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Key Leads and Inertia

John Hartman [link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015] [link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]
Fri, 25 Apr 2003 09:29:51 -0400


Paul McCloud wrote:
> John:
> 	I fail to see what this has to do with real-world dynamics.
> Since the lead is integral with the keystick, not suspended by a thread,
> the inertia is going to be the same no matter how much acceleration is
> generated by the pianist's finger.  What am I missing?  
> 	Paul McCloud
> 	San Diego

Paul,

I am just trying to visualize how a lead in a key 
would react to the acceleration of the key during 
play. A lead in a key assists the depression of 
the key at lower dynamic levels of play, ppp and 
pp. It does this because it has a negative 
acceleration - gravity - pulling on it.  Only 
after the lead is accelerated past the point of 
falling will its inertia be felt as a resistance 
to depressing the key.

This means that if you install a lead in the key 
in order to lower the static down weight you 
assist the player if they are playing at a soft 
dynamic range (the action feels lighter). When the 
player increases the level of dynamics beyond 
pianissimo the lead begins to hinder playing (the 
action feels heavier).

John Hartman RPT

John Hartman Pianos
[link redacted at request of site owner - Jul 25, 2015]
Rebuilding Steinway and Mason & Hamlin
Grand Pianos Since 1979

Piano Technicians Journal
Journal Illustrator/Contributing Editor
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