back check, a magical mystery tour.

[Richard Brekne]

Isaac OLEG wrote:

>Because of the key and the system flex , I believe that "synchronism"
>, or a very short follow-up is very well possible, assuming the hammer
>hit the string and is back in check in a very short moment, and the
>key did not bottom yet, for instance.
>  
>
As Ed Foote reminds us... Askenfelt shows that the key bottoms out 
before the hammer hits the strings above soft play. That said we are 
talking nano seconds here... or something like that :)... That said 
again... how the 2mm spacing can affect any of this in the way Bernhard 
suggests seems unlikely... but hey... who knows ? 

>Another possibility is that the key bottom first and the hammer is in
>check before the wave travel of the key is yet passed...
>
>The hammer impact also is generating a bump, (one in the string and
>one in the hammer pin) so we are yet there with 4 bumps in a very
>short time.)
>
>And so on, I will probably not dream of that tonight, so no chance I
>see the light since tomorrow !
>
>The idea of these serial of bump reinforcing a wave going toward the
>tail of the piano pleases me a tad also.
>
>  
>
This affect of impact noises on the tone and sustain of the piano is one 
of the things I've been on about for about 5 years now.  These noises 
definantly do travel through the system, and can have a positive affect 
on the sound the strings impart as they vibrate, can help to increase 
the effective sustain, or can contribute negatively as well.  Sorting 
hammer shanks for their resonant frequencies is an example of some 
manufacturers trying to take advantage of this.  Indeed... Steinway 
philosophy would have it the the entire instrument should be seen as 
sound bearing, and sound producing in some sense of the or another... 
and as such each element should contribute what it does in a positive 
fashion.  (which in the end is part of the reasonment for the famous 
magic circle of sound... which of course seems greatly overstated from 
most technicians perspectives) In the end... such things are just 
another little cog in the entire sound making machine. 

Some technicians of course take the tact that much of these are in 
reality unwanted noise... and we get past talking exclusively about 
impact noises here immediately and get into all kinds of things.... but 
it seems to me quite obvious that the discussion about what is or isnt 
noise in these regards is purely a subjective one... even taken to 
extremes when it comes down to it... and really has no place in 
discussion as a justification for objective criticisms of any particular 
manufacturers design.


>A similar effect partially occur on vertical pianos , seem to me (or
>part of the aforementioned)
>  
>
no doubt... for that matter any instrument.

>Isaac OLEG
>
>  
>

Cheers
RicB