hammer voicing

[Charles Ball]

At 02:30 PM 7/3/96 -0400, you wrote:
>In a message dated 96-07-01 08:32:40 EDT, you write:
>
>> Last summer, when Steinway chief technician
>>Ron Conors spoke at the national seminar, he pointed out that in the
>>Steinway basement they do not attempt to make the hammer shift so far that
>>it completely misses the left string--this can produce the kind of sound you
>>describe.  Just a slight shift is usually all that is necessary to provide a
>>contrast in tone color.
>
>Charles and Pianotech,
>   I'm just curious, if the above situation is the norm, then why does
>Steinway bother to favor the hammer to the treble side? Is it just to reduce
>the amount of pedal travel? I've seen alot of brand new Steinways right out
>of the box and it is obvious that favoring one side is what they are aiming
>for. Do they do the same for brand new C&A pianos? Just wondering.
>Doug Hershberger


Dear Doug,

Indeed, you are correct.  The Steinway service manual does call for spacing
the hammer for three string unisons slightly to the right to reduce action
travel.  When I took the Steinway factory training several years ago with
Bill Garlick, this was the method he taught.  And the new Steinways that I
prep are spaced in this manner.

For many years this has been the method that I have used, all the while
wondering whether this had any measurable impact upon the power that the
hammer was able to impart to the string.  Also I have wondered whether it is
not preferable to provide pianists with a wide range of movement with the UC
pedal in order to expand the available range of color.  This is important to
some pianists.

I was very interested to hear Ron Conors state at this same class that in
the Steinway basement they space hammers right on center of the unison,
pretty much without explanation, as I recall, but with an acknowledgement
that this method is in contrast to the Steinway manual.

What this confirms to me is that in this matter, as in many others, there
are a variety of viable ways of doing things, and that the professional
instrument, which is professionally maintained, has special requirements.

On a slightly different track, I am sure that many of you have noticed that
the American Steinway has its action stop screw threaded into the rim, while
the German version has its screw in the right cheek block.  I have seen some
American instruments serviced by European technicians modified to the German
specification.  Does anyone have any thoughts about the relative merits of
these two different placements?

Happy holiday!

Charles

Charles Ball
School of Music
University of Texas at Austin