Down-striking discovery and up-striking pianist

Susan Kline skline@proaxis.com
Fri, 01 Oct 1999 17:51:36 -0700


>  What difference does this lower pressure make in the tone of a piano say 
>when played at sea level and then played at 5,000 feet?  Would it make any 
>difference mountain folk?
>Jim Bryant (FL)

Not so sure what effect the thinner air would have, but I've noticed a huge 
difference due to the lower humidity. Hammers sound brighter, bridges lose 
downbearing. In the crackly dry winter of the Canadian prairie, my cello 
bridge needed three pieces of cardboard under the legs, and the whole
instrument 
sounded scratchy. 

This may explain why Ted Sambell almost routinely recapped bridges and/or 
replaced soundboards after coming to Banff, Alberta ... and the instruments 
sound great! I've always wondered what would happen to one if it were 
sent from Banff to New Orleans!

Susan


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