Stuart: ‘bright’: a louder, wider, more stable harmonic spectrum.

A brighter tone was found to be a tonal distinction of the Stuart piano tone in chapter four. Several elements are known to cause ‘brightness’ in piano tone, as discussed in detail throughout chapters 3 & 4. In chapter four, it was found that when compared to Steinway, the ‘brightness’ in the Stuart tone was due to i) the presence of a greater number of partials of higher frequency observed in a wider harmonic spectrum, ii) a sound of greater loudness observed by vibrations of larger amplitudes, and iii) a slower rate of decay of the fundamental frequency, after .5s. establishing a more stable clarified after-sound. There are numerous examples of these three combined elements of the Stuart timbre throughout chapter four, one example, C4v20 MW mic2,³⁴⁸ exhibits the three elements of brightness:

i) a wider harmonic spectrum,
ii) greater loudness
iii) a slower rate of decay of the fundamental frequency, and 2nd harmonic frequency after .5s.

Larger hall perceptions of ‘bright’, ‘mellow’, ‘round’, ‘deep’.

Over 80% of the participants identified the Stuart sound to be ‘brighter’ in tone than the Steinway sound in the larger performance spaces, at concerts 1 & 2, see concerts No 1 & 2 Appendix 5, table 5a.6. The findings of chapter four established that the Stuart sound projected a wider spectrum over a longer distance than Steinway. See ‘Projection’ chapter 4. The stronger projection of the Stuart sound over a longer distance of 6m, the 5th tonal distinction finding of chapter four, was found to be established by the sounding of a more comprehensive harmonic spectrum at an average of 8dB louder than Steinway, to a distance of 6 metres. The Stuart soundboard was found to be moving significantly more with larger amplitudes of vibrations for the notes C2, C3, and C4.

³⁴⁸See sound No.2 in ‘Eight Introductory Sounds of Stuart Piano Tonal Distinction,’chapter 4.