tone sustain

[Joe & Penny Goss]

Frank,
The only way to learn how to swim is to get into the water.
I am sure that there will be a lot of good answer on this subject I will be
listening too.
Joe Goss

----------
> From: Frank Cahill <fcahill@erols.com>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Re: tone sustain
> Date: Wednesday, September 23, 1998 8:29 PM
> 
> A long-time client just moved up to a Boston upright.  I gave the piano
> its second tuning.  I had never worked on one of these pianos...it's
> pretty much like a Kawai (I think they build it) or Young Chang.
> 
> The only complaint from the owner is that the upper notes do not sustain
> very long. It's apparently very noticeable to her and her paino
> teacher.   
> 
> I wonder...if I were to voice the hammers down, would that help matters? 
> 
> My guess is that the hammers are so hard that the intial amplitude it
> quite high (loud with lots of prominant upper partials). Then the decay
> time (sustain), while being normal, appears shorter because the extreme
> change in amplitude from very loud to soft happens so quickly.
> 
> I don't do much voicing, so I'm in above my head.
> 
> Thanks
> -- 
> 
> Frank Cahill
> Associate Member
> Northern Va