Envelope/sound

[David Love]

I think, actually, that was my description.  The struck piano string has two
main elements to the tone.  The first is the sound at attack-when the hammer
strikes the string, the second is the sound which follows-the sustain.  Were
you to graph the sound levels you would find that the attack sound would
peak substantially higher and tend to be more chaotic than the sustain which
follows.  The greater that differential and the more chaotic the attack, the
more percussive the piano sounds, the less singing the tone.  This becomes
more evident in trying to play legato where there is the feeling of the
notes connecting.  Part of the process of voicing is to find the best
balance between the sound at attack and the sustain that follows.  A
properly designed and functioning soundboard also contributes to the
mitigating the harshness of the attack (without killing it totally) and
enhancing  the quality of sustain.  It's a balancing act with all the
components playing a role.   Generally speaking, I would prefer to see the
attack portion of the sound closer in level to the sustain that follows,
i.e. the difference minimized to the degree that is reasonable without
reducing the attack sound below a level that is acceptable.  It's a judgment
call ultimately.  In spite of what the actual sustain quality is of the
instrument, however, the perception of good sustain and firm but round tone
will have everything to do with minimizing that differential and reducing
the chaos of the attack.  

 

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net
www.davidlovepianos.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of KeyKat88 at aol.com
Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 5:08 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re:Envelope/sound

 

In a message dated 10/6/2006 10:27:57 PM Eastern Standard Time,
sec at overspianos.com.au writes:

the peak of the attack envelope being too far above the ensuing level of
>sustain. 

Greeetings,

 

    Would you describe the sound of the above verbal description? How does
one know where the attack envelope begins and ends? (I have seen a graph of
envelope in the Larry Fine Piano Book)  What do you mean by "ensuing" level
of sustain? I know this sounds like the Spanish Inquizition of 1550, but I
am a rookie at this.

 

Thanks,

Julia Gottshall

Reading, PA

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