<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; = charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2600.0" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT size=2>Of course, it is all a matter of degree.  I am = talking about the benefit of #1 hammer weighing in at 10 grams as opposed to 12 grams.   A refelted hammer as you describe probably weighs in = at 8 grams.  At such a light weight the increase in acceleration cannot compensate for such a difference in mass.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>David Love</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; = BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: = black"><B>From:</B> <A title=oleg-i@wanadoo.fr href="mailto:oleg-i@wanadoo.fr">Isaac = OLEG</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> October 03, 2002 12:09 = AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: To be or not to = be: a heavy hammer</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2>While I tend to believe that concert instruments will benefit = of hammers in the "high" zone of the chart, I see that the flexing of the = shank add velocity to the hammer too. </FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2>Lighter hammers tend to produce a cleaner sound , but my = impression, because of the so large mass of every other part of the piano, is that = they will give less low partials, as noticed on the re felted hammers I = meet sometime.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2>It is just a choice in the wanted tone I guess.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2>To have the Glengould tone we will not need heavy hammers at all, but = Arthur Rubinstein would be sad of a too light one I = guess.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2>Then it is also a board question if I understand well, but I am still to = hear the boards made by certain builders. If CD are available I'd be interested.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2>S&S hammers are going on a lighter side actually, = but I believe these are economic reasons too unfortunately (predict wear in 10years).</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2>I'll think of it</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2>regards.</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2>Isaac O..</FONT></SPAN></DIV> <DIV><SPAN class=770065306-03102002><FONT face=Arial = color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px = solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT = face=Tahoma size=2>-----Message d'origine-----<BR><B>De :</B> pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org]<B>De la = part de</B> David Love<BR><B>Envoyé :</B> jeudi 3 octobre 2002 07:26<BR><B>À :</B> Pianotech<BR><B>Objet :</B> To be or = not to be: a heavy hammer<BR><BR></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>The question was put to me off list about why I = reject the idea that heavier hammers are necessary on a concert instrument.  I thought I would put my reply on list = because I think it is an interesting discussion.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>The practice of putting heavier hammers on = a concert instrument comes from the idea that more mass will produce greater = force and therefore greater volume of tone.  But mass is only part of the = equation.  Force = mass x acceleration.  While it is = true that if hammers of varying weights are accelerated equally, the one with = more mass will have more force, it is also true that a hammer of lower mass = will be accelerated to a higher velocity more easily.  This is = especially true in a piano where lower mass in the hammer results in lower = inertia at the hammer end as well as in the key.  Whether you have more = mass and less acceleration or more acceleration and less mass, as long as the = mass of the lighter hammer is not so much less that its deficiency cannot be = compensated for by increased acceleration, the potential force in = the two examples can be equal.  </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Because pianos are played from pppp to ffff, the = only area of concern is in the potential force at the highest end.  You = don't benefit from a more massive hammer at the pppp level.  In fact, = since there is a point below which soft playing cannot be reliably = controlled, a lighter hammer will give greater dynamic range at the bottom = end.  So the only concern is at the top end.  Assuming that the = difference in hammer weight can be compensated for by greater acceleration, the = heavier hammer will actually have a narrower dynamic range.  = </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>As I already mentioned,  a lighter hammer = will reap benefits in terms of lower inertia both due to lower = hammer weight and lower front weight of the keys.  Lighter hammers will = rebound off the strings more quickly increasing sustain and improving = clarity.  Lighter hammers will also allow you to maintain an action ratio that = doesn't require compromises of key dip, blow or both.   One final = concern with very heavy hammers is the deflection of the shank at high level = of acceleration.  Though I haven't looked into = the research in any great detail, I know that Renner has given this a lot of = consideration in the design of their shanks.  If, in trying to = accelerate a very heavy hammer to high levels, the shank deflects to the point that = the hammer is striking fairly far from top dead center, how much force and = tonal quality are we losing because of this and, therefore, is = there any real benefit to trying to increase the upper range limit anyway.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2>Those are my thoughts.  Feel free to comment.</FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=2><BR>David Love</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>