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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The following sentence from new translation of the
Bluthner regulation procedure may explain much of the difference in touch
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>between the Bluthner and the Erard
actions:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><I></I> </DIV>
<DIV><I>The key should be pressed </I><I>slowly until it comes to contact
with the touch washer, </I></DIV>
<DIV><I>and then the </I><I>hammer should rise a further 1 millimetre before
setting off, ...</I></DIV>
<DIV><I></I> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>This makes a big difference between what the
pianist feels just before and during let-off on the two types of
action.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On the Bluthner, the key contacts the front
punching, and the finger begins to encounter smoothly increasing
resistance <U>before</U> let-off. At let-off, there is an
additional "bump" of resistance due to friction between jack and abstract,
but it is only a part of the total resistance felt at that
point. Depending on the quality of the punching and the exact let-off
regulation, the "bump" felt due to let-off may be almost
imperceptible.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On the Erard, the key doesn't contact the front
punching until after let-off. This produces the characteristic "notch"
sensation of low resistance followed by higher resistance due to let-off
friction, followed by lower resistance again, and finally contact with the front
punching.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My personal impression of the Bluthner is that the
progressive resistance and lack of notchiness at let-off produces a
pleasantly elastic feel at the key bottom that gives excellent control (and
therefore confidence) during soft, rapid playing. Playing above pp,
it feels the same as an Erard. As an experiment, I have tried setting up
an Erard action so that the key contacts the front punching before
let-off. I regulated let-off by placing a weight on the key and advancing
the let-off button until let-off occurred. This adjustment was very
precise and repeatable. This procedure </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>produced a similar effect to the Bluthner action
when playing softly - elastic feel, predictable let-off, excellent control - but
it felt very strange and rubbery at higher volumes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Any thoughts on why that might be? Might
there be a way to regulate the Erard to get the Bluthner feel at low volume
without the rubberiness at </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>higher volume?</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>