[CAUT] Piano Response or how heavy the action is.

[Fred Sturm]

On Jun 12, 2009, at 10:16 AM, Richard Brekne wrote:

>  in the end... it is the voicing of the instrument that is the key  
> to the pianists sensation of whether the instrument is "good" or  
> "bad", and most certainly whether the instrument is heavy or light.  
> Real physical impedance only indirectly affects this perception.


	I think the point is very well taken, as long as it isn't taken too  
far (too absolutely). I agree that the voicing "speed" (how much  
difference in touch it takes to get from "dark" to "bright") is  
probably the biggest factor, and probably more apparent than mass and  
inertia. And that a fairly large range of weight, whether measured as  
DW or as BW, can be coped with as long as it is reasonably even.
	I'd throw regulation pretty strongly into the mix, though, especially  
if you are dealing with a regulation done by someone who isn't well  
trained. I'm thinking particularly of drop and aftertouch. Where these  
are excessive, there can be a perception (for good reason) of a heavy  
and unresponsive action. Partly it's because there is a lot of spring  
pushing back at the bottom of the keystroke. Partly it's too much  
distance and excess distance for the finger to go. It also means that  
letoff and drop contact are apart from one another, hence there is a  
spongy and inexact feel to the action.
	I find myself becoming more and more sensitive (speaking as a  
pianist) to whether or not the regulation is "in focus," and really  
thrown off by inconsistencies and wide parameters. But I guess that is  
a different topic, as it isn't a question of heavy/light, but rather  
of responsive or not.
Regards,
Fred Sturm
University of New Mexico
fssturm at unm.edu