Last week I was surfing the TV channels, and I saw a program just starting that caught my eye because it was called “Note By Note”. Once I began watching it, I couldn’t stop!
It was a film, not your usual How-To or documentary, but a unique film that followed the creation of a Steinway 9-foot Grand Piano – “from the forest floor to the concert hall”.
I had no idea that the “process” was anything like what I learned. First of all, it takes 2 years to make 1 grand! They only make about 3,000 pianos a year, while other companies pump them out at 100 a day.
They still make the pianos the same way they did when they started in 1853. There are no computer controlled tools. There are about 400 highly skilled workers who assemble the 12,000 parts and fine tune each and every one of them along the way – literally, building it by hand. Each one has a particular job to do, and it often takes them as long as 10 years as an apprentice to reach the point where they can take over for someone retiring.
It weaves many themes, and touches on many interests – from musicians to wood-workers, educators to journalists, and jazz-aficionados to indie rockers.
One of the most fascinating aspects was how it showed the creative process as various artists select concert pianos for upcoming performances — talking about each piano’s attributes and nuances. Each piano has it’s very own “personality”.
If you have’t seen this film, I highly recommend that you seek it out. It is truly an inspiration to watch. You can read more about it here.
Cool Things For Musicians
