Performance quality from piano to piano

[allchopin]

Is it possible to be very skilled at performing a piece on your personal piano, but then play on another of a different brand and play horribly because of it (not because of the piano's quality, but because of the piano type)?
ie, Kawai to Baldwin conversion.

[rachfan]

When you have to "step up" to an unfamiliar piano brand in a recital, or you are just playing it in private, there can be several differences including timbre, responsiveness of action, relative tone decay, pedal adjustments, ability to control dynamics, projective power, etc.  But over time, the unfamiliar becomes more familiar.  

In my student days (i.e., when I was much younger!), I could bet that whereever I played, it would be either a Steinway or Baldwin, as those were the two standards of quality in the U.S.  It didn't take me long too figure out the idiosyncracies of both instruments, to anticipate them, to exploit their respective strengths, and to compensate in any manner necessary.  Once in a great while I'd encounter a Mason & Hamlin, but that wasn't too mysterious, as my teacher owned one along with her Steinway.  Today, though, the student is apt to face off with a Kawai, Yamaha, or other brand as well, complicating things further.

Having said all this, the other fact of life is that even pianos of the same model within a brand can have surprising variability too.  These differences are much harder to anticipate until you actually start playing and figure out the instrument as quickly as possible.  This is the very reason that Horowitz took his own piano with him for public performances.  He dreaded these uncertainties and risking a less than stellar performance.  But Artur Rubinstein and other notable pianists could take the best and worst pianos thrown at them and somehow make lemonade out of lemons whenever necessary.  Unlike the flautist or violinist who can conveniently carry their instrument cases around, we pianists face a much more formidable challenge in frequently facing the unknown.  

[Steinwayman]

Yes, of course. Not long ago I tried out a friend's brand new Yamaha grand and found myself playing appallingly badly. Now I am a very proficient pianist with a pretty big technique but rarely play pianos other than my own Steinway with its very quick and responsive action. This piano had a VERY stiff heavy action and I couldn't make the transition. Now, maybe if I'd had a few hours to practice on the Yamaha I could have managed it, but not instantly.

[eddie92099]

Murray Perahia says that one should be able to get one's own sound from a piano within twenty minutes,
Ed

[Brian Lawson, RPT]

When you are that level of preforming you ask and discuss with the piano technician how the piano can be improved to suit your choice/style of playing. Within reason he can't rebuild it for you before rehersal but certain adjustments can be made.

[Axtremus]

Murray Perahia says that one should be able to get one's own sound from a piano within twenty minutes,
Ed

I do not play professionally -- my own experience is that I can adapt to a new piano in about 30 minutes on average, or come to a conclusion that I should just give up trying to adapt. If it's a brand that I am familiar with, then adapting from one instrument to another of the same brand would be much quicker as RachFan and others pointed out.

[xenon]

To answer the question, yes, it is possible to be good one your piano and horrible on another.  I am used to my Yamaha console which has pretty much the best touch I've seen.  The action is not bad.  But at a competition, I played on a Baldwin whose keys were immensly stiff and hard to press.  It also didn't project well.  I played A Hermit Thrush at Eve, a very delicate and mystical piece, but the piano just raped it.  I recieved top honours for performing this piece at other competitions at other venues, but I did not win this one.  A vocalist won that one.  Too bad pianists can't tote around their own instrument with much facility, like vocalists or string/winds/brass players.  

[The Tempest]

It depends very much on the touch of particular pianos and their sound, especially the responsiveness of dynamics.

A lot of people prefer the Steinway sound because it is the warmest and most "cantibile" of all pianos. But the moment they move to a Yamaha, they're not familiar with its brightness and "impacting" tone.

This is particularly the case for examinations: I practise on an upright, and if the exam room uses a different brand, I'm in pieces.

[Whitneygeorgel]

I am still hoping some of you good people have had some experience with a Walter Grand.  It is today one of the best American made according to any info I can find.  The writers to the Forum  all mention the Steinway or Mason and Hamlin, sometimes Baldwin.  I notice that the Fine Book lists the Charles  Walter as the only American made in his High Performance list; list no. 2.

I am a retired teacher looking for a good piano

[wynnbear]

I am still hoping some of you good people have had some experience with a Walter Grand.  It is today one of the best American made according to any info I can find.  The writers to the Forum  all mention the Steinway or Mason and Hamlin, sometimes Baldwin.  I notice that the Fine Book lists the Charles  Walter as the only American made in his High Performance list; list no. 2.

Sorry, not the grand, but I can tell you the Walter console is a beautiful-sounding instrument, much bigger sounding than its 43" size.  I bought one in August and have been very satisfied.  It sounded stronger and had a better bass than 5'8" and under grands at the same dealership.   The tenor range is esp. beautiful and mellow.

Piano sound is a matter of taste, so make sure you play the instrument before you buy.  I can tell you that you can count on Walter quality and workmanship.  Many piano technicians have bought Walter for their own pianos.  You probably won't need it, but Walter is also known for its strong warranty support (12 years).

[Axtremus]

Edit: Moved Walter grand comments to the "Charles Walter pianos" thread: https://www.pianoforum.net/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=inst;action=display;num=1071169488

[krenske]

I agree this can be a problem. One of the things I found helps is to learn not only on a huge range of pianos, and play many pianos in as many stores and locations as possible, but also to learn other keyboard instruments. I am also a harpsichordist and organist, and now it takes me only about half an hour to feel in control of an instrument. Also, being "over-practiced" doesn't hurt!  

[allchopin]

I really do not have many pianos available to me.  I think I live in a desert...

[steveolongfingers]

I still cant stand Yamaha's and ive been playing one for about 3 years....GO HIENZTMAN (a company based out of toronto earlier last century)

[Chitch]

Is it possible to be very skilled at performing a piece on your personal piano, but then play on another of a different brand and play horribly because of it (not because of the piano's quality, but because of the piano type)?
ie, Kawai to Baldwin conversion.

I find that when I try to play the Grand Polonaise on anything but an upright my arms get tired and I cry like a school girl. The bench height makes a huge difference on some pianos it feels like the keyboard is really low because of the bench height, then on other pianos it feels like you almost have to stand up to play (From a person who's 5"4 POV). The best thing to do is to familiarize yourself with as many different pianos as you can.

[Chitch]

I really do not have many pianos available to me.  I think I live in a desert...

Whooops, I missed that! Well, I guess you could always use Glenn Goulde's style, lmao.