S&S Sound - 2 -Reply

[William Schneider]

I agree that hammer shoulders should be pliant, but the question is: How
pliant? The problem I described using Steinway Method B has to do with getting
too much hardener to high in the hammer, and not penetrating to the core. I
used to be strongly against shoulder hardening too. But some hammers need it,
having hard crowns and mushy cores and shoulders.

The real issue here is one of observation, diagnosis and skill. I think we all
tend to become more doctrinaire than is good for us; I know I do. I've finallyy
come
to the point where I never say never regarding the various voicing techniques.
I let the hammer tell me what it needs and then choose the appropriate
technique.

By the way the old Steinway manual also warned against deep crown
needling, which is part and parcel of the "new" Method B. This means, that
"the Steinway sound" is not a stable entity. I can think of at least five major
versions of it, not counting those created by inadvertance.


William Schneider


wrote: > Yes, the hammers could be better, but they could be worse. The latest
> voicing
> recommendations seem to be the problem,... Ironically, applying lacquer,
> or whatever, to the
> crown of the hammer was strongly warned against in the older service
> manual. I think it's
> fair to note that both factory and field technicians who use "Method B"
> routinely are equally to blame, if they create the inverse
> brightness/power
> curve thereby. It seems to me that the place to apply hardener is where
> the
> hammers need it, not by following either Method A or B.
>
> Of course, the hammers need it at the core, right under the top of the
> crown.  In order to get it there, it is applied from the top of the crown,
> and soaks in deeply (just to the wood molding),  thereby leaving some of
> it where it is not needed too (at the surface).  The only other alternative
> from going in from the top, is to go in from the sides, as Cliff Geers has
> taught in his hammer classes many years ago.  It seems to me applying it
> directly on the shoulders is worse yet, as you want the shoulders to be
> pliant.
>
> vince mrykalo rpt mpt
>