[CAUT] F..riction

[David Love]

Perhaps it's a matter of degree.  I was responding to the ability to perceive a 10% difference, a FW of 23 grams versus 20.7 grams BW equal so only inertial differences.  At some point I would guess it does become more obvious and in fast passage work, especially light, fast passage work, you can feel irregularities when the hand is totally relaxed and relatively unweighted.  So significant differences in FW I would concur are problematic in certain types of playing.  Where it crosses that line is another question.  A smooth FW curve and smooth SW curve in which the BW is allowed to float can easily produce irregularities of a couple of grams.  What is more perceptible, BW differences or FW weight differences that result in differences in inertia?  Rhetorical question really as I think it's pretty difficult to answer but one may find oneself in the position of having to make the choice or compromise both a little bit.  In reality, it may be much ado about nothing.  

David Love
www.davidlovepianos.com


-----Original Message-----
From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Ed Foote
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2010 6:57 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [CAUT] F..riction

 David writes:
>>  I would question how one can actually tell about something like
inertia.  Playing a block of chords it’s easy to see how touchweight
(DW) itself can easily vary by a factor of two in the same voicing if
one note is played out near the end of the key while others are played
near the fall board.  Yet pianists seem to hardly notice that
difference at all and routinely adapt to the position of the finger on
the key without apparent incident.  Since differences in inertia are
even less directly perceived than differences in actual static
resistance I would wonder how someone could actually tell the
difference in inertia that results from a FW difference between two
notes of only 10%.  <<

Greetings,
In blocks of chords, the inertial differences are less obvious than in
fast arpeggios or chromatic runs, since the effects of inertia
variations are amplified by velocity.  The heavier key will exhibit a
different response to fast or FF playing,i.e. it will feel more
resistant than its lighter neighbors. I can't tell the difference, but
I am not capable of playing like some of the Chopin mavens I have run
into.  The response of several of them has been that there were keys(on
a factory leaded Steinway), that felt "heavier' when a fast trill was
required.  On investigation, I found that those keys were significantly
heavier (in FW) than their neighbors, though their DW was less.
     I suppose this comes from the leading being done by people that 
only
considered DW, and friction control being what it is on the production
line, the FW varied considerably on the keys when new, but as the
friction disappeared, the DW dropped but the FW stayed high, and the
inertial differences became apparent during certain passages.
    It might not be the first time my logic led me completely astray, 
but
after putting a smoother SW in ( new hammers and shanks),  I had to
radically alter some of the FW's and the problem disappeared.
Any other interpretations will be welcomed.
Regards,
Ed Foote