>>Date: Fri, 24 May 1996 20:01:44 -0400
>>I have a dilemma. My piano (Steinway 'B') has a beautiful tone. The
>>rebuilder of my piano believes that because of the light hammers he has
>>installed, the hammer comes off the string very fast. This contributes
>>to a clear tone. According to him this is not like the modern pianos
>>which have a much noisier tone. I agree. When I hear someone play my
>>piano and when I stick my ear over the hammers, it's beautiful.
>>Mitch
>Avery Todd, RPT
> I'm forwarding this post, with permission, from the piano list to get
>any feedback from y'all (yes, I'm from Texas). It's something I have never
>come across before and I (and the original sender) would be interested in
>any comments any of you would like to make.
> Thanks.
Some comments:
1. I've heard many "modern" pianos with beautiful tone.
2. On lightening hammers: If you reduce hammer weight to zero tone will be
zero.
There is a point at which the quality of tone and the amount of tonal
energy eminating reaches a point of diminishing returns. It
sounds as if Mitch's returns are diminshed.
3. As hammers are made heavier the accompianed dulling of tone may be
compensated for by voicing. The heavier the hammer the closer to the
surface the harder interior felt needs to be, in order to force a
faster rebound of the hammer.
4. When discussing hammer weight it is necessary to talk numbers.
Measuring Strike weight is the only way I know of to measure hammer
weight in the finished action. I would be happy to repost my
discription of measuring strike weight and the zones of low, medium,
and high strike weight according to the data collected by my study
group. There will be a discription of the method in the June PTG
Journal.
D. Stanwood
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