[CAUT] Physics of the Piano

[Ed Sutton]

Fred-

Based only on the sample pages of Amazon.com, I am disappointed. His studies 
are based on his own 1916 S & S M, which he takes as a standard of 
standardness. At NAMM I saw so many fine instruments, grand and vertical, 
designed by people like Del Fandrich, Frank Emerson, Bruce Clark and Lothar 
Thoma, to name a few. Failing to account for the understanding and advances 
introduced by people like this is, I think, a serious flaw in a book that 
hopes to be up to date.

I suppose I'll have to spend $50 to find out if my criticism is valid.

Ed Sutton


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fred Sturm" <fssturm at unm.edu>
To: "College & University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2011 3:05 PM
Subject: [CAUT] Physics of the Piano


Hi All,
I have been reading a new book, came out in 2010, called Physics of
the Piano, Nicholas Giordano, Oxford U Press. I would like to
recommend it as the best overview I have seen of the issues involved
in the piano from a physicist's perspective. It covers the field quite
well, and explains on a level that is understandable to the non-
scientist, but not dumbed down so as to be watered down. Some new
stuff I wasn't aware of. Giordano has done quite a bit of original
research himself, but he includes material from people like Askenfeld
and Conklin.
There _are_ a few warts, as is probably inevitable, but it is a great
introduction to the principles and to the experimentation that has
been done in a scholarly way. I wish/hope Stephen Birkett might come
out with such a text some day, but meanwhile this is pretty good as a
starting point.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
fssturm at unm.edu
“Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to
shape it.” Brecht