Out of tune piano: who plays the out of tune keys?

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Despite the fact that any music teacher will certainly say that it is absolutely impossible to play detuned instruments, for almost a hundred years the detuned piano has been an independent keyboard musical instrument. Who plays out-of-tune keys and why?

When did the style of "out-of-tune" piano playing begin?

Of course, the exact date of the first out-of-tune piano performance cannot be given. However, we can definitely say that in the first decade of the twentieth century, this technique was already actively used by representatives of the musical avant-garde.

In search of new sounds, the pioneers of the musical avant-garde tried everything they could get their hands on: they played bottles, saws, filled with crystal glasses. At the same time, Lev Theremin invented the Theremin, amazing in its sound. And so, one of these seekers once noticed what strange and unique notes an out-of-tune piano gives out: the sound was ideal for emphasizing the postmodern sound of any pianoparts - rattling music sounded fresh and unusual.

In the twenties, the use of a detuned keyboard instrument began to be regularly practiced in the musical accompaniment of avant-garde performances, for example, the performances of Vsevolod Meyerhold. The sounds of such a piano helped to enhance the grotesque effect of what was happening on the stage. Later, the use of detuned instruments passed into such musical genres as jazz and rock and roll - here distorted notes helped to emphasize the expressiveness and recklessness of melodies. In the photo below, famed 1950s rock and roll star Jerry Lee Lewis is playing an out-of-tune piano. He uses not only his arms, but also his legs and head.

Sound of out-of-tune piano

Compared to the classic sound of a tuned instrument, which sounds solid and clear, the piano, even slightly out of tune, has fuzzy, rattling sounds with a vibrating duration. The notes are strongly in minor and sound somewhat shrill. For example, Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" on an out-of-tune piano will take on a more ominous and dreary sound. Check out his performance in the video below.

Out of tune piano in rock music

In addition to the already mentioned Jerry Lee Lewis, the rattling sounds of detuned keys were actively used both in the 50s in the classic rock and roll genre, and in the late 60s, with the advent of psychedelic rock. Piano without tuning can be heard in some compositions from psychedelicalbums by The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Ray Manzarek, keyboardist of The Doors, used this technique especially often.

Use in theater and cinema

As mentioned above, the detuned piano was used in Meyerhold's performances - after him, such music became characteristic of the avant-garde theater and the theater of the absurd. The music of detuned keys is also used by many modern directors, for example, Roman Viktyuk.

In movies, out-of-tune sounding is most often used in westerns, as it resembles the saloon sound of mechanical pianos common in the Wild West. An example can be seen below.

The most famous composer who uses the piano without tuning is Hans Zimmer. For example, in Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes, Zimmer created all the compositions using out-of-tune piano, violin and banjo. Thus, the composer wanted to emphasize the madness of the protagonist and musically depict the chaos that is going on in his head. For such a purpose, an out-of-tune piano is periodically used in films: enhancing the oppressive or crazy effect, it becomes indispensable in psychological thrillers and horror films.