Practical Concert Work

[David Andersen]

on 5/26/04 10:07 AM, Richard Brekne at Richard.Brekne@grieg.uib.no wrote:

> "A good concert regulation is a safe regulation. Let off is set at
> 0.125 (3,175 mm), with liberal but not excessive aftertouch..."
> 
> While I certainly understand some of the problems that can arrise with a
> borderline tolerance regulation... it strikes me that 3+ mm  is overly
> carefull and will result in immediat problems for pianist requireing the
> most sensitive of pianisimo touch possiblities at their disposal.
> 
> Still, the close tolerance regulation with respect to letoff does have
> its trade-off concerns--- and I would love to hear the lists thoughts on
> these, let off  tolerances in general, and how to deal with consequences
> of choices made in respect to let-off distance.

For me, a letoff at 3 mm is ridiculously far away from the string, and
leaving it like that will affect many other fine regulation points in a
"concert prep" situation. Then the drop will have to change, which will
change the perception of the aftertouch, which will then have to be
addressed, perhaps by changing spring tension or moving the jack position,
or actually widening the notch.  I have not read the article, but this 3mm
letoff is kind of a red flag. When the letoff is that far away, the feeling
of the backcheck "sweet spot" becomes wierd, somehow----anyway, a lot of
stuff goes awry when the letoff is that far from the string in a serious
piano.

Fine regulation, for me, starts with measurements and specs, but is
primarily a kinesthetic signal path---in other words, my goal is to have the
action feel right, like "butter," as one unbelievable young jazz player said
to me the other day, referring to a Mason CC I had worked on. My goal in
regulation is precision & consistency of feel from note to note, with the
player actually being able to have the sensation of perceiving and
controlling the hammers at the ends of the shanks. This ALWAYS includes
a letoff that is more like 1-1.5 mm.

I love this topic.

David Andersen