Touch design for concert pianists

[David C. Stanwood]

Hi Stéphane,

What are the upweights?   A common cause of 
feeling a lack of connection is low friction. 
Applying the formula (D-U)/2  will tell you how 
much of the down weight is to overcome friction 
to start the key moving.   In the middle of the 
keyboard a 12 gram friction weight would be 
considered normal.   So it would be interesting 
to see if, for instance, your frictions are say 
below 10g.  Then you might consider checking your 
center pin frictions to see if they are low.  In 
which case repinning to increase friction could 
be a solution.   Repinning would up the down 
weight so you could add a little additional 
keyweighting to keep your down weights on spec. 
I would do one thing at a time then assess the 
effects on your clients feelings of each change 
you make.

Hope this helps.

David Stanwood


>Stéphane Collin collin.s at skynet.be
>Thu Aug 7 02:40:26 MDT 2008
>
>	*	Previous message: Cutting rib radii
>	*	Next message: Touch design for concert pianists
>	*	Messages sorted by: [ date ] [ thread ] [ subject ] [ author ]
>
>Hi list.
>
>I face again the same old problem of a client of mine who's been told by an
>authorized concert pianist that her beautiful piano (Bechstein model D) had
>too light a touch for her to train properly.  The static downweight is for
>now tapered from 52 grams in the bass to 47 grams in the treble.  To my
>fingers, the weight feel is medium and the action plays quite well.
>
>How do you all address this issue ?  I know that the easy undoable way is to
>add clip leads at the back of the keys, but won't this affect the
>responsiveness and repetition performance of the action ?  Clips on the
>hammer shanks will also alter the sound (maybe for better in the bass, but
>certainly for worse in the treble).
>I would prefer redoing the front weighting (cost is not an issue in this
>case).  But then, what are the reasonable limits in which we can work ?
>Should I add 2 grams to all downweights ? 5 grams ? 10 grams ?
>My client is a young girl with small hands (gifted, for sure), and the guy
>who told her her piano is too light is more the Russian kind of KGB security
>agent pianist.  I fear for tendinitis behind the corner.
>
>No way my explanations could ever balance the authorized advise of the super
>graduated banger.  But your advise will certainly balance my lack of
>experience in this matter (I always refused up till now to alter the factory
>specs).
>
>Thanks in advance.
>Best regards.
>
>Stéphane Collin.