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<DIV><FONT size=2>For Christmas I received Arthur Benade's book,
"Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics" (Dover, 1990). It has a =
thorough
coverage of sounds in a wide variety of instruments, from drums, brass,
woodwinds, harpsichords, and pianos. The math is kept simple, and =
the
acoustics discussions are oriented towards musicians rather than =
scientists, so
I'm really enjoying it. He has apparently consulted with =
instrument
manufacturers of various types, so his theories are grounded in =
practice.
Each chapter ends with enough questions and exercises to use up =
every
electron in the universe on this list.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>On p. 331, he discusses downbearing. Is this =
practice of
fine adjustment still followed?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>"...downbearing is carefully proportioned to vary =
along the
scale of any properly made musical instrument. Makers of the =
finest
instruments find that the downbearing must be meticulously adjusted =
string by
string on each individual piano, as a part of its final =
regulation. Errors
in the trend of the relationship among P [downbearing], Q [backscale], =
and the
string tension can cause as much trouble to the overall sound of the =
piano as
can errors in the stiffness and curve of the bridge, or in the thickness =
of the
soundboard."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>(A diagram shows the bridge, rear bearing surface =
(what's the
right term?), and hitch pin. The distance between the bridge and =
rear
bearing surface is labeled "Q" (it's a muted backscale in his
diagram). A level line is extended from the bridge towards =
the hitch
pin. Its height, as it crosses over the rear bearing surface, is =
labeled
"P".)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>"Notice that the downbearing is not simply a matter =
of getting
adequate contact between the bridge and the strings; the string tension =
acting
together with theeoffset on the bridge where the string runs zigzag past =
two
steel pins is already quite sufficient for this contact..."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>--Cy Shuster--</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Rochester, MN</FONT></DIV>
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