[CAUT] Harpsichord popping strings

[Paul T Williams]

Good question!

I'm not sure of the "designed" pitch.  The flutists all demand A-440. 
Perhaps it's too overstretched?  Perhaps it was made for more like A415? 
or lower??????  I'll have to ask Richard West, former tech with this 
instrument to see.  We have a Benn and a "kit" instrument that works 
really well at 440 with little or no broken strings.

 noble and fine research to look into.  Nobody will by happy with it 
then.....(non keyboard students).  they all really want to use A-440, but 
then again...can't they adjust their instruments flat????  Perhaps spoiled 
or non educated.

You know, the action is transferable to a lower pitch.....maybe we've been 
tuning it all these years at too high of tension????? I'll look into that 
as well. Nay...that makes no sense as i think about it.   That would make 
the tension even higher!!  Nobody has ever asked me to change to 415 
however. I could just tune to 435 and say that's all it can handle?  But 
then, of course, some smartypants will come in and say 440 is ok.   Then 
again and again, I can say, It's not designed for 440!  OMG this 
frustrates my mind to no end!

Paul




From:
Laurence Libin <lelibin at optonline.net>
To:
caut at ptg.org
Date:
10/11/2010 12:51 PM
Subject:
Re: [CAUT] Harpsichord popping strings



Forgive me for bringing this up, but is the harpsichord tuned at the 
designed pitch? 
Laurence 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Jim Busby 
To: caut at ptg.org 
Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 1:43 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Harpsichord popping strings

David,
 
Mine is a Martin, and you are correct. 
 
Best,
Jim
 
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of 
Porritt, David
Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 11:40 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Harpsichord popping strings
 
What brand??  Martin harpsichords are pretty high tension devices and if 
they go sharp in higher humidity they’ll break strings. 
 
dp
 
David M. Porritt, RPT
dporritt at smu.edu
 
 
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul 
T Williams
Sent: Monday, October 11, 2010 12:22 PM
To: CAUTlist
Subject: [CAUT] Harpsichord popping strings
 
H Cauters, 

One of our harpsichords pops strings all by itself!  I have to replace 
strings all the time and it's rarely played. I used to think it was 
excessive humidity in this sub-basement room, but now again, 3 more 
strings have popped in the last week or so and the humidity is very low. 
Our other two harpsichords almost never break strings and also hold their 
tune much better than this one, and played about equally. 

What's going on with it?  Any ideas? 

Thanks 
Paul 


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