Scaling

[Don Price]

Delwin -  Has your tongue worn a hole in your cheek yet?

dcp@sosinc.net
Don Price

-----Original Message-----
From: Delwin D Fandrich <pianobuilders@olynet.com>
To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
Date: Wednesday, April 01, 1998 10:10 AM
Subject: Re: Scaling


>Ron.
>
>Your concerns are well founded. This has been an area of some concern to me
of late. So,
>I've been working on several new concepts in piano design that should, I
hope, solve at
>least part of the problem.
>
>Essentially the changes are relatively minor. Implementing them may be
somewhat complex,
>however. By definition, altering the temperment tuning will have an affect
on string
>tensions. The main problem, then, is one of keeping the string tensions the
same as the
>piano is tuned to the various temperments. There is very little change
within the
>temperment octave itself. So the major alterations to the piano's scale
must be made at
>the extremes of the scale. Since, due to the effect of inharmonicity the
treble section
>will always be tuned somewhat sharp of a flat line and the bass will be
tuned somewhat
>flat, the most logical, and easiest solution will be to fasten the bridges
onto a separate
>panel that can be made to swivel, or pivot, around a carefully chosen
central point. This
>rotational point should be centered exactly in the center of the temperment
octave. Of
>course this means that each temperment would have to set within the same
octave, which
>might be a problem for some. As may be, this would enable the tuner to
select in advance
>the position of the bridges -- hence the string lengths and, by extension,
the string
>tensions -- in advance by slightly rotating the bridges to compensate for
the variations
>in anticipated frequencies resulting from each separate temperment. Perhaps
Owen Jorgensen
>could add an appendix to his book listing these frequencies. Also, it
should be a simple
>matter for Al and Dean to reprogram their products accordingly to include
the appropriate
>BRoFa (Bridge Rotation Factor) for each temperment. It should be possible
to fit all of
>these BRoFa's on one CD-ROM unless some more new HT's are invented after
the system is in
>place.
>
>As expected with any ground-breaking new technology such as this, there are
a few minor
>technical problems to be overcome. Minor details such as impedance
matching, etc., can be
>easily worked out. In fact, it is quite possible that some added features
can be worked
>in, such as a method for automatically raising the pitch of the instrument.
It should be a
>fairly simple matter to simply move the bridge back away from the agraffes
slightly. This
>would make the strings longer and their resonant pitch would go up. Thus
when it became
>necessary to raise pitch, the task could be accomplished by a simple
adjustment taking
>mere moments. This feature may not be popular with those piano technicians
who derive a
>substantial portion of their income from pitch raising. But that is their
problem, not
>mine.
>
>No, by far the most formidable problems involve the temperments themselves.
Since several
>of these temperments can become decidedly mean at times, I anticipate that
there will be
>significant problems in maintaining a smooth and mellow voice throughout
the piano scale
>as the temperments are altered. I expect to be able to at least partially
solve the voice
>problems with a variable density (hammer) head. I do not anticipate that
dynamic
>expression will be a problem.
>
>Obviously, there are many technical problems to be overcome here. So,
please don't expect
>immediate results. However, I should have some meaningful progress to
report by this same
>time next year.
>
>Till then,
>
>My regards to all...
>
>Delwin D Fandrich
>Piano Designer & Builder
>-------------------------------
>
>Ron Nossaman wrote:
>
>> 4/1/98
>>
>> I've come up against a seemingly insurmountable problem that someone out
>> there might be able to help me with. There is a very good chance that one
of
>> the instruments in my shop at the moment will ultimately be used in a
venue
>> requiring that it be tuned in a number of different historical
temperaments.
>> I am rescaling the beast, and my problem is this. Does anyone have
rescaling
>> software that optimizes for temperaments other than ET? Since tensions
and
>> inharmonicity are computed from speaking length, wire gauge, wrap
diameters,
>> length and positioning, and *frequency* determined by position in an ET
>> scale, it wouldn't be exactly right for any other tuning scheme. This
could
>> have tragic consequences considering the ultimate use to which this
>> instrument will be put. Since it is apparently not possible to tune in ET
to
>> infinite accuracy in the first place, and - since almost any deviation
from
>> ET turns out to be a documented, or surmised, variant of some obscure
>> temperament anyway - I suppose I'm looking for a scaling program that
>> produces emotionally satisfying screen graphics of scale colorations that
>> will (in use) trigger massive endorphin secretions in the brains of
>> listeners of the music performed thereon, no matter what the tuning
scheme.
>> Does anyone know of a nice fuzzy, friendly scaling program that will do
>> this. I need a 'wild breast' soother, and I'd even take a beta version
for
>> testing.
>>
>> Thanks in advance for your help. My endorphin levels are rising in
anticipation.
>>
>>  Ron Nossaman
>
>
>