lesser of touch weight evils...

[Ric Brekne]

Hi Jonathan

Looks like its my turn to attempt to be more clear.  A well balanced 
action in my book is per definition one that of course does not use mass 
levels that are so high as to cause inertia problems that slow down the 
actions response to the point that <<playing like a truck>> is any 
description I could ever apply.  That said, mass levels can be higher 
then some like to think without this being a problem. One has to first 
remember that it is easy enough to create an action configuration that 
can exceed any performance demands with regard to speeds.  One simply 
has no need for an action that is capable of playing twice as fast as 
the human hand can play it. 

I think Stanwood came up with a pretty decent set of guidlines for 
maximum front weights... and some of the discussions surrounding Dr. 
Birketts paper on key inertia a couple years back indicate decent enough 
levels of inertia that could be intergrated into Stanwoods 
frontweights.  Keeping at or below these levels along with good 
relationships between action leverage and strike weight levels, coupled 
with a finely regulated action will always result in a dandy playing 
instrument IMHO. 

I'm not a believer in the Light Hammer action proposed by Ed McMorrow.  
Tho I know Ed and know him to be a good technician that does fine work 
and agree with him on many other points.  I just find that pianists as a 
whole are a very largely varried group.  Some like this, some like the 
other... no single configuration or style fits all... tho there are 
averages.  Stanwood has collected a vast amount of data on many touch 
related concerns, and its interesting to see where the <<norms>> fall. 

I hope Barbara gets a chance to follow up on this action and supply us 
with some more data.  I hesitate to guess much knowing the action has 
been rebuilt at some time... but if I was to guess I'd say its probably 
just another case of to heavy a set of hammers installed without regard 
(or much at any rate) to leverage or counterbalance.  I've seen it often 
enough... and been guilty of it often enough as well.

Cheers
RicB

Jonathan Finger writes:

It is not only possible, but common to see actions that are "well 
balanced" that play
like trucks.

Regards,
Jonathan Finger RPT