Bloom

[Gevaert Pierre]

I 've read somewhere that this phenomen of increasing sustain is often found
in older pianos with only a little or
even no crown or downbearing. I've heard this effect on different older
pianos, even with used hammers and not perfectly being tuned. Any way, this
is for me one of the nicest things in piano sound.
Pierre Gevaert

----- Original Message -----
From: "Farrell" <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2002 2:03 PM
Subject: Re: Bloom


> I have heard "bloom" treated as a phenomenon associated with the tone of
one note being struck.
>
> I went to a class at a convention  - maybe it was Wally Brooks "Tone
Building", maybe it was Roger Jolly demonstrating voicing techniques, maybe
it was someone else - but they were demonstrating "bloom" (hey, maybe Ron
Overs knows what a bloomin' hammer is?).
>
> Most average pianos, when the hammer strikes the string, make a loud sound
and then the sound decays. If the note blooms, you can hear the attack, then
the sound settles into whatever it settles into, but then, over the course
of several seconds or so, you can hear a number of different partials
increase in volume - kinda like a swelling of sound. It can be rather
prominent.
>
> Terry Farrell
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Phil Bondi" <pbondi2@comcast.net>
> To: "Pianotech List" <pianotech@ptg.org>
> Sent: Thursday, March 21, 2002 7:39 AM
> Subject: Bloom
>
>
> > I don't mean to drag this thread on forever. I am trying to get a good
> > handle on the term and the interpretation from different folks.
> >
> > I know I have heard 'bloom' in various recordings (all classical). My
> > original mentor and all-around decent human being, Larry Crabb,
described
> > the sound as a "booooong", using his hand in a gesture that can only be
> > described as 'going away'.
> >
> > It seems that a real bloom can not happen without the following factors:
> >
> > Crown - downbearing - a good scale with 'warm' plain wire - 'perfect'
> > termination - an exact and near perfect strike point - a quality hammer
in
> > good to excellent condition - good to excellent regulation - a
harmonious
> > tuning.
> >
> > Any compromise of the above factors will affect the overall effect of
bloom.
> >
> > I think I've got it. Feel free to correct me.
> >
> > Phil
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>