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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Whenever I had a chance, I would tell faculty, that
the sostenuto was either on or off.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Its function is to hold a damper or (s) while other
keys were played.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I would then tell them, that it would work best
when the pedal is fully depressed. If you let up a little on the pedal,
you might get some different results.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Here in Minnesota, you can time the dampers to lift
properly in the dry season. When summer comes, the underlevers are way up,
and the dampers barely lift, because the damper felts take on so much
moisture.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The best thing for us, is to do all your damper
work during spring break, and you will result with something which works most of
the time.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>When I was laid off, I can say all the sostenutos
were working.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>best, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ron Poire </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=kswafford@gmail.com href="mailto:kswafford@gmail.com">Kent
Swafford</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org
href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">College and University Technicians</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, February 06, 2008 4:54
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [CAUT] sostenuto</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>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
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<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></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>