> Hi Dave -- for those of us who haven't read the book what is the >prescribed procedure and how would you describe the tonal improvement? > Thanks>>>>Dale Erwin Hey Dale----before I answer, I want to thank you sincerely for your "work the knots out of the shoulders" tip when voicing----it has made a huge improvement in my ability to control tone. You da man. This list is priceless. If the plate is out of the piano, it's easy. You'll see where the strings have sort of machined into the soft iron, and that the termination point is in a "U" shape rather than a "V" shape. Use a file suitable for soft iron, and carefully work small amounts of material off the capo bar until there's maybe a 1 mm termination, and the edge looks like a "V." Pretty simple, and the procedure produces a much stronger fundamental tone with either the illusion of more sustain, or more sustain. Handy in this, the weakest speaking area of a Steinway(low treble). You can also do it with the plate in by destringing the capo(we usually do it in four sections, starting from the treble break) and doing the same thing as above using mirrors and squeezing your head as far into the action cavity as it will go---this is trickier, and takes more skill----DON'T FORGET TO BE CONSERVATIVE. Sneak up on it. Don't take off too much material. And that's it. If you need me to, when Steve Bellieu, my partner and shop wizard, gets back in town (9/10) I'll have him describe the procedure in greater detail. He's the king of the "V." Best, David A.
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC