Low friction actions

[gordon stelter]

Which raises the question: Are low friction actions
"bad", or just something most pianists are not used
to, but could adjust to with benefit to their overall
playing, with a little practice ?
     Thump

> All mechanical systems have a "damping ratio".  This
> is a ratio of stored to dissipated energy.  Control
> basically amounts to being able to impart just the
> right amount of momentum to the hammer.  A mechanism
> with a low damping ratio (little friction) is harder
> to control because a mass set into motion without
> friction will continue to move freely.  The player
> has
> no means to slow the mass down if he initially
> presses
> too hard on the key.  His skills then consist of not
> pressing too hard, or quickly backing off in case he
> did press too hard.  This is exactly what a
> "frictionless" action requires - the ability to
> change
> finger force in an incredibly short period of time. 
> Again, he has only 10mm of key travel during which
> he
> can distribute the force.  For best expressiveness,
> the musician would probably like to have as much of
> those 10 mm available to modulate the pressure
> without
> feeling that he is moving the key stick through
> molasses.  If he doesn't have the physical ability
> to
> reduce the force quickly, he will feel that the
> action
> is "temperamental".
> 



		
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