Most techs and teachers would agree, that a heavy action will NOT help
this young man, and it would seem a shame to modify a well-designed
piano to make up for deficiencies of another. Seminar after seminar has
been devoted to making actions lighter and more responsive.
Manufactrers have lavished millions on engineering for the lightest, most
sensitive touch possible. If the teacher insists on a heavier solution, and
is willing to assume responsibility for this young man's tendonitis or carpal
tunnel syndrome, you might add weight to the rear of the keys, but adding
mass is never recommended, and there are no weights in the front of
upright keys, there isn't anything reversible left to do. then you can buy a
set of touch weight adjusters, actually designed for grand pianos, which
clip on the shanks, and increase touch weight by a small, but noticeable
amount. They are easily installed, and are, happily, reversible.
Steve Pearson
Yamaha
>>> Maurer family <ab254@oak-web.washington-ch.oh.us> 03/11/98
09:26pm >>>
My client has a Yamaha U1 (upright) that I service regularly.
This piano has been very consistant and my client has been very happy
with it. On my last service on this piano though, the lady asked me a
question that I usually don't hear very often. She asked if I could make
the action heavier. It seems that her son, who is the pianist at the age
of 12, has become quite good . He entered his first piano competition
and had great difficulty playing on the competition piano. It was a
grand that was at a local piano dealer's recital hall. I assume that it
was a Steinway because he is a Steinway dealer.
Anyway , the boy complained that the piano played exceedingly heavy
and
that he couldn't play his chosen piece properly. Apparently none of the
participants could rehearse on this piano , so they had to play cold
turkey.
I explained the major differences between her U1 and a full
sized grand and that if her son continued to become more accomplished
on the piano that she really should consider upgrading. Her response
was
that they didn't have enough room for a grand , much as thay would like
to have one. Then she reitorated her question.
My experience with action improvement has always been with
trying to make actions play easier ,or should I say with as little
frictional resistance as possible. How can I solve this customers
problem without radically changing what I find is a fine working action?
Tunefully,
Cliff Maurer (Lunytuner)
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