Christine forum

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by chiliD

When you take a Steinway and copy it piece-by-piece, yeah, it's going to be a "grand" product.

and then sell your production to the Koreans

[David]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

Yeah, well, if Yamaha wants to give me a free grand piano, I'll go to the ends of the Earth proclaiming their greatness. Hell, I'll even get Yamaha tattoos!

You guys are all being perverse & contrarian. Yamahas have outstanding reputations, not because they copy Steinway (?) or because they accept endorsements in exchange for product or because they might be assembled in Korea or Timbuktu or because they have extra octaves at both ends (?), but because they are traditionally outstanding pianos. They are & have been in use in recording studios & on stages throughout the world for decades.

Christine has stuck with Yamaha all these years because she LIKES THEM.

I'm not familiar with Yamaha's alleged recent deterioration vis-a-vis the Korea production facilities, but every piano sooner or later goes through some less than stellar times: it happened to Steinway in the early 1980s with CBS & New York. Steinways took a dive in quality. During my summers at Idyllwild School of Music & the Arts through the USC Department of Music, I remember hearing my teachers complain about the then-recent problems with Steinway.

Even Rolls-Royce suffered during her affiliation with BMW. We live in an era of corporate dillydallying & takeovers. You may never really know where your car or your piano or your pacemaker is assembled.

Besides, pianos are all so individual. I have played crappy-feeling & crappy-sounding Steinways, Yamahas & others, but I have also played awesome Steins & Yams. You can run into a bad piano if it hasn't been taken care of, but you can't automatically paint the whole brand black -- even if a particular model doesn't suit your personal preferences. I grew up playing a Yamaha baby grand & it was great then & my sister still has it & it still feels great & sounds darn good.

[strandinthewind]

^^^

I am getting you a Samick

[jbrownsjr]

i'm getting david a casio 66 key

[Alexbt]

I think that Christine only has the one Yamaha 7' grand from Songbird & touring homage.

In her house, that is. Her studio/barn may be another story.

I actually wonder if she's kept her portablized B3. It is not shown in the videos on her website, but her Yamaha KX-88 controller is. Of course, we still have no idea what she's using for patches, as the KX-88 is just that, a controller with no onboard sounds.

Now, as for rating pianos.. I've played many types. They are very different, though all pianos are different.

Steinway is your all around piano. It embodies what most pianos are. I've played a Bosendorfer once, for a concert this past spring. It had a dark rich tone that was very pleasing and interesting. And let me tell you, there isn't much use for the extra keys at the bottom. I tried to throw them in on something, but it was jazz and and the music we were playing wouldn't get much use of them.

Yamahas tend to have a brighter sound, which makes them more ideal for playing onstage.

Kawai pianos (especially uprights) are utter crap. We have a contract at my college and get a dozen new ones every two years. The new ones came this semester and they're just as bad as the ones from last year, except they haven't broken down yet. We have two Kawai grands-a 7' and a baby grand. They are decent, but not superb. Unfortunately, our 9' Steinway rarely gets taken out.

So yes, I can understand why she might like them, but then again, she's been using their products for years, so it makes sense.

[macfan 57]

Originally Posted by Alexbt

Yamahas tend to have a brighter sound, which makes them more ideal for playing onstage.

I have an interview where she says exactly that.

By the way, Alexbt or anyone who's a keyboard expert, someone asked a question about her In The Meantime keyboards on the message board on Christine's website. No one has answered the question. I don't think any keyboards gurus check her board.

[strandinthewind]

Originally Posted by Alexbt

I think that Christine only has the one Yamaha 7' grand from Songbird & touring homage.

In her house, that is. Her studio/barn may be another story.

I actually wonder if she's kept her portablized B3. It is not shown in the videos on her website, but her Yamaha KX-88 controller is. Of course, we still have no idea what she's using for patches, as the KX-88 is just that, a controller with no onboard sounds.

Now, as for rating pianos.. I've played many types. They are very different, though all pianos are different.

Steinway is your all around piano. It embodies what most pianos are. I've played a Bosendorfer once, for a concert this past spring. It had a dark rich tone that was very pleasing and interesting. And let me tell you, there isn't much use for the extra keys at the bottom. I tried to throw them in on something, but it was jazz and and the music we were playing wouldn't get much use of them.

Yamahas tend to have a brighter sound, which makes them more ideal for playing onstage.

Kawai pianos (especially uprights) are utter crap. We have a contract at my college and get a dozen new ones every two years. The new ones came this semester and they're just as bad as the ones from last year, except they haven't broken down yet. We have two Kawai grands-a 7' and a baby grand. They are decent, but not superb. Unfortunately, our 9' Steinway rarely gets taken out.

So yes, I can understand why she might like them, but then again, she's been using their products for years, so it makes sense.

Thanks for that info. I think I saw her B3 in those Meantime publicity stuff released to support the record.

Also, take about that D



more often and give it a whirl - not playing it is almost like going on a date with Catherine Deneuve and not kissing her

[jbrownsjr]

Kawai pianos sound really new agey to me, or they are still and dull. I don't like them either.