[CAUT] Duplex

[Ron Nossaman]

> OK, I'll take your word for it.  I guess the next question is, who cares?
> Inharmonicity in this section a few points to this side or that side doesn't
> really seem like anything of any significance when compared with stability
> (resistance to wear) and propensity for leakage (buzzing).
> 
> 
> David Love

I agree. Whether the capo shape is sharp or rounded is of 
little practical consequence to either inharmonicity, or 
energy transmission across the capo. While the sharper profile 
may be less prone to front duplex noise in poorly designed 
systems, it isn't all that important in systems with short 
front duplexes. Energy still passes across the capo with the 
rocking motion either way. The short front duplex just doesn't 
let it make unwanted noises in the process. Go to any piano 
with a capo and front duplex. Long, short, tuned, or not, it 
doesn't matter. Hold up the damper for a given unison, pluck 
the duplex segment and listen. What do you hear? With a very 
long tuned duplex, you might hear some of the tone the duplex 
is producing. For the most part, you'll hear the fundamental 
of the speaking length of that unison because the rocking of 
the string on the capo has started the speaking length 
vibrating. Try it on a vertical piano with the shortest 
segment you can find between the V mound and the pressure bar, 
and you'll hear the fundamental of the speaking length.

I'm not sure it's even possible to entirely prevent energy 
transmission across a capo without a clamp, however large the 
radius may be in an actual functional instrument, but the 
primary determinant of duplex noises (attributed to capo shape 
or not) is the combination of long duplex and low bearing 
angle. As long as that combination exists, capo and duplex 
noises will always be a potential problem no matter what you 
do to the capo.

But that's just my opinion from personal experience of 
actually trying it, and shouldn't interfere with anyone else's 
belief to the contrary.

Ron N