Steinway regulation

David M. Porritt dporritt@post.cis.smu.edu
Mon Apr 10 09:49 MDT 2000


Jeff:

If he likes it, leave it alone!  If it ain't broke, don't fix it!  I understand Glen Gould liked a shallow dip (he did play all that harpsichord music).  It's his piano.

I know, you don't want someone else to play his piano and ask who regulated it, but....

dave

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 4/10/00 at 9:15 AM Jeff Stickney wrote:

>CAUT,
>	One of our piano faculty recently purchased a 5-year-old Steinway D that
>had been in Spokane, WA as a concert artist instrument.  He chose the piano
>because it's touch "invited" him to play.  When I first checked it out, the
>regulation was other than I thought was normal for a D.  The key dip was at
>3/8", and hammer blow was set such that the hammers were quite high above
>the rest cushions.  In all my wit and wisdom - even though he liked it that
>way - I thought I would try deepening the key dip to .390, lowering the
>hammer line, tweaking let-off, and thus giving him more power and bringing
>the piano in line with what I thought (still think, according to the
>Steinway manual) are normal parameters.  WRONG!  Although it regulated
>well, the piano no longer "invited" him to play.  
>	After a couple tries at reversing the process, the piano now invites him
>to play again with the dip at 3/8", a "generous" let-off, and the hammers
>1/2" above the rest cushions (I think blow ended up between 1 5/8 - 1
>3/4").  However, the bass hammers are brushing the pin block as the action
>is pushed in, repetition is not what it should be, and on a very hard blow
>there is a clicking/knocking sound that I believe is the jack slapping up
>against the hammer flange because the wippen is so high.  What can be done
>about this situation?  Does the stack need to be shimmed higher?  The
>"inviting" touch the pianist wants seems to require a shallow dip, but more
>than a minimal amount of aftertouch.  Any light you can shed on this would
>be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.
>Jeff Stickney, RPT
>University of Montana
>jpage@selway.umt.edu




David M. Porritt
dporritt@swbell.net
Meadows School of the Arts
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX 75275



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