light action

[David Porritt]

On Wed, 31 Jan 1996 rhohf@eagle.idcnet.com wrote:

>
> David, your system is very complex.  By the time you take your measurements,
> plug them into your computer, and analyze the output, you have created a
> >secondary< source on the instrument.  I can see the value of this if you must
> analyze a piano to which you do not have personal access.  But why use a
> secondary source if the primary source is right in front of you?
>
> --snip --

> For example:  take a question like, "How does weighting the fronts of keys
> work?"  To  those who
> are interested, let me suggest an exercise which will help unravel this
> mystery.   Start with a fine
> piano.  Play it.  Use a variety of dynamics and tempo.  Once you have a good
> "fix" on the
> instrument, remove a weight from every key.  Play it again.  Change the
> weighting.  Play it again.
> Change the weighting.  Play it again.  Again.  Again.  Change the hammer
> weight.  Play it.
> Change the key weights.  Play it.  Now do the same thing to another piano.
> Another.   Another.
> Pianists will recognize right away that this is not normal practicing, but
> we're not investigating
> Beethoven, we're investigating action mass.

And you claimed that David's system was complex?

Dave Porritt
SMU - Dallas