key dip, dip in.....

A440A@aol.com A440A@aol.com
Fri, 18 Oct 2002 19:42:39 EDT


 Richard writes:

>Still no one has addressed the consequences of Bob Hohfs disertation on
>action
>heights in this context. His observations about the distance between string
>and
>keybed determining each individual actions optimal distance geometries
>seem hard to
>ignore, and would definantly, if adhered to, require a willingness to relax
>the 10
>mm thing.... at least to some small degree me thinks.

Greetings, 
   Agreed.  If there is to be only one keydip, then there is going to be 
either a variety of aftertouch or an even wider range of blow distances to 
entertain.  All three of these work together,(I'm leaving let-off out of this 
comparison), and if you lock one down, the other two are going to vary in all 
but the perfect action.   
   I noticed a change in perception when I switched from "carved-in-stone 
keydip measurement" (which  left a variety of aftertouch), to an 
aftertouch-priority method that allows the keydip to vary but keeps the 
aftertouch consistant. The pianists felt like the keyboard was more even.  
This appears to be because it is far more difficult to sense a .005" 
difference between two keys movement of .380" than it is to determine that 
same .005" difference in two aftertouch measurements of .030".  The 
discrepancy is a far greater percentage of the smaller figure.  
   The ultimate regulation I have found is to split the differences between 
keydip and hammerblow,while keeping the aftertouch exactly the same 
throughout. This does create a slightly erratic hammerline appearance,which 
is why the factories will never adopt it, but the feel is hard to beat.  
Regards, 
Ed Foote RPT 

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