Yamaha. Did anyone else notice?

A440 · Post by **A440** » 03 Jul 2005, 23:17

I was one of the 9 trillion people watching the Live 8 concert last night. The Yamaha grand was well in evidence, funny how the logo was in frame for so long...
Then when it came to the American event (ending after the UK's) I felt sure it would be a Steinway. But no another Yamaha again with lingering shots of the brand name.
I wonder what that cost?
Maybe that's why Yamaha is better than Kawai...

andyaeola · Post by **andyaeola** » 04 Jul 2005, 12:16

There was a concert sized Steinway on stage in Berlin; and also a smaller Baldwin on stage I think in Philadelphia, played solo by some chap in a wooly hat - I say him on a video on Sunday on which he plays an old Marshall & something or other uptight, but still don't know his name

Andy.

Post by **Gill the Piano** » 04 Jul 2005, 15:23

Why, A440 (or can I call you A?), what a cynical beast you are!!

A440 · Post by **A440** » 05 Jul 2005, 00:32

Hi andy,
maybe it was a Marshall and Rose. Lots of tuners have a soft-spot for them, I have one at home. Missed the bits you mentioned, only saw the finale with sir Paul sitting on his Yamaha throne.
Hi Gilly Green (or can I call you G?) Business is by definition cynical. That's why the world's so crap.

andyaeola · Post by **andyaeola** » 05 Jul 2005, 07:54

The big Yamaha was on stage first with Macartny & U2, again with Elton & the bloke imitating Marc Bolan. Annie Lennox I think had a smaller Yamaha - must check as you'd think she'd use the same piano. Whatever it was, she performed well. Not many folk can accompany their own singing well.
Reminded me of Howard Jones playing and singing in 1985.

Talking of lingering shots, I was getting rather irritated with the BBC apparently avoiding the messages on the big screen - until Annie Lennox played. Perhaps it was for effect, less is more and all that.

Andy

PianoFifty · Post by **PianoFifty** » 07 Jul 2005, 01:09

I watched the Live8 too and noticed Elton pummelling the Yammie (was it a CF111S???) - not a Steinway in sight! But is it my cynical mind or was there a definite problem with 'finger sync' - ie were they actually playing??? I'm sure the vocals were live, but I have severe doubts about ANY of the accompaniments, and think it was all backing tracks. Or am I being silly......

A440 · Post by **A440** » 07 Jul 2005, 01:52

There were evedent delays. It's difficult to know if it's from the TV delay or anything else.
My guess is there is a lot of dat tracks going on and it's well possible a lot the acoustic wasn't being broardcast at all.
I suppose the question is, have Yamaha taken over from Steinway as the performance piano for the up and coming generation. I think the answer must be yes.

Michael36 · Post by **Michael36** » 07 Jul 2005, 09:57

I suppose the question is, have Yamaha taken over from Steinway as the performance piano for the up and coming generation. I think the answer must be yes.

Hmm, Elton / Annie et al are hardly up and coming

The more up and coming appeared to have digitals [mebbe some were synths, but I'm sure a couple were playing piano samples]

"Elton is the quintessential crown jewel of the Yamaha artist family," said Corporate Director of Artist Affairs, Chris Gero [in a press release for a EJ signature model on Yamaha's site] - probably explains it.