Practical Concert Work

[Tim Coates]

Dave,

I live in a climate that has dramatic climate swings.  I also use a 
method similar to Dave's described below.  I do much concert work and 
really haven't found the method below to create problems.   One must 
keep on eye on it, but doesn't take much to snuff it up.  As far as I'm 
concerned that's what I get paid to do.  Even in a safe regulation it 
doesn't stay where you put it forever.

Tim Coates
University of Sioux Falls
University of South Dakota

On May 31, 2004, at 8:52 AM, David M. Porritt wrote:

> Fred:
>
> If I'm doing a complete regulation I'll slide the action out and turn 
> the let-off buttons up to the blocking stage using an upright let-off 
> tool chucked in my cordless screwdriver.  With hammers blocking I'll 
> check fit to strings -- it's easier than trying to force the jacks to 
> do something they don't want to do, and it's easier to judge how much 
> force you're putting in to the key.  After I've done the fitting, I'll 
> start doing let off.  Drop needs to be fairly close at this point.  
> Using my ratchet let-off tool I can quickly run the let-off buttons 
> down until it feels right when played very softly.  I'll then check 
> drop again, and verify let-off and usually there's very little to 
> correct.  Now, having done it this way, I can't really give a 
> dimension to let-off but it's close and doesn't sound funky.
>
> dave
>
> __________________________________________
> David M. Porritt, RPT
> Meadows School of the Arts
> Southern Methodist University
> Dallas, TX 75275
>
>
> ----- Original message ---------------------------------------->
> From: Fred Sturm <fssturm@unm.edu>
> To: College and University Technicians <caut@ptg.org>
> Received: Sun, 30 May 2004 17:34:14 -0600
> Subject: Re: Practical Concert Work
>
>> Hi Dave,
>> 	I agree, I don't want to feel the hammer letting off on the string. I
>> suppose we all have different approaches to how we measure actual 
>> letoff
>> distance. I do it by eye, by feel, and by response, so an actual
>> measurement number is probably not an accurate representation. But I 
>> sure
>> do go for less than 2 mm, in the neighborhood of 1 - 1.5.
>> 	There was a time I shied away from such close tolerance because 
>> blocking
>> problems showed up. But further analysis showed it occured where I had
>> dimpled regulating buttons. Or brand new, fuzzy ones. So I started 
>> ironing
>> my letoff buttons, and that problem disappeared.
>> 	Of course, different parts of the country experience different 
>> changes,
>> and we all learn from our own experiences. Bottom line, I have not 
>> found
>> closer letoff tolerances risky. I do fine regulation over the summer, 
>> and
>> almost never find an incipient blocking hammer during the school year 
>> when
>> touching up. Nor do I find double-striking an issue. I guess that has 
>> to be
>> qualified with controlled aftertouch, drop, front rail punching 
>> firmness,
>> check distance, yadda, yadda. There's no simple answer to any question
>> concerning pianos.
>> Regards,
>> Fred
>
>> --On Saturday, May 29, 2004 4:25 PM -0500 "David M. Porritt"
>> <dporritt@mail.smu.edu> wrote:
>
>>> Fred:
>>>
>>> Just musing here, but I do think a "reliable" regulation has some 
>>> merit.
>>> I've regulated pianos to the gnat's eyelash and had it go south on me
>>> making blocking hammers, or double striking hammers.  Generally, 
>>> when you
>>> go back to fix that you say something about fine regulation being 
>>> very
>>> close to blocking.  I don't think the customers are impressed at that
>>> point.  You regulated, you had to come back and fix it.  In their 
>>> mind it
>>> was wrong.  I heard Bill Garlick once tell a class that if you're 
>>> going
>>> to regulate it that close make sure to hang around for the concert!
>>>
>>> I live 17 miles from the school so I do tend to like a "safe" 
>>> regulation.
>>> I don't set it at  3mm but I don't like it so close that you can 
>>> kind of
>>> feel the hammer letting off on the string.  In addition, in a recital
>>> hall seating 500 there is seldom any playing done at the pppp level 
>>> such
>>> that the note would miss.  Most recital playing is pp to sfffffff!
>>>
>>> I enjoyed his perspective and his comments on voicing.  I too mainly
>>> worry about the striking surface though I understand that this is
>>> somewhat controversial.  Whatever floats your boat!
>>>
>>> dave
>
>
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>
Tim Coates