[CAUT] Natural key width

Porritt, David dporritt at mail.smu.edu
Fri Jan 25 13:35:30 MST 2008


Our 7/8 keyboard gets used quite a bit more than that.  Several students have come here to study with this teacher and use the 7/8.  Our piano preparatory department is also using the uprights for beginning, small students.  They are researching the progress of the young ones and will be following them as they grow and progress to the full keyboard.

 

I think universities should be doing research.

 

dp

 

____________________

David M. Porritt, RPT

dporritt at smu.edu

 

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Paul T Williams
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 1:43 PM
To: Ed Sutton; College and University Technicians
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width

 


We have two Steinbuhler keyboards.  One in the practice room and one for a S&S D in the medium size concert hall.  The action for the D just sits in my shop.  Richard West said it has been used once. A very expensive concert indeed :>) 

Paul 





"Ed  Sutton" <ed440 at mindspring.com> 
Sent by: caut-bounces at ptg.org 

01/25/2008 01:31 PM 

Please respond to
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Re: [CAUT] Natural key width

 

		




See 

www.steinbuhler.com/ <http://www.steinbuhler.com/>  


They are very well made. 
  
A pianist I know considers it life changing. Unfortunately she no longer plays any but her own piano. 
The cost is not likely to make them common. $9,800, shipping and installation not included. 
Perhaps new composite materials could lower the price. 
  
Ed S. 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: Ken Zahringer <mailto:ZahringerK at missouri.edu>  
To: College and University Technicians <mailto:caut at ptg.org>  
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 1:43 PM 
Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width 

The industry standard, if there is one, is the 48 inch keyboard (although Steinway current production is 48 3/8”).  Divide that up over 52 white keys, and there isn’t really any variation possible in key spacing, and any significant variation in width just gives the Letterman effect.  The DS 7/8 keyboard is 42 inches.  We don’t have one here, but I have heard several very positive reviews of it.

Regards,
Ken Z.


On 1/25/08 12:06 PM, "Paul T Williams" <pwilliams4 at unlnotes.unl.edu> wrote:


List, 

Is there a standard in the industry for piano key width on the naturals.  Nearly all the pianos here are at 23mm except for the five Mason and Hamlins from the 20's we have which measure 22mm giving them a disconcerting space between the keys. Think of David Letterman <G>. We have no European pianos so I can't measure them. 

One of our piano professors is doing some kind of research paper and was a big advocate for one of our practice Steinways to have a 7/8th keyboard installed for small handed students.  (It hardly ever gets played!) 

Thanks 

Paul 

-- 
Ken Zahringer, RPT
Piano Technician
MU School of Music
297 Fine Arts
882-1202
cell 489-7529 

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