[CAUT] Voicing Steinway D

[Jim Busby]

David,

That's what I used to think too, but I guess high speed photography shows otherwise. I think if the hammer remained under the jack ALL the way it would be as you said, but since it has that moment of release (let off to the string) it kind of kicks to the other side. At least that's how I've heard it explained.

Jim

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From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Love
Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 9:48 PM
To: 'College and University Technicians'
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Voicing Steinway D

I would think that on a hard blow the hammer would under center because of the flexing of the shank hitting more on the proximal side.  Similarly on a soft blow, the hammer would hit more on the backside, though I suppose it depends ultimately on how accurately the hammers were bored in the first place.


David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net
www.davidlovepianos.com
-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Michael Wathen
Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 8:18 PM
To: College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Voicing Steinway D

Fred Drasche was a career Steinway Concert Technician.  He used to refer to the front side of the hammer as the "carry side" and the backside of the hammer was the attack side.  He believed that on a fast blow the hammer would overcenter the strike point on the hammer and hit string on the backside (attack side).  Similarily, on very soft to medium blows it would be the front side (carry). If you want to produce more attack sound then, you place more hardener on the attack side of the hammer. He also said you only get one chance to apply lacquer.  This is because the lacquer is a barrier unto itself. A subsequent application will not penetrate to a deeper level within the hammer.

Michael Wathen
----- Original Message -----
From: itunepiano at aol.com<mailto:itunepiano at aol.com>
To: caut at ptg.org<mailto:caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 7:06 PM
Subject: [CAUT] Voicing Steinway D

During a 3 day Concert Prep on a 10 year old D, I added Lacquer to power up the piano.   Lacquer would not soak into the key side of the hammers but did soak easily into the backcheck side of the hammers.  I applied the lacquer on the lmid shoulders only, not from the side of the hammer.   Is it an accepted voicing technique to lacquer one side of the hammer and not the other?    What are the advantages or disadvantages?    Bob.
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