Was Voicing M&H BB/ Now tuned duplexes

[Richard Brekne]

Ron Nossaman wrote:

> No, sorry Ric, I wasn't offended, or trying to be argumentative. Just not
> in good composition mode today, I suppose.

Grin... or perhaps I wasnt in good reading mode. Thanks for grabbing my hand again
real quick like tho... good form indeed.

> What I mean is that I've read
> some pretty well thought out and accurately specified declaratives about
> front duplexes that do work just that way in actual practice, by my
> personal experience.

Thats fair enough, and I would agree actually. But still a declaritive is just
that, and personal experience in this regard is also influenced by our
subjectiveness. Until our observations are quantified and documented...we cant
really hope to convince more then a few of our position.  And remember all those
folks out here reading.... how are they to know who to believe ?

> The difference between some writings and others is
> that some others don't accurately reflect what is actually seen and heard
> in pianos. Among the writers who have, with their own three hands,
> physically installed different types of front duplexes in an attempt to
> improve the poor performance of the "usual" tuned configuration, have
> similar observations.

agreed....but then you have also folks who draw the opposite conclusions... as the
recent thread clearly shows. Del even cautioned us all that Dan is a guy who has
done a lot of work in the area and is not to be taking lightly....

> So what constitutes proof?

A good question... and to get at that (as far as that is possible) we first have to
sort out the differences between subjective ideas about "tone quality" and
physically tangebles like string buzz, sustain time, power, and the like.

> A published book, or
> patent? I can see where speculation unsupported by logic, physics, and
> actual prototypes would be suspect, but I thought you said you preferred
> untuned duplexes. Why is that?

I do because I have detuned duplexes on near 30 instruments through the years
following Ed McMorrows advice and proceedures, and each time I find the sound much
cleaner and that whooshing / whistling effect common on tuned duplexs all but
dissapears, and doesnt come back. This echos some others experiences I know...but
to no small degree this reflects my own personal preference for piano sound.  and
thats a far different thing then being able to declare the detuned duplex to be
unconditionally better. Besides... I know quite a few pianists that actually like
that whistling effect I detest so much. They call it things like "exciting" and
"lively".

As far as sustain times and the like. I have never had the opportunity to
accurately measure the differences, and as far as I can tell no one else has
published any hard data directly relevant to these more quantifiable issues either.
It might be nice to have some of this data available so that our more subjective
observations relating to tone quality may be viewed in the light of such material.

>
> Beautiful Autumn day in my neighborhood.
>
> Ron N

That plants a nice picture in my mind. Thanks muchly for writing.

RicB

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no