The first player. I could tell that she adjusted her playing as she went, as she got used to the slower action. She made it sound better as she went. Then she gave you great feedback and demonstrated that the keys can't keep up with the piece. She earned her money.
While 1440 euros is a lot of money, if you think about it it's a very humble price for travelling 10 hours, practicing the songs you sent her, playing them, and all by someone at the top of her profession. Musicians are really wonderful people
@@tanteriaaa Awww you guys ah-ha XD Our country has limited to only 110 km/hour, slow AF... and no fines to slower drivers who would drive like 70 km/hour on a 110 km/hour highways urghhh
Welp, we clasical musicians already had Jhon Cage in our history, he modified pianos and is the autor of 4:33, that is a fkn meme of clasical experimental music, so nothing of this is really new to the pianist XD.
I’m not surprised she brought her husband. If I were a woman I would be hesitant to drive 5 hours alone to a complete strangers house and get paid to play a piano. What could possibly go wrong? Kudos to the bravery of the second lady.
The first Pianist simply blew me away. She sat down at a tinny, over weighted, out of tune, monstrosity with several missing keys and played it with such musicality. You could see her smirking now and then at the absurdity but the way that she handled the instrument, could make you believe that every sound was intended that way.
I'm a pianist myself and as a hint you could have contacted students of a nearby conservatory (if there is one), usually their level of playing is very high and they're more likely to put up with stuff like this :)
I think that the pianist that would go simply to downright "forget that" are rare... Some would ask for money, though. Some might go because "What the hell? What to see that?" Some might see a challenge there... Many would refuse because they have better things to do, like an album or practicing for an orchestra or teaching. But this is different than just "nope! Never! Forget about it;"
The problem is, the people that ended up taking your job were actual professionals that absolutely love their craft. And they showed up to play an experimental interment. And loved it.
It’s also kind of a good advert for their skills and ability to work even with a weird setup. Hopefully they drum up some prospects as a result of this!
I was classically trained in piano for 25 years. I understand why the professionals don't react. When you play regularly, you learn to adapt to many different instruments having different feels and sounds, various degrees of proper tuning and keys sometimes sticking or being muted. You wouldn't really want to be a diva and complain too much about the instrument and just make it sing as best as you can.
the second chick was just like oh yeah hammers in the piano like thats every other piano she see's didnt even comment on it other than theyre a bit heavy
She wasn't worth $400. She was worth THOUSANDS. Amazing player, amazing attitude, and went through it no matter what. That is a true Musician of which I admire. 💯👍
Class and Grace in unfamiliar environments. Sometimes we are only one try away from greatness. Sometimes many tries but that is called courage and tenacity!
It's like replacing a Sword master's training sword with floppy foam and see their reaction. Then they proceed to annihilate everyone in the gym then response with "It's a bit too flexy but very light and easy to handling" with earnest smile.
In the modern world, prepared piano or modified instruments actually have quite a bit of interesting opportunities. The best example I can think of is Aphex Twin and the album "Druqks". He made very melodic and interesting prepared piano variations for several of those tracks. (Seriously: he put like random objects in a piano in various ways, per note; and just mangled the sound in a very pleasant form. Great album.) A guitar example would probably be that turkish professor dude who makes microtonal guitars...although that is a bit more N-tone theory oriented as opposed to timbre theory oriented. Also, he kinda uses science and maths.
@@py_a_thon Seasick Steve can play music on old guitars missing 1,2 or 3 strings plus instruments that he has made out of pieces of old junk. ruclips.net/video/JPOMYHKWGTE/видео.html
I'm a swordsman, and just about every swordsman is used to flex with their swords. Because: A. Foam and plastic are what is typically used for sparring and training B. Swords themselves tend to be quite flexible, and flex quite a lot on hit
The reason you weren't getting much of a reaction is because musicians, by their nature, love creativity. What you built wasn't as much as a joke, so much as an interesting and creative musical instrument. As a musician myself, I'd be more inclined to work harder to help you create music worthy of your creativity. They all reacted, just not in a practical joke sort of way. We don't watch and view because you make jokes... we watch and view because we are interested in what you create... even if they are meme worthy. Keep up the great work.
Or they are just a lot more focused on what they are playing and trying to make it sound nice. I play the piano and I would be nervous and more focused on my performance especially if I was paid for it.
I would be worried about doing a good job demonstrating this unique instrument in a recording that will represent it as a creative achievement. Of course they don't feel pranked!
Literally this. 😂 Professional pianists have to put up with so much nonsense, this is basically just a standard Tuesday. (Also, modifying pianos is A Thing. John Cage composed whole pieces for pianos modified in various ways.)
@@DJRY360 Tbh . .. .. i didnt like it .. .. .. would much preferred hearing that played on an old grotrian - tuned of course with all the notes in there for the players delectation .. .. ..
This is no prank. This is a master piece of art. The pro pianists who took the challenge proof that skills to operate with the situation gives art a totally new depth. AND for them this is absolutely fun experience to work with a funky tool that is absolute uniq.
I have played classical piano for ten years and I can tell you the reaction of these pianists was pure professionalism. I would have geeked out. I’m jealous that they got to play it 😅
I actually still love the sound of it. It isn't orthodox, but I think it certainly has a place. Perhaps a few select notes mildly out of tune can grant an even more disoriented feeling.
I think they don’t feel pranked because they all actually like the way it sounds and it does actually sound good and unique. Perhaps your cover story could become a reality and this could become a digitized reality for electric pianos!
I feel it's also the way in which he presented it... he just says: "can we try now how it sounds with the lid open?", while they are already in the middle of the play, engaged in "professional" mode, and in a setting where overreacting might even be seen as impolite. I feel the reason they don't react is out of respect and professionality. They are probably so impressed already by the novelty of the sound and trying to focus on playing it good that they want to behave as if what's important is "how it sounds with the lid open", and just act natural without reacting to what's inside. When the first woman was so surprised of the sound and asked if she could peek inside, had he allowed her to check it out, I'm sure she would have given an interesting reaction, similar to the last woman (which also happens to peek on it herself). But once they are already in the middle of play I expect they only care about delivering a good performance without being judgemental about the instrument they were paid to play. He could have also directly said: "Are you curious about the sound? If you'd like to check inside now, I'd be happy to see your reaction" or something like that. But because he wanted to make it more of a prank he made it look as if he did not want/expect a reaction from them when he opened it, so instead they behave professionally, since they already discovered that this was what they were getting paid for, playing on an experimental instrument.
@@thelittolman I agree! Too bad that's probably impossible outside of casting your own hammers in a way that guarantees they all have the exact same material and weight
@@lBennyTHPS :• …Like the brilliant-grade brevity of the lines in Moonstruck (the movie), this comment was already sufficiently loaded and can’t be topped.
I can see that these people, being professionals, must be a little terrified at how to respond. They don't want to make a mockery of your creation. I think a more genuine approach could work in the future. "I modify pianos and create videos for youtube. The task will be to see if you can guess how I've modified the instrument. This will be treated as a paid gig, but the atmosphere will be light and friendly and I truly hope you will have fun sharing in this creative opportunity to showcase my creation." You can still leave that final reveal to an element of real surprise. At this point, you will have built anticipation and they will be excited to see what you've done, especially if they managed to guess correctly! What a great video regardless. All of these pianists just lit me up to hear them play. Thank you for showcasing all of them! We would have never been able to experience them without you!
As a pianist, I can NOT imagine playing all of those songs on keys that are 10 times heavier. I have the deepest respect for these pianists!! I hope their hands and fingers will recover well from this.
@@zzey It could, actually! There are specific health issues that pianists tend to suffer from, like carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis, for example. It's very important to take breaks and have the correct arm, hand and finger positions. I don't believe that these pianists will have an issue since they are very trained and they only played that piano once. But generally, a piano like that definitely has the potential to cause pain and/or an inflammation.
Is that 10 hours each way? So 20 hours, which means probably have to also find a place to stay. So two days of my time. Eh, 50/50 on how pissed I be. Idk how much the amount of money he gave out is worth (Cost of Living). Some places, 1,400 would be a good chunk, some places it wouldn’t even pay the rent for a studio apartment.
As a professional musician I can tell you why you didn’t get a reaction. Because you hired professionals, and they acted professionally. Of course they aren’t going to be rude to their employer.
This was my thoughts exactly. I have sat straight faced through some bananas stuff. You gave $1400 to a pro, you got a pro. Still a fun video, it was nice watching her adapt to the hammers at first.
The second one, I loved how into the music she was, at the "bouncing" while playing. It was amazing to see how into the music and actions she was. And to go along with it all. Such passion in playing as well.
The first pianist, Maria, held my attention throughout her segment. She's a true musician. The way she continues to engage about the piano and talks beyond the work she was paid to do, tells me that she's got real passion and knowledge. Glad I was recommended this video!
The second was just as good. She may not have reacted in the way we wanted. But reacting as a professional musician, she was sitting there trying to figure out how to play to the best of her abilities on a piano that is anything but normal 😂
These professionals are honestly a credit to the field. It doesn't sound bad, but how they handle the news, and simply endevour to preform the pieces is admirable.
I feel like I’m living in the 1700’s listening to this. It actually has an relatively semi-authentic sound in comparison to some 200 year old pianos. Enjoyed👍
Yeah it's pretty hard to prank real musicians, they tend to react with "wow this is cool, how can we make this work?" Because if it can make sound, a musician be make music man.
i have been playing drums professionally for 12 years, non-professionally for 22 years. I am thrilled by broken or what would be deemed "bad" drums very often. Any different kind of buzz, boom, thud, or crack is just a new texture to my sound pallet and makes my creative juices flow instantly
This is undoubtedly the most wholesome creative and beautiful prank for everyone involved! Well done to the pianist and her husband, and too you for such a creative idea!
You’re thinking like an engineer. These are artists that see this as nothing more than just a tool that they need to make a sound. It’s incredible how they adjust to the task. Like a pro golfer playing par golf with a shitty set of clubs.
Exactly. Nothing changes. For us, it's just like asking us to play in a child's toy instrument. It will sound completely different. But that's all. (Anyway I found the modification amazing!)
The second pianist seemed into it. She was frustrated she wasn’t performing better but played quite a few songs and even mentioned the other project piano
@@megalogoro6388 I'd imagine it's exhausting to play it because of how heavy it is. It seemed to be making rhythmic precision much harder as well, which makes sense because a heavier hammer would be more difficult to accelerate to the string quickly, so there would be less of a near-instant response between hitting the key and hearing the note sound
Showed my mum who's a classical pianist how the piano sounded without telling her how it was modified. She asked me if it was a hammer piano. Never underestimate classical musicians they know their shit
@@axeinthegame6853 Yes I do I think we have a translation issue here. I'm Austrian and in German a fortepiano is called "Hammerklavier" aka hammer piano. For me it just sounded like a Cembalo/Harpsichord because even though I grew up in a classical musicians household (my dad's a viola player and has an orchestra and my sister is a violin soloist) my knowledge is still second hand cause I gave up on piano lessons after a year and I simply know less lol. I'm aware of its history now tho and I get that it wasn't that impressive that she guessed it right, but I was simply surprised at the time cause I wasn't aware of the history of fortepiano and she literally said hammer piano so I wrote this comment to share my surprise. Hope you're having a good day sorry for the long reply ^^
Yes, but a professional should also be so well versed and practiced that they should be able to immediately deduce something was different in a way that is noticeable apart from standard instrument deviations.
@@pooppoop6337 He pretty much opened with "The piano will sound weird", so that's not unusal. It also sounds like a harpsicord, just plays like a tougher piano.
The first one sounded so good. The moment she started playing I was like, yeah , this is it. And she did it effortlessly. And she wasn't even surprised even a bit that keys were heavy or anything. She just played it. True artist.
😂 she's such a brilliant pianist that she realizes that the piano has been altered, IMMEDIATELY, yet continues to play through without complaint. What a master of her craft! ❤️
As a German I love the way you claimed to be German and then brought a full blown Swedish accent into your English. "I know some Swedish" also killed me
After hearing her play, it literally sounds like the love child of a piano and a harpsichord. I never loved the sound of the piano as I’ve always preferred the sound of a harpsichord, but the downside to the harpsichord was its limitations in how loud it cold be played. Hearing this instrument is like a dream come true for me, where you get the plucking qualities of a harpsichord but the dynamic range of the piano.
As a musician myself, that was one of the most beautiful comments I've ever read. There are thousands of sounds in my brain, most of which, their are yet instruments to make. You must be a really talented Soul. Branch Out Dude, I listen to mostly non-European instruments to get my fix on.
@@ericrobinson7184 Yo do you literally have sounds in your brain that you haven't heard? So you're actually creative unlike us mere mortals where our "creative" ideas are actually just slightly modified mish-mashes of whatever we've heard/read/done before.
Actually, what I think it sounds like is an old fashioned "tack piano" ...on steroids! Granted, a tack piano is simply a piano with metal tacks added to the wooden hammers, which is why they sound so similar. However, by using full weight hammers, you've created a very pure sound - like all tack, no wood. I'd love to see/have a virtual instrument plug-in sampled from your piano. It would be fun to work with. Fwiw, and sorry to critique you, but I'm not sure this is really what I'd consider a "prank." Doing this to a grand piano before a performance without informing the pianist, now THAT would be a prank! Instead, you've masterfully modified a piano, which is amazingly still functional and playable. Then, you invited some wonderful pianists to play it, and they did so, happily, and with some incredible performances (I really loved the young lady from Russia). I know pranks are popular, but I think you try to hard to make this a prank, when it's so much better than that. Anyway, nice work, both on the piano, and in creating this video!
I love the pianists’ attitude. Curious, analytical, open to the nouveau. My respect for professional musicians grew out of your intended prank. If you were seriously developing a hammer piano product, they have actually provided you with great feedback. Sound is not half bad, there’s potential.
I definitely agree, but also for $1.4k I think she knows she's pretty good. Self-criticism, when moderated by self-respect, is the key to getting good at something. She's critical of herself but it doesn't seem to affect her spirit as she remains confident.
It looked like the piano not playing properly was giving her PTSD from how she was taught. I'd not be surprised if she was hit if she got something wrong.
@Joel Valencia Oh I totally understand. and I could be wrong in exactly how she thinks of herself. I just know that many musicians going to college/university for music tend to have lower self-esteem. There isn't anything wrong with recognizing mistakes or when technique could be improved. I just think that being hard on yourself too much for too long can be counter productive. But eh, she got to her level for a reason!
Just confirms that professional musicians can make great music on lousy instruments. My dad was a pro pianist and he could make broken down pianos sound good.
To quote the famous Dominic Touretto, "It's not the car that wins the race but the driver behind the wheel." F8 when he challenges the Big Oak to race his cousin's car.
Probably one of the most wholesome "pranks" I have ever seen. It's adorable how he feels so guilty when in reality the pianists are just doing exactly what they were willing to do .. Plus he paid them to do it, so it's not like he wasted their time. LoL Thus a really wholesome prank because nobody gets hurt and nobody's time is wasted. 😁
Thank you random algorithm for bringing me here. I am not a musician at all but they were all stunning. The first pianist (Maria) was phenomenal and smart. She was able to figure out the delay issues. The second (Jane) is beautiful and enjoyed every minute of playing but I think she could feel the weight difference. The third (Diana) was shocked/thrilled and had very good energy. All things considered, I do think this was a great video. Very intriguing and enjoyable. All three of the pianist are very talented.
Instead of trying to prank the pianists, I'd just told them the whole story: "I'm a crazy RUclips entrepreneur and I'm trying to create viral videos. I modified a bunch of pianos and am not able to play them to anyones satisfaction. I need someone who really know their stuff to see, what sounds could be produced with these monsters. Also, we need to talk in english, while filming. "
I think part of the draw on these videos is seeing the astonished reaction of the unsuspecting mark. Of course they're Swedish so most of them hardly react at all anyway.
You didn't create something horrible. You created a Harpsichord. The instrument that you will often hear in movies or shows based in Renaissance/medieval times. I actually really love this. Haha
Harpsichords are indeed plucked. It's the clavichord that uses small metal hammers. Also an older type of keyboard instrument, also hard to control the volume of the music produced. This video might give a demonstration of why players couldn't control the volume as well, the keys were heavier!
I thought the pianists were enjoyable to watch, and it did appear that they enjoyed making music using your idea. This was less a prank and more of a way to come up with a sound that was close enough to a piano harpsichord hybrid. It is actually pretty cool, and possibly something that is desirable within the music industry! Congratulations in advance for your inadvertent invention!
I was literally having this exact thought, the ENTIRE video. Also I thought it was fucking adorable how into the whole thing the second girl was getting. Loved the whole video though, that first lady was so nice, the second one was so getting into the sound of it and you could tell she had a real passion for piano in how she spoke and I love seeing that. Also glad he managed to get a reaction from the third lady, made the whole crippling anxiety worth it in the end xD
"It's unlike anything I've ever heard before." Is just about the highest praise you can get from a professional musician. I woulda teared up with success right then and there
Page turning is pretty serious job. In fact that guy turned page wrongly, he should’ve turned it from the top corner of sheet, because pianist is reading down when ending the page. Also page turner must be good sight reader to follow notes with pianist. So it’s definitely harder than triangle player..
I found this through a video you made of a guitar that spins. As a self taught pianist and guitarist who's also fascinated with with engineering. This channel is very amusing. I don't really ever like or subscribe to anything because I don't want to be flooded with repetitive content even if I enjoy it.. idk I'm weird I guess. Point is I would happily be flooded with content like this. I definitely want to see more.
The funny thing is, his “story” was that he modifies pianos. So they were already expecting a not-normal piano. Great vid though! Cool piano and very talented pianists!
I would like to pay insane respect to page turner man because he just sat down (what looked like too far from the sheet music to read along) and knew when to get up and turn?? So he probably plays himself and/or knows the sonata pretty well, and the way it's printed here. Whenever I turn pages for someone, I need to constantly hover over their shoulder and read along in the sheet music so I know when to turn lol. He did it so easily. Props.
Like he knew the song and musics sheets just like the pianist. He had to know just enough ahead so the pianist can play smoothly through the page being turned.
I really think prank was not the right word, I would say Tries to surprise Classical Pianist and fails hilariously. In spite of the grueling Practice and hours of dedication, Classical musicians are still creatives. When you're paying that amount of money the only one you're pranking is yourself👍 They were worth every penny!
@@davidmenke7552 I disagree heavily. He seemed to focus a lot more about others thoughts and feelings considered there time and travel. Not something a egotistical person would do
Professional musicians are highly trained both in music *and* in performing, which includes controlling your reactions to the unexpected & continuing to perform as well as possible in any situation. Excellent professionalism out of these musicians.
@@MilesMilesCrocodiles I think she's amused at the situation and annoyed at the piano. There's no way it could've felt at all natural to a pianist of her level
Just want to say, your builds are interesting enough on their own that just hiring a pianist to really see how it can sound is the best part of the video for me. Don't feel pressured to get a reaction from the pianist or anything, to me the highlight is the sound!
I'm not gonna say I don't want to see the reaction, but I will say it's super nerve wracking to wait to see what happens. So it's like morbid curiosity. Hearing the playing makes it worthwhile though.
I agree, Michael! Even hiring them and saying "I would like you to play my piano on camera, for a video. It has something funny done to it, and I want to see if you can guess what it is" would be good enough. The tuner guy he hires already knows what he's walking into now, and his appearances are still just as entertaining. But credit to Mattias for putting so much effort into his channel, either way!
That feels good to hear❤️🤝 Yeah It’s just that I decided to get that reaction before starting the video and I can’t really stop once I do that. It hurts me mentally😅
I'm most excited to see them play, too! I was reassured to see Maria's face wasn't blurred when we first saw her, which made me feel good that she had a good reaction and was okay staying in the video. I wish you had had the same luxury when you hired her, though!!! ;w;
Being somewhat a musician myself I can tell you professional musicians are usually excited about instrument modifications and sound experiments. And most musicians also have a very good sense of humour. This was an amazing idea and thank you for making this video with such professional musicians! This is peak performance entertainment value!
She was just as much a fan of pianos as you, and really liked your concept was the feeling I got from it. And I think she admired you(r work) almost as much as you admired her?
The tune sounds like what they played in the silent film era, a damsel tied to the railroad tracks, and the train is coming, frantically trying to untie her, the train gets closer and closer. 2nd: Played great. 3rd one: Busted you
By default I don't like pranks, because many of them are humiliating and of bad taste. In this case, I saw until the very end and liked because: 1- You became conscious of any issues (distance, health ) the pianist could face 2- you payed them 3- you got pranked by yourself :-) (the first pianos were like this or "worst" ) 4- you make your part to make them known by persons (like me) that didn't had the tiny idea of their existence and expertise 5- more importantly, you seem a nice person without malice So... thank you !!
I loved the whole video, all aspects. Im glad I read some comments, especially from the professional musician who said there was no reaction because they're, well, professional. And I'm totally blown away with the first lady. Just comes in, fingers flying with such aplumb, so damn good at it.
If you altered the hammer heads to be lighter and more agile, this would be my favorite alto-piano. It makes a beautiful sound. I think you did prank yourself.
I completely agree with this, maybe this could be optimized using a lighter metal, or maybe plastic hammers with a metal head for striking the strings.
true, but I don't think his goal was for it to sound amazing, just good enough and to have actual hammers that he bought from the hardware store in it xD
Here's what you should've done: told them you were a hobby craftsman and just built your first full sized piano, but you don't know how to play so you're unsure of how good a job you did. Then, when they discover the hammers, you can act all surprised at the fact that it shouldn't have been literal hammers.
@@afriendlymusician3829 It definitely didn’t help though. But yeah, I struggle to see how someone can paralyze their fingers with a matchbox and some string.
I know you're calling it a prank, but consider this: Even though these pianists sometimes came from far away, you offered them the opportunity to play a one-of-a-kind instrument with some very interesting harmonics and dynamics. I think they approached it with honesty and finished with grace.
I totally agree. Also, as long as you pay them for their time I would say it isn't a bad prank. I'm not a professional pianist myself, but even as an amateur I find it fun to play all sorts of unique instruments, so I'm betting she may have found the "prank" kind of funny, but she also may have found the entire experience genuinely fun. Musicians do experiment with getting different sounds, so this really isn't that far off from a real musical experiment and not just a prank. And the musicians also sound really good, too.
@@rooty I actually want to see this design iterated on you could attach a flat metal puck to the front of a standard piano hammer to get the same striking surface but a reduced weight on the keys. The sound is really interesting and I think you have something interesting here if you aimed for function over the meme factor
10 Million people saw pianists that they might never have if not for your video. Beyond being a moral and paying them for their time, you've enriched the lives of SO many people.
The first pianist was incredibly professional. She just jumped right in and did her thing even on that mutilated piano. The second pianist demonstrated such dedication. You could tell she really wanted the music to sound good and overcome the challenge. Amazing. My hope is that a sound engineer actually does reach out and want to recreate this haha.
@Ivari It's got its own unique sound and warmth to it. Maybe the clavichord is a similar concept, but it's tinny, and light, and mobile, and allows for a lot of sixteenth notes, which this instrument absolutely will not do unless you got some quantum hammers or rocket hammers or crazy tempered hydraulics in there. I'm only slightly being facetious on the last bit with the quantum hammers, but -- you get my gist. It's similar to how the banjo and five stringed guitar are so different. You can play the banjo fingerstyle, you can do rolls with finger picks on an up-tuned five string, but you'll have difficulty making them sound maybe exactly the same. But that's the constraint, and that's the beauty of it. Just as the clavichord is constrained in its tinniness and mobility. You could force this instrument above to mimic sixteenths, for example, but you're going to have to do your rolls upward spaced further apart, and interleaved in different ways. And already, just like that, you're adding a new dimension to music that's uniquely "hammer piano". It's the constraints, not the freedom, that make an instrument great. Poetry is great not because it's random words, but a beautiful collection of puzzle pieces all put together. I'd reckon the same goes for music too.
@@fernbear3950 that all might be true, but making a soundfont/vst out of an instrument is an incredibly expensive and work intensive process, i cannot see anyone doing that for free for this.
The good thing is that due to all the lock downs, many musicians have been finding it difficult to get public bookings for work - You have provided that work through your idea.
Paying 1400$ for a professional pianist to play and then be like "well yeah some keys just don't work we'll have to deal with it..." I completely lost it at that part.
I also found this hilarious, paying someone to do these professional pieces from their prestigious backgrounds and making them play with half keys working. Poor people probably thought they're try a piano that was innovative and cool.
@@1.blazeIT 5 keys weren’t working not half. Tho 5 keys is still a lot…typically pianos has 88 keys but every sound counts in music and without those 5 keys, it disrupts the harmonizations. Feels like something is missing. It would really irk me
That page turner was a non musician lol. The woman already knew the music by heart but I’m assuming that he only tagged along to keep her safe which is lovely 😊
As a page-turner..... 😁 most of us do read music, at least to some degree. it’s impossible to have no knowledge and successfully be a good one. Many of us are students of the professional, and it’s helpful to us- we can watch technique, meet people, and learn by being alongside. As for her page turner, who knows. It’s highly likely he was along for the ride and as an extra set of eyes in a strange house, but I’m sure he does have music knowledge.
That Russian pianist. She just dived into it like someone who loves her craft. The first lady was no doubt an expert with the kind of experience she had, but I felt the Russian lady was so connected with her art and her continuous sense of self correction. It's like when you love something you do, you tend to push yourself to do better. She even asked if her attire was ok for the shoot. I know some musicians like that. Some real gems.
You can feel the difference inside yourself. When you here someone that is technically perfect compared to someone who feels the music. Someone else can say what that is, but there is a beauty that one has that the other doesn’t.
That's because the first person didn't take it seriously after she heard the tone of the instrument. It's not just about the money for her. Giving an artist a reason to get up in the morning is far more valuable than money.
This pianist is amazing. I can’t believe how generous she is. Oh, you have an out of tune piano that feels very hard to play with heavy hammers and now this incredible music I just know how to play after years of work? No problem! Smile, and proceed to make really great go of something kind of ugly sounding. She’s incredible. I think she is the kind of person that makes me want to be a musician.
In my humble opinion, the sound of your modified piano reminds me of a harpsicord. The difference being that harpsicords pluck the strings vs. pianos striking the strings. But the hammers striking the strings closely mimic the plucking sound. I know this is a prank but I really like the sound.
Exactly my thoughts 😁 it's like a nicely rich harpsichord, it sounds deeper and has nice resonance, it's like a very nice middle ground between the two
I stumbled on this and watched till the end, and don't see this as a prank. But rather seeing someone that is a true passionate person in her craft and played it well. And her reaction was what I expected. That was the first lady I'm speaking of.
@@stevenrogersfineart4224 absolutely. When he told these consummate professionals that he had created the piano when he hired them, he pretty much guaranteed that he'd get no reactions & definitely no negative responses about the piano's quality or sound. If he's the dude hiring them & paying him, he's going to be the last person they ever tell what they really think about the piano if it's negative (because he might tell other people in the music world & tank their career from their perspective). That's just the reality of it. These people are professionals so they are going to act...gasp...professional, No. Matter. What. The show must go on & all that. They were giving him exactly what he claimed he wanted...someone talented to help him be able to sell his new instrument to who he told them he was planning on selling it to. I'm honestly baffled that he really thought he'd get anything else to be completely honest. His awkwardness is pretty funny though. Getting kids from the local high school who play piano probably would have given him what he wanted if he left out that he's the builder of the piano.
@@stevenrogersfineart4224 Something akin to the following ad: Wanted for a focus group: Musicians who play piano to test an altered piano on loan from the builder to get honest feedback about the sound & playability. Pay: $75 for an hour. Email to set up an appointment & to get the set music.
I actually loved the first pianist's reaction, she was so positive about the whole thing. It's funny that she wasn't too surprised, I wonder what kind of Weird Piano she'd played before that makes literal hammers seem to make sense. This video was honestly extremely wholesome all the way through. It's cute that when you finally got that surprised reaction she seemed so genuinely impressed.
Prepared piano is 20th century technique, it involved shoving random junk in-between the strings/hammers etc to change the sound So playing around with a piano's sound is somewhat normal
You did get reaction, it just wasn't as much shock, it was professional curiosity and exploration, discovery and adaptation, and understandable frustration at how much more work it is to play than lighter keys are. These are professionals after all, they are here doing professional work for someone who modifies instruments, a noble pursuit of discovery in its own right. I am glad we are able to come along with you on this journey.
The reaction for music is way better and worth it especially when first lady mentioned sounded like 18th century made so much sense because meta working was so much harder before the industrial revolution.
Grab Atlas VPN for $1.39/mo before the deal expires: atlasv.pn/MattiasKrantz
Uwu
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Could you please inform me how many hours you’ve spent mutalating pianos? Sorry for the spelling
“Mutilating”?
Think you mean “Making BETTER”
Yoo, even if you don't have good social skills for getting reactions, the playing was awesome!
The first player. I could tell that she adjusted her playing as she went, as she got used to the slower action.
She made it sound better as she went.
Then she gave you great feedback and demonstrated that the keys can't keep up with the piece.
She earned her money.
Yes, a true artist who understands her instrument, best money you ever spent.
Why do I feel like they’re underpaid😅😅😅
@@zulaycahazurin5493 *comments on third highest rated comment*
*calls it underrated*
@@swagonmynuts6478 **replies to a 2 weeks-long comment, expecting it to be the same as now.**
also the fact that she drove 10 hours to get there
While 1440 euros is a lot of money, if you think about it it's a very humble price for travelling 10 hours, practicing the songs you sent her, playing them, and all by someone at the top of her profession. Musicians are really wonderful people
500 km is nothing for someone from Russia, it's just about 4-5 hours of driving.
@@tanteriaaa Wow in Russia you get to drive how fast? I'm only get to drive about 300 km for 4 hours in my country where I'm from hmmm
@@JoanKSX many people drive about 120-130 km per hour in order to get earlier, but I didn't say it :)
@@tanteriaaa Awww you guys ah-ha XD
Our country has limited to only 110 km/hour, slow AF... and no fines to slower drivers who would drive like 70 km/hour on a 110 km/hour highways urghhh
A speed limit i dont know what that is in germany🙂. On highways in germany there is lot of speedlimitless zones
Lol the last lady saying “You’re very intelligent” sounded like she was talking to a young child congratulating them on their monstrous creation
Well it was made to sound stupid, obviously :D
Yeah, that lady was really nice and appreciated what he had done much more than the others.
1k likes
It might have sounded like that but i think she really thinks that
Welp, we clasical musicians already had Jhon Cage in our history, he modified pianos and is the autor of 4:33, that is a fkn meme of clasical experimental music, so nothing of this is really new to the pianist XD.
First lady just impressed the hell out of me, such professionalism and ability to extract sound out of piano.
I’m not surprised she brought her husband. If I were a woman I would be hesitant to drive 5 hours alone to a complete strangers house and get paid to play a piano.
What could possibly go wrong?
Kudos to the bravery of the second lady.
@@Whaleydaveyagreed, but 80km takes less than an hour to do 😅
@@Hexthrill Oh OK, I thought I heard them say “5 hours” for the drive? I must’ve misheard.
The first Pianist simply blew me away. She sat down at a tinny, over weighted, out of tune, monstrosity with several missing keys and played it with such musicality. You could see her smirking now and then at the absurdity but the way that she handled the instrument, could make you believe that every sound was intended that way.
tbh true, you can tell she herself is a beast of a master... it sounded really like a different instrument in her hands
Her hands looked soooo relaxed playing those heavy keys. Meanwhile my fingers tensed on a Yamaha p115.
The first one was just happy to be playing as silly as it was she became one with it and just powered through.
@Aurora Lillian I don't feel so weird being a nurse n having generalized anxiety disorder
Well, It was in tune. It got tuned in the previous video.
this video should actually be titled "half an hour of a Scandinavian man suffering crippling social anxiety over minorly pranking a pianist."
That's what makes it special
lmao that”s why it’s so good
Small correction: "*enjoyable* half an hour of ...."
Hahaha this is a great title tbh
I've only met the one Dane, but from he told me about their culture and the surrounding Nordic countries, it's about on par with what he said.
I'm a pianist myself and as a hint you could have contacted students of a nearby conservatory (if there is one), usually their level of playing is very high and they're more likely to put up with stuff like this :)
Especially if you pay them well lol
@@BachBeethovenBerg also they are pretty young so it's probably going to be fun
You could also let them play an unmodified piano afterwards so they can relax and you can get your money's worth of epic recordings
It would be better to get the “students” from the local insane asylum.
I think that the pianist that would go simply to downright "forget that" are rare...
Some would ask for money, though. Some might go because "What the hell? What to see that?" Some might see a challenge there...
Many would refuse because they have better things to do, like an album or practicing for an orchestra or teaching. But this is different than just "nope! Never! Forget about it;"
LOL page turner = bodyguard for spouse who is travelling 80km to the home of a complete stranger with a potentially sketchy request. Good on them.
also page turner
@@MMx1000 Also sextoy in bed.
@@MMx1000😂😂😅
I wonder how many men did not think of this at all and how many women knew immediately why that man accompanied her.
@@ChallieWallie Yeah that's pretty much what I was wondering could never had that point of view myself lol
Other youtubers: prank other people maliciously for their own profit
Matthias: pays pianists to play his piano and feals ashamed
Bro, you da best ^^
While paying thousands
Hahaha this comment made me realise how much I overthink things
He is just Swedish :)
You kinda pranked yourself right?
@@Mattiaskrantz Scandinavian humbleness at best
The problem is, the people that ended up taking your job were actual professionals that absolutely love their craft. And they showed up to play an experimental interment. And loved it.
This is what I was thinking. Like, they knew going in that something was going to be weird about this piano.
As an American, I read this incorrectly at first
@@nickg8272 What? I'm also an American and had 0 trouble. What does nationality have to do with that?
@Tate Pattillo I still don't know what being American has to do with any of this.
@@MaybeAnnatar they're taking our jobs don't be a Karen
Instead of being overly baffled she just explains why the setup wouldn't work for the sound.THAT'S NEXT LEVEL PRO.
Where was that?
@@DennisLeeyeet 14:14
She s gold
It’s also kind of a good advert for their skills and ability to work even with a weird setup. Hopefully they drum up some prospects as a result of this!
I was classically trained in piano for 25 years. I understand why the professionals don't react. When you play regularly, you learn to adapt to many different instruments having different feels and sounds, various degrees of proper tuning and keys sometimes sticking or being muted. You wouldn't really want to be a diva and complain too much about the instrument and just make it sing as best as you can.
Agreed. The “professional” part entails a great deal of patience and grace. These artists were delightfully kind and giving of their expertise.
I suspect it's just hard to prank a professional. I absolutely love their responses. It's like Mattias was the one being pranked.
the second chick was just like oh yeah hammers in the piano like thats every other piano she see's didnt even comment on it other than theyre a bit heavy
They're being paid for it, and not being disrespected in any way how is it surprising for professionals not act like assholes
They're being paid for it, and not being disrespected in any way how is it surprising for professionals not act like assholes
She wasn't worth $400. She was worth THOUSANDS. Amazing player, amazing attitude, and went through it no matter what. That is a true Musician of which I admire. 💯👍
I read the first 4 words and was ready to shit all over you lol
@@the_car_guy5915 😂😂
@@the_car_guy5915 😂😂😂😂
Just to satisfy your need to vilify others, here you go:
“She wasn’t worth $400.”
I can buy ppl?
She is not phased at all by the weight of ACTUAL HAMMERS on those keys. She moves as gracefully as if nothing had changed. What an amazing pianist
Seriously. Sight reading through that with such professionalism. She’s amazing.
No doubt, what a beast
That's because as a pianist you practice everyday to gain strength in the fingers
Who? There were three shes. XD
Class and Grace in unfamiliar environments. Sometimes we are only one try away from greatness. Sometimes many tries but that is called courage and tenacity!
It's like replacing a Sword master's training sword with floppy foam and see their reaction.
Then they proceed to annihilate everyone in the gym then response with "It's a bit too flexy but very light and easy to handling" with earnest smile.
In the modern world, prepared piano or modified instruments actually have quite a bit of interesting opportunities. The best example I can think of is Aphex Twin and the album "Druqks". He made very melodic and interesting prepared piano variations for several of those tracks. (Seriously: he put like random objects in a piano in various ways, per note; and just mangled the sound in a very pleasant form. Great album.)
A guitar example would probably be that turkish professor dude who makes microtonal guitars...although that is a bit more N-tone theory oriented as opposed to timbre theory oriented. Also, he kinda uses science and maths.
Great analogy
@@py_a_thon Seasick Steve can play music on old guitars missing 1,2 or 3 strings plus instruments that he has made out of pieces of old junk. ruclips.net/video/JPOMYHKWGTE/видео.html
You make me laugh buddy xD
I'm a swordsman, and just about every swordsman is used to flex with their swords. Because:
A. Foam and plastic are what is typically used for sparring and training
B. Swords themselves tend to be quite flexible, and flex quite a lot on hit
The reason you weren't getting much of a reaction is because musicians, by their nature, love creativity. What you built wasn't as much as a joke, so much as an interesting and creative musical instrument. As a musician myself, I'd be more inclined to work harder to help you create music worthy of your creativity. They all reacted, just not in a practical joke sort of way. We don't watch and view because you make jokes... we watch and view because we are interested in what you create... even if they are meme worthy. Keep up the great work.
Or they are just a lot more focused on what they are playing and trying to make it sound nice. I play the piano and I would be nervous and more focused on my performance especially if I was paid for it.
Yup. More crazy-interesting than a prank!
It sounded like they played on pianos that used metal hammers before.
I would be worried about doing a good job demonstrating this unique instrument in a recording that will represent it as a creative achievement. Of course they don't feel pranked!
They are, after all, professional pianists
Pranked by the professional pianists' professionalism.
Absolutely .. .. ..
Literally this. 😂 Professional pianists have to put up with so much nonsense, this is basically just a standard Tuesday. (Also, modifying pianos is A Thing. John Cage composed whole pieces for pianos modified in various ways.)
Aliterally
@@DJRY360 Tbh . .. .. i didnt like it .. .. .. would much preferred hearing that played on an old grotrian - tuned of course with all the notes in there for the players delectation .. .. ..
@@johnnyroadcrew3841 ok
This is no prank. This is a master piece of art. The pro pianists who took the challenge proof that skills to operate with the situation gives art a totally new depth. AND for them this is absolutely fun experience to work with a funky tool that is absolute uniq.
It's about mastery.
i admire ur ability to put wonderful thinking into beautiful words.....
Watching her play was a joy. Beautiful piece also. The piano sounded almost quirky like a show tune piano. She looked like she enjoyed herself also.
They probably didn't say anything because they were trying to be professional and polite. I can't imagine what was going through their heads.
Very true, if I was in the predicament, especially if it were paid i would avoid questioning it in case it would have hurt the owner's feelings.
@@Applecakes Id rather say what i thought, because he did say it is a product and an opinion about it might be of worth for him.
To be fair... It's pretty impressive to commit this hard to a joke. If I were in their shoes, I'd be shocked for only a moment, then the next curious.
I have played classical piano for ten years and I can tell you the reaction of these pianists was pure professionalism. I would have geeked out. I’m jealous that they got to play it 😅
The Russian Lady did just that. You could tell that she couldn’t get enough of it!
Lols
Same, I've played classical piano for a while, and I would have killed to play it! It sounds a bit like a harpsicord.
She rocked the hell out of that crippled instrument anyway. The definition of a professional regardless of conditions 👍
No cap 👌
I actually still love the sound of it. It isn't orthodox, but I think it certainly has a place. Perhaps a few select notes mildly out of tune can grant an even more disoriented feeling.
Like a pool shark running the table with a crooked broom stick
Sounds like a harpsichord
yes. She killed it, professional style!
14:30 “that’s why it can’t keep up” my god lady you are insanely good lol I love the piano and wish one day I could learn… her talent is amazing.
I think they don’t feel pranked because they all actually like the way it sounds and it does actually sound good and unique. Perhaps your cover story could become a reality and this could become a digitized reality for electric pianos!
Check the description.
I feel it's also the way in which he presented it... he just says: "can we try now how it sounds with the lid open?", while they are already in the middle of the play, engaged in "professional" mode, and in a setting where overreacting might even be seen as impolite. I feel the reason they don't react is out of respect and professionality. They are probably so impressed already by the novelty of the sound and trying to focus on playing it good that they want to behave as if what's important is "how it sounds with the lid open", and just act natural without reacting to what's inside.
When the first woman was so surprised of the sound and asked if she could peek inside, had he allowed her to check it out, I'm sure she would have given an interesting reaction, similar to the last woman (which also happens to peek on it herself). But once they are already in the middle of play I expect they only care about delivering a good performance without being judgemental about the instrument they were paid to play.
He could have also directly said: "Are you curious about the sound? If you'd like to check inside now, I'd be happy to see your reaction" or something like that. But because he wanted to make it more of a prank he made it look as if he did not want/expect a reaction from them when he opened it, so instead they behave professionally, since they already discovered that this was what they were getting paid for, playing on an experimental instrument.
@@johne2404 It wasn't a prank after all...
I agree completely. It sounds very similar to a hammer dulcimer. It's actually kind of beautiful (if it were in tune)
@@thelittolman I agree! Too bad that's probably impossible outside of casting your own hammers in a way that guarantees they all have the exact same material and weight
I like how hes the only one who feels out of place in his own home
Why so many likes but no reply’s
@@lBennyTHPS introverts
@@lBennyTHPS they like it, but have nothing to add on to it
I didn't even think of that perspective, but for these moments in the video he has a professional pianist in his house to play 88 hammers.
@@lBennyTHPS :• …Like the brilliant-grade brevity of the lines in Moonstruck (the movie), this comment was already sufficiently loaded and can’t be topped.
I can see that these people, being professionals, must be a little terrified at how to respond. They don't want to make a mockery of your creation. I think a more genuine approach could work in the future. "I modify pianos and create videos for youtube. The task will be to see if you can guess how I've modified the instrument. This will be treated as a paid gig, but the atmosphere will be light and friendly and I truly hope you will have fun sharing in this creative opportunity to showcase my creation." You can still leave that final reveal to an element of real surprise. At this point, you will have built anticipation and they will be excited to see what you've done, especially if they managed to guess correctly!
What a great video regardless. All of these pianists just lit me up to hear them play. Thank you for showcasing all of them! We would have never been able to experience them without you!
I think this is a great idea.
Do you wanna take charge of the channel bro?
This. Let them know what they're in for and make it a fun game for all the parties involved! I really hope Matthias sees this
Yes this right here would have been a lot less stressful for him.
I think this is perhaps the best approach for Mattias to assuage his own anxiety
Many many years ago, we were prepping for a big jam, and we put metal thumbtacks on the face of the felt hammers. The piano guy LOVED it!!!
As a pianist, I can NOT imagine playing all of those songs on keys that are 10 times heavier. I have the deepest respect for these pianists!! I hope their hands and fingers will recover well from this.
Does it actually cause damage to their fingers??
@@zzey It could, actually! There are specific health issues that pianists tend to suffer from, like carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis, for example. It's very important to take breaks and have the correct arm, hand and finger positions. I don't believe that these pianists will have an issue since they are very trained and they only played that piano once. But generally, a piano like that definitely has the potential to cause pain and/or an inflammation.
k but if they have been doing it for years, practicing for hours, then this prolly just made their hands stronger if anything.
@@zzey well I have tendinitis and God it HURTS so much
@@LaEve think of Keith Emerson.
His reaction seing pianists not having reactions is actually funnier than pianists' reactions themselves
Reactionception!
I’d be pissed if I had to drive 10 hours for this
@@priceandpride but would you be pissed if you got paid 1400 for it
@@priceandpride You would be pissed to play songs you agreed to be paid to do weird but ok
Is that 10 hours each way? So 20 hours, which means probably have to also find a place to stay. So two days of my time. Eh, 50/50 on how pissed I be. Idk how much the amount of money he gave out is worth (Cost of Living). Some places, 1,400 would be a good chunk, some places it wouldn’t even pay the rent for a studio apartment.
As a professional musician I can tell you why you didn’t get a reaction. Because you hired professionals, and they acted professionally. Of course they aren’t going to be rude to their employer.
Also, extended techniques, you know?
This was my thoughts exactly. I have sat straight faced through some bananas stuff. You gave $1400 to a pro, you got a pro. Still a fun video, it was nice watching her adapt to the hammers at first.
She also knew she was there to play something experimental.
Yes but also bc, swedes!
ok DAVID
The second one, I loved how into the music she was, at the "bouncing" while playing. It was amazing to see how into the music and actions she was. And to go along with it all. Such passion in playing as well.
What is the name of the symphony she played
The first pianist, Maria, held my attention throughout her segment. She's a true musician. The way she continues to engage about the piano and talks beyond the work she was paid to do, tells me that she's got real passion and knowledge. Glad I was recommended this video!
Did you not watch the second one?
@@scoobertmcruppert2915 silly question, if not why he write first one ?
What piece did the first pianist play?
@@briaharris183 Hammerklavier 1st movement
The second was just as good. She may not have reacted in the way we wanted. But reacting as a professional musician, she was sitting there trying to figure out how to play to the best of her abilities on a piano that is anything but normal 😂
These professionals are honestly a credit to the field. It doesn't sound bad, but how they handle the news, and simply endevour to preform the pieces is admirable.
I feel like I’m living in the 1700’s listening to this. It actually has an relatively semi-authentic sound in comparison to some 200 year old pianos. Enjoyed👍
Yeah it's pretty hard to prank real musicians, they tend to react with "wow this is cool, how can we make this work?" Because if it can make sound, a musician be make music man.
So true! As long as it's not their liability, I think any musician would happily try a mangled instrument "just to see if it still works."
Lol i'm here for that exact reason
Exactly.
Yep I loved the last reaction for that exact reason
i have been playing drums professionally for 12 years, non-professionally for 22 years. I am thrilled by broken or what would be deemed "bad" drums very often. Any different kind of buzz, boom, thud, or crack is just a new texture to my sound pallet and makes my creative juices flow instantly
This is undoubtedly the most wholesome creative and beautiful prank for everyone involved! Well done to the pianist and her husband, and too you for such a creative idea!
That first woman was lovely: absolutely wholesome! Don't get me wrong: everyone was nice, but the enthusiasm of the first pianist was amazing :)
Yes she was very mature and motherly and positive. Didnt really mind it at all and even impressed by the ingenuity.
Yeah!
You’re thinking like an engineer. These are artists that see this as nothing more than just a tool that they need to make a sound. It’s incredible how they adjust to the task. Like a pro golfer playing par golf with a shitty set of clubs.
Well said.
Exactly. Nothing changes. For us, it's just like asking us to play in a child's toy instrument. It will sound completely different. But that's all. (Anyway I found the modification amazing!)
The second pianist seemed into it. She was frustrated she wasn’t performing better but played quite a few songs and even mentioned the other project piano
I wonder how much the weight of the keys affected her ability🤔
@@megalogoro6388 I'd imagine it's exhausting to play it because of how heavy it is. It seemed to be making rhythmic precision much harder as well, which makes sense because a heavier hammer would be more difficult to accelerate to the string quickly, so there would be less of a near-instant response between hitting the key and hearing the note sound
I’m sure the weight was the cause. Mattias said he thought they were 10x heavier. You could tell as she kept stretching her hands
i want to know if he asked her out though......
@@bryansweeney3077 Also because they are heavier they need a moment to return to stand by position so fast repeating of the note doesn't work at all
Beginning - 7:10
Showed my mum who's a classical pianist how the piano sounded without telling her how it was modified. She asked me if it was a hammer piano. Never underestimate classical musicians they know their shit
🤣
I dont think you know what that means
@@axeinthegame6853 Yes I do I think we have a translation issue here. I'm Austrian and in German a fortepiano is called "Hammerklavier" aka hammer piano. For me it just sounded like a Cembalo/Harpsichord because even though I grew up in a classical musicians household (my dad's a viola player and has an orchestra and my sister is a violin soloist) my knowledge is still second hand cause I gave up on piano lessons after a year and I simply know less lol. I'm aware of its history now tho and I get that it wasn't that impressive that she guessed it right, but I was simply surprised at the time cause I wasn't aware of the history of fortepiano and she literally said hammer piano so I wrote this comment to share my surprise. Hope you're having a good day sorry for the long reply ^^
@@emotea597 THATS A LOTTA WORDS-
@@edeanchu6376 yes, it’s people explaining their points of view, ever heard of that?
The problem is you hired professionals. By nature they’re going to act professionally.
This was my thinking, also.
Yes, but a professional should also be so well versed and practiced that they should be able to immediately deduce something was different in a way that is noticeable apart from standard instrument deviations.
@@pooppoop6337 He pretty much opened with "The piano will sound weird", so that's not unusal. It also sounds like a harpsicord, just plays like a tougher piano.
He should've hired an unprofessional.
@@FeathersMcGraw_ I approve of your moronic comment! Cuz once you pay someone...
The first one sounded so good. The moment she started playing I was like, yeah , this is it. And she did it effortlessly. And she wasn't even surprised even a bit that keys were heavy or anything. She just played it. True artist.
"You won't read this anyway I'm a beginner" was quite funny😂 27:14
I wanna talk to you privately,
😂 she's such a brilliant pianist that she realizes that the piano has been altered, IMMEDIATELY, yet continues to play through without complaint. What a master of her craft! ❤️
Also: she played really good.
@@sebastianwendl603 without a doubt!
He told her off the bat the piano was modified, though- she knew it when she agreed to come play it.
Beautifully...
It’s pretty obvious that the piano has been altered just by pressing a key, you don’t even have to be a musician to know that
As a German I love the way you claimed to be German and then brought a full blown Swedish accent into your English. "I know some Swedish" also killed me
Why’d he pretend to be German?
i chuckled at that too. he could have thought up a better lie.
He also replied in english when they were speaking swedish lmao
I love how you're a German with the most Irish name imaginable.
@@teokarlsson305 nice, I didn't catch that
After hearing her play, it literally sounds like the love child of a piano and a harpsichord.
I never loved the sound of the piano as I’ve always preferred the sound of a harpsichord, but the downside to the harpsichord was its limitations in how loud it cold be played. Hearing this instrument is like a dream come true for me, where you get the plucking qualities of a harpsichord but the dynamic range of the piano.
As a musician myself, that was one of the most beautiful comments I've ever read. There are thousands of sounds in my brain, most of which, their are yet instruments to make. You must be a really talented Soul. Branch Out Dude, I listen to mostly non-European instruments to get my fix on.
I was thinking it sounded like a harpsichord too!
@@ericrobinson7184 Yo do you literally have sounds in your brain that you haven't heard? So you're actually creative unlike us mere mortals where our "creative" ideas are actually just slightly modified mish-mashes of whatever we've heard/read/done before.
Actually, what I think it sounds like is an old fashioned "tack piano" ...on steroids! Granted, a tack piano is simply a piano with metal tacks added to the wooden hammers, which is why they sound so similar. However, by using full weight hammers, you've created a very pure sound - like all tack, no wood. I'd love to see/have a virtual instrument plug-in sampled from your piano. It would be fun to work with.
Fwiw, and sorry to critique you, but I'm not sure this is really what I'd consider a "prank." Doing this to a grand piano before a performance without informing the pianist, now THAT would be a prank! Instead, you've masterfully modified a piano, which is amazingly still functional and playable. Then, you invited some wonderful pianists to play it, and they did so, happily, and with some incredible performances (I really loved the young lady from Russia). I know pranks are popular, but I think you try to hard to make this a prank, when it's so much better than that. Anyway, nice work, both on the piano, and in creating this video!
Exactly, I thought the same
I love the pianists’ attitude. Curious, analytical, open to the nouveau. My respect for professional musicians grew out of your intended prank. If you were seriously developing a hammer piano product, they have actually provided you with great feedback. Sound is not half bad, there’s potential.
I love how authentic the second pianist was. I hope she goes easier on herself and recognized just how freaking good she is.
I agree! It was the first time I got teary eyed listening to Megalovania. ❤️
I definitely agree, but also for $1.4k I think she knows she's pretty good. Self-criticism, when moderated by self-respect, is the key to getting good at something. She's critical of herself but it doesn't seem to affect her spirit as she remains confident.
It looked like the piano not playing properly was giving her PTSD from how she was taught. I'd not be surprised if she was hit if she got something wrong.
Yeah I emailed her this comment chain before she was really happy to read this😄😄
@Joel Valencia Oh I totally understand. and I could be wrong in exactly how she thinks of herself. I just know that many musicians going to college/university for music tend to have lower self-esteem. There isn't anything wrong with recognizing mistakes or when technique could be improved. I just think that being hard on yourself too much for too long can be counter productive. But eh, she got to her level for a reason!
Just confirms that professional musicians can make great music on lousy instruments. My dad was a pro pianist and he could make broken down pianos sound good.
What are you "Playing At..." ?? 😄 👍
To quote the famous Dominic Touretto, "It's not the car that wins the race but the driver behind the wheel." F8 when he challenges the Big Oak to race his cousin's car.
@@Skyscraper2015 Who?
@@johnpearson4899 the family man.....
😂😂😅😅
The same applies to reverb on synths. A good reverb can make even a fisher price FM synth sound amazing and atmospheric.
Probably one of the most wholesome "pranks" I have ever seen. It's adorable how he feels so guilty when in reality the pianists are just doing exactly what they were willing to do .. Plus he paid them to do it, so it's not like he wasted their time. LoL Thus a really wholesome prank because nobody gets hurt and nobody's time is wasted. 😁
My time was wasted.
guys whats the song that plays at 24:55?
@@ashraile Comptine d'un autre été, l'après-midi by Yann Tiersen. It's from the movie Amelie.
@@uubwillemse-jacobson5577 thanks!
I agree. At least everybody was compensated for being tricked
Thank you random algorithm for bringing me here. I am not a musician at all but they were all stunning. The first pianist (Maria) was phenomenal and smart. She was able to figure out the delay issues. The second (Jane) is beautiful and enjoyed every minute of playing but I think she could feel the weight difference. The third (Diana) was shocked/thrilled and had very good energy.
All things considered, I do think this was a great video. Very intriguing and enjoyable. All three of the pianist are very talented.
Him: "I'll get a pro piano player and they'll freak out when they see the hammers!"
Her: "Oh, cool."
if he told them that it is for a project they arent going to laugh on a client.
Instead of trying to prank the pianists, I'd just told them the whole story: "I'm a crazy RUclips entrepreneur and I'm trying to create viral videos. I modified a bunch of pianos and am not able to play them to anyones satisfaction. I need someone who really know their stuff to see, what sounds could be produced with these monsters. Also, we need to talk in english, while filming. "
Sometimes honesty works well!
Welp.
Or just "Hey, I'd like you to try and check out this modified piano for a RUclips video."
I think part of the draw on these videos is seeing the astonished reaction of the unsuspecting mark. Of course they're Swedish so most of them hardly react at all anyway.
that's spot on
You didn't create something horrible. You created a Harpsichord. The instrument that you will often hear in movies or shows based in Renaissance/medieval times. I actually really love this. Haha
I thought it sounded like a harpsichord too!
But harpsichord strings are not hit they are pinched
It does sound similar tho
@@Hi-vf9wx lol, I know. It just sounds like one is all.
It does sound like a harpsichord, although harpsichord strings are plucked.
Harpsichords are indeed plucked. It's the clavichord that uses small metal hammers. Also an older type of keyboard instrument, also hard to control the volume of the music produced. This video might give a demonstration of why players couldn't control the volume as well, the keys were heavier!
I thought the pianists were enjoyable to watch, and it did appear that they enjoyed making music using your idea. This was less a prank and more of a way to come up with a sound that was close enough to a piano harpsichord hybrid. It is actually pretty cool, and possibly something that is desirable within the music industry! Congratulations in advance for your inadvertent invention!
"I paid people, who have dedicated their lives to piano, a lot of money to play the piano and was disappointed by how seriously they took it" 😂
Now that you said that, it's absolutely accurate lol
😂😂😂
I was literally having this exact thought, the ENTIRE video. Also I thought it was fucking adorable how into the whole thing the second girl was getting. Loved the whole video though, that first lady was so nice, the second one was so getting into the sound of it and you could tell she had a real passion for piano in how she spoke and I love seeing that. Also glad he managed to get a reaction from the third lady, made the whole crippling anxiety worth it in the end xD
That's called professionalism which you won't doubt with ur employers which she got a great sum of money it's not for free ay
The last girl was really impressed, that was so sweet!
"It's unlike anything I've ever heard before." Is just about the highest praise you can get from a professional musician. I woulda teared up with success right then and there
Page turning is pretty serious job. In fact that guy turned page wrongly, he should’ve turned it from the top corner of sheet, because pianist is reading down when ending the page. Also page turner must be good sight reader to follow notes with pianist. So it’s definitely harder than triangle player..
As a percussionist, I felt that
I think he was trying to stay out if the recording.
@@fetoruma123 Lmao
Now i Am Trianglry~!!
Yeah you should have said that way earlier Alexandre😅🤣
I found this through a video you made of a guitar that spins. As a self taught pianist and guitarist who's also fascinated with with engineering. This channel is very amusing. I don't really ever like or subscribe to anything because I don't want to be flooded with repetitive content even if I enjoy it.. idk I'm weird I guess. Point is I would happily be flooded with content like this. I definitely want to see more.
The funny thing is, his “story” was that he modifies pianos. So they were already expecting a not-normal piano.
Great vid though! Cool piano and very talented pianists!
mission accomplished
I would like to pay insane respect to page turner man because he just sat down (what looked like too far from the sheet music to read along) and knew when to get up and turn?? So he probably plays himself and/or knows the sonata pretty well, and the way it's printed here. Whenever I turn pages for someone, I need to constantly hover over their shoulder and read along in the sheet music so I know when to turn lol. He did it so easily. Props.
Like he knew the song and musics sheets just like the pianist. He had to know just enough ahead so the pianist can play smoothly through the page being turned.
Yes that was what I was thinking too.
I was thinking the same thing! I would be super anxious being a page turner 😅
I think she leaned to the right, when it was time?
He turned like a Boss
It sounds like you pranked yourself a lot more than you pranked the actual pianist!
You can’t mess around with a truly skilled musician ;)
Yeah I don't see how this is a prank haha
I really think prank was not the right word, I would say Tries to surprise Classical Pianist and fails hilariously. In spite of the grueling Practice and hours of dedication, Classical musicians are still creatives. When you're paying that amount of money the only one you're pranking is yourself👍 They were worth every penny!
Agreed. This guy is such an egotistical person.
@@davidmenke7552 I disagree heavily. He seemed to focus a lot more about others thoughts and feelings considered there time and travel. Not something a egotistical person would do
The pianist is awesome. Such a good sport!
Professional musicians are highly trained both in music *and* in performing, which includes controlling your reactions to the unexpected & continuing to perform as well as possible in any situation. Excellent professionalism out of these musicians.
Excellent point.
I like how the first lady is grinning the whole time because she knew, "Ha ha, they done given me another goofy piano again!"
ruclips.net/video/oLRuX4Dbq5c/видео.html
She seems simultaneously amused and annoyed.
@@MilesMilesCrocodiles I think she's amused at the situation and annoyed at the piano. There's no way it could've felt at all natural to a pianist of her level
These pianists are SO professional. Each of them is an engineer at heart.
I REALLY like the sound ! Halfway between a harpsichord and a piano !
Yeah that’s what I thought! That’s why the second pianist started talking about clavichords.
Just want to say, your builds are interesting enough on their own that just hiring a pianist to really see how it can sound is the best part of the video for me. Don't feel pressured to get a reaction from the pianist or anything, to me the highlight is the sound!
I'm not gonna say I don't want to see the reaction, but I will say it's super nerve wracking to wait to see what happens. So it's like morbid curiosity. Hearing the playing makes it worthwhile though.
I agree, Michael! Even hiring them and saying "I would like you to play my piano on camera, for a video. It has something funny done to it, and I want to see if you can guess what it is" would be good enough. The tuner guy he hires already knows what he's walking into now, and his appearances are still just as entertaining. But credit to Mattias for putting so much effort into his channel, either way!
That feels good to hear❤️🤝 Yeah It’s just that I decided to get that reaction before starting the video and I can’t really stop once I do that. It hurts me mentally😅
I'm most excited to see them play, too! I was reassured to see Maria's face wasn't blurred when we first saw her, which made me feel good that she had a good reaction and was okay staying in the video. I wish you had had the same luxury when you hired her, though!!! ;w;
Being somewhat a musician myself I can tell you professional musicians are usually excited about instrument modifications and sound experiments. And most musicians also have a very good sense of humour. This was an amazing idea and thank you for making this video with such professional musicians! This is peak performance entertainment value!
ruclips.net/video/oLRuX4Dbq5c/видео.html
I really really liked the energy of the second pianist. She was very driven and pushed herself to do better. Loved every second of it.
Yeah!! I agree it was entertaining to edit!
She was just as much a fan of pianos as you, and really liked your concept was the feeling I got from it. And I think she admired you(r work) almost as much as you admired her?
The tune sounds like what they played in the silent film era, a damsel tied to the railroad tracks, and the train is coming, frantically trying to untie her, the train gets closer and closer.
2nd: Played great.
3rd one: Busted you
Mattias: "I'm going to prank these pianists"
Pianists: *actively enjoy new piano*
😅
Task failed successfully
Lol yes they just wanted to play around 😂
Haha
i bet she wanted to yeet the piano in her car and take it home XD
The epiphany he has when he realizes a page turner is necessary is gold
But really, the husband was there to make sure his wife was safe. For all she knows this random guy who emailed her can be a creep or a serial killer.
@@sinatra222 100%
@@sinatra222 probably a mixture of both
@@sinatra222 wait you were born in 222?
@@sinatra222 not in sweden , crime there is super low
By default I don't like pranks, because many of them are humiliating and of bad taste.
In this case, I saw until the very end and liked because:
1- You became conscious of any issues (distance, health ) the pianist could face
2- you payed them
3- you got pranked by yourself :-) (the first pianos were like this or "worst" )
4- you make your part to make them known by persons (like me) that didn't had the tiny idea of their existence and expertise
5- more importantly, you seem a nice person without malice
So... thank you !!
6- he is begging for subs and likes more than any other RUclipsr I've seen!😉
@@ksp-crafter5907 eh, pretty tame compared to some channels I've seen
yeah he pranked him self instead 😂
I loved the whole video, all aspects. Im glad I read some comments, especially from the professional musician who said there was no reaction because they're, well, professional.
And I'm totally blown away with the first lady. Just comes in, fingers flying with such aplumb, so damn good at it.
If you altered the hammer heads to be lighter and more agile, this would be my favorite alto-piano. It makes a beautiful sound. I think you did prank yourself.
I completely agree with this, maybe this could be optimized using a lighter metal, or maybe plastic hammers with a metal head for striking the strings.
true, but I don't think his goal was for it to sound amazing, just good enough and to have actual hammers that he bought from the hardware store in it xD
@@dailydriver5568 Yes, maybe even make hammers smaller. Like the size of a finger.
@@oveja9975 That wasn't the goal, that's why it's so funny that it sounds so good.
It sounds strangely like a harpsichord or hammer dulcimer. I love the sound.
Here's what you should've done: told them you were a hobby craftsman and just built your first full sized piano, but you don't know how to play so you're unsure of how good a job you did. Then, when they discover the hammers, you can act all surprised at the fact that it shouldn't have been literal hammers.
This would have been way more effective. LOL
This is one of those shower thought moments where u come up with a much better idea days too late
AHHHH YES
It hurts he didnt do this
it's not too late! take 2.0.2!
You've created a finger exercise piano for those trying to build up their endurance.
Schumann crippled himself by practising on something like that :(
@@paxxop yeah I heard he also did way too many exercises to build speed and strength on his fingers which ultimately damaged them permanently.
@@paxxop It's an interesting story! He actually had a disease that caused that situation not practicing like a maniac XD. Sucks either way tho
@@afriendlymusician3829
It definitely didn’t help though. But yeah, I struggle to see how someone can paralyze their fingers with a matchbox and some string.
No extra charge for the ensuing Focal Dystonia :-/
you can appreciate the sheer skill these pianists have... it is incredible
I know you're calling it a prank, but consider this:
Even though these pianists sometimes came from far away, you offered them the opportunity to play a one-of-a-kind instrument with some very interesting harmonics and dynamics. I think they approached it with honesty and finished with grace.
That's what I was thinking. The first pianist, she can now dine out on the story of the time she played hammerklavier with actual hammers
I totally agree. Also, as long as you pay them for their time I would say it isn't a bad prank. I'm not a professional pianist myself, but even as an amateur I find it fun to play all sorts of unique instruments, so I'm betting she may have found the "prank" kind of funny, but she also may have found the entire experience genuinely fun. Musicians do experiment with getting different sounds, so this really isn't that far off from a real musical experiment and not just a prank. And the musicians also sound really good, too.
@@rooty I actually want to see this design iterated on you could attach a flat metal puck to the front of a standard piano hammer to get the same striking surface but a reduced weight on the keys. The sound is really interesting and I think you have something interesting here if you aimed for function over the meme factor
Wann kommt METALLICA
☺
10 Million people saw pianists that they might never have if not for your video. Beyond being a moral and paying them for their time, you've enriched the lives of SO many people.
The first pianist was incredibly professional. She just jumped right in and did her thing even on that mutilated piano. The second pianist demonstrated such dedication. You could tell she really wanted the music to sound good and overcome the challenge. Amazing. My hope is that a sound engineer actually does reach out and want to recreate this haha.
Her forearms are jacked too her left a is especially you can tell how much time she has dedicated to piano.
You just have to cap the felts with steel tabs
why would anyone spend time sampling this? it sounds like a clavichord, which of course is available already
@Ivari It's got its own unique sound and warmth to it. Maybe the clavichord is a similar concept, but it's tinny, and light, and mobile, and allows for a lot of sixteenth notes, which this instrument absolutely will not do unless you got some quantum hammers or rocket hammers or crazy tempered hydraulics in there. I'm only slightly being facetious on the last bit with the quantum hammers, but -- you get my gist.
It's similar to how the banjo and five stringed guitar are so different. You can play the banjo fingerstyle, you can do rolls with finger picks on an up-tuned five string, but you'll have difficulty making them sound maybe exactly the same. But that's the constraint, and that's the beauty of it.
Just as the clavichord is constrained in its tinniness and mobility. You could force this instrument above to mimic sixteenths, for example, but you're going to have to do your rolls upward spaced further apart, and interleaved in different ways. And already, just like that, you're adding a new dimension to music that's uniquely "hammer piano".
It's the constraints, not the freedom, that make an instrument great. Poetry is great not because it's random words, but a beautiful collection of puzzle pieces all put together. I'd reckon the same goes for music too.
@@fernbear3950 that all might be true, but making a soundfont/vst out of an instrument is an incredibly expensive and work intensive process, i cannot see anyone doing that for free for this.
The good thing is that due to all the lock downs, many musicians have been finding it difficult to get public bookings for work - You have provided that work through your idea.
18:39 she’s 100% thinking is he going to kill me now?!? Please god nooooooo.😂😂😂
Paying 1400$ for a professional pianist to play and then be like "well yeah some keys just don't work we'll have to deal with it..." I completely lost it at that part.
I’ll find it for you
When did you last see it
I also found this hilarious, paying someone to do these professional pieces from their prestigious backgrounds and making them play with half keys working. Poor people probably thought they're try a piano that was innovative and cool.
@@redzy5906 good one
@@1.blazeIT 5 keys weren’t working not half. Tho 5 keys is still a lot…typically pianos has 88 keys but every sound counts in music and without those 5 keys, it disrupts the harmonizations. Feels like something is missing. It would really irk me
I was in doubt that you were an engineer, but now that I saw your social skills, I'm sure you are one of us
"At least the weather is good" haha
lmao yes
Hahaha this comment engineer/10
"One of us, one of us..."
Brilliant!
The way you dodged the first pianist asking why exactly you picked hammerklavier was beautiful
Time stamp?
Man this was really intriguing. The lady was awesome also. Enjoyed the video. Thank you.
That page turner was a non musician lol. The woman already knew the music by heart but I’m assuming that he only tagged along to keep her safe which is lovely 😊
I wouldn't say non-musician. I think you'd have to at least know the pieces well enough to know when to turn the page.
@@TheRealTburt he learnt by ear when to turn the pages
As a page-turner..... 😁 most of us do read music, at least to some degree. it’s impossible to have no knowledge and successfully be a good one. Many of us are students of the professional, and it’s helpful to us- we can watch technique, meet people, and learn by being alongside.
As for her page turner, who knows. It’s highly likely he was along for the ride and as an extra set of eyes in a strange house, but I’m sure he does have music knowledge.
Actually, he is a professional musician too, playing the cello.
@@ryan-heath exactly. First page he turned he wasn't even looking at the music.
That Russian pianist. She just dived into it like someone who loves her craft. The first lady was no doubt an expert with the kind of experience she had, but I felt the Russian lady was so connected with her art and her continuous sense of self correction. It's like when you love something you do, you tend to push yourself to do better. She even asked if her attire was ok for the shoot. I know some musicians like that. Some real gems.
Yeah we can feel she totally accept the challenge !
You can feel the difference inside yourself. When you here someone that is technically perfect compared to someone who feels the music. Someone else can say what that is, but there is a beauty that one has that the other doesn’t.
That's because the first person didn't take it seriously after she heard the tone of the instrument. It's not just about the money for her. Giving an artist a reason to get up in the morning is far more valuable than money.
It's crazy. He basically got a piano teacher, a piano artist, and a huge piano nerd to all come play it. Of course only the nerd noticed.
That's how human work
This pianist is amazing. I can’t believe how generous she is. Oh, you have an out of tune piano that feels very hard to play with heavy hammers and now this incredible music I just know how to play after years of work? No problem! Smile, and proceed to make really great go of something kind of ugly sounding. She’s incredible. I think she is the kind of person that makes me want to be a musician.
Yesss! Exactly that
This must been quite a fun experience for her! Pianists don’t get to play unique pianos with actual hammers very often XD
I actually love the sound
She knew it was modified and got excited right away. That was cool to see lol. The piano sounds pretty cool.
Next idea: literally take out the entire inside of the piano and insert an electric keyboard that gets hit by the hammers
I actually like that idea a lot
Do it
Have nails in the keys that get deeper with each hit changing the characteristic while playing
LoL
YES
In my humble opinion, the sound of your modified piano reminds me of a harpsicord. The difference being that harpsicords pluck the strings vs. pianos striking the strings. But the hammers striking the strings closely mimic the plucking sound. I know this is a prank but I really like the sound.
Exactly my thoughts 😁 it's like a nicely rich harpsichord, it sounds deeper and has nice resonance, it's like a very nice middle ground between the two
I was also thinking harpsichord
It is the first thing I thought as well
Me too... ✌️I like it's sound ❤️👍
Ditto. I can stop reading comments now, ty.
I stumbled on this and watched till the end, and don't see this as a prank. But rather seeing someone that is a true passionate person in her craft and played it well. And her reaction was what I expected. That was the first lady I'm speaking of.
Dude, OF COURSE you didn't get reactions. You hired professionals & people at the top of their game. They'd die before offending a client. 😂
ive found you twice now 👁👄👁
Wonderful.
Exactly. Rembrandt could paint a beautiful portrait with a toothbrush if he wanted to. And im sure if a patron asked him to he would ;)
@@stevenrogersfineart4224 absolutely. When he told these consummate professionals that he had created the piano when he hired them, he pretty much guaranteed that he'd get no reactions & definitely no negative responses about the piano's quality or sound.
If he's the dude hiring them & paying him, he's going to be the last person they ever tell what they really think about the piano if it's negative (because he might tell other people in the music world & tank their career from their perspective). That's just the reality of it. These people are professionals so they are going to act...gasp...professional, No. Matter. What.
The show must go on & all that. They were giving him exactly what he claimed he wanted...someone talented to help him be able to sell his new instrument to who he told them he was planning on selling it to. I'm honestly baffled that he really thought he'd get anything else to be completely honest. His awkwardness is pretty funny though.
Getting kids from the local high school who play piano probably would have given him what he wanted if he left out that he's the builder of the piano.
@@stevenrogersfineart4224 Something akin to the following ad:
Wanted for a focus group:
Musicians who play piano to test an altered piano on loan from the builder to get honest feedback about the sound & playability.
Pay: $75 for an hour.
Email to set up an appointment & to get the set music.
I actually loved the first pianist's reaction, she was so positive about the whole thing. It's funny that she wasn't too surprised, I wonder what kind of Weird Piano she'd played before that makes literal hammers seem to make sense. This video was honestly extremely wholesome all the way through. It's cute that when you finally got that surprised reaction she seemed so genuinely impressed.
Prepared piano is 20th century technique, it involved shoving random junk in-between the strings/hammers etc to change the sound
So playing around with a piano's sound is somewhat normal
@cinna the piano sounds a bit like a klavecimbel (hapsichord) in english. Uses wooden hammers and is from 18th century
You were a good teacher.
Scandinavians are just cold asf
People used to put metal tacks on piano hammers to get a harder/more tinny sound, so perhaps she had played something like that before?
You did get reaction, it just wasn't as much shock, it was professional curiosity and exploration, discovery and adaptation, and understandable frustration at how much more work it is to play than lighter keys are. These are professionals after all, they are here doing professional work for someone who modifies instruments, a noble pursuit of discovery in its own right. I am glad we are able to come along with you on this journey.
well he described the offer as “I have a strange piano and I need to have sample sound of it”
they’re literally expecting something weird
Well said
The reaction for music is way better and worth it especially when first lady mentioned sounded like 18th century made so much sense because meta working was so much harder before the industrial revolution.