key width

[Larry J. Messerly]

The extra width of the two sharps may have been to make the tail of the D
the same width as the tails of the other white keys that lay between two
sharps.  I don't remember how long ago it was but there was an article in
the Journal about the different width of the tails due to the 5key set C
to E and the 7 key set F to B and the mathematics of getting this all to
fit into an octave.  This is a fun thing to show clients that the D tail
is larger than the others and is readily demonstratable by just using a
finger to feel the difference.  After reading the thread on this I see
that this may not always be true, but in my experience it has been.  



On Sat, 29 Jan 2000 09:25:05 -0500 "Frank Weston"
<klavier@annap.infi.net> writes:
> On some turn-of-the century Steinways, the width of C# and D# is 
> about
> 5/100" larger than the rest of the sharps.  On some it is not.  
> Don't ask me
> why.  I've discussed this observation with the guys who make 
> keyboards at
> Pianotek and they were aware of it, but could give no reason.  Maybe 
> someone
> else here has an explanation.  And while we're at it, what's the 
> deal with
> tapered sharps?
> 
> Frank Weston
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Pianogreig@AOL.COM <Pianogreig@AOL.COM>
> To: pianotech@ptg.org <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Date: Friday, January 28, 2000 5:53 PM
> Subject: Re: key width
> 
> 
> >Very interesting.  I was aware of the other variances but not of 
> different
> >widths within the octave.  Would you be more specific - as to which 
> ones
> are
> >wider or narrower and by how much and how does it compare to 
> contemporary
> >dimensions.  It must have been intentionally to widen the space for 
> thicker
> >fingers.  Thanks.
> >
> >Bruce Greig, RPT
> >NYC
> >
>