[pianotech] key leveling with a curve

[Horace Greeley]

Hi, Ron,

At 05:52 AM 10/14/2010, you wrote:
>On 10/14/2010 6:37 AM, Horace Greeley wrote:
>
>>  In
>>that context, I fully concur with Ron (and others) that building a crown
>>into the key height, however rewarding it may be from a standpoint of
>>ego or technical competency is simply not noticed with sufficient
>>frequency. Does that mean I don't do it? Of course not. It just means
>>I'm quite realistic about why I'm doing it and for whom.
>
>Technical competency? Bit of a stretch, don't you think? 
>Interestingly, the question of crowning key level comes up once in a 
>while. The defenders treat it as something that is maybe "good 
>enough" if "left out", while the flat levelers consider it 
>unnecessary and largely self serving pretension. The question I 
>don't seem to be able to get an answer to is why is it desirable in 
>any instance, other than politically? Is there a real performance 
>benefit/detriment either way? I'm all for doing things for real 
>reasons, where this always smacked of "One of proper breeding must 
>hold one's mouth just so, and always, always, put on the left shoe first".
>Ron N

I concur on all points.

FWIW, in all the years I've been picking brains, books, archives, 
patents, you-name-its, about "things piano", this is one of the ones 
for which I've _never_ found an answer that really makes sense or 
holds up under serious scrutiny...much less practical application.

Most telling, for me, is that I do not recall ever seeing this 
particular design element specifically called out in a patent 
application.  When one looks at the simply incredible range and 
domain of ideas, devices, processes, & etc ad nauseam gemuetlichkeit 
that have been granted patent status, for something like this - which 
so consistently and for so long a time generates so much interest, 
discussion and controversy - to _not_ show up in some patent, some 
place is just about unthinkable.

Of course, one of the truly wonderful things about making such 
patently (pun fully intended) gross generalizations, is that some 
kind soul...motivated, no doubt, by pity if nothing else, is sure to 
set me straight...as it were.

...and, I'll continue to do just as I have been doing before...

Best.

Horace

  P.S. - But seriously, folks, if anyone out there _does_ have some 
_substantive_ documentation, I really would love to see it...at this 
stage, one less mystery in life would be most welcome...hg 
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