Old Chickering Concert Grand

[Roger C Hayden]

Thanks, Clark
 
Much food for thought.
Clarity in the bass.  I did notice that.  

next project:  copy programs, break down the old computer, and pack it
for the grandkids.   Then set up the new HP system.  I'll see you all on
the new screen.

Roger 

On Sat, 16 Oct 1999 04:54:17 -0200 Clark <caccola@net1plus.com> writes:
> Hi Roger,
> 
> Certainly there are constraints in (re)scaling which should be 
> addressed and
> scaling programs make this a fairly straight-forward process; 
> however, the
> one I use sometimes presumes too much.
> 
> The main difference in the old Chickering scales is a lower apparent
> inharmonicity in the wound bass strings. While scaling is a large 
> factor,
> length, back-scale, hammers and bridge placement also contribute to 
> this
> effect; straight strung instruments can have a more consistent 
> bridge
> location throughout the compass which seems to lend the bass much 
> greater
> clarity, and they project much differently off lids than do 
> overstrung
> instruments.
> 
> In terms of scaling, though, with older instruments especially I 
> attempt to
> replicate the original intended result while evening up tensions and
> inharmonicity, which is possible with just about any method of scale
> calculation (excepting ye olde ear-and-weights-on-the-string 
> technique).
> Scaling bass strings often can be a fairly artistic task.
> 
> I switch between Scale Designer for the Atari and MS Excel 
> spreadsheets. I
> started using Excel because I could customize a lot more, and easily 
> change
> determining factors. These might be wire with different mass and 
> MOE, or it
> might be the matched pair of Brambachs a quarter-tone apart that I 
> always
> wanted ;)
> 
> Some of the possible parameters unfortunately are impractical: 
> though silver,
> iron and aluminum wound bass strings would be great, I don't imagine 
> any
> piano string winders stock these anymore.
> 
> Clark
> 

Roger C. Hayden,  RPT
Clarks Summit, PA