Lighter or Heavier ?

[Stéphane Collin]

Hi Richard.

Thank you also for your kind and clever (as always) reaction.
While I feel that achieving an as accurate as possible theoretical model of what is happening in (whatever, say : ) a piano action is a very great thing to do, I feel it is even greater to keep somewhere in mind that the physical reality is always much more complicated than our theoretical model.  I would add to this (but I am truly afraid to do so) that intuition is also a method to apprehend the "truth" which can sometimes be more efficient.
Indeed, so you said, I feel that touch and sound are very closely related (after all it all goes on vibrations caused by forces).  While I wouldn't try to explain it, I really feel (empirically) a difference in touch and sound when I just replace balance rail felt punchings (casimirs, what is the english word for that ?).  The more compressed ones are related to a more efficient energy transmission from front key to hammer, and to a brighter sound (maybe harsh).  No need to emphasize on the effect on touch feel of the hardness of the front rail punchings, and even on the sound (this has been lately discussed here also).  I do believe that the elasticity of shanks has a major role to play in this scene, and the elasticity of the key itself, and the degree of compression of the capstan felt, and the leather on the knucle, etc.
In one phrase, I don't believe in touch cloning, because there is no such thing as two similar pieces of wood, or pieces of leather, or pieces of felt.  And this is part of the magic of the piano : bring the most minute variations of material into real audible changes of acoustic qualities, through the most minute changes in the player's action.  Way beyond of present theoretical control.
After all, go to Steinway Hamburg, and try 10 model B's.  Not 2 will have the same sound.  Not 2 the same touch feel.  Though, they are made following the same (computer controlled) uppermost demanding specifications.  What's nice, is that one will be better than the other.  And you god damned don't know why.  But you know it for sure.
Reactions ?

Regards,

Stéphane Collin.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Brekne" <Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, July 13, 2002 9:46 PM
Subject: Re: Lighter or Heavier ?


| Hi Stephane
| 
| Sorry to not have answered this first off... but I was
| interested in hearing what Terry had to say. You pose a
| great question which is, I think, perhaps right up this
| alley we were talking about just a bit ago. ie... how much
| of the "sound" (hardness of the hammer) of the piano can you
| feel.
| 
| As too your specific question I have never really thought
| directly about it until you posed the question. And I wonder
| greatly just how accurate your assumption (?) is here. Terry
| seems to echo your position yet he tempers his response by
| suggesting that perhaps one can get really close to the same
| touch feel on very different instruments, and I would guess
| he's probably right. 
| 
| In direct answer to your question I think off hand that if
| you had two exactly identical actions with respect to all
| geometry, mass levels and distribution and the rest of it,
| the differences in apparent touch-feel would be attributed
| largly to different sound each instrument has and how sound
| and action mechanics mix to affect our perceptions relative
| to touch-feel.
| 
| Obviously two perfectly identical actions playing against a
| dummy piece of wood instead of strings, would feel the
| same... or what ? So whats left is the sound component of
| how the piano feels.
| 
| I'd be delighted to hear your own take on this Stephane.
| Thanks for your posts :)
| 
| Cheers !
| 
| RicB
| 
| 
| Stéphane Collin wrote:
| > 
| > 
| > | |
| > | |
| > | | Hi Richard, List.
| > | |
| > | | Again interesting topic.
| > | | May I add a question?
| > | | Why do two pianos with same UW/DW, friction level and inertia, leverage etc. NEVER have the same touch feel ?
| > | | (Or am I totally wrong presuming this ?)
| > | |
| > | | Stéphane Collin
| > | | (Bruxelles, Belgium)
| >
|