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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Wimblees@AOL.COM =
href="mailto:Wimblees@AOL.COM">Wimblees@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> December 30, 2000 7:29 =
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Larger piano? was Re: =
Decibel
Levels</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2>Del <BR><BR>Are you =
saying that a
larger piano (lets say 7') in a church will not <BR>necessarily =
produce a
larger sound than a smaller piano, (lets say 5')? <BR><BR>One problems =
we have
in this industry is that a small piano is being used in <BR>a large =
sanctuary,
where the piano player pounds the daylights out of the <BR>keys, in =
order to
be heard. (which results in broken strings) What I have <BR>been =
trying to
convince some churches is that they need a larger piano to <BR>produce =
more
volume, so that the piano player doesn't have to pound so hard. =
<BR>But now,
from what you say, a larger piano will not help. Or am I missing
<BR>something? <BR><BR>Wim <BR><BR><FONT
face="Lucida =
Sans">-----------------------------------------------------------</FONT><=
/FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Lucida Sans"></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Lucida Sans">Yes. Bass. Especially in the example you =
give which is
obviously rather extreme. A typical 5' (152 cm) piano will have an A-1 =
bass
string of approximately length of between 1050 and 1150 cm. With a
ridiculously short back scale. And with a bass bridge either mounted =
on an
cantilever or right next to the rim. Or both. This will allow =
virtually no
soundboard movement at the fundamental frequency of 27.5 cps.
</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Lucida Sans"></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT face="Lucida =
Sans">A more
realistic comparison might be a 170 to 180 cm (5'7" to 5' 11") piano =
compared
to the 7' (210 to 215 cm). The example I gave compared the Fandrich =
122 cm
(48") Vertical to the Bosendorfer Imperial. This vertical scale is =
roughly
comparable to what could be found on a modern 170 to 175 cm (5' 7" to =
5' 9")
grand. </FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Lucida Sans"></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT face="Lucida =
Sans">Now, I
don't have a scale for the Imperial handy, so let's use a Steinway D =
scale for
comparison--I doubt the Imperial scale is any longer, if as =
long, at this
point. F-33 in the D is approximately 975 mm (38.4") long. It is only =
960 mm
(37.8") in the Model B. In the Fandrich Vertical it is 950 mm (37.4") =
long.
This is not an acoustically significant difference as my side-by-side
comparison with the Imperial indicated. From this point down there is =
no way
to directly compare the two scales. The 122 Vertical changes from =
steel
strings to bi-chord wrapped strings at that point and the D uses steel =
strings
down to F-21. It is interesting to note, however, that the first bass =
note
(E-20) of the Steinway B is approximately 1025 to 1030 mm (40.4" to =
40.6")
long and the same note in the 122 Vertical scale is 1022.5 mm (40.3")
long.</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Lucida Sans"></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT face="Lucida =
Sans">The
longer string of the longer piano does--or at least, if the piano is =
designed
to take full advantage of its length, it should--give a clearer and =
more
articulate bass. But it will not necessarily be louder than its =
smaller
counterpart. It does--or, again, should--put more energy in the =
fundamental of
the bass note being played and this should help the bass notes carry =
through
better. But the smaller piano will (should) be capable of =
essentially the
same acoustical power through that part of the musical scale most =
commonly
used. (Keep in mind, also, that acoustical power has to be either =
doubled
or halved for our ears to discern any change.) And, even in the low =
bass some
smaller pianos can generate a considerable amount of acoustical power. =
It may
not always be very pleasant to listen to, but the numbers will be =
there.
</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Lucida Sans"></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT face="Lucida =
Sans">My point
is simply, <EM>all things being equal and through most of the musical
scale</EM>, larger pianos are not necessarily capable of significantly =
higher
power levels as measured by a sound pressure level meter. Not that =
there will
be no difference at all. There are so many variables involved that =
these kinds
of generalities simply cannot be taken at face value. A well-designed =
small
piano might very well out-perform a poorly designed larger piano. Each =
has to
be evaluated and judged on its own merits.</FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Personally, I think many church musicians play =
excessively
loud because they simply cannot hear the piano over the choir and/or =
the
congregation singing, not because of any inherent limitation on the =
part of
the piano itself. The worst situation I have ever encountered in this =
regard
was a church that had a quite nice Baldwin SD-6. I thought the piano =
was
pretty loud when I tuned it, yet the pianist complained that it was =
not loud
enough and he was, indeed, pounding the poor thing to death. Turned =
out he
simply couldn't hear the piano from his own seat directly in front of =
the
choir. A mike, monitor amp and a small speaker aimed directly at =
him
mostly solved the problem. While it didn't make him a better pianist, =
he did
stop his pounding and everybody was much happier by the =
result.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Lucida Sans"></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT size=2><FONT
face="Lucida =
Sans">Del</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></FONT></BODY></HTML>