No killer octave here

[Delwin D. Fandrich]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Alan Forsyth" <alanforsyth@fortune4.fsnet.co.uk>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2003 4:23 PM
Subject: No killer octave here


> I found this system in an upright piano that came into my possession to be
> scrapped after being involved in an accident. I will withhold the name of
> the piano for the moment and keep you guessing except that it's infamous.
> The piano was designed not to have bridge pins at all but instead a
pressure
> bar all the way along the bridge to "clamp" the strings to the bridge. The
> theory behind it I suppose was that there would always be permanent and
> consistent downbearing of the strings on the bridge no matter what the
> soundboard was doing. There would also be no need to build a soundboard
with
> a crown; it could be made perfectly flat.
>
> Regards
> Alan Forsyth

This system would certainly maintain good string contact with the bridge,
but that is not the function of string bearing. These are two quite
different issues. String bearing provides a way to increase soundboard
impedance without adding mass to the system.

Del