[CAUT] Can't hear the forest for the trees

[wimblees at aol.com]

Bill



Have you tried to voice the hammers? Even though you might not be as experienced as your colleague, I presume you have some voicing technique. Use a single needle and voice only the side of the hammer that is activating the "yow-yow" you hear. Make sure the customer is there with you to evaluate what you're doing. 



Wim





Subject: [CAUT] Can't hear the forest for the trees




I have a feeling like I am dealing with a question similar to "yow-yowing" bass strings: a sound that will only go away upon replacing strings.

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The piano in question is a 1924?M&H Ax3 with a few individual bass strings where one high harmonic "pokes its head out."? At least that's what I hear when the owner asks me to listen to his piano.? His regular technician has not only tuned and regulated, but has also voiced the piano.??That technician?is a close friend, a man I respect, who is better on voicing than I am, but claims he cannot hear what the customer complains about.? To mix metaphors, I would say the technician hears the forest, the customer cannot hear the forest for the trees--that little pin-prick of sound that he claims destroys the usefulness of the piano.? In the past I have noticed the same thing among the wound trichords of a Steinway D, at a college where the music faculty was totally unaware of the sound.? They heard the forest, I was aware of one tree.

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Back to the M&H--I heard it on several bass notes, and in each case it was only one string of the bichord.? I opened my big fat mouth and suggested replacing the bass strings (thinking of using the best available), but forgetting that I have gotten out of that work, turning all such?requests over to of all people, this owner's technician.? Now I have the owner after me to replace the bass strings.

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What is the chance the problem would be solved by moving the hammer of the offending note a mm or so in or out, to change the place where it hits the string?? Any other suggestions?

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I sure don't want to spoil a friendship with a colleague.

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Bill Maxim

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