[CAUT] Anechoic chamber - experiments

Fred Sturm fssturm at unm.edu
Fri Jun 18 19:31:27 MDT 2010


Some additional technical experiments:
Weight added to bridge. Could be done with vice grips on bridge pins,  
or perhaps a soundboard button screw could be removed and replace with  
a longer screw holding a fairly heavy weight. DIfferent places along  
the bridge to see what effects there are on different ranges.

Action geometry changes. Stanwood's latest adjustable balance fulcrum  
suggests there is a difference in timbre connected with a difference  
in geometry, probably connected with acceleration of the hammer. This  
could be set up in a number of non-destructive ways. One is to use  
split balance punchings. Another is to remove capstans from a few keys  
and replace with adjustable sleds with a capstan attached. And a third  
is to do something with knuckles, possibly moving a knuckle on the  
same shank (maybe the newest WNG offering gives this possibility).  
Some associated regulation would be needed to make it work  
consistently with the Disklavier system.

Test some "instructor gimmicks" like Baldassin's line of needle  
insertions next to the hammer edge producing more sustain, Wally  
Brook's various things aimed at the same (sustain), Ari Isaac's needle  
through the side of the hammer under the crown, etc.

Una corda. With and without una corda voicing, missing a string or not.

Some general thoughts on setting up the experiment: there needs to be  
a set of standard activating commands for the Disklavier system,  
giving a range of dynamics for each note or chord to be played.  Also,  
with and without pedal, and different pedal synchronizations  
(simultaneous with notes played, slightly delayed, slightly before).
Regards,
Fred Sturm
fssturm at unm.edu
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/FredSturm



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