<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:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = 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 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" = name="PlaceType"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/> <o:SmartTagType = namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"/>  <style>  </style>  </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue> <div class=Section1> Barbara:<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I don’t think one should have to invest $90,000 in a piano = that’s not finished either.  I might be in an irreverent mood, but I = don’t see any reason for using those famous hammers that take days of prep and years = of use before they sound good (the day before they’re worn = out.)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I’ve just finished hanging 2 sets of Ronsen Wurzen felt = hammers and these make the others even more = unnecessary.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Flame away!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> dp<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <div> David M. Porritt<o:p></o:p> <a = href="mailto:dporritt@smu.edu">dporritt@smu.edu</a><o:p><= /o:p> </div> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> From: pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of Barbara Richmond Sent: Monday, May 23, = 2005 5:29 PM To: <st1:PersonName = w:st="on">Pianotech</st1:PersonName> Subject: Re: Self voicing hammers/work hardening /.....Flamesuit? = why?<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid black = 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt; margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt'= > <div> ----- Original Message ----- = <o:p></o:p> </div> <div style='font-color:black'> From:</span= > <a href="mailto:antares@euronet.nl" = title="antares@euronet.nl">antares</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> To: <a href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org" = title="pianotech@ptg.org">Pianotech</a> <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Sent: Monday, = May 23, 2005 3:58 PM<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Subject: Re: = Self voicing hammers/work hardening /.....Flamesuit? = why?<o:p></o:p> </div> <div> <o:p> </o:p> </div> On 23-mei-05, at 21:42, Barbara Richmond = wrote:<o:p></o:p> <snip> <?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller><?param Arial><?smaller>  <?/smaller><?/fontfamily><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>I can = imagine all sorts of scenarios, but I'm thinking the one that might match what's = happening in this case, is that the church has been told to "work = harden" to get the sound they want.  Now, it's not that I don't believe the = benefits of work hardening, but I don't think folks should be frustrated by how = their piano plays and sounds, either.   I worked on a lovely D at = <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Illinois</st1:PlaceName> = <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Wesleyan</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType = w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> for the first 5 1/2 years of its life.  It was a delight to see it = mature, but there was also the expectation from the very beginning that it = would always be up to performance level. <?/smaller><?/fontfamily><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>  <?/smaller><?/fontfamily><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>Whatever = the truth of the situation is, it made me wonder about the excuse = of "work hardening" instead of putting the piano close to the voicing level = that is really wanted.  How much "voicing" does work hardening = account for?   As I said before, I listened to the changes in a D = for 5 1/2 years in a university school of music, the whole time working with = the voicing.  Well, I would expect to be constantly working on the voicing of any performance piano, anyway.  Would using the = excuse (exclusively) of work hardening say more about the tech's ability = to handle the voicing and/or what voicing tools (as in whatever methods) = they use?   <?/smaller><?/fontfamily><?fontfamily><?param Arial><?smaller>  <?/smaller><?/fontfamily><?fontfamily><snip><o:p></o:p>= <?param Arial><?smaller><?/fontfamily> <div> It is actually quite simple Barbara, as you know too well... There are just very few people who know what real voicing is. When being confronted with a puzzle they can't solve, they will tell = stories, if only to mask their ignorance. Flamesuit? why? Oh, heck, there could be the chance that I am being blasphemous.  I don't have much experience with too soft = Steinway hammers--mostly over-hardened ones.  But I do have experience with = some that are just fine, just so you know.  = :-) <o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> On the other hand, I don't think that after paying = $90,000 or whatever for a piano, it should take years(?, if it takes that) to = get the desired tone.<o:p></o:p> </div> <div>  <o:p></o:p> </div> <div> Barbara<o:p></o:p> </div> </blockquote> </div> </body> </html>