>Hello List, > I VOICED down a WHOLE PIANO in THREE SECONDS, - If you don't >believe me, read on. I was responding to a faculty complaint about >"thunk" when the una corda is released on a two year old Yamaha C-5. >Upon inspection, I found everything fine, (no loose cheek blocks, >pedals, rambunctious return, etc.), and the "thunk" seemed to be no more >than normal. I didn't want to slow the keyframe return speed thoughout >its' whole travel as it didn't seem too fast, just something to cusion >the impact. I took an old damper felt, pulverized it into a ball of >fuzz, and dropped it down the crack along side the keyframe with the >soft pedal depressed. The thunk seemed less, or atleast different. I >checked the hammer alignment and found that VISUALLY the strings and >grooves aligned PERFECTLY so the action did not shift much and the piano >sounded fine. After a day or so, the faculty member caught me in the >hall and said "What have you done to my piano?--you must have voiced >it---It sounds great!--and the thunk is gone!". > It seems to me that periodically changing the rest position of the >action very slightly could have some merits as a voicing method. >String grooves would always be developing in a new spot, making hammers >last longer. I suspect that as new grooves form, felt in the old >grooves puffs up to be like new again--so the action can be moved back, >(again voicing the piano). This tactic could be especially useful for >Asian hammers which tend to brighten fast and sound best when they're >new, as it restores that new sound. I cannot think of any >disadvantages, Ideas? Comments? > >-Mike Jorgensen RPT, Central Michigan University I'll agree with Ken Sloan re the small card shims to shift the action slightly to the right. I have a private customer who has a Baldwin F that the tone seems to get to "bossy" late in the winter dry season. As Spring and summer arrives it settles down. Rather than "traditional" voicing methods I will insert a small(thin) card shim....posterboard will do.. moves the hammer slightly to the right and slightly softer, unpacked felt. BTW.... Good Luck Saturday. Ya'll gonna need it. GO HERD :-) Paul E. Dempsey Piano Tuner/Technician Marshall University Huntington, WV dempsey@ramlink.net
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