<html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=US-ASCII"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I think, actually, that was my description.  The struck piano string has two main elements to the tone.  The first is the sound at attack—when the hammer strikes the string, the second is the sound which follows—the sustain.  Were you to graph the sound levels you would find that the attack sound would peak substantially higher and tend to be more chaotic than the sustain which follows.  The greater that differential and the more chaotic the attack, the more percussive the piano sounds, the less singing the tone.  This becomes more evident in trying to play legato where there is the feeling of the notes connecting.  Part of the process of voicing is to find the best balance between the sound at attack and the sustain that follows.  A properly designed and functioning soundboard also contributes to the mitigating the harshness of the attack (without killing it totally) and enhancing  the quality of sustain.  It’s a balancing act with all the components playing a role.   Generally speaking, I would prefer to see the attack portion of the sound closer in level to the sustain that follows, i.e. the difference minimized to the degree that is reasonable without reducing the attack sound below a level that is acceptable.  It’s a judgment call ultimately.  In spite of what the actual sustain quality is of the instrument, however, the perception of good sustain and firm but round tone will have everything to do with minimizing that differential and reducing the chaos of the attack.  </span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'> </span></font></p> <div> <p><font size=2 color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:10.0pt; color:navy'>David Love</span></font><font size=2 color=navy><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:navy'><br> davidlovepianos@comcast.net<br> www.davidlovepianos.com</span></font><font color=navy><span style='color:navy'> </span></font></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>-----Original Message-----<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>From:</span></b> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>KeyKat88@aol.com<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Saturday, October 07, 2006 5:08 AM<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> pianotech@ptg.org<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re:Envelope/sound</span></font></p> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> <div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>In a message dated 10/6/2006 10:27:57 PM Eastern Standard Time, sec@overspianos.com.au writes:</span></font></p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>the peak of the attack envelope being too far above the ensuing level of<br> >sustain. </span></font></p> </blockquote> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Greeetings,</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>    Would you describe the sound of the above verbal description? How does one know where the attack envelope begins and ends? (I have seen a graph of envelope in the Larry Fine Piano Book)  What do you mean by "ensuing" level of sustain? I know this sounds like the Spanish Inquizition of 1550, but I am a rookie at this.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Thanks,</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Julia Gottshall</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Reading, PA</span></font></p> </div> </div> </body> </html>