hammer shapes and symmetry

antares@euronet.nl antares@euronet.nl
Sat, 31 May 2003 12:16:15 +0200


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On vrijdag, mei 30, 2003, at 07:56 Europe/Amsterdam, Richard Brekne=20
wrote:

> The shape of the hammer does indeed have an affect on tone, tho=20
> whether that is experienced as a positive or negative is a bit more=20
> difficult a subject to deal with. Steinway specifies a more or less=20
> "V'd" egg shape.=A0 Just how much felt do you have left ? Less then 2 =
mm=20
> of felt on the tops of the trebles is getting right down there.
>

I have come to the conclusion that symmetry and shape are of the=20
highest importance.
It seems logical that the absorbing qualities of a hammer, function=20
best when the powers of attack can be absorbed equally on both sides.=20
The way these energies are absorbed are defined by the shape, that's=20
why shape is also extremely important. Every brand has its own shape=20
and I have experimented with these shapes. for instance, giving a=20
Yamaha hammer the shape of a STW hammer proves to be wrong as the STW=20
soundboard gives more color and the whole tonal structure of STW's is=20
of course completely different.
As STW's have the most defined sound, we can give the hammers a more=20
pronounced shape to zero in on the soundboard qualities.
Yamaha's are more neutral and can not absorb the same raw power a STW=20
can. I have heard this quite often during concerts where fabulous=20
pianists went completely 'through' the treble of the Yamaha's. The=20
concert Yamaha's just could not completely sustain that power and I=20
would compare that situation with 'floating' valves in a racing engine=20=

: there comes a moment when the engine simply can't handle the hellish=20=

repetitive speed of the valves.
We then have to accommodate the Yamaha hammers by giving them more mass=20=

at the top instead of lesser and more pronounced like the STW's.
Voicing techniques too differ greatly from factory to factory but that=20=

is another chapter.

Euro greetings (from Amsterdam)

Antares,
The Netherlands

see my website at : www.concertpianoservice.nl

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