Tone-building a Steinway grand piano requires a deep understanding of its construction and its specific design features. Tuning, adjusting the action, and working on the hammer heads and hammer shanks—all the details intertwine and ultimately result in sound.

In this seminar, we'll explore all the ins and outs. We'll learn to set a goal for our work and achieve it—so that the result isn't random.

Intonation is mostly only taught in piano factories, and the experiences and techniques are often kept "well-guarded" to one's own devices.

During the two weeks we spend together, I will truly share with you all my tricks and experiences from my professional life with Friedrich Gulda, Alfred Brendel, Martha Agerich, LangLang, or Yevgeni Kissin.

What impact on the sound has the duplex scale and how can I use it? How do I handle different hammer felt pressings? Why use slightly different techniques for a D-274 then for a B-211? When do I need to replace the hammers? And how to address this in the best way?

In this seminar you will learn everything about tone-building so that you are prepared for all new hammer installations, action revisions and concert work with artists.

The seminar provides you with a truly intensive learning experience and you will afterwards be able to do this independently at home.

You can take the Steinway finished hammers home with you and install them in another Steinway grand piano with only minor adjustments.

On the weekend between this two week seminar, we can either explore Berlin together or visit piano factories, for example. Visits to Steinway (of course) or manufacturers such as Wurzen felt factory, Renner or Kluge, Cirese soundboard manufacturer, etc. are conceivable. 

We can put together a tour according to your wishes and interests.