Scaling

[Delwin D Fandrich]

Ron Nossaman wrote:

> Uh oh, *features*! Perhaps a cryogenic string chiller would produce a
> similar effect, and allow a few cool tunes as a bonus. A properly designed
> chiller would also drive the unit price up high enough to interest the
> Military. There are fortunes to be made in after market parts, training
> seminars, and consultation fees if you can meet the dress code (and get a
> haircut). It would also keep your beer cold.

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Ron,

Careful, Ron. You're getting into areas of basic research that might be considered
confidential.

I've been in close consultation with the esteemed Professor I. Lirpa most of the day and
he suggested a solution very similar to this. There are solid state materials that will
get either hot or cold depending on which way you pass an electrical current through them.
Professor Lirpa's suggestion was to simply make the soundboard out of these materials.
Then when you wanted to make the treble go sharper to accommodate some specific HT, you
would simply pass a current through the soundboard in the appropriate way and chill the
wires. This would cause them to shrink and would consequently raise their tension. You
would be able to do the opposite in the bass, of course. By extension, then, the
soundboard could be segmented in such a way that each specific unison could be
individually controlled by a microprocessor. This, of course, introduces the basic
technology required for the self tuning piano. While this would probably make Bill Gates
happy -- every piano in the known world could be run under Windows (at least as long as
they were protected from direct sunlight) -- it might not be welcome news to the hordes of
piano technicians out there who are refusing to convert to the computer age and tune
electronically.

In any case, Professor Lirpa has assured me that he will begin the basic research
necessary to develop these concepts just as soon as he has the time. He was pretty busy
today -- as I've pointed out elsewhere, his work is highly seasonal -- but he expects that
his seasonal rush will be alleviated by tomorrow.

If you have any ideas that might further the progress of this development, please don't
hesitate to let us know. Just post your ideas to this list. Professor Lirpa is quite
secretive and doesn't want his E.mail address disclosed.

Regards,

Del
Delwin D Fandrich
Piano Designer & Builder