Steinway "pinning" dilemma

[Fred Sturm]

> --On Wednesday, October 8, 2003 7:55 PM -0600 Roger Jolly
> <roger.j@sasktel.net> wrote:
>
>>
>>> Hi Fred,
>>
>>                   4gms of friction seems to be the optimum for tone
>> production, _as it keeps the knuckle firmly in contact with the 
balancier_.
snip
>> Regards Roger.

Roger,
	Looking at this more carefully, I have to disagree with you as to the 
mechanism for the tonal effect of firm pinning. From the point of view of 
the hammer being thrown to the string, I think mass, inertia, and leverage 
are plenty to maintain firm contact between knuckle and jack. Where lack of 
firmness has its effect is in the wobble that is introduced during the 
throw of the hammer, and even more so the wobble upon impact with the 
string (ie, what the hammer does during the time it remains in contact). So 
from a purely tonal point of view, I don't think friction per se plays a 
role.
	Where it does have an effect is in the neuro-muscular response of the 
pianist. I am convinced that a fine pianist can feel the difference between 
2 and 4 grams friction in a hammershank center, in terms of what needs to 
be done to create the final velocity of the hammer, and that 4 grams will 
be found preferable in allowing more nuanced control. But even more 
important is evenness from note to note. Better all 2 gram than higglety 
pigglety with an average of 4 grams.
	All of this is more in the realm of mental picturing than  measurable 
physics, because it is next to impossible to separate one factor from the 
others with any reliability. You have to assume travel, square hanging of 
hammers, evenness of felt density and elasticity, evenness of shank 
firmness/sponginess, etc., etc. But when all you do to a fly away action is 
repin it, the result is usually quite dramatic, at least in my experience.


Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico