> Ron N., > If I understand correctly, the lower tension would reduce sound-board > loading. It will if there is positive bearing anywhere in the scale. > This would reduce overall power and weaken the resonant > sympathy between intervals as well that is evident at pitch where a > piano will "ring." A significant part of the assembly stiffness in most boards is from panel compression. Less bearing load makes less panel compression and the assembly is less stiff. The closer the board is to being too flexible, and the greater the percentage of load the panel compression is supporting, the more the changing bearing load from a pitch change will change the sound. >So the design issue would go beyond scaling to > sound-board loading and responsiveness. In essence the target pitch is > an essential part of the design from sound-board bridge placement, scale > or string tension, even the stiffness of the wire. > > Andrew In the field, it's just what happens to be there in any individual piano. In design, compression crowned or supported boards are more sensitive to this, where rib crowned and supported boards don't seem to notice much. Ron N
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