[CAUT] Dollies and projection (was Hamburg leg bolt)

[Alan McCoy]

Ken,

In the dim past I remember that demo too now that you mention it. But I took
it to mean that by getting the piano off the soft mushy carpet and onto a
harder surface like a caster cup, the sound is reflected back instead of
being absorbed by the carpet.

I think it is time to experiment some.

Alan


> From: Ken Zahringer <ZahringerK at missouri.edu>
> Reply-To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" <caut at ptg.org>
> Date: Tue, 09 May 2006 12:13:24 -0500
> To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" <caut at ptg.org>
> Conversation: [CAUT] Dollies and projection (was Hamburg leg bolt)
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Dollies and projection (was Hamburg leg bolt)
> 
> It is my understanding that a piano projects better when there is NOT solid
> contact with the floor, in a manner of speaking.
> 
> One of the more dramatic demonstrations I have seen was at convention some
> years back, at Wally Brooks' all-day class.  Near the end of the day, after
> showing his voicing techniques, he had the piano sounding nice.  Then he put
> it on caster cups, and it sounded great.  His explanation: we all know that
> the entire piano resonates, not just the soundboard.  The carpet in the
> hotel classroom "damped" the leg, preventing it from vibrating freely.  The
> caster cup, being a hard surface, let the caster roll a bit, and thus let
> the leg, and I suppose the case as well a little bit, vibrate more freely.
> That is the real reason for casters - not for moving the piano, but to
> "uncouple" it from the floor and let the whole thing resonate.  The reason,
> then, that a spider compromises the sound isn't that the leg is off the
> floor, but that the leg is stuck in the spider leg plate and can't move.
> 
> I don't know of any research directed at this issue, but it makes sense to
> me.
> 
> For what it's worth,
> Ken Z.
> 
> 
> On 5/9/06 11:44 AM, "Alan McCoy" <amccoy at mail.ewu.edu> wrote:
> 
>> Is there a consensus out there that concert instruments project better with
>> a solid contact to the floor as contrasted with a piano on a dolly (rubber
>> wheels)? If so, what technique do you use to deal with it? I have several
>> venues with pianos on dollies. If I can get better tone out of my pianos
>> simply by making a more solid contact, I'll go home and make some wedges or
>> whatever tonight! Pronto, rapidisimo, asap.......  Pictures are always nice,
>> if you have the time.
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> 
>> Alan
>> 
>> 
>>> From: Jon Page <jonpage at comcast.net>
>>> Reply-To: "College and University Technicians <caut at ptg.org>" <caut at ptg.org>
>>> Date: Tue, 09 May 2006 07:09:57 -0400
>>> To: <caut at ptg.org>
>>> Subject: [CAUT]  Hamburg leg bolt
>>> 
>>> If students are to be moving this piano often, I'd worry more about
>>> personal injury than tone.
>>> 
>>> Definitely get a piano truck!!!   If you want a solid contact to the
>>> floor for performance then
>>> make up some hardwood wedges to block under the legs.
>>> 
>>> As a side note, when it comes time to remove or install a piano on a truck,
>>> I have two small wedges (I call them 'Truck Stops') to place under the front
>>> legs so the back arm does not flip upwards. To remove a truck, place both
>>> Stops under the front legs and remove the rear leg from the truck.
>>> When installing,
>>> place a Stop under each front leg as it is positioned then simply
>>> swing the rear
>>> arm under the rear leg.
>>> -- 
>>> 
>>> Regards,
>>> 
>>> Jon Page
>> 
>> 
> 
> -- 
> Ken Zahringer, RPT
> Piano Technician
> MU School of Music
> 297 Fine Arts
> 882-1202
> cell 489-7529
>