<!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 5.50.4134.100" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: = #ffffff" bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV>Hi Dale!</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I have just received Klaus Fenner's new book on piano design. He = divides there piano makers into 3 categories, based on the types of scales they = use, and I wanted to check if it is really the way he says and draw my own = conclusions. Below is a short explanation, adapted by myself from the Greman text, in = <Praktisches Handbuch der Klavierkonstruktion> / Klaus Fenner; Jan = Großbach. - Frankfurt/Main : Bochinsky 2000:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>======================== =======</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Fenner believes that inharmonicity is not something that needs = to be minimised, but should be kept at certain levels which he considers = optimal for a good piano tone. If it is too low, the piano's sound seems plain, = especially in the treble. Human hearing is supposed to ask for a stretching of the = highest 3 octaves of the piano by around 50 cent (a quarter tone). This can be = reached by using scales with a high inharmonicity, at the upper limit of what is = endurable (to one's hearing). In the best situation, the tone is colourful and = gives the sensation of musical correctness of the pitches. This is considered by = most listeners as optimal.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Scale types:</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>1. Low inharmonicity scales (long and thin strings)</DIV> <DIV>Even with increased dynamics, it's hard to achieve an optimal sound due to the low inharmonicity. This could be compensated for = if a lot of overtones were present in the sound. They don't give the impression = of a strong fortissimo because of the low stretching of the overtones; the = dynamic range seems limited. If voiced rich in overtones (hard hammers), they = are difficult to play pianissimo, if voiced mellow, they lack the needed = power for fortissimo.</DIV> <DIV>Examples: Bluethner, Boesendorfer, Fazioli</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>2. Scales with inharmonicity values higher then average or close to = the upper "limit"</DIV> <DIV>With increasing dynamics the adding up of overtones gives the sound = colour, without getting unpleasant.</DIV> <DIV>Examples: Grotrian-Steinweg, Yamaha, Steinway</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>3. Inharmonicity is at the "limit" or above</DIV> <DIV>At normal playing volume, the tonal character makes an outstanding impression. But with increasing dynamics, the stretching of the = overtones gets higher than acceptable to the ear and becomes distorted. This = happens especially when the string termination isn't perfect. Because one needs = to voice the piano mellow to avoid distortion, powerful fortissimos aren't possible.</DIV> <DIV>Examples: Fenner states that such a scale can be found, nowadays, = only in Bechstein pianos.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>======================== ======</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>So, do you (and everybody else) have scales of pianos mentioned above?</DIV> <DIV>What do you think about this theory?</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> Calin Tantareanu<BR>----------------------------------------------------<BR>&nb= sp;<A href="http://calintantareanu.tripod.com">http://calintantareanu.tripod.= com</A><BR>----------------------------------------------------</DIV> <DIV> </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=Erwinspiano@aol.com href="mailto:Erwinspiano@aol.com">Erwinspiano@aol.com</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A = title=pianotech@ptg.org href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, January 13, 2004 = 3:52 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Piano stringing = scales</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV> </DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>