Adjusting wippen assist springs

Richard Brekne Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no
Thu, 11 Dec 2003 22:27:46 +0100


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"Charles E. Faulk" wrote:

> Hi Phil,
>
>
> There's a lengthy article on wippen support springs on the RennerUSA web
> page by Chris Robinson. You might want to read it. He even suggest
> removing key weights and letting the springs determine the touch weight.
>
>

Of course the problem with this idea, is that springs do not in reality
determine touchweight, they only alter touchweight gradient.  The assist
spring simply applies an upwards force which remains a constant.... say 20
grams. Now if you are using 50 grams of force for a very quite touch then
this 20 grams counts for something...  about 30 % of the total lifting force
of 70 grams... if however you are playing hard and apply a force of say 200
grams... then suddenly this spring is only helping your finger our with 10 %
of the work.  And as you get into really heavy play the spring has even less
effect.

The only things that really change the touchweight per se, are the ratio of
the action and the weight on the capstan vs the counterbalancing in the key.

Not that the change in the touchweight gradient is necessarilly a bad thing
mind you... but changing that is something different then changing
touchweight itself.

Just food for thought

RicB
--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
UiB, Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html
http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html


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