Tuned front duplexes

[Phillip L Ford]

What constitutes 'projection' is an interesting question for which I don't
really have an answer, even though I'm the one who cavalierly tossed out
the term.  If pressed I guess I would say tonal content that allows the piano
to be heard over the output of an orchestra or a bit of extra power or volume
that allows the piano to be heard further back in a large hall (that definition
seems sufficiently nebulous).  In any event I think most of us would agree
that we're talking about something that only applies to a large hall and this
situation represents a tiny fraction of the situations in which pianos are
used.  So the question of whether or not to used a tuned duplex would
really only apply to a concert piano.  For other pianos, why torture the
pianist in order to get a little more 'projection'.  As to whether the
performer should have the worst seat in the house, that's another interesting
question.  Since he is there being paid to do a job and to perform
for his 'customers' then if a design changes makes things better for the audience and worse for the pianist should it be incorporated?  Maybe.  I
think we already expect them to make some accomodations, such as
limiting dynamic range on the low end so that the sound will 'project' into
a large hall and to use a piano that is perhaps overpowered in, or biased
towards, the bass end and perhaps has a less responsive action than a
smaller piano.  If they also have to put up with a little noise perhaps that
comes with the territory.

I think we have created an untenable situation with a concert hall that
holds thousands of people.  It's pretty hard to have an intimate musical
experience with an artist when he's seated several hundred feet away.
If we didn't insist on having recitals and concerts in spaces the size of
football fields we wouldn't need to design pianos to fill them up.

Phil

---
Phillip Ford
Piano Service & Restoration
1777 Yosemite Ave - 215
San Francisco, CA  94124


On Wed, 7 Nov 2001 09:33:35   
 Delwin D Fandrich wrote:
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Ron Nossaman" <RNossaman@KSCABLE.com>
>To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
>Sent: November 07, 2001 9:03 AM
>Subject: Re: Tuned front duplexes
>
>
>> .... I also wonder, since I've
>> heard the thing about projection with tuned front duplexes too, where are
>> the reports of experiments involving listening, then taping off, then
>> listening again? I know, tape kills the system, but a small oval bar could
>> be slid in under the duplex from the end, then cranked up on edge to
>> provide a reasonably solid de-tuned length for a one note difference test.
>> Then again, while taping messes up sustain, what does it do to
>> "projection"? Obviously not many conclusions can be drawn by comparing two
>> distinctly different pianos, but where are the cause and effect
>experiments
>> within one system on the projection thing?
>
>Good question. The only direct comparisons or experiments I've heard of have
>involved taping--actually felting--off the tuned duplex string segment and
>then concluding that the thing works because when it's felted the piano has
>less sustain and 'projection.' Well, of course it does. That's what happens
>when you put a damper on the string--even if its a damper that's only
>applied to a part of the string that shouldn't be speaking on its own but is
>designed to absorb energy from what should be the speaking portion of the
>string.
>
>So, to me, at least, the question is unanswered. What constitutes
>'projection' anyway? Should we be building pianos for 'projection' at the
>expense of musicality? Should the seat in front of the keys be the worst
>seat in the house? If so, how can we expect the artist to create wonderful,
>dynamic music when it all sounds like garbage at the piano? Or should we be
>working on remote keyboards so the poor thing can be played from the tenth
>row back?
>
>Del
>
>
>
>


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