[pianotech] inharmonicity in piano wire

[Ron Nossaman]

>I would at first think that higher tension in the string would 
> increase even more the difficulty to bend the string at the attach 
> points.  Anyone on this ?

Think of it this way. A lower tension string will go through a 
wider excursion of movement than a higher tension for a 
similar energy input. The lower the tension, the wider the 
excursion, and the more flex there is at the terminations, so 
the wire stiffness has a greater affect on inharmonicity. The 
higher the tension, the narrower the excursion, and the 
smaller the flex at the terminations. The higher tension means 
the wire doesn't have to flex as far to do it's job, so the 
inharmonicity lowers.

Ron N