Dear Jerry, This is an interesting subject that is generating excellent responses. I have read the posts concerning front rail punchings mostly and would like to comment briefly on that single subject. As of about a year ago we have been installing Yamaha front rail punchings on many Steinway keyboards here at the school and also at the Steinway dealership here in Phoenix, Az. The discovery of being able to dial in a much more accurate aftertouch with these punchings has been worth the experiment not to mention the difference in volume. The issue of changing tonal color, I have found, is less significant but worthy of disscussion. The keybed in a Steinway is by design supposed to be a tonal contributor to the instrument and by the connection of the finger to the key to the keyframe and bed allows all artists to deliver their own unique energy to the instrument and by using firmer punchings we find that energy being crisper and stronger. It is also true that it can be a negative energy force from the player introduced into the piano which is a good reason for all technicians to never take criticism personally. The concern of injury makes me think that for our piano studios it may be best to have one instrument with Yamaha punchings and the other with Kluge punchings. There is definately more shock with the firmer punchings but on performance instruments it will be our strategy to use them throughout. The conciseness of regulating dip with the Yamaha punchings has us even looking for a source for paper punchings thinner than toilet tissue. Sincerely, Brent.Fischer@ASU.EDU Arizona State University/Tempe
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