piano design question

[Delwin D Fandrich]

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----- Original Message -----=20
From: "Clyde Hollinger" <cedel@supernet.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: June 19, 2003 3:30 AM
Subject: piano design question


> Friends,
>=20
> The Piano Book by Larry Fine mentions that the Kohler & Campbell
> Millennium pianos have "individual hitch pin stringing" rather than
> duplex scaling.  What is the perceived value of this?  It seems like a
> lot more work to manufacture, and I've only seen it once, in a 1980s
> Horugel grand, not exactly a quality piano.
>=20
> Regards,
> Clyde Hollinger, RPT
> Lititz, PA, USA

Clyde,

This illustrates one of the difficulties with evaluating a piano based =
on specific features. As you say, it was a feature of the Horrible =
Horugel pianos. But it is also a feature of some very high-end and =
excellent European pianos. By themselves neither specific features nor =
specific materials have much to do with the structural integrity or the =
musical value of any piano.

This question also raises the question of just what is meant by the term =
duplex scaling. MS Encarta=AE defines duplex as:
    1)  twofold--consisting of two parts, especially (but not limited =
to--ddf) two identical or equivalent parts,
    2)  having two parts performing one operation--consisting of pairs =
of units or components that perform the same machine function but =
operate independently.

All pianos have duplex scaling by our common usage of the term. But not =
all pianos have tuned duplex stringing, or aliquot stringing. Each =
string in the piano is made up of three basic, or working, segments. The =
so-called speaking length (which, by virtue of its length, diameter and =
mass, and its tension, is tuned to some specific pitch or frequency); =
the so-called front duplex (which may or may not be tuned to some =
partial of the speaking part); and the so-called rear duplex (again, =
which may or may not be tuned to some partial of the speaking part). =
(And, yes, I'm deliberately ignoring a few other miscellaneous parts.)

It is due, at least in part, to the confusion that exists over the use =
of these terms that I have begun referring to the string segment between =
the rear bridge pin and the rear bearing bar in whatever form that may =
take (or the hitch pin in the case of vertical hitches) as the =
backscale. And, similarly, the distance between the V-bar and/or agraffe =
and the front bearing bar, again in whatever form it may be, as the =
frontscale. The speaking length remains either that or becomes the =
speaking scale depending on my audience and/or the level of confusion in =
my head at any given moment.

There is some considerable debate over the value of tuning either the =
frontscale or the backscale and it will not be resolved here. Suffice it =
to say--and to answer your question--that having individually tied-off =
strings (i.e., "individual hitch pin stringing") does not preclude also =
having a tuned backscale. I'm not sure there are any examples of this =
today but I'd not be surprised to find that it has been done in the =
past. Nor is this feature an indication of any kind as to the musical =
value--either good or bad--of the piano.=20

The only logical explanation I have heard for "individual hitch pin =
stringing" has to do with tuning stability. The claim has been made that =
with the (now common) practice of having two strings of potentially =
different tensions sharing one hitchpin can result in the wire sliding =
around the pins causing the piano to go out of tune as the tension =
differential is equalized. Some millions of pianos in the world today =
disprove this explanation.=20

I can think of only a few reasons for continuing this stringing =
practice:
    -- It looks pretty.
    -- It is Tradition.
    -- The pianomaker has way too much time on his hands.

Del
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