<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <html><head><style type="text/css"></style><title>Re: action ratios</title></head><body> <div>At 8:58 PM +0100 11/1/02, Stéphane Collin wrote:<br> >More than often, I encounter this problem when rebuilding Bechstein pianos : I get the sound right, I get the touch feel ok, but the whole instrument always happens to be difficult to control, as the dynamic output switches too quickly from PP to mF (I mean :  the dynamic shades are not progressive enough.  Very soft playing is fantastic, very loud also, but progressively crossing from soft to loud happens to be difficult to control, as sound gets loud too quickly, which is musically not desirable at all).<br> >How would you all cure this problem ?<br> <br> At first I was thinking of "fly-away" hammers". Then I thought maybe that for some reason the the increase in brightness, attack and focus might not be linear, but then, that is too numerical.<br> <br> But the answer may be buried in your description. May I ask, is there an evenness problem in sound in the "out-of-control" mf range? Maybe two or three notes per octave are either ahead or behind the entire region in terms of the growth of sound, and they are not scattered evenly but unexpectedly? Maybe when on listens closely, more than that? It may be a voicing problem, and there have been wonderful (if not, brand-name based) ideas. But again, is this an evenness problem.<br> <br> Fly away hammers (ie. a low friction action) could be the problem. You know, nothing tho hold the hammers back when you pounce on the keyboard. Friction is like a parking break, except that it ruins the parking break to drive the car around all day with it on. Friction in the piano is very necessary for coupling (oh, that word again). Friction should be regulated everywhere, but to use it as a reining, harnessing device, the best effect is at the hammershank.<br> <br> Want a quick reversible check of how the piano would play AND sound at a higher level for friction, turn the front rail keypins.<br> </div> <div>Oh by the way your test just came back from the lab. See below.</div> <div><br></div> <div><img src="cid:v04220800b9e8e8f386e2@[216.66.104.207].1.0"></div> <div><br></div> <div>In addition to a low friction action, you also have very light hammers, and I'm willing to bet very little lead in the keys. You've calculated the Key ratio.  Did you mention helper springs? This could be a very interesting piano. (I know you're trying to push it out the door.)</div> <div><br></div> <div>Bill Ballard RPT<br> NH Chapter, P.T.G.<br> <br> "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture"<br>     ...........Steve Martin</div> <div>+++++++++++++++++++++</div> <div><br></div> <div><br></div> </body> </html>