More touchweight conundrums

Ed Sutton ed440@mindspring.com
Wed, 31 Dec 2003 10:58:55 -0500


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Consider the traditional method of measuring downweight and upweight.  =
These are not static measurements.  Part of taking good measurements =
involves developing the skill of recognizing equal speeds of hammer =
rise.  And there is also that bump to overcome friction, and the =
velocity must be great enough to continue overcoming friction.  Some =
part of this measurement is M.O.I. dependent on velocity.  Add a few =
grams to the measuring weight, and the hammer rises faster.  Bass =
hammers tend to be slower to rise, and need a bigger bump.  Treble =
hammers often need little or no bump.  Does the compression of parts by =
the heavier hammer produce more friction, and that's all the difference, =
or is part of the difference due to the inertial mass of the larger =
hammer?

In practice, it seems to me that bass hammers with wippen assist springs =
rise more easily (with less bump) than bass hammers without wippen =
assist springs, though I've not made direct comparisons.  Anybody else =
see it that way?

Thinking of Isaac's posts.... About 2 years ago I rebuilt a D action =
using wippen assist springs.  It went to a small college with 2 piano =
prof's.  One plays Schubert Impromptus and Mozart Sonatas with (to my =
ear) articulate, melodic phrasing and wonderful sensitivity to the color =
response of the piano, obviously listening to the piano as she plays. =
She's a real technician's delight!

The other plays Chopin Etudes as loud and fast as possible, (to my ear) =
with no musical effect at all.  The Schubert player loves the action.  =
The Chopin pounder says; "I don't know. Somethings wrong. The bass is =
too light, the treble's too heavy.  Or I don't know what it is, but it =
never feels the same." =20

Fortunately the Schubert player is the senior faculty member!  The =
Chopin player practices on a worn out B with heavy bass, light treble.  =
Now I wonder if my work to reduce the amount of lead in the bass keys =
has thrown him for a loop.  Perhaps, as Isaac describes, he is used to =
having that weight to help control the key in the furious music he =
plays.

I'll be quiet now; forget pianos and go take a kid to ride a horse...

Ed S.

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