[CAUT] single string phasing / falsness

[Richard Brekne]

Hi Folks.

I have been increasingly intrigued by this whole theme in the past 
couple years.  I feel reasonably sure I have a good handle on the root 
reasons for the classic false beat, but find myself querried about  what 
I will for now term single string phasing.  There seems to be at least 2 
sorts... probably more.  One seems hammer related and is relatively 
easily delt with by assuring solid contact between hammer and unisions 
and uniform hammer felt consistancy.  The other is quite obviously 
non-hammer related in cause and seems to cause sound engineers no end of 
anguish when present in even very modest degrees.  This second type 
seems at the same time to be a <<desireable>> in small amounts by 
pianists however... complicates matters quite a bit.

The only way I have of addressing this second mentioned type is by 
changing strings, dressing up capo / aggraffes and bridge point 
terminations, and then restringing with new string material. Using the 
old string usually is a bad idea no matter what tricks you use.  The 
sound this kind of phasing makes is typified by a phase like flimmering 
of the sound ... a kind of sideways beat if you will... one that does 
not change pitch but only timbre, that dissapears after a half a second 
or perhaps a bit longer. The sound of the string then flattens out 
pretty much... but seems a bit thin often enough.  Thats my best attempt 
at a description at any rate.

I'm wondering about how others deal with this kind of sound.... and for 
that matter what kinds of non-classic false beat falseness catagories 
any of you operate with and what you do about them... how you veiw 
them.  Seems to me like there is a built in conflict between the needs 
of the acoustic oriented pianist, and the digital oriented sound 
engineer as to what constitutes good piano sound.  And I'd like to look 
at ways for finding a comfortable middle ground... for not to say common 
ground.

Cheers
RicB