[CAUT] capsizing / catstrophic action failure

[Fred Sturm]

Hi Ric,
    I'm not really making any strong claims one way or another. Simply
observing that experience often contradicts "wisdom." I know we've all
probably heard that more DB = stronger attack, less sustain. Less DB = less
attack, more sustain. It makes sense in terms of physics, at least I believe
it does. 
    But going out in the field and measuring pianos is a different kettle of
fish. I listen to the piano, come to a conclusion about its tonal output.
Now I measure. I often don't find what I have been led to expect. I often
enough find the opposite. Cognitive dissonance, I think is the appropriate
word. People can be pretty suggestible, and hear what they expect. Which is
why I try to listen first, then measure.
    I do realize that measuring a strung piano at pitch doesn't tell the
whole story. Problem is, that's all most of us have in front of us to
measure. At any rate, I intended no particular strong point of view. I was
just trying to state what I have observed, which doesn't always coincide
with accepted wisdom. Pianos are pretty complex creatures, I think <g>.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico


On 3/7/06 3:32 AM, "Ric Brekne" <ricbrek at broadpark.no> wrote:

> That said... I think I understand where Fred is comming from and if I
> understand that correctly... well I'd aggree. Fred... if you'd care to
> specify more closely what was on your mind I for one would find it
> interesting.
> 
> Cheers
> RicB
> 
> 
> My experience has led me to take with a grain of salt claims that
>>> flat boards and zero DB mean a piano is unusable. I don't find it so,
>>> personally. But I'm just one guy out here with my own limited
>>> experiences and acuity.
>>> Regards,
>>> Fred Sturm
>> 
>> Fred,
>> I'd agree if I knew of anyone having made such a claim, but I
>> don't.
>> Ron N
>> ______