Hi I wondered why some pieces played on piano have this jingly sound on the keys. Its obviously intentional, so I was curious as to why it's done on some pieces and how?

Thanks

Can you give an example, the only time I ever notice a jingly sound on the keys is if my carkeys are on top

I wonder if the OP is talking about very loud tremolos? Those can sound "metallic"

yes they do sound metallic!!! that's what I was trying to describe.

here's clip from You tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhN7SG-H-3k

you can hear it clearly on the higher notes right at the start.

Is this just some fancy effect?

I think it's just a rubbish recording. Very common on Youtube.

Compare with this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p_ebSseEq8...e=youtube_gdata

Can't really listen to that at work, but that will most likely be audio compression then - the higher frequencies suffer more due to the low bitrate and them either being cut out or having their upper harmonics destroyed! Mini Mo... is that what you're talking about? Or are you talking about a sound you've heard by a real piano?

No its only been from different recordings on You tube, not a real piano. Because I have heard it on a few different records including classical pieces I though it was some weird contraption attached to the piano to alter its sound. A bit like someone playing a triangle or similar.

Conclusion - I'll get my coat



You mean you actually get work done?! tee hee

Funnily enough my first thought was someone in the background was on percussion.

Me neither. But I have my iPhone

It's not the case on this recording but you sometimes get 'prepared piano' - a piano with stuff inside it to get different metallic sounds. A couple of examples:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kwbla9vLfVA...feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYsx5Di3bso

Yes, a lot of 20th century composers have used prepared pianos - Stravinsky or John Cage, for example.

If I was the owner of a Steinway or other nice grand, I don't think I'd be letting people put nuts and bolts and all manner of other things in between the strings!

It might be a prepared piano, on grand pianos its possible to place cymbals over the strings, or join strings with paperclips and lots of strange things. Something that sounds rather good is putting a cymbal on the strings,and then pressing the sustain pedal, whilst flicking the strings. Sounds rather spooky!