Key Leads and Inertia

[Sarah Fox]

Hi Ron,

Well said!  To carry what you said to the neurobiological realm, the
relative timing of the pianist's movements, with relation to the orchestra,
is simply a matter of acoustic feedback.  The cerebellum's motor programs
are time-shifted forward or backward until the beats align (see other post).
I think that's why it usually takes a few bars for an orchestra to come
together completely.

Peace,
Sarah


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@cox.net>
To: "Pianotech" <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2003 5:45 PM
Subject: Re: Key Leads and Inertia


>
> >And now, allow me, if you will, to toss out a little side issue here:
> >depending on the level of power desired by the performer, i.e., pppp to
ffff
> >or whatever, there is a considerable variation in the amount of time
delay
> >between the moment the key is initially struck and the moment the hammer
> >impacts the string. This time delay can amount to some several
milliseconds
> >and it is not shared by most other orchestral instruments. Now,
considering
> >that the human brain only has so much computing power and speed and the
> >pianist is generally exceeding that processing speed during fast
orchestral
> >passages, what is the mechanism by which that performer compensates for
this
> >varying and complex time lag so that the sound of the piano comes out
just
> >right with the rest of the orchestra?
> >
> >Del
>
>
> Simple. (S)He doesn't, depending on where you listen from.
>
> Ok, ok - In the real world, where several milliseconds of "blend" from the
> instruments in the orchestra don't count when you're closer to one than
the
> other, the adjustment mechanism is built into our operating systems. It
> works better in some than in others, but it's a built in Bios function. We
> continually re-calibrate our muscular responses to perceived resistance
and
> timing. It's how we learned to work our bodies in the first place. How
hard
> do we push off to jump that puddle? If we keep walking at the present
rate,
> will that approaching bus run us down? We do this all day every day, in
> tens of thousands of repetitions until we start getting pretty good at not
> walking into trees, or picking up that light box without whacking
ourselves
> in the forehead with it. It's deep in our primitive core, and helped keep
> us from being eaten as we evolved into whatever it is we now are - other
> than not yet entirely eaten. Part of what a musician is doing when (s)he
> warms up is, consciously or not, re-calibrating muscle response as well as
> checking out the capabilities of the instrument. Swinging the bat. (S)He's
> updating an internal template of input force and response offsets for that
> particular instrument. Like calibrating a Disklavier, only using meat
> instead of silicon. The internal templates come in different resolutions,
> or levels of granularity. A less accomplished pianist may be aware that
> F#-2 hangs up, the bass is typically heavy, and the treble is dead. A
> proficient pianist will have a much more extensive and detailed internal
> map of the piano, with timing, repetition, touch, voicing, and at least
> several indefinable characteristics and requirements for each and every
> key, as well as overall concerns. The low level pianist's template is a 6"
> x 8" chalkboard with 2" lettering, while the super pianist's template is
> fractal - a Mandelbrot set. Some conscious, some limbic. During play, the
> musician's internal subroutines retrieve data from the freshly calibrated
> array, re-calibrate on the fly as new modifying circumstances are
> discovered, and adjust the muscle response and timing accordingly. The
> music goes round and round...
>
> And it comes out here.
>
> Of course, the first time you step up to a curb in a new pair of shoes
with
> 1.2mm thicker soles than those they replaced, you'll stumble. The second
> time, you'll be fine.
>
> Ron N
>
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