[CAUT] damper chirp

[Fred Sturm]

	FWIW, "official Steinway policy" as of January, 2008 (concert prep  
class) is to adjust shift on concert instruments so that the left  
string is included in full shift. I think there had been a move in  
that direction for some time among the basement folks, but now it is  
apparently "set dogma." I think this "dogma" only applies to concert  
instruments for the time being, and the new service manual says  
including the third string in full shift is an "optional procedure." I  
suspect the reason for the change (for concert instruments) has to do  
with "half-pedaling" techniques used by a number of top performers,  
and the likelihood of inconsistencies in tonal range when all hammers  
don't miss the left string absolutely simultaneously, and tonal  
problems caused when the corner of the hammer centers on or grazes the  
left string, even when the sharp corner has been carefully "beveled."
	Speaking of the new manual, having been given a copy as a freebie  
when attending the seminar, I must say I am VERY impressed by it. A  
completely new (well, almost) text written by Kent Webb, with new  
color photos by Eric Schandall, covering not only NY Steinway, but  
Hamburg and Boston and Essex as well. It is probably the most  
meticulous up to date compilation of high level practice available  
today, and the photos are amazingly clear and make procedures obvious.  
A bit pricey: $75 hard copy, $35 electronic.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu



On Mar 13, 2008, at 2:33 PM, Mitch Staples wrote:

> The way I understand it the chirp happens when the two vibrating  
> strings
> contact the damper felt causing it to vibrate, since the third  
> string is
> stationary the felt strums it a little, causing the noise.
>
> If it is happening in the alto area where there is a block felt and  
> a double
> wedge felt on the damper head usually you can reduce it a lot or  
> eliminate
> it by replacing the wedge with a block.  Also limiting the movement  
> of the
> unacorda so all three strings continue to sound but are hit between  
> the
> string grooves is a good idea.
>
> I think it's also a good idea to tell the performer what is  
> happening so
> they understand and maybe don't it anymore.
>
> Mitch Staples
> Ohio State University
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org]On Behalf Of
> geinert at drtel.net
> Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2008 9:15 AM
> To: caut at ptg.org
> Subject: [CAUT] damper chirp
>
>
> Last night I was at a Bosendorfer Imperial I service.  A couple  
> months ago I
> regulated and voiced it.  Last night, when played with the shift  
> pedal,
> whenever
> the dampers were lowered they would chirp.   It was not completely  
> unlike
> what
> a glazed damper sounds like, but these are pretty new, and  
> definitely not
> glazed.
>
> When I had regulated this, too  bright/not enough warmth were the
> complaints.
> When voicing una corda, even though I know Bosendorfer does not set  
> the
> shift
> to clear the left string I did it anyway.  I tried to figure out why  
> not to
> at the time
> and couldn't come up with a reason.  Last night when the dampers were
> chirping, I checked right away to see if the clearing string was the
> problem, and
> it was.  Setting the action shift back to put the strings between the
> grooves and
> the chirp went away.
>
> I am interested to hear theories of why that would  be.  No other  
> piano I
> have set
> with the left string to clear when the action is shifted does this. 
> (that I
> know of
> anyway)
>
> Tim Geinert
>