Drop

[Susan Kline]

At 09:54 PM 10/31/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>Bradley writes:
> >Can someone please help me better understand drop? I understand all the
> >basics; what I would like know is what can be gained or sacrificed with
> >slight deviations from the standard. My question relates specifically to
> >concert level pianos.

>Ed wrote:
>    The drop must be set so that the hammer cannot be propelled into the
>string after escapement.  For the highest level work, that will be at the
>same point as a minimum let-off distance, which I set as close as possible to
>the strings maximum excursion zone.

It has been my (limited) experience that if the drop is too wide, especially
if the aftertouch is deep as well, the action feels a little sloppy. If the
drop and letoff are both minimal, the action feels focused (especially
if the key bushings are firm) but maybe a little tight and cold, if you
take my meaning. Even more tight and cold if the damper lift is on the late
side.

However, I've sometimes encountered actions which people regulated very
aggressively, getting that last little smidgen of blow by putting the letoff
right up practically touching the string (even in the bass), and the drop
not far behind. If the dip is also shallow enough that the key has to be
pushed somewhat into the cushion before letoff occurs, the piano can be
the very devil to play. It's hard to avoid at least a few hammers blocking,
too. The final blow (no pun ...) is when the piano is then used for awhile,
so that the quite loosely pinned centers start getting loose enough that
the hammers swing 9 or 10 times. Then, especially if the springs are quite 
strong
(to improve repetition, of course) hammers often don't want to get into
check, and when played softly will often double-strike. As the piano is
played hard for a few years, the loose hammers will also rise too fast,
and jitter around, when released from check (if they ever got into check
to begin with.) Then I sometimes see roughened tails, trying to improve
the checking, but this just succeeds in wearing out the check leathers
faster.

All done with the best of intentions, trying for high quality work,
of course.

I think that part of the trouble stems from those who do (otherwise
excellent) rebuilds wishing to achieve a final regulation as soon as
the piano is delivered. It might be better to send the piano out with
wider tolerances, and then to regulate it more carefully after it has
been played hard for six months or so.

The other reason for trouble with playability, I think, may be that
the people who are doing the regulating may not play the piano much
themselves, so that they don't directly experience the subtleties of
touch and response. Of course, many of us could certainly benefit from
some advanced piano lessons.

And the "other, other" reason for trouble is, IMHO, the feeling that
weight is the biggest enemy, and that it can be overcome by reducing
friction as much as possible. This just leads to uncontrollability,
in my experience, especially after pianos get some wear.

One Steinway B was causing me a lot of geometry trouble, and had
ultra-loose (but no sideways motion) hammer pinning. The downweight
was marginally high, too. Ironically, when I repinned the hammers
much firmer (because it was the only way I could get the darned
thing to check properly and not sometimes jam), the pianist said
with great relief that it was now so much less tiring to play,
BECAUSE IT WAS CONTROLLABLE, even with the friction higher and
the weight almost the same. I thought it would be more tiring,
because I had increased the friction.

Well, enough nattering ... what I've tried to convey is that the
firmness of the center pinning (both hammer and rep lever in particular)
has to be taken into account when deciding on a drop distance.

Susan Kline