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You have entered the Stuart & Sons Handcrafted Grand Pianos ‘Extended Information’
section of the site. For rich interactive ‘Audio Visual’ experience, return to Main Site.
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THE SOUND
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Wayne Stuart’s aim was to create a free, open sound with no dampened harmonics, embodied in an instrument that empowered the player to control the sound as they wish. By increasing the attack and decay transients without masking or muddying the sound and adding a number of physical innovations, the Stuart and Sons handcrafted grand piano has achieved this goal and created a new sound aesthetic.
There are a number of factors that contribute to this ‘New Voice’. The innovation at the core of the design concept is the mechanical application of vertical coupling of the piano’s strings to the soundboard. This approach has enabled radical rethinking of the design and construction of the piano’s sound producing parts and components. The result has effectively liberated the instrument’s dynamic range and enabled the production of an extraordinary clarity of sound across the frequency spectrum.
The basic keyboard has been extended and spans from sub contra F to f above top c. This configuration maintains the central location of middle c providing four extra notes in the bass and five in the treble. The extra keys take full advantage of the piano’s expanded dynamic ability and facilitates the performance of repertoire written for the full piano keyboard, not just the 88 keys commonly found on traditional instruments.
A second soft pedal has been added, providing the piano with four pedals rather than the usual three.
The standard soft pedal (“una corda”) in grand pianos moves the action sideways and reduces the number of strings being struck by the hammers.
The Stuart & Sons second soft pedal (“dolce”) moves the hammers closer to the strings and reduces the travel of the keys, thereby reducing the intensity of the hammer strike.
Having a choice of two quite different soft pedal actions gives the pianist greater control over tone colour, texture and intensity, and when used together the two pedals provide the opportunity for extraordinary effects.
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