Victoria Theodore delighted us with her playing on the new Yamaha S7X 7'6" grand piano. Fantastic instrument with a fantastic player! Filmed by Robbie Gennet at the NAMM show in Anaheim, CA January 2017
Hi David, Victoria sounds so great. I think it's more than sound with Yamaha, it's involvement. It's one where your own voice is brought out and the piano's own "character" gets out of the way and let's you bring out your own sound. Because I improvise I love Yamaha. I feel like it does it the most. I guess the tone isn't for everyone. But I find it to have a wonderful pianissimo with lots of shades and a range of touches in the pianissimo to mezzo forte range. I don't even feel it is a power piano. It can get pretty loud but Steinways, say, to me, get louder, or other makes. It's the pianissimo and the exploration of articulations that I feel excel on Yamahas. I like this S7X and I like the CF6. The CF4 or 6 is a little more sonorous in its singing tone, SX's are a little "sweeter," but both are superb. And the CX, although a bit more sharp-edged in their tone compared to Yamaha's more expensive SX and CF premium line, give you some of this quality and tend to be pretty big in their sound.
Benjamin Smith I just wrote a “reply” to your post that you made a few hours ago but it may have gone to general comments - hope you see it : ) CHEERS!
Thanks for your videos - the sound is great and I like to see the musician at work on the keys but any way you could do a "tour" of the piano in future videos? It would be nice to see the piano's case, the strings, the legs and the lyre etc. After all this is a new piano from Yamaha and it'd be neat to see what's new besides the model number.
Great to find you here too Benjamin! I recently heard a Yamaha CFX 9 foot grand piano and it was sublime. It was played by a superb pianist (not me lol) and it just goes to show how much influence, as you say, a musician has on the final outcome and quality of sound ! And this particular CFX is a demo (for sale) played at the Montreal Jazz Festival by great musicians, among them Hiromi! I’m telling you, if I’d had the cash on me I’d have bought it on the spot! To have a piano in my HOME played by the outrageously talented Hiromi? How cool would THAT be? And to think that this CFX could be had for about HALF the cost of a new Steinway or Bosendorfer simply makes it a no brainer! So you feel that James will go for the Hamburg D huh? I think you’re right - actually, I think I would too : )) But it would, for me, be a super tug of war between it and the Bosendorfer. CHEERS !
Some CFX's are sublime, others are just nice. I'm glad you heard a sublime one. I don't think it's much less money new than a Steinway D however, if any. Yes, I think James is going with the Hamburg. I guess it's based on his comments about the action after playing Earth Angel on it. I think the Hamburg has the versatility he's looking for. A great Hamburg is one of the greatest pianos. Hiromi is absolutely fantastic. btw, some of my favorite pianos are the Grotrian (Gortrian-Steinweg) Charis, Concert and Concert Royal.
Benjamin Smith I know it’s not important but the Steinway has the most snob appeal too! Ultimately it’s the sound of course but the Steinway has them BOTH ! Haha James’ journey has been a long and winding road - do you think he’ll do his final reveal soon?
I think before the year is over he will. He's going to reveal which piano was eliminated next, and I think it is the Shigeru SK-EX. That's a great piano. I went to a music conservatory full of Steinways. Some are great, some aren't so great. There were a few Yamahas there too and that's when I started to appreciate Yamahas. I didn't like them much before I started playing the grands. I think the snob part for Steinway is unfortunate, they shouldn't be status symbols, just fine instruments. But there are other fine pianos as well. Some only aspire to Steinway, influences what they hear, in my opinion.
Big difference, yikes. In the USA, I have Hamburg D in the Blue Book at $175,700 new and the Yamaha CFX going for $179,900. I don't know the real price that are paid for them (usually in performance spaces like concert halls but also schools and studios). These are the manufacturer's suggested price and maybe the Yamahas are more discounted than the Steinways are. Steinways have much higher resale as used pianos. www.bluebookofpianos.com/steinway.htm www.bluebookofpianos.com/steinway.htm
Buying a quality instrument. e.g. grand piano's. So many brands to choose from many of which don't have the worldwide marketing they should. So most people never know of them (e.g. Shimmel, Blutner, Bosendorfer, C. Bechstein.....). Only known to die hard fans of the acoustic grand piano. Some, maybe hearing a certain brand that speaks to them more but might lack the customer service network jjand quality that matches the piano. Brands that are only sold by one or two piano shops even in a big city like Toronto (Canada of 7M+_. Likely with only 1 or 2 at most qualified technicians to voice the pianos/ Tune them. What if you have a falling out with that ONE qualfied technician?? And you sepnt $200k on a semi-concert grand. Yamaha, I believe has the largest worldwide dealer/service network. For any of the instruments they make. Not just their piano's. To be able to have that for their saxophones, trupets, guitars, drums.....etc. To have likely 10 plus authorised dealers in any major city each iwth a few qualfied technicians.... Honestly....does a $100k C. Bechstein sound twice as good as this S7X?? NOPE. Just different. Which piano speaks to us more and offers a better customer service experience should get the sales. And of course delivers what we want jin playablity. Sound....
