<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style></style></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1>Well, there is a percussive component to piano tone generation; I don’t know about a “drum” component. We don’t normally try to strike the soundboard panel with a mallet to generate sound. I know this is an idea that seems to be gaining traction with some modern “composers” but that is not how the piano was originally conceived. <o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>There are two parts to the percussive component of piano sound, or tone. The most obvious is the hammer “knocking” sound heard in roughly the upper third of the piano’s compass. This sound comes as a direct result of the hammer impacting the strings close to the V-Bar and is primarily generated by motions within the plate itself. The other is the chaotic impact waveform created in the string immediately on hammer impact and before a coherent oscillating waveform is created. Some energy from this waveform is coupled to the soundboard assembly through the bridges. The sound we hear is still created by the soundboard assembly just as is the continuing tone from the oscillating string(s).<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>We don’t generally design the soundboard assembly to optimize the initial percussive/chaotic attack waveform. At least I don’t.<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p>ddf<o:p></o:p><o:p> </o:p><o:p> </o:p><div>Delwin D Fandrich<o:p></o:p>Piano Design & Fabrication<o:p></o:p>6939 Foothill Court SW, Olympia, Washington 98512 USA<o:p></o:p>Phone  360.515.0119 — Cell  360.388.6525<o:p></o:p><a href="mailto:del@fandrichpiano.com">del@fandrichpiano.com </a>— <a href="mailto:ddfandrich@gmail.com">ddfandrich@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></div><o:p> </o:p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'>From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of David Love Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 1:22 PM To: pianotech@ptg.org Subject: Re: [pianotech] David Love--Centering the bridge--was S&S something er other<o:p></o:p></div></div><o:p> </o:p>Ok. But there is a drum component to piano tone generation. The initial attack sound is, by the nature of how we describe it, percussive and sets the board in motion from where it continues to be driven by the vibrating string. But that attack has its own drum like quality separate from the sound produced by the driving string. Thus the difference between plucked and struck tone. Doesn't it make sense that the quality of the percussive attack is influenced by the location of the bridge in proximity to the rim not to mention the size and structure of the soundboard itself?<o:p></o:p><div>David Love <a href="http://www.davidlovepianos.com">www.davidlovepianos.com</a> (sent from bb)<o:p></o:p></div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='margin-left:36.0pt;text-align:center'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></div></div></body></html>