[pianotech] Regulation Question

[Matthew Todd]

I would recommend reading Artur Rubensteins book on technique.  A must for the serious pianist!  It will definitely clear up misconceptions on this subject!


TODD PIANO WORKS 
Matthew Todd, Piano Technician 
(979) 248-9578
http://www.toddpianoworks.com

--- On Sat, 2/28/09, Joseph Alkana <josephspiano at comcast.net> wrote:

From: Joseph Alkana <josephspiano at comcast.net>
Subject: RE: [pianotech] Regulation Question
To: toddpianoworks at att.net, pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Saturday, February 28, 2009, 6:04 PM








No it’s not opposite direction of forces, just a lot of compromising of muscle and timing issues. I know you think you are lifting and pushing down simultaneously, but that’s an impossibility. Or you observe different physics in a different universe than I do. It’s just wishful thinking on your part that you think you’re doing this. In reality there is a lot going on, and yes, the accomplished technique is capable of eliciting a different tone and power production from the piano. Much like my clarinet teacher’s flapping of his arms was contributing to the tone and emotion he was generating. Or a violinist thinking his reversal of the bowing direction never slows. Or a timpanist or bass drummer’s “pulling” the beat out of the drum. Hogwash. Simply contact time on the striking surface being employed very carefully. A lot of this “contact time” talk could be applied to the piano hammer and tone generation as quite a topic.
 
Did you solve your non functioning keys yet?
 
Joseph Alkana
 



From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Matthew Todd
Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2009 6:44 AM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] Regulation Question
 





Lifting your hand as you play the note is a technique pianists use.  It is opposite of striking the key.

 

If you think of it in slow motion, your hand comes down, your finger touches the key first, then "launches" away from it as you let the action do the rest, and play the note.  Requires hardly any force and you can play quite loudly if needed.



TODD PIANO WORKS 
Matthew Todd, Piano Technician 
(979) 248-9578

http://www.toddpianoworks.com


--- On Sat, 2/28/09, Joseph Alkana <josephspiano at comcast.net> wrote:
From: Joseph Alkana <josephspiano at comcast.net>
Subject: RE: [pianotech] Regulation Question
To: toddpianoworks at att.net , pianotech at ptg.org
Date: Saturday, February 28, 2009, 3:56 AM


I don’t understand how you can lift your hand and play the note at the same time. 
 
So you’ve checked that the jack is not “cheating”, or slipping out under the knuckle as you strike the key?
 
The back check is not catching the hammer tail, trapping the hammer on its way to the string?
 
Do you hear any extraneous noise cycling the action slowly?
 
Is the problem eliminated with action out of the piano?
 
Joseph Alkana
 




From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf Of Matthew Todd
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2009 5:13 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: [pianotech] Regulation Question
 





I was working on a Baldwin SF10 today.  On several of the keys, I could play the note if I put my finger on the key first, then lifted my hand as I played the note.  I could play forte or louder this way.  But if I struck the key with my finger, the hammer would not go up.

 

Any ideas?

 

If yes, what could be the issue?

TODD PIANO WORKS 
Matthew Todd, Piano Technician 
(979) 248-9578

http://www.toddpianoworks.com
 
 
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