Hello, But aren't you in danger of also softening the strike point when you use steam?? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Servinsky" <tompiano@gate.net> To: <pianotech@ptg.org> Sent: Friday, July 12, 2002 5:32 AM Subject: RE: Voicing the new piano > David, > Anyway you slice it, voicing is a temporary state. The more the piano is > played the more temporary the voicing will remain. That being said, and > believe it or not, steaming can have a unusually long lasting effect on > maintaining the basic shape of sound. I'm not sure of the complete > scientific analysis of what's happening but I think steaming forces hot air > pockets into the felt causing the felt layers to separate which creates > "cushions", which in turn causes the hammer to react favorably when > impacting with the string. Comparing that to excessive needling, which is > constantly tearing the felt fibers, steaming is a much more holistic > approach to voicing. Longer lasting and less destruction to the hammer felt. > Tom Servinsky,RPT > > > From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf > Of David Ilvedson > Sent: Thursday, July 11, 2002 7:16 PM > To: pianotech@ptg.org > Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano > > > Roger, > > What do you think is going on with the new hammer in those 6 months? Is the > compaction only on the surface and not really getting down into the hammer? > What is the sound like when your done with the ironing? Anything like the > original? Does it really last 6 months? I'm not familiar with your > steaming method...haven't been to a convention in awhile...article in the > Journal? > > David I. > > > > ----- Original message ----------------------------------------> > From: Baldwin Yamaha Piano Centre <baldwin@mta-01.sk.sympatico.ca> > To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > Received: Thu, 11 Jul 2002 13:01:29 -0600 > Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano > > >Hi David, > > A very light steaming over the crown every 6 months can > >greatly extend the life of those hammers. We have done it with some U1's in > >University practice studios for 5 yrs now, and no reshaping as of yet. The > >light steaming will just pop the grooves out. Dry iron after to set the > felt. > >Less invasive than needling. > >Regards Roger > > >At 11:28 PM 7/10/02 -0700, you wrote: > >>These are SF Ballet's studio pianos. Played by high level musicians for > >>high level dance. Classes always use pianists and pianos. We just > >>swapped our 20 year old Kawais for the Yamahas. I'm looking for some > >>discussion on what is happening with the piano hammer over time, > >>especially with the new hammer. I think I'll probably hold off on the > >>Ronsen hammers for awhile...;-] I'm not particularly keen on steam but as > >>I get desperate who knows? Right now the pianos sound wonderful and I > >>have this fantasy of keeping them that way...;-] > >> > >>David I. > >> > >> > >>----- Original message ----------------------------------------> > >>From: David Love <davidlovepianos@earthlink.net> > >>To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > >>Received: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 21:53:43 -0700 > >>Subject: Re: Voicing the new piano > >> > >> >What are the expectations on the pianos and what are they used for? Are > >> >they practice pianos? Teaching pianos? New pianos or old pianos? My > >> >experience is that heavily used Yamaha's are difficult to keep voiced to > an > >> >acceptable level without less traditional methods such as steaming. > >> >Steaming is also an easy method for voicing down the uprights where the > >> >hammers are not so needle accessible. Overall the pianos will benefit > from > >> >string seating, proper hammer shaping and fitting. If the clangy rattly > >> >sounds disappear when you mute the duplex on the tuning pin side (on the > >> >grands), and if you are not steaming, shoulder needling followed by > single > >> >needles inserted off the strike point straight down parallel to the > moulding > >> >will eliminate those noises). Heavily used Yamaha hammers are a > challenge. > >> >A more radical move would be changing the hammers to a nice soft Ronsen > >> >hammer which will do wonders for voicing stability and rounding out the > >> >tone. > >> > >> >Generally, the hammer will compact most quickly over the crown, more > slowly > >> >in the shoulder. > >> > >> >David Love > >> > >> > >> >----- Original Message ----- > >> >From: "David Ilvedson" <ilvey@sbcglobal.net> > >> >To: <pianotech@ptg.org> > >> >Sent: July 10, 2002 5:41 PM > >> >Subject: Voicing the new piano > >> > >> > >> >List, > >> > >> >I would interested in hearing input about maintaining new pianos. > >> >Particularly voicing. I have a new fleet of 9 Yamaha pianos (is that a > >> >fleet?) I am servicing on a very regular basis...carte blanc. 1 C5, 3 > C2s, > >> >3 U1s and 2 P22s. Another P22 in the near future. These pianos are > played > >> >6 days a week for several hours each day. > >> > >> >How does playing affect the new hammer, or any hammer? Where is the > >> >compaction taking place? What do you do with the clangy, rattlely sound > in > >> >the trebIe when it shows in ugly face. I have my own techniques, but > I'm > >> >interested in what others do. > >> > >> >Thanks in advance > >> > >> >David I. > > >Roger > >
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC