<html> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 10 (filtered)"> <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue style='word-wrap: break-word;-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space'> <div class=Section1> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Making the right kind of cushion is the challenge as, let’s face it, many voicers can’t tell the difference between a hammer which flexes in the shoulders and one which is softened in the crown. Thus the approach for a too hard hammer is often to simply needle the crap out of the crown. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work and as the hammer develops it will sound mushy and inflexible (meaning too soft on a soft blow but harsh on a loud blow) rather than simply too harsh overall. </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> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Creating a flexible shoulder is often something that you can’t necessarily hear at first until you release the final bit of tension from nearer the crown, so it can sound like nothing is happening when, in fact, something is. Therein lies some of the art as you need to be able to feel the consistency of the felt through the needles much like you learn to feel the pin move through the tuning hammer. A skilled voicer can get the consistency reasonably close without ever listening to the hammer but just by the feel of the needles in the felt. </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> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I can’t really say what actually happens to the hammer string contact and whether it’s more like a shock absorber or more like storing energy (although the storage concept eludes me somewhat consider the length of time of hammer contact and the ability of the hammer to “return energy to the string”). I can say that with a more flexible shoulder you can feel the bounce as if the two springs (hammer and string) are somehow more equal or balanced. It’s not surprising, then, that a stiffer string scale would accommodate, actually require, a stiffer or firmer spring in the hammer.</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> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Which brings me to the final point. Since the stiffness of the string spring (and accompanying soundboard spring, let’s not forget) varies from piano to piano, and since many of the pianos we like have relatively low tension scales with light and fairly flexible soundboards, why do the hammer makers, for the most part, make only hammers that seem to be tailored for scale tensions and soundboard springs that are for the most part in the minority? </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> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>So many questions, so few answers. </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> <p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size: 10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Thanks again Ray! </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</span></font><font size=2 color=navy><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:navy'> 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>andré oorebeek<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Monday, October 20, 2008 10:27 AM<br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> </span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>Pianotech List</span></font><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'><br> <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> Re: shock absorber</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> <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=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>On Oct 19, 2008, at 11:17 PM, <a href="mailto:BobDavis88@aol.com">BobDavis88@aol.com</a> wrote:</span></font></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br> <br> </span></font></p> <div bottommargin=7 leftmargin=7 topmargin=7 rightmargin=7 id="role_body"> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face="Bookman Old Style"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style"; color:black'>In a message dated 10/18/2008 2:38:30 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, <a href="mailto:oorebeek@planet.nl">oorebeek@planet.nl</a> 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'> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Only part of the hammer is the shock absorber, but it is the  most important part of the hammer and the basis for a decent voicing.</span></font></p> </div> </blockquote> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face="Bookman Old Style"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style"; color:black'>Andre - </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face="Bookman Old Style"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style"; color:black'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face="Bookman Old Style"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style"; color:black'>Would you mind elaborating? Maybe a difference in definition here, but I think of a shock absorber (as on a car) as a mechanism to convert energy into heat (through hydraulic means). This would seem to me the antithesis of what we want, which is a loss-less means of storing energy and returning it to the string over a varying (and adjustable) period of time.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face="Bookman Old Style"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style"; color:black'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face="Bookman Old Style"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Bookman Old Style"; color:black'>Bob Davis</span></font></p> </div> </div> <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=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Hi Bob and Listers.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <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=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Just to make sure we understand each other :</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>As we all know, a brand new hammer basically needs two voicings : </span></font></p> </div> <div> <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=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>1. the first voicing, during which we apply a cushion, the shock absorber</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>2. the second voicing, during which we even out the highs and the lows, adjust tonal volume, make the left pedal voicing and apply 'cosmetics'. </span></font></p> </div> <div> <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=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>As the new hammer is 'usually' stone hard, or at least too hard (or so it should be), the tone will be loud, nasal and shrill.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>That is because the higher partials predominate.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>To make the tone more pleasant and agreeable we need to create some lower partials as well.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Therefor we make a 'cushion' and the cushion area is between the basis of the hammer and the crown.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The cushion becomes in fact the shock absorber and acts as a 'go between' between the loaded and powerful basis, the "battery", and the sensitive crown and near-crown area.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <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=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=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>To make the 'right' cushion is, according to me, the most difficult thing about voicing.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>It is about creating the 'right' tone, the 'right' balance between power, loudness, and that in great variety, according to a multiple taste.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Making a good and healthy cushion/absorber in a professional way (time wise), requires great skill and vast experience.</span></font></p> </div> <div> <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=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> <div><span style='orphans: 2;text-align:auto;widows: 2;-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px;-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0;word-spacing:0px'><span style='orphans: 2;widows: 2;-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px;-webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;word-spacing:0px'> <div style='word-wrap: break-word;-webkit-nbsp-mode: space;-webkit-line-break: after-white-space'> <div style='word-wrap: break-word;-webkit-nbsp-mode: space;-webkit-line-break: after-white-space'> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:12.0pt;margin-left: .5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>friendly greetings</span></font></span><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black'><br> <span class=apple-style-span>from</span><br> <span class=apple-style-span>André Oorebeek</span></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black'>Antoni van Leeuwenhoekweg 15</span></font></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black'>1401 VW, Bussum</span></font></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black'>the Netherlands</span></font></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=1 color=black face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'> </span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black'>tel :    +31 35 6975840</span></font></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span class=apple-style-span><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial; color:black'>gsm : +31 652 388008</span></font></span></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><br> <span class=apple-style-span>"where Music is, no harm can be"</span></span></font></p> </div> <div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=1 color=black face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'> </span></font></p> </div> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=1 color=black face=Helvetica><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Helvetica;color:black'></span> </span></font></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'></span> </span></font></p> </div> <p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> </span></font></p> </div> </body> </html>