Aftertouch Question

[Delwin D Fandrich]

JIMRPT wrote:

> ....
> What prompted me to start this thread were the comments that dip needed to be
> consistent and the same.

See my reply to Jon Page...


> I have no argument with this point of view
> but...........if dip is truly consistent it will be the only thing that is.
> Like a lot of other maxims i.e., hammer line should be straight and even, blow
> distance needs to be the same, let off needs to be even, etc, etc, they are
> true, mostly, but.....they actually work at odds with each other.
>   As Roger alluded to with his comment about adjusting the hammer height of a
> sharp if the aftertouch needed adjusting and with the changing ratios on
> Concert grands, 'one answer doesn't fit all'.  And the answers.. don't.. give
> us a clean straight hammer line or consistent dip, etc..
>   Cosmetically a clean straight hammer line is desirable but functionally it
> is not accurate as it does not conform to the actual string heights.  The same
> is true of even dip/aftertouch in that it does not fit each note vis a vis
> sharp/natural.

Cosmetically, a clean hammer line relative to what? I don't believe in setting a
"cosmetically clean hammer line." I believe in setting uniform hammer blow distance. If
the hammer line does not look cosmetically clean on the bench, so what? It will never be
noticed once the action is in the piano. The hammer line should follow the string line.


>  My contention here is that an important thing to regulation is that each note
> 'feel' the same and that if each note 'feels' the same than we have blown
> most, if not all, the other things away......

Agreed. That is the point of this whole exercise.


>   To carry this anal retentive point of view to the extreme consider the
> surface area of the sharp vs the surface area of the natural.  We use the same
> consistency of felt on both front rail pins huh ?, so the feel will be the
> same...right?  But with the smaller area of the sharp allowing it to bury
> deeper into the front rail punching, on any given weight, than would a natural
> with the same weight, can they feel the same?  Wouldn't a firmer felt used on
> the sharps front rail provide a more 'even' touch or feel? Or does the,
> usually, shorter and slower throw of the sharp make up this difference?

Firmer front rail felt punchings do, indeed, help. I renew my plea for firmer front rail
key punchings.


>   Practically speaking of course all these things are limited in their
> functions by the actual working distances/weights from the at rest position,
> through their cycle, to the catchment postion and very very small differences
> do not overly intrude into the process.
>   So I suppose what I am trying to say is that we should use the maxims of,
> even, consistent, and equal as they apply to the mechanics of regulation
> because they work and work well but........there is room for improvement above
> the even, consistent, and equal level.  While this area is not really
> appppropiate in our everyday work on the consoles and generic grands we
> service it is appropiate on those 'special' cases we come into contact with
> and paying attention to this area of regulation will pay dividends.
>   Now I suppose there are those that will say; But Jim, you can't feel .003 or
> .002 difference in aftertouch!  Well.....  possibly this is true, but if you
> can't feel it why not give it a try, since you can't feel it anyway what will
> trying it hurt? :-)
> Jim Bryant (FL)

  Again, I would question if it is the 0.002" or the 0.003" differences in "aftertouch"
that is being felt. Aftertouch and key dip are not the same things. I maintain that it is
the 0.002" to 0.003" of key travel, or key dip, that are being noticed.

I got on this kick years back because I followed a technician who religiously adjusted key
dip for even aftertouch. He was a very good regulator in most respects, but a number of
pianists felt uncomfortable with his action work. This was the only thing I could trace
this discomfort to. On several occasions I came to one of his regulation jobs and only
evened out the key travel/key dip, leaving the rest of the regulation parameters as they
were. The improvement was immediately noticeable to the pianists using these pianos.

You're right, Jim, some of this is not applicable to the consoles and generic grands
normally encountered, but... At least some of the research going into that BMW 740 might
eventually filter down to my whatever. At least I hope so. So let's keep on using those
0.002" front rail punchings. I just want to make sure I'm using them to set the right
parameters. Someone out there will notice.

Regards,

Del