Feeling the Hammers when playing

[Richard Brekne]

Hi Patrick

Say if you could remember the name of the instructor I would be very glad to
know who it was. 

I have no doubt that what we hear affects what we feel (or think we feel) in a
very big way... but I also wonder about whether or not we really do physically
feel the hardness of the hammers, and if so how and how is that explained. Lots
of ideas presented but mostly in the form of beponderments.

Bill Ballard said something about how difficult it would be to find out
anything definant... perhaps this is true but on the other hand it would seem
easy enough to ascertain whether or not pianists (or anyone else for that
matter) can indeed sense hammer hardness at the key or not.  

Would seem an interesting and kind of an important point to clear up really
when it comes down to it.

Anyways, if you remember his name let me know

Cheers!

RicB


 Patrick C Poulson wrote:

>Hello All: I remember a discussion in a convention voicing class about the
>phenomenon of "psychoacoustics."  The contention of the teacher, whose name
>escapes me at the moment, is that what we hear influences what we think we
>are feeling as we play the piano.  A very bright piano will be perceived by
>many as being "easier" to play, because it seems louder and therefore
>doesn't require as much effort from the pianist.  Vice versa for a very
>mellow piano, where the pianist may have to play harder to get the piano to
>project.  In both cases the pianist is not actually feeling the hammer
>itself, but is reacting to the kind of tone the piano is producing and is
>automatically and perhaps unconsciously adjusting his or her playing to
>compensate for what the instrument is not giving.
>Patrick Poulson, RPT


Richard Brekne
RPT NPTF
Griegakadamiet UiB