Voicing the new piano

Richard Brekne Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no
Thu, 11 Jul 2002 12:10:28 +0200


David Ilvedson wrote:
> 
> List,
> 
> I would interested in hearing input about maintaining new pianos.  Particularly voicing.  I have a new fleet of 9 Yamaha pianos (is that a fleet?) I am servicing on a very regular basis...carte blanc.  1 C5, 3 C2s, 3 U1s and 2 P22s.  Another P22 in the near future.  These pianos are played 6 days a week for several hours each day.
> 

Well I am not sure... are they afloat ?... perhaps you could
call them a flock but then they might need to be flying...
or a school maybe...nah... then again a bunch would be all
tied up and a bit vulgar anyways... I suppose you could use
a litter seeings how they are all so new... or you could
just say "a few" :)

> How does playing affect the new hammer, or any hammer?  Where is the compaction taking place?  What do you do with the clangy, rattlely sound in the trebIe when it shows in ugly face.  I have my own techniques, but I'm interested in what others do.


I think the hammer is getting packed in a flattening sense,
which means the mid shoulders are being pushed / stretched 
outwards at the same time that the area right under the
crown is getting more compact.


Hammers used that much seem to need a quick touch up voicing
perhaps once every month or 6 weeks depending on how hard
they are banged at. Perhaps about 10 medium to short stabs
just down the shoulders from the crown...  should take about
15 - 20 minutetes top including a bit of dressing up the
shape when you get good at it. I take a bit longer still,
but I've seen fellows who "can" whip right through a set of
hammers in this fashion with great results.

What I wonder about tho is just how many times you can voice
a set of hammers like this before the felt is just all
ripped up. Would seem that hammer replacement would become
more a function of how much needling has been done rather
then wear in these high usage instruments.

RicB
> 
> Thanks in advance
> 
> David I.


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