Changing Harmonicity

Michael Gamble michael@gambles.fsnet.co.uk
Wed, 3 Mar 2004 17:51:06 -0000


Hello list..
Sarah Fox said:
"I don't see how the properties of an impulse delivered to a resonant system
can alter the resonant frequencies of that system.  The system will only
resonate in response to the spectral energy in the impulse that corresponds
to its natural resonant frequencies.  If the hammer does not deliver (or
delivers but damps) the higher frequencies to which the system could
potentially resonate, the system will not resonate at those frequencies.
However, that's not to say that the resonant frequencies have shifted
towards a harmonic relationship with the fundamental.  A system will not
freely resonate to frequencies to which it is not tuned -- although it can
be driven at "off-frequencies" with continuous input of energy."

There is yet another parameter to be put into the "melting pot". That of
Sympathetic Vibrations within the piano as well as any "Aliquot" or
"Duplexing". All these things add (hopefully!) to the overall quality of the
acoustic piano - and these are things which cannot be replicated by any
purely electronic piano. So in this the Piano stands supremely alone.
Has anyone got a spare flame-suit?
Regards
Michael G (UK)




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