[CAUT] Capstan Repositioning

[central]

Cy,
    I didn¹t mean there was a benefit to unequal dip through the piano, just
that if a piano is built that way, (i.e capstan location, string height,
plate location, stack height/location,  parts, action spread, key height,
and other geometry issues ruling it), Is it worth changing?  If the piano is
not receiving complaints, I certainly wouldn¹t change it.  I would never
change dip from a factory spec without a geometry reason, and then I would
likely compromise other aspects of the regulation to spread the deviation
from normal around a bit to avoid making the piano ³strange².  I would
probably experiment a little to see what works.    All these geometry things
bear on one another, so when one is off, chances are other things are off as
well.   Definitely some other things are off, if the piano regulates nicely
in spite of one thing being off spec.
    I¹ve asked pianists about how they feel about dip.  The general comments
I recall were ³it allows one to get a little deeper into the keys², ³Allows
more control² , ³ Contributes to a clumsier and slower feel².  As a pianist,
I agree with those comments.  One size doesn¹t fit all pianists, and all
pianos, especially where geometry, string height, etc vary quite a bit, even
within a piano.    Shallow dip allows faster playing in runs, scales,
arpeggios, and complex figurations.  A high percentage of these in most
classical music is in the upper half of the keyboard, with the exception of
Beethoven.  (He sometimes puts heavy fast dense figurations in the bass.)
Fortepianos are easy to play those on, but the modern ones tend to be heavy,
deep and slow.  Tone is mud too.   Deeper dip probably would not be noticed
when playing an octave or single supporting bass line.  It would give a
sense of more power which might not be a bad thing.   Whatever changes there
are through a piano, they must be tapered.
-Mike  
   
Cy,
    From talking to pianists, deeper keydip has pros and cons.   One size
doesn¹t fit all pianists, all music, and definitely not all pianos.  Deeper
dip seems clumsier and slower, but also allows more control, an illusion of
deeper tone, and more power.  I do not advocate changing regulation specs,
except where the piano requires it by geometry, string height etc.
Certainly regulation and geometry issues bear on one another, so that any
change to one will cause changes in others.    My only intent was to point
out that there is a positive side to this piano¹s set up.  There may be an
intentional reason why the capstans position varies from one end to the
other.  If the piano seems normal, and is not complained about, I would
avoid changing it.  Any deviation from normal regulation specs should be
tapered so there is a gradual change progressing up the scale.   Geometry
and string height often varies within the piano so we must regulate
accordingly and fudge or compromise a few things to hide these and make an
even and normal feel.
-Mike
     

On 5/3/06 5:29 PM, "Cy Shuster" <cy at shusterpiano.com> wrote:

> Mike,
>  
> What benefit would you get from more dip in the bass?   Or perhaps I should
> ask, in tapering dip from bass to treble, in which octave would you have
> "normal" dip (.390)?
>  
> --Cy--
> shusterpiano.com
>>  
>> ----- Original Message -----
>>  
>> From:  central <mailto:jorge1ml at mail.cmich.edu>
>>  
>> To: College and University Technicians <mailto:caut at ptg.org>
>>  
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2006 11:02  AM
>>  
>> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Capstan  Repositioning
>>  
>> 
>> Ditto!
>>     I also would add  that a little deeper dip in the bass tapering to
>> shallow is probably not a bad  thing from a pianists point of view.  In most
>> music, octaves or single  tones are used in the bass where dip is not such a
>> factor.  In the high  treble, runs, scales, complex figurations are more
>> common, where dip is more a  factor.
>> -Mike
> 


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