Feeling the Hammers when playing

[antares]

> From: A440A@AOL.COM
> Reply-To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Date: Sun, 30 Jun 2002 18:26:30 EDT
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: Feeling the Hammers when playing
> 
> antares writes:
> 
>> It's simple Ricky, you just strike a key, you hit the bottom which is the
>> front rail punching right? you then clearly feel the energy from the impact
>> of the hammer against the string.
> 
> I can't agree with this.  On a pianissimo blow, there are perhaps 12
> milliseconds between the moment the hammer contacts the string and when the
> key hits the bottom its travel.  This is not sufficient time to register the
> "tingling".  On a stronger blow, the moment of keybottom advances, and on a
> Forte blow,  the key is actually on the bottom before the hammer hits the
> string.  So, what you are feeling in the key is not the hammer contact with
> the string but rather, the string vibration resulting from a hammer contact
> that is already a past event.  See
> http://www.speech.kth.se/music/5_lectures/askenflt/keybott.html

Hi Ed,

Of course you don't have to agree with it but I must point out a few
things :
A long time ago I learned about the connection between a louder tone and a
harder front punching. The harder the punching the louder the tone.
Soft punching absorbs energy and gives a softer tone.
All colleagues to whom I showed this phenomenon over the past years
immediately agreed upon hearing the difference. Most were even awestruck.
So should I now say that what I said is rubbish?

I would say this to our colleagues on this forum :
Check out the difference for yourself. Replace a softer front punching with
a more firm one, like a standard Yamaha or Steinway punching, and tell us
what you hear please.



> Regards, 
> Ed Foote 
> (I am reminded of a thread concerning how much change in tone was to be had
> from moving the back check upwards, but I was unable to find anyone that
> could hear a difference between two differently adjusted keys.)

It depends :

When you regulate the hammer drop the hammer tail should rest exactly 2 mm
above the highest point of the back check. That is the very best position.
Most back checks however are way too low or way too high.
We (Grand Piano in Wormerveer, Holland) also noticed that replacing back
checks on a Steinway B with brand new ones definitely changed the tone, but
I can not explain to myself why.



friendly greetings
from

Antares,

Amsterdam, Holland

"where music is, no harm can be"

visit my website at :  http://www.concertpianoservice.nl/