This page presents a summary of my research performed on historic pianos at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (MDW), in the Department of Music Acoustics (IWK) between October 2014 and September 2017, thanks to two grants of the Austrian Science Fund (FWF):

- Predictive Approach in Piano Acoustics (PAPA): Lise-Meitner Program. Project Number M1653. 01/10/2014-30/09/2016.

- From Physical Modeling to Piano Making (FPM2): Stand-Alone Project. Project Number P29386. 01/10/2016-30/09/2017.

The research is focused on the pianos made by the Streicher dynasty in Vienna during the nineteenth century, between 1805 and 1873. The art of piano making shows a great evolution during this period. As a consequence, the qualities of the piano tones also change significantly. The goal of the research is to identify the links between the physical parameters of piano construction and the tone qualities of the instruments. Measurements were performed on each piano in order to collect geometrical and mechanical data, strings and soundboard vibrations, and recordings of sound pressure. These data were analysed in order to extract physical parameters and sound descriptors of each instrument. Numerical models of each piano were built, and simulations were made of piano vibrations and tones. As a result, relations could be established between the physical parameters and the simulated tones. The presentation is divided into the following parts:

1. Description of the investigated pianos

2. Measurements

3. Sound and vibration analysis

4. Simulations

5. Applications

6. Summary of results

7. Acknowledgments

8. References