QUERY: hammer/string interaction

[John Gunderson]

Joel, I posted the original query on this subject.  I would be very interested in
seeing this film.  Is that possible?  I'm curious, how long was the string which
was struck and was it at pitch?  What note in the scale was it tuned to?  Did the
string  correspond to the model hammer (meaning if that hammer had actually been
in a piano and striking its' string, was the string used in the model equal to
what the actual string would have been)?  How long was the hammer in contact with
the string?  Thanks for you input.  John Gunderson

Joel Jones wrote:

> On 1/20/01 7:53 AM, "kam544@flash.net" <kam544@flash.net> wrote:
>
> >> ...Is there any high
> >> speed photography of a hamnmer blow.  If so please post where the results
> >> and conclusions might be published.
> >>
> >> Thanks   John Gunderson, New Jersey Chapter
> >
> > Yes, there has, by Kimball, if my memory serves me correctly.  Anyhow, I
> > saw it once at a piano convention class.  It also shows how the damper
> > tries to land back on a single bass string that has been set in motion.
> >
> > That string in relation to the damper head is liken to a bull rider's worst
> > nightmare except for the danger of being horned or stomped    :-)
> > Pretty awesome stuff !
> >
> > However, I don't know where the film clip is currently located.
> >
> > Keith McGavern
> > Registered Piano Technician
> > Oklahoma Chapter 731
> > Piano Technicians Guild
> > USA
> >
> >
>  Kimball's Roger Weisensteiner & Ray Reuter (later at Yamaha) bankrolled
> this project at our UW photo lab.  We had a blast making it and watching
> each individual part go into it's  gyration, stress & torture.   Put it all
> together and it is a small miracle these pieces last and perform as well as
> they do.
>     There were many technical problems to overcome in the production of
> these high speed views.  The look on the faces of people seeing this film,
> even after many viewings, was worth every hour to make it happen.
>     Kimball used this footage to end their grand regulating classes at
> National for many years.  Recently Rick Florence from ASU has been doing a
> class presentation.   I am planning to use the vertical portion of the film
> to end the vertical hands-on regulation class July in Reno.
>     If you haven't seen the views of the grand and vertical action don't
> miss it if you have a chance.
> Joel
>
> --
>  Joel A. Jones
> Senior Piano Technician
> 1501 Humanities Building
> 455 North Park Street
> Madison, WI  53706
> FAX 608 - 262 - 8876
> 608 - 263 - 1887
> http://uwpianos.music.wisc.edu/
>
>
>