Steinway "pinning" dilemma

[Ed Sutton]

Horace-

Here's a question for you (and anybody else):  How would you imagine mechanically,
a "blow"....or should we say "touch"? that is a mechanical imitation of the way(s)
a fine performer might move the key?  It's easy enough to drop a half pound weight
4", but that seems a very crude approximation of a way of striking a key that is
seldom used in performance.

My point is subtle (and some would say -too-subtle), that we should begin with a
model of what sensitive performers do, then try to make a contraption that works
similarly.

Ed Sutton


----- Original Message -----
From: "Horace Greeley" <hgreeley@stanford.edu>
To: "College and University Technicians" <caut@ptg.org>
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 12:51 PM
Subject: RE: Steinway "pinning" dilemma


>
> Jim,
>
> At 08:51 AM 10/10/2003 -0600, you wrote:
> >List,
> >
> >Last week we were given a Realtime Spectrum Analyzer. We didn't know
> >exactly what to do with it. Hmmm... Anyone want to suggest some tests to
> >run?
>
> If Tim remembers Chris' mechanism more clearly than I do, maybe he can give
> you some details.  The thing that made that series of demonstrations so
> phenomenal was the ability to so precisely control the blow.  If memory
> serves, there is a pretty good engineering school at BYU - maybe some
> enterprising students could come up with something in their (copious) free
> time.
>
> I don't think that Chris would present his work as being the end of the
> experiments - rather, as places from which to begin.
>
> Pinning makes a difference.  Now you have precisely the toy, errrr, tool,
> to demonstrate that fact.
>
> I wonder, given the changes/advancements in computer technology since Chris
> did most of his work...perhaps there is a way to more graphically represent
> things, real time, as well as getting the numbers out.  The analyzer Chris
> used was a B&K, with numbered lights for a read out...very useful; but a
> little more difficult to immediately apprehend.
>
> Horace
>
>
>
>
> >Jim Busby BYU
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: caut-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces@ptg.org] On Behalf Of
> >Tim Coates
> >Sent: Friday, October 10, 2003 7:05 AM
> >To: College and University Technicians
> >Subject: Re: Steinway "pinning" dilemma
> >
> >Does anyone remember the classes Chris Robinson did using a Realtime
> >Spectrum Analyzer (borrowed from Kurztweil Company)?  I know it was in
> >Philadelphia about 12 years ago.  Using a mechanism to create an even
> >blow and recorded with the analyzer he showed how repinning to proper
> >specs (at that time 6 grams) changed dramatically the tone of a
> >particular note.
> >
> >Pretty eye opening.  Previously people speculated about the tonal
> >affects of proper flange friction.  He showed it scientifically to be
> >true.
> >
> >Tim Coates
> >University of South Dakota
> >University of Sioux Falls
> >
> >Fred Sturm wrote:
> >
> > >> --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
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > >
> > >
> >
> >
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