So, let's talk about damper lift

[piannaman at aol.com]

HI Ed,
 
You might remember that I did some experimenting a few months ago to "lighten" the feel of a piano by changing the damper timing to the key(once lowering the damper wires in the blocks, once bending the spoons).  IN order to compensate for the late lift, I had to readjust the pedal mechanism (trap lever stop, upstop rail, and pedal rod capstan).  
 
For my playing--not virtuouso by any means--I found that the decreased damper lift  above the strings from either the key and the pedal (slightly below key lift) didn't have any noticeable negative effects.  Others who played the pianos quite liked the way they felt.
 
Several people on this list felt that inadequate damper lift would alter the feel, and the fullness of the sound because the damper might not be lifting from the string in time to escape the initial large waves created by the initial hammer strike.  To me, it felt and sounded fine soft or loud. 
 
Regards,
 
Dave Stahl 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: A440A at aol.com
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Sent: Tue, 14 Mar 2006 17:10:26 EST
Subject: So, let's talk about damper lift


Greetings, 
     I am having some considerations banging around in my head about just how 
much pedal lift is the optimum amount.  I thought I would toss it out, rather 
than spending sleep time chasing down all the possibilities; (I once saw a 
cartoon of a guy in bed, lights out, eyes wide open,  and in the "thought 
balloon" over his head was an exploded view of a complete Volkswagon engine.  
that 
could be me with an action, a Timex watch, or any number of arcane 
assemblages). 

       If the pedal lifts the dampers higher than the keyends, the underlever 
drop can be felt in the keys as the damper pedal is lowered. I don't like 
this bump, and removing it for pianists has caused them to begin describing the 
change as a "smoother touch", or "I can't tell what you did, but this feels 
better" sort of thing. 
So,  I think this is a good thing.
      Having the pedal set so that the keystroke lifts the dampers the 
slightest amount above the pedal causes the contact between keyend felt and 
underlever to occur just as escapement is happening. I really prefer to make the 

escapement zone as transparent as possible so that pianissimo playing is most 
controllable.  So,  I wonder if this is too much of an improvement.
     Having the pedal lift only enough to clear the dampers from the string 
will often make a very short throw of the pedal and some pianists have 
expressed trouble half-pedaling with so little movement available. 
I am interested in the collective ideas here about this.  Anyone? 

Ed Foote RPT 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
 
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