Granite and the 528 Frequency

With the stone enhanced piano with granite and the piano tuned to A=444 (instead of A=440 standard pitch) the C note above middle C lands on 528 hertz. Tuning the pianos to this frequency brought out a special sound when incorporated with granite. With standard pianos, the sound at a tighter tension increased the percussive hit that is common with all wood bridge pianos, and the sustain at a higher tension gets less as standard pianos do not fair as well at this pitch. Tuning a granite enhanced piano, which has incredible sustain due to the rock's crystalline matrix, to incorporate this pitch brought out a feeling that can only be explained by the following letters of three people's experience, an experience which moved them to write the following articles.

1. Concert Pianist Richard Bosworth
2. Healing Music Artist Kari Regragui
3. Piano Tuner/Tech Daniel Koehler

My Impressions of The 528 Frequency

Initial reactions:

1. The sound and timbre were intoxicatingly alluring.
2. There was a feeling of well-being.
3. Serenity and calmness pervaded.
4. I felt very relaxed and restful.
5. There was less stress; a state of repose came over me.
6. My body and mind were more open to stimuli.
7. The experience put me in a trance.
8. There was also a mesmerizing effect.
9. The resulting effect was like having a power nap.
10. My whole being resonated a relaxed state of mind, both mentally and physically.
11. The endorphins were flowing throughout my body.
12. I was attracted to listening to the sound as well as producing it.
13. This instrument had an undeniably compelling quality.
14. After playing it, the little annoyances of life disappeared.
15. The feeling became ineffable and could not be put into words.
16. There was a lingering effect for at least a half hour afterwards.

My First Impressions On Playing These Intriguing Granite-Enhanced Pianos
By Richard Bosworth

General observations:

My first impressions were very subtle, yet powerful. It simply had a hypnotic effect. In this instance, the statement "music soothes the beast" fit exactly how I felt. After I played this instrument, my spirit was calm almost to the point of being reflective. It was as if I had been meditating and my soul was refreshed. A sense of universal, collective consciousness became a palpable moment for me.

I am beginning to realize that tuning to the 528 frequency is not only wonderful, but NECESSARY. Implementing this technique complemented by the granite bridges of a piano, has allowed me to experience a new realm of awareness. In fact, I earnestly seek out this quality and will not settle for anything less. The regular standard tunings along with the traditional wooden bridges are no longer satisfying; it is a rather irritating and frustrating scenario.

Anybody reading these thoughts here will probably think that I am a bit exaggerated in my perceptions. If so, I would encourage you to find out for yourself. Come, play this piano and see if what I am saying is true. Suspend your judgment for just a second and get ready for an extraordinary sonic adventure.

Allow me to leave you with this? Nothing can be more noble and worthwhile than to bring good will to one's fellow-man. I believe this 528 frequency and granite bridge combination has a healing effect that will have a more far-reaching outcome in terms of positive impact on humanity. To leave a legacy of this nature to posterity can only help to better the world in which we live. And the saga continues...

What Comes Forward Upon First Touching These Fascinating Instruments: By Kary Regragui

1. The resonance allows a higher level of absorption by the listener.
2. It re-creates a deep meditative state because of the sensation of well-being and serenity.
3. The audience noticeably receives this feeling as well.
4. Communication of the musical message is easier to convey.
5. The signal is so clear because there is no audible distortion.
6. The sound is so pure and pleasing to the ears that the musical impact is felt more deeply.
7. The listener responds accordingly and is affected on a subtle therapeutic level.
8. The music can be felt at a cellular level within the body.
9. There is quite literally an awakening of inner feelings, which then triggers the right emotions to happen.
10. The body responds well to the frequencies generated by the sound.
11. More power goes through my fingers producing a clearer and purer signal.
12. Peace and harmony are generated by this balanced sound.
13. This technology allows me to become one with the instrument.
14. Beautiful sounds and harmonies emanating from this piano inspire the composer within.
15. It is such a warm and welcoming instrument to the point of being irresistible.
16. This is ideal for music therapy and explores new vistas on higher levels of awareness.
17. The Ying and the Yang are in motion, perfectly matched in harmony with each other.
18. Playing on a stone piano is the perfect mental massage for both the performer and listener.
19. Inner peace and well-being are greatly enhanced after playing and listening to a beautiful piece of music on a stone piano.

My personal reactions on playing the stone-enhanced pianos:

As a composer and performer, my travels have taken me worldwide playing some of the best instruments on the planet. As a result, I have witnessed the deeply moving effects of my performances on the public. This is self-evident because music, being a universal language, is cross-cultural; it depends on me as a skilled interpreter to bring out the message.

However, the true art and power of musical expression lie somewhere between actual sounding notes. What one does with all that time is to master technique, phrasing, intonation, dynamics, intentions, feelings and warmth. This, in turn, is what makes a musician stand out from the rest.

In the case of stone-enhanced pianos, all these artistic elements are more clearly pronounced because so much more power and control are given to the performer. Intertwining chords, phrasing and rhythms let me send the vibration of my music to specific chakras so that they can promote healing starting from the higher ones to the very lowest, thus encompassing the whole field (the ethereal body, the Aura). The human body is an energy center with thousands of electrical impulses happening every second within us so that they can deliver the messages to our cells for normal functioning. Even the simple task of walking involves so many muscles, brain signals and coordination that it would be too difficult for me to explain. However, I will say that it is my belief that musical sound waves do have a positive impact on the way our internal signals are working between cells.

With the stone-enhanced pianos, music has taken a quantum leap allowing the audience to “therapeutically” engage more personally with a deeper feeling and passion within just minutes. By performing on this unique instrument that has combined the stone bridge with the 528 frequency tuning, I can gently, but quickly, enter a sacred and serene space where my natural (intuitive) playing takes over in a commanding way. My performance, experience and feeling of the music bear witness to themselves, something that is rarely happening with regular wood bridge pianos.

Daniel Koehler Naples Piano Company
Piano Tuner & Technician

Picture by Dave Bosworth

1. Resulting energy fills the room and is physically perceived/felt by the listener.
2. The held tone appears to sustain noticeably longer; the core of sound seems to be locked in place, much like bowed instruments. This is a surprisingly new and welcomed aspect.
3. The treble register distinctly displays unusually clear bell-like tones.
4. Because of the much longer sustain of held notes in the upper treble, about 20 extra dampers were added that did not exist in the original construction so that every note is now covered; no free residual ring is present unless controlled by the performer.
5. The general playing effect is one of silky smooth round tones, making heavy use of the sustain pedal unnecessary.
6. All the partials are mixed on the granite bridge itself in contrast to localized mixing of the tone on the soundboard (as with traditional wooden bridges).
7. Percussive attack is no longer hurtful on the ears because the energy of the produced sound is evenly distributed over the entire soundboard, allowing one to sit right next to the piano and enjoy it, which is most helpful in a restaurant setting with limited space.
8. On granite bridge pianos, the highest treble octave still has body to the tone without any perception of hammer clicking (a common downfall with wood-bridge instruments).
9. Shorter pianos seem to benefit even more from granite installations because their tonal coloration is bolstered and more robust to the ear. This is all attributable to lingering/increased sustain of pitch. I envision a new and feasible market for the tiny piano of the future that can be enjoyed by all.
10. An unanticipated side-benefit is that old piano hammers do not have as much of a degrading effect on the overall quality of sound.
11. Because of the slow and even decay of held notes on the granite bridge, any kind of sedate music is now imbued with a new kind of dynamic utterance and aliveness. It is never halting or stale despite a very leisurely tempo.
12. Atmospheric conditions have less of an effect on the overall sound presence, creating a more stable soundboard that can withstand seasonal weather changes.
13. With granite bridges having provided the backdrop for clearer harmonics (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th partials, etc.), tones have the appearance of less inharmonicity which, in turn, allows the tuner to pull back by not stretching the octaves as much. This is especially self-evident when adjusting/tuning a 6-foot granite piano to conform to a 9-foot preferred scale; the sound becomes harmonically more correct.
14. Heating rods, commonly installed in pianos for humidity control, can cause cracks in the wooden bridge if the temperature is not carefully controlled. This potential problem is circumvented by use of granite bridges that can withstand very high temperatures without cracking.
15. People with auditory impairments are better able to hear the upper treble range. This is because the upper partials are allowed to come through clearly and with no impedance from any possible hammer hit noise; the core of the actual pitch has vibrancy and fullness of detail.
16. The normal perception of pitch on wood bridge pianos (attack, decay, sustain, and release (ADSR)) has been changed. With granite-enhanced instruments, that sequence now has become attack, sustain, decay, and release (ASDR). This new acronym is possible thanks to the substantial reduction of sound fall-off after initial attack of the note.

When I originally approached this novel technology, it was my intention to replicate what the piano produced, albeit with a much improved tone. However, the accompanying research and development of this bridge continued to reveal many new facets that were completely unanticipated. With further testing, we expect to be able to quantify these advancements/benefits.

On a personal note, I enjoy going to work every day because some new discovery seems to inevitably surface. On one such occasion, I raised the pitch of the "A" above middle "C" (normally at 440 Hz) to 444 Hz, thus allowing the "C" one octave up from middle "C" to vibrate at the 528 frequency. Not only did the granite-enhanced piano hold up well under the increased string tension, but also the clarity of tone was markedly increased. As a result, we all can now begin to appreciate the true essence of "artful" music-making because of the depth and richness of an extremely expressive sound palette.