Seating/false beats

[Horace Greeley]

Ron, et al,

I think there is a good point here:

 It's been noted that most of the false beats attributable to front bridge
termination occur in octave 5 1/2 - 6. Could the fact that the strings are
shorter here, and that the width of the poor termination spot on the pin is
a greater percentage of the speaking length here account for some of this?
I'm leaning (sorry) toward the possibility that the natural harmonic
frequency of the flagpoling bridge pin meshes with the harmonic structure
of the strings better in this area than lower down. A larger diameter pin,
lower in the scale, would have a higher natural frequency (being stiffer)
while the string frequency is lower. You wouldn't get a match lower down
like you would (might) in 5 1/2 - 6. It might be frequency coupled. What do
you think?


If my failing memory serves, this is a part of the reasoning behind the
differing speaking lengths in this area of the scale which have been tried
by various manufacturers (most notably by S&S) over the years.

>
>
>I have also begun to suspect that the grooves in bridge tops are nearly
>inconsequential in this process. I see them as merely a result of the
>bridge expanding and crushing wood. In another post, I asked if anyone
>taps strings down at the back pin. If they don't, how else does the bridge
>get string grooves all the way across the top unless it's the result of
>this expansion and crush?
>

The answer to this is deceptive, I think.  While I do agree that this
expansion/contraction is a factor _over time_, many of the pianos I have
have had to service for (among other things) what turn out to be
termination issues have been _well_ within the warranty period, with damage
to the bridge caps _clearly_ caused by _some_ technician (either in or out
of the factory) "tapping" with great exuberance.

Best,

Horace



Horace Greeley			hgreeley@leland.stanford.edu

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