[pianotech] The Db1 theory

[Noah Frere]

Concerning this, I have been increasingly aware of the unsatisfying sound of
the lowest 2 tenor copper-wound notes on many upright pianos. (It is often
difficult to get a nice unison, even on newish Yamaha U1s.)
It's not just that they don't mesh well, but that they sound weird. Does it
have something to do with the end of the bridge? I am not yet well-versed in
piano design.

On Sat, Nov 14, 2009 at 10:52 AM, <erwinspiano at aol.com> wrote:

>   *Hi Stephane*
> *  This may not be what you are experiencing.*
> * I find that on SO many pianos there are at least a few notes that sound
> truly exceptional as to sustain and clarity and others that are noticeably
> not as magic. Usually this is from the  note 40 ish on up.*
> * I've tried switching the great sounding notes hammer with the one that
> doesn't countless times and have found that 99% of the time its not hammer
> related.....and, so frequently** they are right next door to the one the
> sounds fantastic. Sometimes its around the plate strut breaks and others
> not.  I personally think it is variations in soundboard impedance. *
> *  Probably due to invisible spruce gnomes and spruce fairies burrowing
> into the wood. grin*
> *  That's my story & I'm stickin to it.*
> *    Dale Erwin*
>
>
>
>  Stéphane Collin wrote:
> > Hi all.
> > > Working among many pianos, I happened to elaborate a unifying theory,
> saying
> > this : in a piano (meaning any piano), there is one note that sounds
> better
> > than all others. It is my conviction that this note is Db1 (no matter
> what
> > brand, or what instrument). I do have clues about why is that. I just
> > wanted to submit this idea to the immense tank of grey cells behind this
> > list.
>
> That would be at around 34.65Hz. Police band radar is at around 34.65GHz,
> so what you're likely hearing is the sweet heterodyned resonance of having
> gotten away with something. Under the radar, as it were. This sort of thing
> tends to resonate with our inner troll.
> Ron N - not answering the phone for the next 24.
>
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