voicing

[Ron Nossaman]

>A couple questions here... I know several guys who routinely use a scaleing
program
>to redesign the scale when restringing / rebuilding. These fellows
typically are
>repairing cracks in the soundboard (shimming). They take care to check
"downbearing"
>before and after lessening tension on the strings. Often they lower the
plate a bit
>(something I question the reasoning for ... read Ed McMorrows book).

* Doesn't anyone ever check the crown under load? That is, before lowering
string tension? By my way of thinking, if there is little enough downbearing
to necessitate lowering the plate, there had better be adequate crown in the
board to take the load or the board will be driven flatter, or farther past
flat, than it already is. Increased bearing angles = increased soundboard
load, and if the board is already flat... where's the fix?



> Without knowing more about the condition of
>the soundboard then its present downbearing / string deflection readings,
how can
>one be sure that any given new string scale and or lowering the plate will be
>benificial ?

* Beats me, that's why I've argued against the practice. If the rim and
belly structure is solid and well braced, the soundboard can do it's job. If
not, it can't. If the board is well designed and in good shape, a good
string scale will sound and tune better than a bad one, but the best of all
possible string scales for a given set of speaking lengths and scale breaks
won't sound good on a poor soundboard. It can't be fixed with a specific
brand of hammers or voicing technique either.  It is my opinion that the
vast majority of pianos being rebuilt today with the original soundboards,
should have gotten new ones. I know, it's a big expense, and some of the old
boards are adequate as is, but just assuming the old board is fine and
pressing on too often yields disappointing results. By the time the work is
far enough along to hear the problems, the money has already been spent and
it's too late.   



> Also you mention some info Del has at one time offered about
>viewing ribbing as a center beam. Can you refer me to any specific reading
on this
>and other such soundboard related material ?

* Del's Journal articles, and discussions on this list (in the archives) are
the most straightforward and direct I've seen.   



>When I am restringing after a soundboard fix, I routinely use the same
scale, and
>try to achieve the same, or slightly less downbearing. I do this simply
because I do
>not feel confident in changing things without knowing more then I do about
these
>issues. As far as lessening downbearing (gut feeling really), seems like an old
>soundboard must be weaker, ergo less stiff / resiliant. Doing this combined
with
>very slow and even tension raising to bring the piano up to pitch
(typically one
>month) seems to be my best guarantee of not wrecking the sound of a piano.

* You didn't mention checking crown either. Do you? Also, I wouldn't worry
too much about sneaking up on the tension. Just chip and rough tune to pitch
immediately after stringing and keep it there while it settles in. 


 Ron N