Damper "shooshing" noise

[Ron Torrella]

> from Rand Reeves:
>
> A local recording studio called me in to look at a problem they've been
> having with a Kawai GS-40 with excessive damper noise when the pedal is
> engaged.  I of course checked for all other noise sources, but the only
> sounds I hear are that "Shooshing" noise as the dampers lift as a unit.
> They are lifting evenly, and seem to be regulated well.  This is a sensitive
> situation, of course, since they put mikes right up against the strings for
> recording.

Perhaps someone can educate those of us who are befuddled by the reason for
locating microphones so darned close to the strings. If ambient noise is a
problem, why not put the piano in an isolation booth? Perhaps backing the mike
away from the strings, a trifle, will mitigate the damper noise. Or moving the
mikes farther away from the dampers, at least.

Polishing the strings and trimming all of those dampers is time-consuming. If
I'm not being paid by the hour for that kind of work, I'd rather have the
recording tech spend less time adjusting mike location, etc. In the face of an
insistent client, I'd advise them of the amount of time (your estimate
multiplied by 3 is a good starting point!) and cost they're looking at. I
wouldn't proceed until they understand that this isn't "all in a day's work!"

Ron Torrella, RPT