Lighter or Heavier ?

[Richard Brekne]

Thanks again Ed and Dave... and Stéphane for your interest

Seems like we have two ideas about how inertia levels affect
the touch of the piano. On the one hand we've said several
times the the higher the inertia the slower the action
repetition... and this has been equated loosely with terms
like sluggishness and then from this perspective, heaviness.
Then on the other hand a bit more lead is said to perhaps
lead to a lighter "feel" due to the help inertia lends ones
the key is in motion.

Interesting and to some degree conflicting lines of
thinking. All and all it leads one to think that Stanwood
ideas are fine.... a great refinement in relation to simple
DW/UW measurements.. but perhaps should be refined further
to somehow put a number on inertia .... inertia zones
perhaps.

I agree tho in the answers you two kindly voluntered that
DW/UW has a direct relationship to "touch" or "feel", yet
that these are also affected by other relationships. 

Thanks again... would have liked to heard from others...
but. :)

Cheers
RicB


A440A@AOL.COM wrote:
> 
> >Would you go so far as to say that
> >there is no direct relationship between DW/UW measurements and the "feel"
> >or "touch" of the action ?
> 
> No,  I wouldn't say that.  Usually, a higher DW will make an action feel
> heavier, but that depends on a "compared to what?" basis.  Light hammers and
> little lead may have the same measurements as heavier hammers and more lead,
> but the "touch or feel" will be different.
>     The hardness of the hammers will have a huge effect on the "feel", so
> there is no reason to leave that out of the equation.  "Feel" is a
> combination of resistance and sound.  I have a Steinway O with two actions.
> Both of them are within 2 gr. of each other on DW, but one has a softer set
> of hammers and "feels" quite different to the pianists that have compared
> them.
> Regards,
> Ed Foote