Lightening touch by changing damper timing redux

Piannaman@aol.com Piannaman@aol.com
Thu, 19 Jan 2006 02:44:12 EST


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=20
=20
Hmmm....seems like this idea has been met with a bit of skepticism, and by =20
many far more learned than I....
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Ric, if you don't think you can feel the damper lift with your finger,  play=
=20
a key REALLY slowly, especially where the tricord wedges  are.  You'll feel=20
it.  And if you can't feel the damper weight that  way, see how the keys fee=
l=20
when you play with the damper pedal depressed.
=20
Yes, manufacturers all have specifications for what should happen  where and=
=20
when.  But  why would they put spoons on the underlevers if  they weren't=20
expecting techs to use them from time to time?  And bending  the spoons has=20=
no=20
effect on the operation of the pedal, unless I really am  missing something=20=
here.=20
 I did adjust the trapwork-stop capstan down a  bit.
=20
I'm not saying this is the perfect way to change touchweight(real or =20
theortetical).  I will say that I was pleased with the result, and so were =20=
the=20
clients.  I'm just relaying information from personal experience. =20
=20
Dave S.
=20
In a message dated 1/18/2006 11:19:22 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, =20
remoody@midstatesd.net writes:

The damper timing I thought was  determined by the manufacturer.  When the=20
key goes down it meets a couple  of resistance points.  One, the end of the=20=
key=20
contacting the damper lift  lever (but who can feel that?) , and two, the ja=
ck=20
contacting the let off  button. (which everybody can feel)  Since the contac=
t=20
between the key and  damper lift lever is  what, 1/8 inch leeway what=20
difference does it  really make?  The most important consideration is that d=
ampers=20
lift as a  unit as the damper pedal is depressed so that =E2=80=9Chalf dampe=
ning=E2=80=9D can=20
be  utilized. =20
I can imagine asking any of the  piano makers including Seiler who show up=20
for the National Convention where  they prefer the key to hit the damper lev=
er=20
and why.   ---ric   _www.pnotec.com_ (http://www.pnotec.com/)  =20
=20
-----Original  Message-----
From:  pianotech-bounces@ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces@ptg.org] On Behal=
f=20
Of william ballard
Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2006 11:04  PM
To: Pianotech  List
Subject: Re: Lightening  touch by changing damper timing redux=20
=20
=20
On Jan 18, 2006, at 11:13 PM, _Piannaman@aol.com_ (mailto:Piannaman@aol.com)=
 =20
 wrote:

I've  read opinions about this where some techs say that changing damper =20
timing "doesn't really lighten the touch, it only gives that  perception." =20









=20
Remember of course that when we measure touch weights  on a grand action, th=
e=20
action is usually on the bench or otherwise separated  from the damper=20
assembly (say, by putting the sustain pedal on). In effect  you've made the=20=
action=20
feel as those the sustain pedal is on, even when it  isn't.


As  a piano player, the difference was quite noticeable in terms of weight=20
and  control.=20



=20
It's now alot easier to play staccato, but much harder  to play legato. The=20
conventional damper timing regulation would favor neither  of these, balanci=
ng=20
in the middle between the two of  them.
=20
=20
Mr.  Bill
=20

=20
"Can you check  out this middle C?. It "whangs' - (or twangs?)
=20
Thanks so much, Ginger"
=20
...........Service Request
=20
+++++++++++++++++++++
=20

=20

=20
List,=20
Some of you may  remember that a few months back I was asked to lighten the=20
action in a Seiler  186 grand.  I went about it by raising the damper lift t=
o=20
occur just  before letoff.  Instead of getting two bumps--one from damper=20
lifting  underlever and the other from jack hitting button--you get a single=
, more =20
elongated bump. The method I used at that time was raising the damper  wire=20
blocks.  It worked quite well, but it required regulating all of the  damper=
s=20
to lift evenly from the tray as well.  The whole thing took  around 2 hours.=
=20
A couple of days  ago, I achieved the same result on an earlier model of=20
Seiler (180) by  bending the spoons upward slightly.  Worked like a charm, a=
nd=20
took about  1/4 the time.  =20
I've read opinions  about this where some techs say that changing damper=20
timing "doesn't  really lighten the touch, it only gives that perception." =20=
As a=20
piano  player, the difference was quite noticeable in terms of weight and =20
control.  As a tech, I noticed a five gram difference when I measured  it. =20=
=20
The best two  features of this operation?  1).  It works   2).   It's easily=
=20
reversible.=20
Dave  Stahl

Dave Stahl Piano Service
650-224-3560
_http://dstahlpiano.net/_ (http://www.dstahlpiano.net/)=20


=20
Dave  Stahl

Dave Stahl Piano Service
650-224-3560
_http://dstahlpiano.net/_ (http://www.dstahlpiano.net/)=20

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