Low Frequency Voicing

[Isaac OLEG]

Hello,

I would say that , on Steinways anyway, the use of (so called)
"battery needling" , as explained by Antares, in the low and medium
basses pay immediately.

No need to needle the shoulders at all most of the time, the base
needling give them enough give (but from the inside, leaving the
external more tensioned) , and then the whole mass of the hammer is
involved in tone production.
Same method used on Bechstein from what I see. And sure there is a
need for hammers in the high range of weight for these instruments.
Modern hammers are often a little lighter than those from 20 years ago
around 1 g in the basses.

Beside, some pianos have it more or less, but I've find too that the
correct regulation of the weight (pressure) of the frame is more than
very important.

It even allows to correct the hammer's lack of resilience if any,
adding a bit more pressure, while giving more force leverage to the
keys, give some power to the attack of the tone because more
transmission between action and keybed.
To the point one of the older techs from a well known make in Paris ,
regulate the key level on Steinways up to 67 mm (2mm higher), that add
enough power to mask the poorness of non resilient hammers .

I just hang a new set on a concert grand, and the bass where done with
6 - 8 slow strong definite jabs with 3 6 mm needles in the zone just
above the staple ( the felt end is relaxed). The piano gives all the
tone it can, a little top needling will be necessary with time but it
is a very fast and efficient way me guess.

In the basses I've always find that shoulder needling make lost too
much power soon, assuming the felt is not stone hard from the start of
course.

Having all the hammer mass moving gives always a deeper tone I find.
that is why on Yamaha hardened base hammer the hardness of the base I
always hear a bit as something missing in the tone.


Regards.

Isaac OLEG










> -----Message d'origine-----
> De : caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org]De
> la part de Tim
> Coates
> Envoye : jeudi 3 octobre 2002 04:24
> Cc : College and University Technicians
> Objet : Re: Low Frequency Voicing
>
>
> Hi Richard,
>
> I pay a certain amount of attention to hammer weight, but
> not as in-depth as a
> total Stanwood design.  I pay close attention to leverage
> and location of the
> hammer on the shank.  I find most factory SS hammers to be
> to far out on the
> shank, which IMHO creates a leverage problem.
>
> I prefer a heavy hammer, but to be honest, I haven't
> checked the weight on one
> piano I would like to be deeper in tone.  That is a great
> point!  I can always
> make the hammers heavier.  The up/down numbers have some
> room to spare (can't
> remember exactly what they are right this instant).
>
> I also like Roger Jolly's suggestion of using good custom
> bass strings.  The
> area that won't help is above the bass strings, though.
>
> Please keep the ideas coming!
>
> Tim Coates
> Wapin Co., LLP
>
> Richard Brekne wrote:
>
> > Tim Coates wrote:
> >
> > > I have seen questions from various technicians asking
> about increasing
> > > the lower octave depth of sound.  I haven't seen much
> for answers.
> > > There are plenty of answers as to increasing the upper harmonics
> > > response.  Does anyone have methods that will hold on
> to upper harmonics
> > > but substantially increase the lower harmonics for
> notes in the bass
> > > section of a piano?  In other words add that deep, thick sound?
> >
> > I was under the impression that only more hammer mass
> could accomplish this
> > after all regular voicing technics are exhausted. Coupled
> with more leveage
> > perhaps ?
> >
> > >
> > > I have been of the opinion that some pianos have the
> low harmonics
> > > already in the instrument and some don't.   Can this opinion be
> > > challenged?
> > >
> > > I have played and serviced SSDs that have a rich deep
> sound in the bass
> > > section and others that don't.  New hammers (cold or
> hot pressed) don't
> > > seem to change the situation.  Am I missing something?
> >
> > Just how much attention to hammer weights did you take in
> your observations
> > ?... just curious
> >
> > >
> > >
> > > Tim Coates
> > > Wapin Co., LLP
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
> >
> > --
> > Richard Brekne
> > RPT, N.P.T.F.
> > UiB, Bergen, Norway
> > mailto:rbrekne@broadpark.no
> > http://home.broadpark.no/~rbrekne/ricmain.html
>
> _______________________________________________
> caut list info: https://www.moypiano.com/resources/#archives
>