[pianotech] High tension, low tension?

[Delwin D Fandrich]

1) Unless you know the design you have to measure. There is obviously no
clear line here. Generally I consider a piano with scaling tensions below
160 lbf (72.5 kgf) through the tenor section to be low-tension scales. Those
with scaling tensions above 180 lbf (81.5 kgf) are high-tension scales. Many
existing piano scales are more-or-less in the middle and many are a mix of
both.

 

In addition to knowing if a given scale has high or low tensions, it is
useful to know how a scale gets those tensions. That is, does it have long
and thin strings or short and thick strings? Each will have a different tone
characteristic.

 

2) In the best of all worlds each different scale type would be matched to a
different soundboard and rib scale and the piano would use hammers selected
to match the scaling and the soundboard design. To look at just the
extremes, a piano with a long low-tension scale will work best with a light,
relatively flexible soundboard and light, resilient hammers. A piano with a
short high-tension scale will work best with a heavier, relatively stiffer
soundboard assembly and denser, more massive hammers.

 

ddf

 

(Just a short plug for the upcoming PTG Convention-I'll be presenting an
all-day seminar on this topic including demonstrations of various scale
types on my string test fixture.  -ddf)

 

 

Delwin D Fandrich

Piano Design & Fabrication

6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USA

Phone  360.515.0119 - Cell  360.388.6525

del at fandrichpiano.com  <mailto:del at fandrichpiano.com> - ddfandrich at gmail.com

 

From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of lim hock seng
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2012 8:34 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] High tension, low tension?

 

Hi list,
1. How do we know whether a piano has high or low tension scaling?
2. Do we voiced differently for these scalings?

Bless
Lim

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