[CAUT] excessive pedaling?

[Horace Greeley]

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Fred,

This is great!

Thanks very much.

Best.

Horace



At 05:19 PM 3/17/2005, you wrote:
>On 3/17/05 8:56 AM, "Wimblees@aol.com" <Wimblees@aol.com> wrote:
>
>My question is, has he gotten in a bad habit or is this "standard=20
>procedure"? I realize there is not much I can do about it, other than work=
=20
>like a devil to get it right. But for my own curiosity, is he asking for=20
>the moon on this?
>
>
>I agree with those who have said he is reasonable in his expectation,=20
>though I would argue that this does not mean voicing every hair of every=20
>hammer. There are some fairly efficient procedures to get a good range of=
=20
>color.
>1) First, as Mark Cramer mentioned, do sand that left edge. A quick=20
>rotational pass with a paddle will do it, but leaving a sharp edge is big,=
=20
>big trouble. When that edge hits a string, it shouts very loud and clear.=
=20
>Don=92t miss one. (Ask me how I know).
>2) I=92ll assume level strings, hammers square to strings (fitted). Space=
=20
>hammers meticulously  to strings. The real goal in spacing is to have just=
=20
>enough felt to the left of the left string at rest so that, when the pedal=
=20
>is half depressed, there is felt to hit the left string, and when fully=20
>depressed, the left string will clear and the other strings will still be=
=20
>in =93un-grooved=94 felt (ie, they will be hit by hammer felt just to the=
=20
>right of the felt that hits the strings in rest position). So if there=20
>aren=92t grooves produced by  playing, mark the hammer with carbon paper=20
>(carbon paper between hammers and strings) to be certain you can tell=20
>exactly how to space the hammers.
>3) Before proceeding, make doubly sure you have spaced the hammers (and=20
>adjusted the una corda stop screw) as near perfectly as possible, by=20
>playing each note in turn with pedal fully depressed, muting the right two=
=20
>strings with a rubber mute. Can you hear the left string? If so, space=20
>that hammer a wee bit again. (It=92s okay to have a very slight ghosting=20
>sound from the left string =96 in fact, I like to adjust the stop to get=20
>just a ghosting sound for precision spacing, then turn the screw an eight=
=20
>to quarter turn to get positive clearance for final position). Also take=20
>care to observe what part of the hammer is hitting the left two strings=20
>when the pedal is fully depressed =96 definitely make sure you have=
 adjusted=20
>the stop so that the grooves or carbon paper lines aren=92t hitting the=
 left=20
>two strings. This is fussy work, but needn=92t take all that long, using a=
=20
>flange spacer. (Well, as long as there is adequate space between the=20
>flanges. Speaking of which, when installing new shanks, take care to leave=
=20
>equal space before tightening screws. It=92ll save a lot of time later).
>4) Now it=92s a fairly simple procedure. Two needling sites: one just to=
 the=20
>right of the two left strings, the other just to the left of all three=20
>strings. The first gets a deeper treatment than the second. Exactly what=20
>treatment will vary depending on taste and hammer variety, but a tool like=
=20
>Steinway folks use with 4 =96 5 shallow needles close together is a good=20
>possibility. Another is a single needle, operated with finesse.
>     When needling to the right of the string grooves (which is where the=
=20
> hammer hits when the pedal is fully depressed), angle to the right, away=
=20
> from the grooves. When needling to the left of the string grooves (at=20
> half pedal position), angle a wee bit to the left, and don=92t go as deep.=
=20
> Be meticulous, and do exactly the same thing to each hammer (with some=20
> adjustment in depth from bass to treble). And, of course, do a few=20
> samples to decide what that exact same thing will be.
>5) Now play each note, while moving the pedal up and down gradually.=20
>Mostly you are listening for any =93hot spots=94 you might have missed. But=
=20
>typically I find that, if I have done the necessary prep work (leveling,=20
>mating, spacing), and have been attentive enough while doing the una corda=
=20
>needling, there sill be very little additional touch up do be done. BTW,=20
>the Steinway folks (Eric at any rate) don=92t teach needling the half pedal=
=20
>position, at least in their more basic classes. But I think it is utterly=
=20
>essential. Not as deep as full pedal position, but it has to be done or=20
>there will be obvious unevenness when partial pedal is used.  I have=20
>certainly had complaints which have led me to my current standard=
 procedure.
>     As for 4 or 11 different sounds, well, whatever they want to teach=20
> and believe is just fine. A two position una corda voicing will create a=
=20
> very nice gradation of tone, which will please the vast majority in my=20
> experience.
>Regards,
>Fred Sturm
>University of New Mexico
>
>
>

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