This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Hi Phil, There are two general strategies for muting sound, corresponding to two = different sorts of sound routes: If you're trying to mute REFLECTING sound, foam works great -- = especially the slightly crunchy egg-crate stuff that I presume Isaac is = talking about. This foam is effective when rigidly mounted against a = rigid surface (like a wall). Acoustic energy is dissipated as the sound = waves pass through the pores in the foam, which create turbulent = airflow. However, if the foam is unsupported, sound will vibrate the = foam, which will vibrate the air on the other side. Thus, it doesn't = work as well as a sound barrier. If you're trying to block PASSING sound, you need some sort of immovable = barrier. You need something solid with a bit of mass to it. The sound = will hit it and will reflect back, rather than passing through (and = vibrating the air on the other side. This subject has come up before, = and a very nice solution that someone proposed was a drop-down lid for = the bottom of the piano. The idea would be to bottle up the sound with = both the top and bottom lids closed. The effectiveness of either lid would be enhanced by damping reflectance = by lining the lid with reflectance attenuating foam (the stiff egg crate = stuff). It would be enhanced further by achieving an air-tight seal = with weather stripping. Some of the adhesive-backed weather stripping = (Frost King?) has very weak/gentle adhesive. I know, because it's = falling off of my windows right now. (@#$%!) Vibration isolation from the floor is another important factor. = Somewhere in the archives, there's a thread about a church piano that's = too loud. Someone suggested a caster cup especially made to isolate = vibration transmission to the floor. It looked like a nice solution. Still another solution might be to set the letoff at 1/4" or more, so = that at the lowest volume levels the hammers don't touch the strings at = all. Then hide stereo speakers under the piano, playing piano music. = The lid can be kept up, so that the piano looks pretty. Very sadly, = most people won't realize that the key movement in no way corresponds to = the music being played. I'm saying this with my tongue slightly in my = cheek, but I'm almost serious! Good luck! Peace, Sarah www.graphic-fusion.com ----- Original Message -----=20 From: Philip Jamison=20 To: pianotech@ptg.org=20 Sent: Sunday, March 13, 2005 7:03 PM Subject: Quiet The PianoDisc! I have one of those PianoDisc customers who wants the piano to play = REALLY quietly. Unfortunately, it's a bright YAMAHA G1 in a really = bouncy room with an 18' ceiling. I'm thinking of stuffing some carpet = pad above the beams, padding the caster cups and maybe voicing down the = hammers. Would string felt help? Any other ideas? It's a new PianoCD = unit which adjusts to quite a low volume, but she wants it REAL low! Philip Jamison Pianos West Chester, PA ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/21/9e/75/a8/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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