Evidence of overlacquered hammers

[Richard Brekne]

Hi Bernhard

Thanks for poping in here... a comment below.


Bernhard Stopper wrote:
> I agree that different pianos need different hammers...
> but in my opinion this is more affected by the scale than by the soundboard.
> Surely a high tension scale requires also a thicker soundboard  (but mainly
> for static reasons in my opinion) and a low tension scale a thinner one.
> A high tension scale (like a Bösendorfer) works better with a heavier and
> denser hammer than a low tension scale like the Steinway. A high tension
> scale has a higher stiffness at the strike point and throws a same hammer
> faster back than on a low tension scale. So a light hammer on a high tension
> scale would produce too much overtones. This can corrected in some way by
> voicing. But its still better to choose an appropriate hammer for a specific
> scale, so that less voicing is necessary.

Exactly.. on both points.

> 
> A too heavy hammer on a low tension scale does not overdrive the soundboard,
> but can overdrive the string. A string can act as linear spring in a
> specific range. If this range is overdriven by a too heavy hammer, the
> string blocks like a wall and produce distortion.
> 
This has been on my mind for quite some time now, and I stated something 
along these lines in my origional reply to the soundboard overdrive post.


> The time, the hammer is in contact with the string is the main effect of how
> many partials and in what weight they will occur. The soundboard
> itself has absolutely no possibiliy to add any partials to the strings
> spectrum (except the short shock spectrum caused by the hammer impact) and
> acts only as an amplifier and filter. But the oscillator is the string.

Precisely. Tho the use of the word <<amplifier>> must be taken rather 
loosely.  Those who adhere to a more strictly electronics definitions 
would rather use the term transducer. Not a big point really... as long 
as we all are on the same page.

> 
> best regards
> 
> Bernhard Stopper
> 
> 
> David Love wrote:
> 
> 
>>The evidence of different soundboards (and soundboards in various
>>conditions) needing hammers of varying densities is so abundant in the
>>piano circles that I run in that I don't even know what to say to those
>>who are interested in this possibility except try it for yourself and
>>see.  You wouldn't put a very hard Renner hammer designed for a
>>Boesendorfer on a piano that would sound best with a Ronsen soft Bacon
>>felt hammer--and there are many such examples out there.  ........
> 
> 
> 
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