[CAUT] capsizing / catstrophic action failure

[William Schneider]

Hi Folks

I haven't really been following this thread about soundboards and
downbearing too closely. But here's a thought: Clean strings sustain better
than ones with even a moderate amount of fine rust/dirt, especially in the
treble. If they're not bright and shiny they'll be sub-par. Of course, it's
all a matter of degree. Plus old strings don't sustain as well as newer
ones. So plucking can tell you something about the soundboard's condition,
but not everything. Unfortunately brand-new strings are a bit too soft to
sustain as well as they will in a year or so. I become most suspicious of a
board if, when a note is struck hard, the high partials disappear rapidly
after the attack, ie a bright attack is followed by a really inordinately
dull aftersound. This can be observed on a pluck as well, and may be a
better indicator than sustaining time per se. A problem is to clear up the
things that can mimic this first,  particularly filthy old strings and
hammers that give a reverse dynamic versus color curve relationship. By this
I mean that, for instance, maximum brightness may be at f, and the tone may
get duller at ff. Such a relationship causes inferior sustain, and requires
a voicing change, typically hardening more low on the hammer, and perhaps
combining that with shallow to moderate-depth needling in the crown/high
shoulder.

Bill Schneider

-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ron
Nossaman
Sent: Friday, March 03, 2006 2:11 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] capsizing / catstrophic action failure


>     My experience has led me to take with a grain of salt claims that  
> flat boards and zero DB mean a piano is unusable. I don't find it so,  
> personally. But I'm just one guy out here with my own limited  
> experiences and acuity.
> Regards,
> Fred Sturm

Fred,
I'd agree if I knew of anyone having made such a claim, but I 
don't.
Ron N
_______________________________________________
caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives