[CAUT] Natural key width

[Fred Sturm]

Thanks for the details, Dave. I wasn't aware that this was such a  
"full system." Thought it was mostly a standard action attached to a  
custom keyframe/set of keys. Sounds like a winner.
	I'll retain my skepticism about the "technician who keeps people  
happy" when it comes to the hinterlands - and I would include  
Albuquerque and New Mexico in that. There are a number of venues in NM  
that have D's and "kinda sorta" keep touring artists happy, and all  
they do is hire a "tuner," who often has next to zero skills in real  
concert prep. I bet it's the same in many other areas of the country  
and the world. As a way to get started, it's probably best to stick to  
the caut circuit.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu



On Jan 29, 2008, at 10:49 AM, Porritt, David wrote:

> Fred:
>
> When David Steinbuhler first said that he was going to make an  
> action to
> fit any D I suppressed a
> smile as I didn't think it could be done.  A few weeks later the  
> action
> arrived and indeed it can be adapted to fit any D.  There are
> adjustments for damper timing, keyframe bedding, una corda placement,
> everything.  It helps that the action was totally of his manufacture.
> The hammer flange rail is flat so hammer spacing is easy to do, the  
> pins
> that go under the cheek blocks are fully adjustable in all directions.
> Key bedding is quite ingenious.  I'm very glad now that I didn't say  
> "it
> can't be done" because he has clearly done it.  The only Steinway
> factory part is the sostenuto rod and that only because it was  
> easier to
> buy it than to make one.  The rest of the action, brass brackets,  
> wooden
> rails, key frame etc. are Steinbuhler.
>
> One assumes that any venue that has a D and puts on concerts will have
> some arrangement with a technician of some skill.  Generally I'd say
> that any technician who can keep artists happy with a standard D can
> make the adjustments necessary on this action.  The venues where this
> one has been, have been mostly colleges and the resident technicians  
> had
> no obvious problems making it work well.  We have a box that David  
> made
> for shipping the action that has protected it in transit.
>
> I'm sure there will be further development in the action but the  
> current
> product is a very capable one.
>
> dave
>
> David M. Porritt, RPT
> dporritt at smu.edu
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of
> Fred Sturm
> Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2008 10:55 AM
> To: College and University Technicians
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] Natural key width
>
> Hi David,
> 	I'd be a bit worried taking a keyframe/action assembly with me.
>
> First, getting it packed well and having it arrive safe and sound at
> the venue at the other end; and then packed well for the return. But
> second, you would need to be certain there was a tech at the other end
> capable of doing the work needed. And it _could_ be a lot, depending
> on a lot of factors. For instance, width of keyblocks (might not
> accommodate optimum positioning - S&S keyblocks are custom cut to each
> piano in the factory, so width is not standard); alignment of hammers
> to strings (capo sections can vary a lot, and agraffes often do as
> well); string height; string level (or out of level); unison spacing
> in the capo sections (individual strings within the trichord -
> especially problematic for una corda voicing). It might work out fine,
> but it might turn out to be a nightmare, where a less than fully
> competent tech faced a problematic fit. Certainly getting it in
> concert ready condition would need a top notch, efficient tech, at
> least in many cases. And how can a pianist know whether X tech in a
> far away venue is competent in that way? Pretty much a roll of the
> dice in many cases, especially off the beaten path. I guess if it
> became common enough, a grapevine of techs and pianists would develop.
> 	I suppose going back and forth from 7/8 or 15/16 to full
> wouldn't
> really be any harder than going from violin to viola, probably an
> almost instant adaptation for a decent pianist. It's where I go from a
> keyboard where I can fairly consistently reach that 10th around the
> edges of the corners of those naturals (without making one of them
> sound a little) to one where it is definitely hit or miss that is more
> disconcerting. So close and yet so far. Frustrating as all get out.
> Regards,
> Fred Sturm
> University of New Mexico
> fssturm at unm.edu
>
>