[pianotech] "killer octave' cure

Richard Brekne ricb at pianostemmer.no
Tue Mar 31 12:07:36 PDT 2009


The one I used definitely helped.  Anything that will stiffen the area 
will no doubt work.  It is not quite apparent to me why stiffening the 
belly rail helps in similar fashion to solutions such as riblets are 
purported to do, but evidently this is the case.  Strikes me as a bit 
odd tho that stiffening the area directly under the bridge in the killer 
octave region and stiffening the belly rail along this same area should 
effect effectively the same kind of result... but there is a lot I don't 
understand.

Some years ago Del F. was experimenting with some very strong springs 
appropriately placed directly under the bridge and supported by 
additional beams attached to the understructure.  I've been working on a 
scheme using high power magnets (and no... I am not worried about 
pacemakers for crimminy sakes) in opposing orientation.  This removes 
any physical coupling from the understructure to the soundboard and adds 
minimal mass.  The idea is actually to provide for a to some degree 
adjustable downbearing support for a SB system that is then less 
dependent on the rib structure for its net strength.  But I suppose the 
idea should world just dandy for providing more effective stiffness 
under the bridge in the affected area.

Cheers
RicB


    I have several customers that own Steinway D's in there home and
    from time to time are interested in having me re-voice their pianos
    to build up the area of the killer octave. I am reluctant to do this
    because the pianos sound very even going thru these areas. Does the
    Pianotec treble tone resonator work in situations such as this? Are
    there any negative side effects to it at all?





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