On Oct 19, 2008, at 11:17 PM, BobDavis88 at aol.com wrote: > In a message dated 10/18/2008 2:38:30 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, oorebeek at planet.nl > writes: > Only part of the hammer is the shock absorber, but it is the most > important part of the hammer and the basis for a decent voicing. > Andre - > > Would you mind elaborating? Maybe a difference in definition here, > but I think of a shock absorber (as on a car) as a mechanism to > convert energy into heat (through hydraulic means). This would seem > to me the antithesis of what we want, which is a loss-less means of > storing energy and returning it to the string over a varying (and > adjustable) period of time. > > Bob Davis Hi Bob and Listers. Just to make sure we understand each other : As we all know, a brand new hammer basically needs two voicings : 1. the first voicing, during which we apply a cushion, the shock absorber 2. the second voicing, during which we even out the highs and the lows, adjust tonal volume, make the left pedal voicing and apply 'cosmetics'. As the new hammer is 'usually' stone hard, or at least too hard (or so it should be), the tone will be loud, nasal and shrill. That is because the higher partials predominate. To make the tone more pleasant and agreeable we need to create some lower partials as well. Therefor we make a 'cushion' and the cushion area is between the basis of the hammer and the crown. The cushion becomes in fact the shock absorber and acts as a 'go between' between the loaded and powerful basis, the "battery", and the sensitive crown and near-crown area. To make the 'right' cushion is, according to me, the most difficult thing about voicing. It is about creating the 'right' tone, the 'right' balance between power, loudness, and that in great variety, according to a multiple taste. Making a good and healthy cushion/absorber in a professional way (time wise), requires great skill and vast experience. friendly greetings from André Oorebeek Antoni van Leeuwenhoekweg 15 1401 VW, Bussum the Netherlands tel : +31 35 6975840 gsm : +31 652 388008 "where Music is, no harm can be" -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: https://www.moypiano.com/ptg/pianotech.php/attachments/20081020/ee324757/attachment.html
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