[CAUT] scaling a Tyre harpsichord?

Conrad Hoffsommer choffsommer at hotmail.com
Tue Jan 4 18:07:11 MST 2011


I sent Paul the following scale for the one I used to service around here.  It has stringing for 415 &440.

Conrad Hoffsommer




From: fssturm at unm.edu
To: caut at ptg.org
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 2011 16:42:16 -0700
Subject: Re: [CAUT] scaling a Tyre harpsichord?

On Jan 4, 2011, at 4:19 PM, Paul T Williams wrote:It transposes to 415 and tuned to 440.  So, me thinks it is supposed to be at this higher tension... 
I just ask because, first, been there, done that (tuned to 440 not knowing it was built to 415); and second, Tyre would have a well-scaled instrument, unlikely to break strings more than occasionally. Changing the gauges isn't likely to solve the problem. But checking some lengths and scaling is a good starting point, to see how it stacks up. There isn't a whole lot of variation, except when you come to how much the instrument is foreshortened, and so where the brass starts and how thick it gets. That is, the high treble is pretty well all in the same ball park, for any instrument. Changing gauges will change tension, and raising gauges could cause structural issues (and change the timbre). But, as a very long-winded thread a while back demonstrated/illuminated, the notion that thinner wire is less likely to break for a given length and pitch is not very accurate. If there are differences, they are small and unpredictable.
 Regards,Fred Sturmfssturm at unm.eduhttp://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/FredSturm 
 		 	   		  
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