THREE SECOND VOICING METHOD

[Paul Dempsey]

>Hello List,   
>     I VOICED down a WHOLE PIANO in THREE SECONDS, - If you don't
>believe me, read on.  I was responding to a faculty complaint about 
>"thunk" when the una corda is released on a two year old Yamaha C-5.
>Upon inspection, I found everything fine, (no loose cheek blocks,
>pedals, rambunctious return, etc.), and the "thunk" seemed to be no more
>than normal.  I didn't want to slow the keyframe return speed thoughout
>its' whole travel as it didn't seem too fast,  just something to cusion
>the impact.  I took an old damper felt, pulverized it into a ball of
>fuzz, and dropped it down the crack along side the keyframe with the
>soft pedal depressed.  The thunk seemed less, or atleast different.  I
>checked the hammer alignment and found that VISUALLY the strings and
>grooves aligned PERFECTLY so the action did not shift much and the piano
>sounded fine.  After a day or so, the faculty member caught me in the
>hall and said "What have you done to my piano?--you must have voiced
>it---It sounds great!--and the thunk is gone!".
>     It seems to me that periodically changing the rest position of the
>action very slightly could have some merits as a voicing method. 
>String  grooves would always be developing in a new spot, making hammers
>last longer.  I suspect that as new grooves form, felt in the old
>grooves puffs up to be like new again--so the action can be moved back,
>(again voicing the piano).  This tactic could be especially useful for
>Asian hammers which tend to brighten fast and sound best when they're
>new, as it restores that new sound.  I cannot think of any
>disadvantages,   Ideas? Comments?
>
>-Mike Jorgensen RPT, Central Michigan University


I'll agree with Ken Sloan re the small card shims to shift the action slightly to the right.

I have a private customer who has a Baldwin F that the tone seems to get to "bossy" late in the winter dry season. As Spring and summer arrives it settles down. Rather than "traditional" voicing methods I will insert a small(thin) card shim....posterboard will do.. moves the hammer slightly to the right and slightly softer, unpacked felt.

BTW.... Good  Luck Saturday. Ya'll gonna need it.  GO HERD :-)

Paul E. Dempsey
Piano Tuner/Technician
Marshall University
Huntington, WV
dempsey@ramlink.net