You are mixing tests for some reason, Fred. Let me try to ask my question again.<div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>We think of sostenuto as being either on or off. But the mechanism doesn't work that way. A blade rotates up and down over a distance.</div>
<div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Should we (and pianists) expect full function in the sostenuto when the blade is rotated down a bit from its maximum height? If so, how far?</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder">
</div><div>Or should we tell pianists, not to expect to be able to get full function from the sostenuto unless the pedal is fully depressed?</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>And by full function, in this case, I mean the ability to play a double-forte blow without its tab becoming engaged by the sostenuto blade?</div>
<div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Kent</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>PS -- You say, "Or play every key hard, but that takes a lot more time and energy."</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder">
</div><div>And then you say, "Ain't no shortcuts."</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div>Exactly. 8^) Play each of those keys hard!</div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>
<div>KES<br><div><div></div></div><div><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Feb 6, 2008 3:50 PM, Fred Sturm <<a href="mailto:fssturm@unm.edu">fssturm@unm.edu</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<div class="Ih2E3d"><br>On Feb 3, 2008, at 7:59 AM, Kent Swafford wrote:<br><br>> My tests of the sostenuto were in terms of actual function, that is,<br>> as a player. I can see that might not be sufficient.<br>><br>
> I had hoped someone might have an opinion on safety factor in the<br>> depression of the sostenuto pedal. How far could you let up on the<br>> sostenuto pedal and still expect tabs not to slide past on hard blows?<br>
><br>> Kent<br><br></div> I guess I'd say you want to have to let up "a noticeable amount" on<br>the damper pedal before the tabs start to pop (ie, damper pedal down,<br>sostenuto pedal down, let up on damper pedal). That's a pretty wimpy<br>
(imprecise) standard , and one you kind of have to work out on your<br>own. The problem is that this symptom (instant popping of tabs, as<br>opposed to however much gap) may reveal a combination of things: could<br>be the rod is away from the tabs too far, could be too high, and could<br>
have not enough pedal play (not getting to horizontal), or just a bit<br>of two or all three of the above. But it definitely _is_ a good "one-<br>stop shopper" first step to see if you have problems. Then you go on<br>
to find out what the problems are.<br> I guess another wrinkle is to hold the sostenuto at not quite full,<br>and press the damper pedal fully, rapidly and see if some pass. Or<br>play every key hard, but that takes a lot more time and energy. Here,<br>
of course, the position of the up-stop comes into play.<br> All things considered, I prefer to go through the regimen I described<br>in my earlier post, as it gives me more information in a more<br>organized way. Bottom line: you need the rod in about as far as it can<br>
go safely, you need it to rotate to horizontal, and you need good up/<br>down positioning. And you need to have set the stage with an even line<br>of tabs, good lift from the keys, and good upstop position. Ain't no<br>
shortcuts <G>.<br><div><div></div><div class="Wj3C7c"><br>Regards,<br>Fred Sturm<br>University of New Mexico<br><a href="mailto:fssturm@unm.edu">fssturm@unm.edu</a><br><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br></div></div>