Voicing for a big, dead hall

[A440A@aol.com]

Barbara asks: 
<< m, I hoping for a few more specifics.  Are there any?  I guess the

question is, is there anything different to do in this situation besides my

usual "let's get this baby to sing" routine?


Just looking for suggestions before I go in. >>

   One thing that is absolutely necessary for power is a core to the hammer 
that is hard and solid.  The resilience that is so important for tone is also 
needed in the hammer, but for max. power, you will have to sacrifice some of 
the gradual increase and control in tonal palette by minimizing the flexibility. 
 How to do this?  Depends on where you are starting. 
   For max. power, the normal Steinway "voicing" start may be followed.  As 
demonstrated by Ron Conner last year, this consists of mixing 3:1  
thinner/lacquer and soaking the hammer from the top down.  Then, after a couple of days 
for it to set,  get out your needle and punch down through the middle of the 
crown on those notes that are really sounding crashy.  Lightly round off the bass 
side edge of the crown so that the notes will not zing on una-corda. 
(sometimes the sharp edge collects too much lacquer and becomes very hard).  
    I don't usually follow this, as the great sound seems to be shortlived 
and then you begin wrestling with the hammers to keep them from harshness.  I 
prefer to use a 4:1 mixture of thinner/lacquer and begin with a full eyedropper 
on each shoulder at the 9:00 and 3:00 O'clock positions.  This tends to leave 
the very top of the strike point a bit less solidified.  Then, I turn the 
action on its side and put three or four drops of the same mix at the very tip of 
the core wood.  I do this on the treble hand side of the hammers in the belief 
that it may leave the left side slightly less solidifed for help in achieving 
a una-corda difference.  THAT may be my imagination, but what is life without 
it? 
   After this treatment, there is still the need for playing time to add a 
little brilliance to the softer notes, but it does provide what I have found to 
be a good starting point.  I will skip the core treatment if the piano is 
going to be used in a smaller room and longevity is a consideration.  Then, the 
break-in period is longer, but the resulting "malleable tone" is longer lasting. 
 
  Concert halls need hammer changing more often, so you can dope them earlier 
and harder than otherwise.  If you go too far,  using a dropper full of 
straight thinner right on top of the crown will often move some of the lacquer away 
from the contact zone.  
Good luck, 
Ed Foote 
 
http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html