Of Miracles and Duplex's

[Bill Ballard]

At 9:11 AM +0100 11/25/02, Isaac OLEG wrote:
>I'd say there is energy delivered too at the bottoming of the key
>stroke.

I guess what you're referring to, Oleg and Ric'o'the'North, is the 
shock to the keybed as the key slams down on the FR punching, which 
eventually finds its way to the string and board. I tried it this 
afternoon with a lively little Baldwin M (1993). I actually didn't 
remove the hammer shank, I  simply held it up *close* to the string, 
holding the damper up with the sostenuto. Yes, there is a surge of 
white noise (like the tail end of a gong's display) clearly audible 
when the sustain pedal leaves all the strings open. But with just the 
one damper up, barely noticeable. I got comparable results slapping 
the keybed with the underside of my hand rather than using the keys.

At 1:21 PM +0100 11/25/02, Richard Brekne wrote:
>Just how it adds (?) to the sound of the intsrument, sustain time,
>etc.... ???

Interesting experiment. It's great to be reminded of details like this.

Bill Ballard RPT
NH Chapter, P.T.G.

"When writing a mental note, first procure a mental piece of paper"
     ............mental graffitti
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