Terry, I have heard this argument before, and still tend to disagree with you on this. I believe this to be a mechanical amplifier system, just like the old type phonograph, moving something in a large action, when stimulated by a small action. Other mechanical amplifiers exist, eg. hydraulic systems, levers, and this should not be excluded from the category of amplifier. In fact the definition of a transducer is slightly incorrect, as, in the case of a soundboard, the amplification is purely physical motion ie. small movement of string to large movement of soundboard. The effect on the air movement (giving your definition of a transducer) is a follow on. In a vacuum the soundboard would still move, with no consequential sound. Just thinking out loud here, but maybe we could see the soundboard in isolation as a transducer between the mechanical motion and the air, but the soundboard system, incorporating the bridge and strings is definitely an amplifier. On 17 February 2011 08:06, Terry Farrell <mfarrel2 at tampabay.rr.com> wrote: > No, not pulling your leg here Doug. This has been the subject of a number > of threads on this forum. The soundboard is a transducer. All the energy > that (does indeed) move the soundboard comes from the vibrating strings. > There is no energy added to the system beyond what the strings are able to > provide. An amplifier is a device that uses an addition of power (most > commonly electricity - such as with a powered speaker) to increase the > motion of something and thus increase volume. > > The reason you don't hear the vibrating piano string very much without the > soundboard is that the surface area of the string is very small and simply > cannot move much air. When the string is coupled to the soundboard via the > bridge, the string moves the soundboard which has quite a lot of area, and > thus the volume is louder than the string by itself. However, it can only be > as loud as the string has energy and the soundboard is efficient - no energy > is added to the system. And thus the soundboard is a transducer. > > A transducer is a device that convert one form of energy into another. In > the case of the piano, the soundboard/bridge assembly converts the motion > energy of the metal strings into sound energy. Nothing is amplified. > > regards -- Bruce Browning The Piano Tuner -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://ptg.org/pipermail/pianotech.php/attachments/20110217/43297bd6/attachment.htm>
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