<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Re: [CAUT]  New Soundboard Type</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> I sent this to the staff email list at the Sydney Con a few years ago on April 1. You have no idea of the number of earnest corridor conversations it provoked!! Thankfully, it tickled the Dean's funnybone! Regards, Geoffrey Pollard Sydney Conservatorium of Music <BLOCKQUOTE>Dear all, Due to increasing budgetary constraints, the following policies will be introduced in relation to piano tuning. Studio pianos other than keyboard unit White keys only will be tuned on these pianos. This will reduce the tuning time by approximately 30% and allow many more pianos to be tuned. Transposition on the fly and elimination of accidentals should be no problem for the experienced accompanist. Ensemble unit pianos Only notes below middle C will be tuned. I have been reliably informed that if an associate artist is doing their job correctly, there should be no need to play any of the higher notes which may confuse the soloist. Keyboard unit pianos Of course, both black and white keys will be tuned on these pianos, but only in the middle 5 octaves. Research has shown that 90% of the piano repertoire very rarely extends beyond a 5 octave range. The occasional notes required above or below can be easily transposed. This policy will result in an enormous saving in time with only slight inconvenience to staff. Thank you in advance for your co operation. Geoffrey Pollard Piano Technician </BLOCKQUOTE> On 2/4/07 7:04 PM, "RicB" <ricb@pianostemmer.no> wrote: > Well at least somebody got it... :)  Doesnt anyone over there do April > Fools any more ? > > Cheers > RicB > > >     Egg cartons!! Soundboards from pressed recycled egg cartons! > >     I thought that surely 4/1 wouldn't pass without at least SOME >     observance! > > >     susan kline > >> Hi folks... >> >> Just ran across a piece of new I have yet to confirm about a new >> soundboard material being tried out in Czechoslavakia.  It is a >> variant of a kind of pulped pressed board evidently... >         something on >> the lines of that stuff speaker manufacturers use yet because of >> some new re-bonding process the stuff comes out incredibly >> lightweight yet significantly stronger then traditional solid >         wood >> panels.  Full dimension curved cauls are used to mold the >         material >> into the exact crowned form in all directions they want.  The >> strength characteristics of the material are equal in all >         directions >> and they will be using a different type of support system for >> downbearing then ribs... that is to say ribs will not be >         used.  Its >> not a carbon fiber thing we are talking about... this is an >         all wood >> product... aside from whatever bonding material/process is being >> used.   More on this as I can hunt down information on it. >> >> Cheers >> RicB > </BODY> </HTML>