[pianotech] Tuning the duplex sections

[Ron Nossaman]

On 3/15/2011 6:14 PM, David M. Porritt wrote:
> Any energy that "bleeds" across
> to the duplex (either front or back) is lost for our primary purpose.  I
> would rather keep it in the speaking length as much as possible.

Absolutely - "as much as possible" being the operative limitation.


> While it is undeniable that the front duplex does cause additional sound,
> frequently that sound is a high pitched obnoxious sound.

Only long front duplexes, usually the longest among the "tuned" are 
noisy. The shortest of the tuned, and all short untuned front duplexes 
aren't noisy.


>It's also not
> under my control nor under the control of the pianist.  It's the random
> nature of the front duplex that really bothers me.  It's not like a highly
> desirable sound that can't be created elsewhere.  If you don't have a front
> duplex - or even if you mute it - you can get more brilliance with a harder
> hammer and that _is_ under your control.  Maybe I've just become a control
> freak in my old age, but I don't like things that just happen.

It amazes me that the tuned front duplex remains such a feature when 
eliminating it with shorter sections is so simple and effective. They 
could still pretend it's a tuned duplex, and just rework the layout to 
avoid lengths over about 35mm, and still have the marketing feature for 
the salesman to point to without the obnoxious noises. Then everyone 
could win.

Ron N