Sound waves(The behavior of soundboards)

[Greg Newell]

    If the sound is the same on both sides of a piece of 1x1 maple
outside of the piano however long it then follows that the soundboard has
a great deal to do with the difference between top and or side of the
bridge being struck. Have you any info about the grain direction of
either bridge that you tested? I've not seen a recent Steinway with a
good quarter sawn bridge cap. How much would this effect the differences
in the sound you hear?
    Secondly can you establish or even theorize that the difference has
anything to do with the glue joint between cap and bridge? I don't recall
you saying which part, top or side, sounded better, stronger, clearer. Is
striking the side thus eliminating or bypassing the glue joint a better
sound? If every glue joint is an impediment to good tone quality then it
would seem that experiments should be made to eliminate the use of wood
for soundboards and bridges altogether.
    What is it that we love about the modern piano? Is it the degree of
control we derive from the action enabling us to achieve a high amount of
expression limited mostly or only by our level of skill? Is it the fact
that it is still an acoustical instrument? What trade - offs would there
be to using different materials in the building of these cherished items?
Depending on how radical manufacturers might ever get in production and
materials differences at what point would the product need to take on a
different name?
    Forgive the silly musings of a sleep deprived compatriot. It is an
interesting discussion that you folks are undertaking. I'm enjoying what
I can grasp of it.

Greg

John Delacour wrote:

> At 12:42 AM -0500 12/19/01, Greg Newell wrote:
> >John, you have determined that there are 2 distinctly different
> >sounds derived from striking the top or the side of a bridge. Can
> >this be duplicated outside the piano? Is this done in some way while
> >the piano is still strung?
>
> The difference is vivid whether or not the piano is strung.  I
> originallly tried it on an unstrung Steinway grand.  I have just
> tried it on a strung upright.
>
> >Can this be repeated with a piece of maple (or other bridge material
> >... ?????)
>
> I have only a 4ft piece of 2 x 1 maple to hand with the wide face
> tangential to the annual rings.  There is a very slight difference in
> the timbre which I would put down to the difference in stiffness etc.
> of the two planes.  If the maple were 1" square with the rings
> running diagonally, I'd expect the sound to be the same.
>
> JD

--
Greg Newell
mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net