Key Leads and Inertia

[Richard Brekne]

"David C. Stanwood" wrote:

> >Complementing these present choices are the generations of pianists
> >who have trained on the conventional action, and who might not know
> >how to handle an action with radically different inertia and friction
> >could we come up with it.
> >
> >Bill Ballard RPT
>
> Last winter at the California Convention in San Ramon, we displayed a
> Steinway A3 Ebony plain case with original board, combining SMBA and PTD.
> (Simplified Magnetically Balanced Action and Precision TouchDesign).  It
> had no keyleads except for the top section which had some back leads, a 1/2
> high Strike Weight and a 5.3 Strike Weight Ratio level, 10mm dip/44.5mm
> blow, Down Weight 51g bass to 46g treble, and Friction was upper Low zone
> 13g bass to 8g treble.

Would be fun to see this instrument. The thing about springs and magnets is
that the farther into the stroke you get the weaker their effect. This is
supposed to be a bad thing according to some critics. But one consequence of
this I''ve always thought was kinda interesting is that this very capacity
could be used to even out some of that initial heaviness in the key stroke....
or exhasperate it.. Magnets could be used this way real easily.  Depending on
how you install them, they could effect their strongest pull (or push) on the
key at either full up or full down.

Installed on the keystick with max effect at the full up position would also
mean quicker return at the beginning of the backstroke I suppose... where the
effect of the magnet is least.

Grin.. I suppose I have to think about how this differs from the whippen assist
spring. It also has its max strength at key full up, but its the whippen being
yanked at ... not the key.

well well... that gives me something to sleep on :)

On the side... I move that the official name for this be changed to "Simplified
Action Magnetic Balance Assist" .. SAMBA  :)

Cheers
RicB



>
> David Stanwood
> _______________________________________________
> pianotech list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives

--
Richard Brekne
RPT, N.P.T.F.
UiB, Bergen, Norway
mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html
http://www.hf.uib.no/grieg/personer/cv_RB.html