partial answers

[Mike Spalding]

Yes!  That's it, exactly!  Now why couldn't I remember that - it's only 
been 40 years....

Mike

Jim Moy wrote:
> On 6/29/07, Allan Gilreath, RPT <allan at allangilreath.com> wrote:
>> "Why does the string divide into all of the
>> different available fractional segments and not just even multiples 
>> of two?"
>
> I seem to remember from my systems class in engineering school that a
> theoretical impulse contains *all* frequencies, and that a system's
> output will  filter, amplify, attenuate, etc. according to its
> characteristics.
>
> So in the case of a piano as a system, an impulse (hammer strike) is
> applied to the string and most frequencies rapidly dampen out, except
> those where nature of the string and the rest of the assembly (bridge,
> soundboard) cause them to dampen less rapidly according to the
> vibration physics we've all become acquainted with.
>
> Or at least, that's how I've modeled it in my head :-)  (and it's been
> a long time since I've been able to do anything like the math I did
> back then...)
>
> So maybe one response to Allan's apprentice would be to put on your
> best Yoda face and say "The wrong question you ask. Should not a
> string vibrate at all frequencies?"
>
> Jim Moy
> Fort Collins, Colorado
> (Not a technician -- hopefully someday -- merely a lurker until now...)
>