Practical Concert Work

[Avery Todd]

David,

I can't help but agree. If I set a let-off of 3mm on our D's, I'd hate
to think about the comments I'd get. That would affect so many other
things!

Avery


>For me, a letoff at 3 mm is ridiculously far away from the string, and
>leaving it like that will affect many other fine regulation points in a
>"concert prep" situation. Then the drop will have to change, which will
>change the perception of the aftertouch, which will then have to be
>addressed, perhaps by changing spring tension or moving the jack position,
>or actually widening the notch.  I have not read the article, but this 3mm
>letoff is kind of a red flag. When the letoff is that far away, the feeling
>of the backcheck "sweet spot" becomes wierd, somehow----anyway, a lot of
>stuff goes awry when the letoff is that far from the string in a serious
>piano.
>
>Fine regulation, for me, starts with measurements and specs, but is
>primarily a kinesthetic signal path---in other words, my goal is to have the
>action feel right, like "butter," as one unbelievable young jazz player said
>to me the other day, referring to a Mason CC I had worked on. My goal in
>regulation is precision & consistency of feel from note to note, with the
>player actually being able to have the sensation of perceiving and
>controlling the hammers at the ends of the shanks. This ALWAYS includes
>a letoff that is more like 1-1.5 mm.
>
>I love this topic.
>
>David Andersen