Andre, as racing cars F1 (may be the name is not as common ?) Instruments that produce a very precise tone with the best definition available, and a very precise action that respond easier than our standard inertia loaded and friction evened (for some part) actions, are way more dangerous for the pianist as being less tolerant, and allow less laziness, it is may be harder to relax because control is more needed in any play mode. Stephen noticed that the pianists seem to like boomy basses as we found in some instruments, I tend to believe also that the friction zone (at the end of the stroke but may be also before) is a security for the pianist, kind of "second chance" if the initial shoot was a little excessive. However, culturally, one make comparisons between pianists based to some standard tone and action response, the fact that they play the same not so performing instrument allow for a better comparison between them, and this habit is really strongly installed I presume. All this goes against good mechanical and acoustic sense, but in the end what is a builder expecting is that the instruments he make are easily accepted as being agreeable to play while providing hopefully more possibilities than others. I should not be too much surprised that the reintroduction of a small amount of friction/inertia if not enough is in the action should be envisaged. I don't really know how the hammer shank is acting, I wander if a match between the inertia of the system and the friction is not necessary, and if too much freeness inside, if too much work is not given to the shank (and the key) unless fiber shanks are used. I just wonder if the fact that the low action have such limitations in term of friction (and inertia) is not at the same time allowing for some possibilities to the pianist that would be (in that theory) playing with the answer of the shank in term of acceleration while at the same time allowing for a more comfortable compression of the action . I presume that the piano action is working under compression and stress between the key and the hammer shank. A modern method to ascertain the flexibility and the compression of the action, along with the way the inertia act in the system, could provide us a way to determine some inertia/friction and stiffness ratios . It is certainly possible with very fast cameras and analysis, to determine what happen at different level of velocities, and I suspect that there are different response mode within the top action, I don't believe at the oversimplification that say that the pianist is only allowed to control the velocity of the hammer. The contact moment is shortened or lengthened depending of the attack angle when the hammer hit the string, most probably. The moment of inertia of the shank is allowing for some distortion is not it ? One French intoners here works the shanks with a cutter, after that they are more springy (or more soft), so the tone is more like with the old shanks, unfortunately, at the same time he cut a lot of the hammer springiness, and the tone always lacks basic power in forte play. But for soft playing the tone he obtain is aiming for a "French tone" , very polite and good for the salon . After having wandered what what's going on, most of us finish to admit that he "voice the shank" preferably to voicing the hammers. So the shanks is yet the part we like to understand better as the way he react to the emotional modes of the pianist ;>) Not much to do with cutoff bars or D hammers I'd say. I hope some clear idea remains in my simplified English. Besties Isaac OLEG Entretien et reparation de pianos. PianoTech 17 rue de Choisy 94400 VITRY sur SEINE FRANCE tel : 033 01 47 18 06 98 fax : 033 01 47 18 06 90 cell: 06 60 42 58 77 > -----Message d'origine----- > De : antares@euronet.nl [mailto:antares@euronet.nl] > Envoye : dimanche 27 avril 2003 09:25 > A : oleg-i@wanadoo.fr; Pianotech > Objet : Re: Fw: D hammers > > > > On zondag, apr 27, 2003, at 06:11 Europe/Amsterdam, Isaac > OLEG wrote: > > > > > Hello Andre, > > > > While not knowing this brand particularly, that seem to > prove that a > > little unfocused sound ( boomy basses and such) is > appreciated by the > > pianists (and by the ear), because of the ease of play and hear it > > provide. > > > > A too precise tone can well be felt as dangerous by the pianists, > > because enhancing all the fingers errors too much. > > In the same kind of idea that the need for some inertia and some > > friction. > > > > Are the pianists ready for these F1 pianos ? > > > > Isaac, mon cher, > Before being able to react to the above email : > what do you mean with F1 pianos? > > A. Oorebeek, > The Netherlands > > see my website at : www.concertpianoservice.nl > >
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