<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <html><head><style type="text/css"></style><title>Re: 1/2 punching</title></head><body> <div>At 10:59 am -0600 8/8/06, Cy Shuster wrote:</div> <div><br></div> <blockquote type="cite" cite><font size="-1">That's fascinating, John.</font></blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite> </blockquote> <blockquote type="cite" cite><font size="-1">I can't see much benefit for sharps from the small trough.  Won't they feel much different from naturals?</font></blockquote> <div><br></div> <div>As I said, perhaps the photo does not make things clear enough.  No, the trough gives a well-defined angle just in front of the back pins just like that in front of the front pins.  It is with the "lazy" flat-topped rail that the naturals and the sharps will feel different.  That was my point.  When I've time I'll make a drawing, or even a movie to illustrate it. </div> <div><br></div> <blockquote type="cite" cite><font size="-1">Is there a second fulcrum shift as the key later hits the bump at the natural's balance pin?</font></blockquote> <div><br></div> <div>That doesn't happen because the sharps are have a long shallow notch forward of the balance hole just as on other pianos.  However this notch begins, on the Steinway, a good 6mm forward of the pin, so its function is solely to avoid knocking the rail; it has no effect at the balance.</div> <div><br></div> <div align="center"><img src="cid:p06240595c0feb76b3b85@[10.0.0.1].1.0"></div> <div><br></div> <div>The same good effect as from the "trough" could be achieved in theory by cutting into the bottom of the key at the balance hole, but I presume this has not been tried, so far as I know, because a moment's thought will tell you this would leave only a tiny triangle of softwood between the balance pin and thin air and the balance holes would ovalize in no time.</div> <div><br></div> <div>JD</div> </body> </html>