Tone Moderator

[Don Mannino]

Glad to Oblige.  I can only pass on what I have been told, though, as I have no way to test this for myself:

The Tone Moderator is a hole cut in the soundboard which allows the sound at some frequencies to cancel, smoothing the tonal response of the piano.  It was described as being most affective in the mid-treble section, eliminating some harshness in the tone.  The empty hole is decorated with a round gold colored trim piece so that it looks better than a simple hole.

These will be found on all of the new K series upright pianos, now beginning to appear in the US.

Don Mannino RPT
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org 
> [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
> Of Robert A. Anderson
> Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 1999 10:00 PM
> To: pianotech@ptg.org
> Subject: Tone Moderator
> 
> 
> I was tuning a Kawai NS 20-A at a church today, and the choir director
> came in and asked, "What's the purpose of this hole in the back that
> says "Tone Moderator."  "Tone Moderator?" I thought. So I 
> walked around
> the piano and, sure enough, there was a hole through the 
> soundboard fit
> with a plastic gizmo like a rose in a harpsichord soundboard.
> 
> I was unable to explain this. I didn't have time to mask off 
> the hole to
> see if I could detect any "tone moderation." What have you all
> experienced along these lines? Perhaps Don Mannino could supply the
> "official" explanation.
> 
> Bob Anderson
> Tucson, AZ
>