Hi, John, I find Samuel Wolfendon's, Lawrence Nalder's, and Rosamond Harding's books (I assume to which you were referring) to be invaluable springboards to the more up-to-date information available in the Journal, especially Del Fandrich's "The Designer's Notebook" and Dave Stanwood's "New Touchweight Metrology" series. Many of Steinway's patents may illustrate the direction of modern piano practice, though arguably by means of the accretive process than for explicit reasons. Excellent reading also: Stephen Birkett, "Geometrical Methods in Stringed Keyboard Instrument Design and Construction" (paper), and Stephen Birkett, "Technical Foundations for Analysis of Pianos" http://www.uk-piano.org/piano_research/frameset.html#top Barrie Heaton, http://www.uk-piano.org/index.html John Koster, "Keyboard Instruments in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston" Frank Hubbard, "Three Centuries of Harpsichord Making" David Crombie, "Piano" Edwin Good, "Giraffes, Black Dragons, and Other Pianos" C.F. Colt, "The Antique Piano" Hope this helps, Clark
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