This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment Hi Richard - Perhaps I did not make my question clear enough. I think = your answer targeted conventional piano design. I'm trying to step out = of the box. I am asking about designing a piano with no limits on size = or shape. As such, overstringing to maximize bass string length has no = merit - just make the piano longer if you want a longer bass string. = Also, putting the bass bridge in the center of the board also looses its = meaning, because you can make the case any size or shape you want - so = even if the bass bridge is down at one end of the scale, you can stretch = the case (make it bulbous if you want) down there and provide the bass = bridge with any amount of soundboard area you find advantageous.=20 And BTW, with a conventional piano design, I don't know that maximizing = the length of bass strings is so singly important. I think more = important is to achieve a good compromise between length and mobility = (i.e. and looooong bass string with a 5mm backscale won't do any piano = any good).=20 Terry Farrell Richard Cromwell wrote: In my minimal studies of piano design the benefits that overstrung = scales provide over a straight scale are pretty simple =20 Overstringing maximizes the length of the bass strings while being able = to position the bass bridge closer to the center/most flexible part of = the soundboard. This is important as the amplitude of the lower frequencies produced by = the bass strings move the board more and thus benefit from the = additional throw available closer to the center. I am not going to = bother to go into why maximizing the length of the bass strings is = important, because if you don't know. you shouldn't be reading this. I = think that the designers of old felt that the substantial benefits = yielded in the quality of tone produced in the bass section of the piano = by overstinging far outweigh any resulting deficiencies (which there are = of course) in the tenor or anywhere else for that matter. which makes = sense to me. =20 To those who delve into piano design (and loose sleep over such = things)...... =20 My understanding is that the bass/tenor area of the typical modern = grand piano soundboard poses a challenge from the design standpoint = because in pretty much the same location you want a very flexible = soundboard for the bass and a stiffer soundboard for the lower tenor. = This necessitates compromise. =20 Yes - is that true? =20 Wouldn't a straight-strung arrangement work better? Seems to me that = designing a piano with performance being the #1 criteria, a straight = strung (or parallel or whatever - you know what I mean) arrangement = would offer the designer the luxury of designing the soundboard to meet = the needs of the various sections of the string scale - and not having = to make the same area suit two different needs.=20 =20 Now keep in mind that I ask this question strictly from the = performance (musical) standpoint and not the standpoint of how well a = design might sell. I believe it is the case that one can design a piano = with longer bass strings for a given piano length with an overstrung = design - if the marketing department is put in charge of piano design. = I'm talking about eliminating the marketing department and the = accounting department and just dealing with how to build the most = acoustically pleasing piano. (I know, silly idea.) Now rememeber - no = marketing - we can make the case ANY shape we want (we don't have to = have a flat side on the bass side)! =20 Without having to concern yourself with factory sales, would you = rather design a straight-strung or overstrung piano? Which approach give = the designer more freedom to design an optimal piano? =20 Thanks. Tomorrow in the shop will pivot on this..... ;-) =20 FWIW: Seems to me that straight-strung offers significant design = benefits because each area of the string scale occupies a unique area of = the soundboard - and hence that area of the soundboard can be designed = to optimize the performance of that area of the string scale. =20 Terry Farrell ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/a5/35/fa/67/attachment.htm ---------------------- multipart/alternative attachment--
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