[CAUT] Press vs Stab voicing (was Re: The Importance of "Subject:")

Richard Brekne ricb at pianostemmer.no
Sat Jun 12 05:15:43 MDT 2010


While I'm quite sure we'll never know for sure without taking some kind 
of impossible observational data comparing stabbing and pressing as to 
which tears and which spreads fibres... my gut feeling goes the opposite 
of Freds.  I would think the slow movement of pressing would allow some 
fibres to be pushed off to one side or the other rather then cut, where 
as the quick stabbing would just move too fast for this to happen. 
Further, pressing allows one to either re-enter an already open channel 
to either spread further or to move in deeper. I find this latter to be 
of tremendous value when the power of the lower shoulders (what André 
refers to as the battery of the hammer) is used up.  Going in to the tip 
of the core at about 11:30 very slowly with one needle releases an often 
untouched source of extra power, that very compact area right around the 
core itself. I have the sense that this also loosens up a hammer that 
has been used over many years as well.... that after many years of use 
not just the surface area gets compressed but the entire depth of the 
hammer gets further packed. The resulting sound is one that lacks body, 
depth.... going in deep at the core one needle slowly at a time can 
yield a wide open beautiful sound with increased power as well... much 
like opening up the lower shoulders in new hammers does.

Cheers
RicB



    Fred,

    Remember Wally's class where he said an electron microscope showed
    that the very tip of a needle is about 30 times the size of a wool
    fiber diameter? This means simply that felt is cut whether you stab
    or push. Mute point either way. Is that right?

    Jim


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