Impulse and response

[Sarah Fox]

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Hi Andre,

You wrote:

Take for instance a hammer nr 30. which is a fairly big hammer.
If it is a 'good' quality hammer, it will have tension from the basis to =
the crown.
If you don't needle that hammer (like you have not needled your new =
hammers), the tension will remain the same and there will nt be much =
distortion of the felt because this hammer will be reasonably hard. In =
other words : it is a tough spring.. too tough actually.
That's why we needle it and we start needling it in the cushion area.
Now you have a cushion, and now the distortion starts when you hit the =
strings. The needled area, the cushion area, will act as a damper, as a =
suspension area, and, like the suspension in a car, it will act like a =
spring. In other words, the hammer will distort a little (it is a small =
thing after all).
The sound will have changed because of the damper. and the tone is less =
powerful, and less bright than before, because of the lower partials =
which will become more powerful.
The more you needle, like if you don't know what you were doing, the =
more lower partials you will hear and the higher partial will vanish =
into the universe (where they come from haha).
Therefor, you need a map of the hammer, you need lessons from a seasoned =
voicing technician, good ears, developed ears, and a sound voicing =
technique.

Thank you for your scientific approach.
I am a kind of moron when it comes to science, but I am more of a =
practical technician.

I'll do voicing work, of course, but it will be very minimal at first.  =
I'll save more extensive voicing until after I rescale/restring.  I must =
confess that I'm somewhat afraid of voicing technicians, as I've not had =
particularly good experiences with them in the past.  Perhaps I've just =
been a fussy client.  ;-)  I eventually found that I got closer to what =
I wanted by voicing the hammers myself than by hiring someone else to do =
it.  Of course if you were here, I'd gladly entrust my piano to you!  =
I'm thinking that I should perhaps try to attend a good voicing workshop =
at the next convention.  No?  Or perhaps I can find someone I like =
locally -- by trying out a number of older pianos, seeing how I like =
them, and then finding out who got them that way.

Question:  As long as I use reasonable care and don't tear up the fiber =
structure of the hammer, is all needling reversable with ironing and/or =
age hardening?

Anyway, what you describe rings true.  Now that the felt is setting in, =
it's a bit on the bright side.  At least it rises to brightness rather =
suddenly at mp/mf levels of play.  It would be nice to smooth this =
transition somewhat.  I'll be in touch, very soon, once I've given the =
hammers a bit more chance to settle in and stabilize, and once I have a =
bit more time on my hands.  First comes action work, though -- a new =
letoff button rail, and then a full regulation.

Peace,
Sarah

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