para-inharmonicity and tuning curves

Richard Brekne richardb@c2i.net
Tue, 18 May 1999 22:19:04 +0200


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Hi there Mr Roger Jolly.  (That cant be your real name now can it ??? grin)

Roger Jolly wrote:

> Hi Richard,
>              I thought I would share some thoughts with you, Young's
> formula is not quite accurate in an absolute sense but good enough for most
> practical uses.

Can you give me Youngs Formula ? I have use for several such formulas right now
and have a hard time locateing the appropriate ones.

>
> Test that I have conducted in the areas of inharmonicity and string
> coupling, has more to do with the dwell time of the hammer on the string
> than with the basic property of a given piano wire.

Yes.. but this has to due with amplitudes of partials doesnt it ?? I mean hammer
elasticity cant change the actual frequencies of string partials.. or what?

>
> A well voiced hammer will rebound from the string quicker than an over hard
> hammer, therefore there is an increase in sustain and power for the upper
> partials, and a significant shift of inharmonicity readings.
> Needling various zones of the hammer effects the efficientcy of energy
> transfer, and hence the partial build up from the string.
> Taking a single wire on A440. The difference in inharmonicity reading at
> ppp-mf-fff is quite dramatic, this futher reinforces my theory that dwell
> time is the critical element.  I have further played around with the jack
> height/position, and have noticed and heard a wide variety of changes in
> this area.
> The only way that I can figure possible, to get a true mathmatical picture
> would be to integrate time, mass and energy into the formula. Unfortunately
> it's been too long for me to take a run at it.
> No answers just more questions.
> Regards Roger
>

Yep... another side of the coin. For the moment I am concerned with partial
frequencies. But your point is interesting. I've imagined that these electronice
tuning devices that provide information as to the amplitude of string partials
could make for some really insteresting voicing work. I have heard this about
Dwell Time before, tho put a bit differently. Laroy Edwards aftertouch class I
think drifted into this area (Oslo 1986 or so) I think he said something to the
effect that "voicing can be viewed as altering the volume of partials" and made
the point that Dwell time is one controlling factor, if not the controlling
factor. That jived nicely with something I heard a few years later from Franz Mohr
in a visit he made to Seattle. His voicing was a bit non standard in method. He
delt only with the very top of the hammer, and only needled there very very
shallow. He didnt seem to think the rest of the hammer made much difference. He
said something to the affect that "you only need to get the hammer to jump off the
string quick enough" Another guy I know named Ed McMourough also thinks along
these lines, but combines this with a method of regulating actions that in essence
reduces action mass to an absolute minimum. "The Light Hammer Regulating
Technique" or something of that sort. Interesting reading, tho Steinway doesnt
really like him ripping out all the key leads they so ardiuosly insert at the
factory. Still, his results are impressive and remind me a bit of the Horowitz
piano.

Good stuff..

Richard Brekne
Sydneskleiven 1
5010 Bergen, Norway

E-mail Richard Brekne
Richard Brekne Website

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