[pianotech] Understanding Aftertouch

[Ryan Sowers]

Tom, you didn't! That's sounds like a diplomatic disaster!

> . Try explaining that to  an artist in front of a $100,000 concert grand on
> a major venue with 3 hrs before showtime.
>
> Tom Servinsky
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* David Nereson <da88ve at gmail.com>
> *To:* pianotech at ptg.org
> *Sent:* Saturday, April 18, 2009 4:48 AM
> *Subject:* Re: [pianotech] Understanding Aftertouch
>
> Hello,
>
> I am trying to grasp the production and feeling of Aftertouch in a fine
> regulation.  Can anyone explain how much a person who plays the piano
> normally can feel or tell if there is aftertouch.
>
>     I would say that it's mainly semi-pro's and pro's who would notice the
> amount of aftertouch, or whether there's some or none.  The average casual
> player doesn't even notice when there's too much lost motion (in a vertical)
> or too-wide let-off until you point it out.
>
> I have read all of the PACE materials on the subject and some other
> sources, and while they explain how much in thousands the key dip might
> continue and looking for wippen and hammer rise they don't say how much for
> the last two.  It seems that viewing hammer rise to gauge aftertouch would
> be the easiest to determine.
>
> Yes, that and the damper.
>
> So how much does or should the hammer rise be?
>
> There's no set answer for all pianos.  It depends on the player's
> preference.  Just so there's some.  I'd say if the hammer rises more than
> about 1/8", that's getting excessive.
>
> When the cycle of let off and drop is complete how much pressure on the key
> is needed to see or feel the aftertouch that is or is not present?  (the
> pressure required to push a button on an elevator or enough to feel the FR
> punching compressing)
>
> If there's any aftertouch at all, and (this is important) if you depress
> the key slowly enough, drop should happen before the key bottoms out, or
> just as it's starting to compress the punching.  You shouldn't have to exert
> extra compressing force into the punching to make the hammer finish letting
> off or to drop.  That would be no aftertouch.
>     [I don't have experience with the conical punchings.]
>      --David Nereson, RPT
>
>  Steven Hopp
> Midland, TX
>
>  ------------------------------
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>
>
> e
>



-- 
Ryan Sowers, RPT
Puget Sound Chapter
Olympia, WA
www.pianova.net
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