[CAUT] The fundamental - Where is it?

[David Love]

Of course you can hear the fundamental.  But the strength of the fundamental
relative to the upper partials will depend on the string scale and the
soundboard design.  Higher tension and/or thicker core wires (stiffer
scaling) will tend to enhance the upper partials at the expense of the
fundamental.  Cantilevered bridges tend to filter out the low fundamentals
as will short backscales.  So pianos with .063" core wire at Ao,
cantilevered bridges and very short backscales tend to produce very weak
fundamentals and strong upper partials.  Since those upper partials tend to
get sucked up by the board quickly it leaves a sound fairly devoid of pitch
recognition.   Overly stiff soundboards in the low bass will also tend to
enhance the development of upper partials at the expense of the fundamental.


 

David Love

www.davidlovepianos.com

 

From: caut-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:caut-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Donald
McKechnie
Sent: Friday, March 26, 2010 8:49 AM
To: caut at ptg.org
Subject: [CAUT] The fundamental - Where is it?

 

List,

 

I have been having a discussion with some of my fellow local techs about the
fundamental and what we hear in the low bass. We agree that, at least on
larger pianos, the low strings produce the fundamental but we differ on
whether or not the rest of the belly system can produce even a recordable
fundamental.

 

My assertion is that a 9' grand can produce a recordable fundamental if you
have the right equipment. I'm trying to find something in writing to produce
evidence of this but no luck yet. I'm not finished searching Del's "Piano
Tone Building" and I hope something might be found there. Del, can I find it
in the book?

 

Perhaps some of the soundboard savvy folks on this list can help me win this
argument? After all, there is a 6 pack of quality beer on the line! :-)

 

Don  


Donald McKechnie

Piano Technician

Ithaca College

dmckech at ithaca.edu

607.274.3908

 

 





 

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