway*
Song 1 ....... 0:35 ....................... 1:27 ................... 2:18
Sond 2 ....... 3:20 ...................... 4:03.................... 4:46
All of them are nice. All of them have a different style and character.
Different songs will fit better on the different piano.
In the perfect world an Ai piano with real hammer keys would be able to simulate all of them on the digital piano.
*SoNg* *sOnG*
I just had the craziest Idea when you said that. WHAT IF....you make a piano with a revolver like mechanism that can switch between a sortiment of maybe 3 or 4 different strings?
@@LionHrodgari just try it then
""Song""
I liked the Saints go marching jazz song the best
Yamaha - Perfect for parties
Bosendorfer - Perfect for lounge music
Steinway - Perfect for concert halls
Steinway…..perfect for my home……..
@@johnhorvath3219 my walllet….not so much
pretty much, except Yamaha - perfect for home of regular/average piano students
@@OoiYunKai Also Elton John. All of his performances that he played in recent memory were always Yamaha.
Bosendorfer can be use for concert hall?
The microphone position was different, as was the location of the piano in the room, which has a lot of impact on the sound. Yamaha and Steinway sounded rather bright. Bosendorfer was richer and warmer - my favorite
That Bosendorfer has the fullest sound of the three. It has a nice pair of balls to it, I love it.
Thanks for the comment!
actually i find it a bit muddy. i prefer the steinway
I'm not even sure how to play chopsticks, but to this untrained pair of ears, the bosendorfer (sp) has the richest sound.
@@lyon7697 That's the recording, NOT the keyboard irl. I've played with one. They're DARK, NOT muddy, tho.
I LIKE dark. I seek it out. I like Bose speakers as they do great with bass frequencies.
I vote for the Bosendorfer. Gives me a homey, nostalgic vibe that I love.
Same vibe with me
For Chopin, it is definitely the best one. But when it comes to jazz, I find the Yamaha's color and "taste" more interesting!
Exactly same feeling….😌
it sounds too dim/muffled(?) to me, but i really like the steinway
Same
My impressions is : Bosendorf is more deep and serius sound. I preferer....
@RpM_Evan and *impression and *prefer
@@ShukaHusk
Pretty sure English is not this guy’s first language. Chill out, it’s a UA-cam comments section, not Oxford University.
I guess I was expecting the differences in tones to be extremely subtle, since I’m not a musician, but wow, I think anyone could hear big differences between the three. Steinway seems to capture the widest range of musical styles and genres. But, of course, it really comes down to what your requirements are as a musician.
The steinway has such great clarity and dynamic range. The Yamaha is brighter and the bosendorfer has a richer warmer tone but the steinway covers the whole range
I have to agree. I didn’t want to like the Steinway best-I wanted to be surprised! I guess there’s a reason why they have their reputation 🤷🏻♀️.
0:32 yamaha
1:23 borsendorfer
2:15 steinway & sons
Test 1 Classical
Yamaha 0:35
Bosendorfer 1:27
Steinway 2:18
Test 2 Jazz
Yamaha 3:20
Bosendorfer 4:03
Steinway 4:46
Position and direction of your mics looks different throughout the recording and that also plays a HUGE role in sound quality, but I preferred the Bosendorfer overall. Each had a noticeable difference. Steinway resonates so much more than that of the others and maintains more overtones. STILL going with the Bosendorfer.
My thoughts exactly!
Even position in the room will change the recording.
I also thought the mic placement was not fully consistent. That combined with where the pianos were in the room makes me feel like we can't really get the best sense of the differences.
Just rewatched. It looks like the Bosendorfer had only one mic and the other two had two mics. And the positions are all different, as far as I can tell.
The Yamaha didn't have the richness of the other two. The upper register of the Bösendorfer sounded too bright. I liked the Steinway best, but I admit to being biased, since that's the piano I played the most when I performed.
The Yamaha sounds sharp in a Way and the bosendorfer sounds very round and the Steinway is right in the middle.
I like the Steinway the Best.
Lottie392 Agreed with you
agreed
I'm with you. It's definitely between the Steinway and the Yamaha, and I think if I had to pick a single winner it'd be the Steinway. The Bosendorfer seems like it would be good for something dark and smooth, but not so much for jazz.
They're all individuals, tho.
Why?
"Wood never forgets it used to be a tree."
For me the bosendofer has the more refined and elegant sound, definitely its my fav piano for classical but it lacks the bite for Jazz. The Steinway on the other hand has that bite and that bite/flair is more rich and elegant than the yamaha imo.
kaputasri thanks for voting and sharing your thoughts!
It sounds muffled. If you can’t tell, then you’re not a pianist.
Okay sir beethoven I respect your opinion.
Ludwig Van Beethoven Yeah, it's kinda muffled but on the other hand it's very powerful and convincing in the low registers. Great for e.g. Rachmaninow but Bad for Jazz.
economyboy terrible for Beethoven and Mozart and definitely Bach
i´d take any of these if i´d have the money
I hear you!. It's like choosing between a Porsche, Lamborghini or Ferrari.
Sameee
and the space to put it in my house without having to throw out my dinner table
and the space
Anyone wanna donate $120,000 - $225,000 bucks for me to buy a piano? 😂 I'd be playing music 24/7 if I had one
Piano hammers can be voiced by a technician to sound brighter or more mellow. Pianos are meant to be voiced to the room they are played in. Voicing can DRAMATICALLY change the tone of an instrument. This is one demonstration and we have no idea how those pianos are voiced. Steinway tends to lacquer their hammers for a brighter tone and many technicians voice them down a bit once the piano finds a home. Any piano can be made to sound warmer or brighter. It’s all about finding a knowledgeable piano technician.
I’ve always been impressed by the quality of most Bosendorfers that I’ve played (there was one upright that didn’t blow me away).. Its low and high range have a pure, ringing tone. It’s a beautiful sound.
Just curious if you ever played the 92 or the 97 key versions and what you thought of them.
The Yamaha’s high notes were the most vibrant and I thought too “pingie” for classical music.
The Bōsendorfer was a welcome relief to my ears with soothing deep and middle sound.
The Steinway had the most mellow tone. Before making a decision, I’ll have to listen again to piano #1 and piano #2.
Bosendorfer sounds very warm and deep, Yamaha sounded bright and the Jazz song came alive with it. The Steinway and Sons just sounded well balance between the two. I'm sure in the right setting and environment they will all sound phenominal.
It's not as simple as that: I once visited two music colleges in England. They both had several Steinways and several Bösendorfers, but in one college all the Steinways were brighter than the Bösendorfers (as I expected), but in the other it was the other way round. I put that down to the voicing.
In any case I don't agree that Bösendorfers, (Hamburg) Steinway and Yamaha are necessarily the top three: Bechstein, Blüthner, Fazioli, Grotrian-Steinweg and Shigeru Kawai, deserve consideration. Lists on Google also suggest Baldwin, Mason and Hamlin, Sauter, Schimmel and Steingräber, which in my opinion can't compete with my top eight. A couple of lists also mentioned Cavendish, Feurich, Förster, Petrof, Pleyel, Samick and Young Chang,, all of which I would put in the third division.. I've never played or heard a Stuart, so I can't express an opinion about them. an interesting comparison for me is between Yamaha and Kawai. The former has a translucent bell-like quality, which can sometimes come across as tinny, and I'd tend to think that Kawai generally have the edge, out of the two.
Not that I agree with you on everything but I do think people should go beyond just Steinway as some standard and Yamaha as another but with different characteristics. Those other brands you mentioned make great-sounding pianos and great actions as well. I've not heard a Stuart either, not live anyway, and would love to hear one live.
btw, I can't decide on Kawai or Yamaha but Kawais are seriously great pianos that aren't known by enough people and the Shigeru SK6 to SK-EX are some great pianos. But I do love some Yamaha SX and CFs I've heard while others were just OK. But it's that way with a lot of pianos.
“I would like to buy the Bösendorfer please.„
Bösendorfer. I just prefer the deeper sound it gives. Maybe my taste is very simple as I’m no music expert but there is no wrong answer here.
Cool. Yeah they are all great.
I think Mozart pieces would sound good on the Yamaha,
Debussy and Chopin pieces on the Bösendorfer,
and Liszt pieces on the Steinway.
not all of chopins peices would be on mosendorfer in my opinion
Next time have Jerry Lee Lewis test run those bad boys!
More importantly, which would do justice for Scott Joplin's Ragtime?
@@RobertTolppi It wasnt Bechstein? Debussy's favorite brand as well
What about Bieber?
I've once practised firstly with a Yamaha grand piano and then on a simply gorgeous Bosendorfer 280VC in my music school. I also have a Yamaha at my place so I can say that I'm more familiar with its tonal personality. As soon as I started playing the Bosendorfer right after playing the Yamaha my first thought was: "Did someone put a mute onto this piano?". I guess this shows nothing more than how massively significant the difference between the two brands was. When I played a number of Gershwin on the Yamaha, it was bright and colourful. It felt like fireworks were coming out of the piano! My thought is that the Yamaha is perfect for sprightly, relaxed occasions (e.g. The Entertainer - Scott Joplin). I find the Yamaha to be a bit of a wild horse when it comes to romantic pieces such as Chopin due to its hyperactive personality. Whereas when I played the same number of Gershwin on the Bosendorfer, it sounded more laid back, as if it's a bit too modest to show off its tonality. However, no one should take it lightly when first coming upon it, as its bass notes are a beast to behold. In my opinion, the Bosendorfer's humble personality is the perfect suit for romantic pieces. I've recently went to a showroom to try out a Steinway and Sons Model D, and I instantly fell in love with it. And it was then that I understood why so many world-class concert halls around the globe bestow this piano to grace their stages. The piano was stunningly versatile, and I felt like I was playing out of a live professional recording! I also felt like the piano had no problems understanding and interpreting the touch of my fingers when I play a piece, resulting in perfectness of how I imagined the piece the sound for such a long time in my mind. In conclusion, I would choose a Steinway and Sons, but if only I ever had the opportunity to own one of each brand and select which would be best for specific events... that is my ultimate dream if I make it to be a concert pianist!
Bosendorfer has a unique character, I loved it. It comes down to personal choice because all the three are premium brands and sound fantastic.
LOVE 'the bright' YAMAHA, MAN! (and Im a Julliard-Grad... Navy-Musician.. much worn, much accomplished, Studio-keyboardist. played 'em ALL!!!). YAMAHA DEFINITELY.. POSITIVELY the "funnest" to play - *people* just respond better to!! 2nd: STEINWAY... of course!
I think that the position in the room is doing a difference as well here... but still, you can clearly perceive that each one of them has its own distinctive sound. Nice comparison! (I probably prefer the Bosendorfer, I like that glue in the mid-low register)
Exactly. The position in the room and also the position of the microphones, especially noticeable on the Steinway recording, which picked up a lot of room sound. Still a nice comparison.
Steinway are made for concert halls and flexibility to be able to play multiple registres for different pianist. The thing is that when you are a concert hall you don't have 10 grand piano at 220k so you chose wisely which one to buy.
But... the thing that is not counted is that there is a lot of parameter that can be changed and are changed on demand of the musician. Because each has its habitude. They might sound different if they were parametered differently.
I think the Bosendorfer wins the ticket for both! The upper notes sound less tingly, and more smooth. The deep notes come out more, and feel more connected!
Thanks for sharing your opinion!
Yeah I love the Bosendorfer's bass so much.
Pianoman B. Vvvv
My observation also,
It’s literally muffled so much compared to the others
I’ve performed on both S and B concert grand. It’s a shame he didn’t mention the action of all 3. The Steinway’s action is incomparable! The sound on it: crystal clear, where you can show off articutation without being tinny on the higher register, nor being muffled in the lower register. A no brainer for “classical” music.
If a more muted sound is your thing, no poblem, just buy a cheaper piano. A win-win situation.
In essence, we have The Three Bears children's story here - There are three great pianos that will fit the needs of three different pianists. The Yamaha is very icy and shrill, but would sound out perfectly in a loud noise floor environment, i.e. airport terminal or a night club with talking patrons. The Bose is a bit dark but perfect for those pianists with commanding technique who could draw the brightness out of it. I've played many different Steinway pianos and have found them to be quite varied in their tonal output. This Steinway sounds clear, clean and precise. Overall, I prefer not only the clear, balanced tonal aspect of most Steinways that I've played but also because the keyboard action is so incredibly delicate and responsive: It's like touching warmed butter.
- AMEN! :-)
If I ran a recording studio, I'd put a Yamaha in there. If I had a concert hall I'd put a Steinway on the stage. I'd take the Bosendorfer home to play for myself.
That would be ideal!
Best categorization I've read. I agree
Bosendorfer was warm all over and pleasant to ears; Yamaha and Steinway were bright in general and especially bright in the higher ranges. I prefer Bosendorfer. It must be those 500 hours spent building it by hand. Thanks for the side by side. Please do a comparison of a different price range, maybe including Petrof?
Jakob, you are absolutely incredible! Thank you so much, but all three were amazing because you were playing them!
First off --- HOLY CROW ! I had no idea that a grand piano costs that much ! Wow ! The Steinway had a fuller richer sound -- it sounded perfect for the classical song.
The Bosendorfer sounded dull at first - then I realized it had a darker sound to it, which isn't bad -- it sounded great and the best for the jazz piece.
Grand pions cn be much more expensive than this if you buy a bigger concert grand piano.
The 325 kg Steinway A-188 in this test is a 6'2'' / 188 cm (hence the name A-188) long salon grand / parlor grand / boudoir grand piano, so rather small compared to concert grand pianos.
The 500 kg Steinway D-274 (8'2'' / 274 cm) is their flagship model, meant for big concert halls and is much more expensive than their A-188. I think D-274 can be had for about $300,000 in standard black finish, but it's hard to even google a price for D-274, you often have to request a price and the price also varies depending of the finish you choose. Often they are just rented for big concerts or belong in big concert halls like Carnegie Hall.
Sizewise the A-188 is right in the middle of Steinway's grand piano lineup with and 3 larger models and 3 smaller models (their smallest baby grand piano S-155 is 5'1'' / 155 cm long).
According to Wikipedia an estimate from 2003 suggested that more than 90 percent of concert grand pianos worldwide are D-274. So Steinway almost has a monopoly for the very large "concert grand piano" category.
RIP Yamaha right
Bösendorfer piano, that's a sound i like
CLP Yamaha digital pianos offer Boesendorfer samples at 1/26th the price.
Investing for Tomorrow
Digital samples don’t do much justice to the actual sound of a live grand piano, much less a Bösendorfer. Not to say that digital pianos aren’t good, they can be very good. If you want to buy a digital piano, go for Kawai. Their key action and feel is far superior to their competitors.
@@InvestingForTomorrow24 Digital pianos sound like crap.
and kawai worked their mechanism with Bechstein
No, they sound as good as the pianist playing them
Steinway sounded like default piano tone, the Bosendorfer sounded like those expensive records, and Yamaha sounded like every piano in the east asia
Yamaha is bright, bösendorfer is soft & mellow, and steinway is in a mid (the balance one). It depends on the songs that we want to play, these 3 pianos are so unique!
There is no *best* piano. That is beyond ridiculous. While highly consistent, each brand's offerings can be set up differently to sound different. I play in an orchestra for a living, and we own four 9' Steinways, two 9' Bösendorfers (with the extended low range) and two 9' Yamahas. Every one of them is different in touch/response/timbre/color/weight/sustain/etc. One of the Steinway pianos is perfect for Haydn and Mozart, while it sucks for Beethoven. We have one that is particularly good for the concerti of Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky. We have one for Gershwin. They all do well at what they have been selected for, and not so good for other styles or genres. We used the Mozart Steinway on a program this weekend, for Bernstein, Adams and Stravinsky. It worked and sounded the best in the orchestra with the lid removed. That is right, some of these only see use in the ensemble, some are only for use as a solo instrument. All of them are different because they are set up that way. I prefer the Bösendorfers for Brahms and Beethoven, but our principal pianist assures me that one of the Steinways is better for those works. It is all a matter of taste. The real differences in these brands is assembly and materials; the end results are always excellent, and again, a piano can be set up to order, with variations in the sound board, the action, etc. These are not Baldwin or Kwai uprights in some old lady's living room. At this level there is no *best* brand, just different brands. They all three are top notch. (However, in recent years Steinway has started using some plastic internal bits that I think are going to be a long term mistake for them. Just an observation from an orchestral musician of 26 years.)
It is definitely a matter of personal taste.
Bravo. I was just thinking it all depends on how an individual instrument is voiced.
All excellent points... Add to that the fact that if the microphones are placed even a little differently when moving from piano to piano, the recording is going to sound different, and also that most people are listening to these hyper-expensive pianos on $30 computer speakers, and the whole point of the video becomes kind of silly. That said, I actually enjoyed it anyway.
I think at this level of play it comes to every instrument. Not just piano. One simply need right instrument for chosen type of music.
Can I just add that most of the audience who come to classical music concerts aren’t musicians and don’t have trained ears and the sound won’t matter that much as long as it’s still good
Selling my car to drive my piano
And getting to nowhere :-(
Lol 😂
Weird flex but ok
more like selling my house
Selling my piano to play my car
Bosendorfer sounded the best to me 🤷♀️
Bosendorfer was the best
Same here. Love the Bose.
I agree however I love to hear the sound of that Steinway in "that's the way it is". But for everyday use I'll take Bosendorfer.
Yes,got one and its the best thing I ever got. Something so special and emotionally uplifting. It makes my heart sing.
Me too
The Yamaha had the most sterile sound of them all, while German pianos have that soft reverberation to them. Especially the Bösendorfer is great for jazz due to that, because the reverberation makes it sound "cozy" and "heartwarming".
Steinway amazingly enough has both the clean sound *and* gentle reverberation.
To me, Steinway and Yamaha are a good fit for classical pieces, Yamaha for sonatas, Steinway for ballads preferably.
Bösendorfer is Austrian btw
Yamaha probably the best for rock music, notably Elton John since that’s his favorite brand.
My humble opinion:
1) Steinway (full harmony and very well balanced sound)
2) Boesendorfer ( somewhat dark and heavy)
3) Yamaha (Classic: Empty and weak / Jazz: Perhaps the best!)
NB: Had an old Boesendorfer when lived back in Vienna, the sound was much better than this one!
Like your comparison, great job.
Thank you for voting and sharing your thoughts!
That's how I feel about all Yamaha instruments. They have a very flat response so to speak and are great for students but once you get good you need a real instrument with character.
Dark but warm... even for jazz you need warm notes otherwise it is easely boring. No steinway on stage, never!
Yamaha's tone is pretty much bright.
They all sound naturally different but the placement of the piano in the location of the room makes a big difference and in this case the Bosendorfer was placed in the corner of the room so it sounded more "warm". Low frequencies are augmented the closer you are to a wall, and corners "double" this effect. The Jazz piece was nice!
We can still get an idea whats going on , brain is a sophisticated thing
- so - this was a comparison of these three instruments in this room - and we're expected to make a "brand" decision about which "brand" is the best ? Not at all realistic or conclusive. It would be possible for a technician to alter all of them to darken the Yamaha (soften the hammers), brighten the Bosendorfer (harden the hammers), and destroy the Steinway by over-hardening the hammers so it sounds like the Yamaha.
Here's an interesting example of just how different pianos of the same brand can sound -- due to who knows what factors - hammer felts, contact points, string scaling, sound board, etc. etc. :
ua-cam.com/video/yW6O8shL_R8/v-deo.html
@@aBachwardsfellow well yes, you have a good point, but then obviously the channel needs content, and enough people are interested in "such" a comparison.
It is true but pianos placement would never sound so differently. Well I found the Bass from the Bosendorfer very dirty and mixed. Notes from this piano aren´t clean what so ever specially the Bass. Yamaha is clean all the way but Bass is very weak. Steinway is perfect from the deep strong clean bass hearing all thunder notes to the crips detailed and smooth highs. It is the most expensive but there is a lot of technology evolved on it.
Surely it's all a matter of taste, some old pianos may be 'better', also if you're a good player you can make any piano sound great, the actions on higher priced pianos may be the only factor that makes a difference, if the action is really well made its easier to play more musically I will say I have experience of playing some expensive grands and the actions are superior and make playing piano a more pleasurable experience, people listening I have found don't care what piano it is you're playing on though lol, so it's very personal to you the pianist.
You are exactly right. It's a personal preference. Each pianist has their own ideal sound and which instrument helps them achieve that will vary from pianist to pianist.
Each Stienway, Bosendorfer, and Yamaha piano is also individually constructed. In other words, it is not always a guarantee that one piano will feel or sound equally to another -even from the same manufacturer. This is why most concert pianists play the instrument first, choosing the one best for them.
Mark Fowler as my teacher used to say, any fool can play a piano, but it takes a musician to make music.
No he's not 'exactly' right....
A beaten up piano played well will sound far from great. Also I thought your suggestion that we should decide which was best was ludicrous. The way the piano feels to play is a huge part of it and on top of that we don't hear the pianos, we hear a digitally compressed version of the audio that's been recorded... That said I enjoyed the video
a british guy I said old piano, not beaten up old piano... And some antique or older pianos made decades or centuries ago may be beautiful and inspiring in their own ways, how could you possibly know if they aren't. I've heard about materials that were used back in the day as opposed to nowadays that made the pianos sound better, I thought the 20's and 30's were the golden age of piano building! Using better seasoned wood for the soundboard and plank than the timbre used nowadays.
The Bösendorfer sounded sweet & subtle. It turned the notes into art 🏆
Just sold my kidney and I finally got a grand piano. Tnx black market for sponsoring me
Lol
wow, your kidney was sold at a good price. Mine only got an iphone
@@eliezerlin678 YOU BETTER GO GET YO CHANGE
@@HHTP6 はい！
Can I have your other one
The Bösendorfer was incredible, it had a smooth and rich sound.
What about a 1994 Toyota Tacoma 4×4 with 124K mostly highway miles? No rust, 1 owner vehicle. Just got 2 new tires.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
😂😂
personally i prefer a 240z with no engine. Pure sound of rust in my shed as the wind blows.
I’ll trade for Baldwin
A Japanese pick-up truck is like a Jamaican bobsled team...
Thank you for the great video. I’m always partial to Bösendorfer because that is what I am fortunate enough to own! Thank you for proving my point!
Test 1 Classical :
- Yamaha : More emotional, lightness, nostalgia.
- Bosendorfer : Elegant, dramatic, pretentious.
- Steinway : Melodious, melancholy, quiet strength.
For this kind of classical music I prefer the Yamaha.
Otherwise for other kinds of classic in general I really like the Steinway or Bosendorfer.
But.
Sometimes I find the Bosendorfer too "dry" and "classy" and less emotional (Except for action music or the classical music bass etc.)
I really like the Yamaha for movie / modern music. Because of its fluidity (and for some music, the Steinway)
Test 2 Jazz :
- Yamaha : Happy, lightness.
- Bosendorfer : Classy and chic.
- Steinway : Arrogant, disinterested, free.
For jazz I have a great preference for the Steinway.
Thanks for voting!
So the Yamaha fills the room with it's clear and clean, yet a bit "tinny" sound, to my ear, the Steinway just sounds like a "real" piano to me, (ie very balanced,) and the Bosendorfer sounds beautiful but slightly depressive.... I think you need all three, (lol,) and play them according to type of music you have chosen!
In this test I prefer the Steinway. But the acoustic conditions of the rooms the pianos were in will have an impact on the sound. This test was not done under equal terms and is therfore irrelevant. Very nice playing though.
Selber Denken all 3 pianos were in the same room with the same mics and same mic placement. Same recording equipment and same recording levels. I tried to play the pieces with the same dynamics as possible so I would say it’s a fairly controlled environment.
Yes, but they are in different positions in the room, so each will sound different because of the slight difference in acoustics... different relationship to walls. The Bosendorfer is right against the wall. The Yamaha appears to be in the same row but farther from the wall. The Steinway is in what appears to be a more open space with fewer instruments close to it. These things matter a great deal acoustically.
Just commented on the mic placemet.
The difference isn't that big, especially in a room like that. I have played on many pianos, and this recording rings true to the general timbre that each brand tends to produce. Yamahas tend to be bright and clear - when I play them, I think of a clear, fast-moving, brook on a sunny day. Steinways and Bosendorfers tend to have richer tones that remind me of chocolate cake (don't ask me why food and water, I have no clue), or a steak smothered in A1, and a cozy seat by a fire in a wooden room decorated with deep reds or greens (along with a cup of hot cocoa).
True. Unless the recordings are made direct injection (which is impossible because these are acoustic instruments) the sound of the room vis-a-vis placement of the instrument will be recorded. Mics also have pick up patterns and so, its position relative to the instrument also affects the recordings, unless an omni is used. Different distances of sound source from mic also will affect the recordings e.g. proximity effect. A recording/audio engineer will be able to give more info on how these work.
You shredded that jazz piece up man!! good work
The Bösendorfer sounds best to me. Love its sound!
The Bosendorfer hands down -a Very elegant sound
Thank you!
Yes , very emotional sound.
Great for playing Rachmaninoff Concerto No 3 Ossia cadenza.
I would like to tell you a huge thank you for posting this video. I spent a huge chunk of my 2020 repeatedly listening to various piano brands to learn how to compare them, and your video was one of the most helpful (if not the most helpful) in teaching me how to metaphorically describe them.
Thank you!
Based on these 3 recordings, my preference would be Steinway, Bosendorfer then Yamaha. The Bosendorfer is more muted and doesn't sing as loud. Its mellow. The Yamaha sounds too bright and crystal high. The Steinway sounds just right. Of course with the video, the viewer cannot perceive the quality of the key's action and response.