Re Re light action (help)

[Kenneth Sloane]

                      Subject:                              Time:  8:51 AM
  OFFICE MEMO         Re Re light action (help)             Date:  1/23/96

-------------Bill Ballard's Post------------

A very interesting story, that unleaded B keyframe, and it would seem a
corroboration of Ed McMorrow's approach. What I think we need now, and I toss
this out as a challenge to the people working in music dept's, is to have a
pianist try this sort of action for an extended period of time, not just a
"drop-by to try that no-lead action."

--------------reply--------------

Bill- Please remember that the unleaded "B" action eventually received leads,
though I chose to leave DW in the 60's. If you'll recall my post, this got rid
of the funny feeling during soft playing but permitted the advantage of having
little inertia in the action. Also remember the concert Yamaha I mentioned
with #004#DW in the 60's, equipped with light hammers (low inertia), that had
an action everyone liked.

I guess what I am saying here is that higher than recommended DW's are no
problem if inertia is kept under control. The way to assure that is with
light components (especially hammers) and/or a high leverage approach to
action design. Since a light hammer has often been criticized on this
electronic forum as being not suitable for the voicing demands of a concert
instrument, I believe we should think high leverage action. The increased key
travel associated with a high leverage action does not seem to pose any
problems for the pianist.

Ken Sloane, Oberlin Conservatory