<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: [CAUT] harpsichord quilling</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> Hi Anne,     A fair enough response. I agree that this is the subject for a book, but hoped I might get lucky and at least solicit a comment or two.     I prefer to work with black delrin, as it is considerably easier to work with the blade, at least for me. Easier to get purchase and to control. But, alas, my wife, the harpsichordist in the family, prefers the feel and sound of white. I am not sensitive enough to notice that big a difference.     About the various profiles I described, I have seen all of them on very nice instruments (and sometimes all of them on one individual instrument, with not so great results <G>), and I haven’t really come to good conclusions about the ins and outs of each. There are people out there who passionately claim one or another is the only way. Much like duplexes and hammers, I guess.     My wife says that the “taper the bottom to the tip” profile makes it feel silkier and less abrupt, so I have been experimenting in that direction.  But for the rest, I haven’t seen definite reasons to prefer one style over another.     But, yes, it is as if someone asked a piano technician “how do you insert needles into a hammer to voice it?” Regards, Fred Sturm University of New Mexico      On 10/27/06 7:48 AM, "Anne Acker" <a.acker@comcast.net> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE><TT> Hi Guys! >     Thanks for joining us, even if only temporarily. Well, now that I'm signed up, I might as well keep an eye on you folks. > >     I wonder if you might be willing to answer a few other questions on   > the subject of harpsichord voicing? In reference to all the questions below about quilling...which is an art like hammer voicing, my answer is: I use the materials and methods which will best bring out the desired voice for each given instrument.   Each harpsichord has different needs, each client and room has different needs, just like for  pianos.  Some instruments require more forceful energy to speak well, others don't. In general, I prefer black delrin, but sometimes only white will do the job for a given instrument. This would be the topic for a book, and instead of going into this, I have to prepare to greet the antiques group showing up imminently for a tour and presentation. Best regards, Anne > > 1) Black versus white delrin material, any comments on the   > differences, preference? > > 2) Plectrum profile side view: Do you prefer > a) even taper from tongue to tip, coming to an almost point? > b) a more gradual taper that stays thicker than the above up to a   > wedge cut at the end? > c) a fairly parallel profile from close to the tongue to the wedge   > cut? (the wedge cut being for return passage to under the string) > > 3) Plectrum top view: Do you prefer > a) Triangle, coming to an almost point? > b) Fairly parallel starting as close as convenient to the tongue with   > a quick angle inward, then parallel to the tip? > c) Somewhere between those two, tapered, but not to a point? > > 4) Plectrum cross section: Do you prefer > a) rectangular, square sides, flat bottom? > b) rhomboid, flat bottom, sides tapered inward? > c) triangular, sides angled in coming to a point or nearly so? > > Any comments on how these variations affect touch and tone would be   > most appreciated. And, obviously, any alternatives to what I   > presented are welcome. > Regards, > Fred Sturm > University of New Mexico > fssturm@unm.edu > > > </TT></BLOCKQUOTE><TT> </TT> </BODY> </HTML>