[pianotech] even touch to test ppp

Gene Nelson nelsong at intune88.com
Mon Jan 25 18:24:54 MST 2010


Just curious if anyone does more than rely on their hands to judge how 
evenly the entire piano responds at the softest possible playing.
In an action that is well regulated and balanced with friction +/- 0.5g from 
key to key and hammer strike weights evenly graduated using a Stanwood 
curve - I do not have confidence in my touch while playing chromatic scales 
to judge ppp playing evenness. Sometimes a key will not hit the string and 
it is not consistent, it will vary across the piano so I blame my lack of 
even touch.
I used Spurlock gram weights, set on key ends (like when measuring down 
weight) and let it free fall in a controlled manner, adding or taking away 
weight to zero in on a number that could mean something, like how many grams 
to get the hammer to contact the string.  One gram less gets no sound. Did 
this with and without sustain pedal.
Suprised to find discrepancies of up to 6 grams and the discrepancies stay 
about the same with or without the sustain pedal.
Any opinions here - am I splitting hairs? Does the above sound like a valid 
test?
Also, I am a bit puzzled about how to account for the discrepancies. As all 
pinning and key frictions are very close, it could only be a mass thing?
Any thoughts on this.
Gene 



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