KS 34: Mason A - The Weighoff
Identifying which keys lift less than target upweight is a sensible starting point for weighing off an action. At the most basic level, any key that will not lift 20...
Christopher Brown |
Chris Brown RPT
KS 34: Mason A - The Weighoff
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Prepare Well and Pay Attention
I have what might seem an odd first step suggestion for grand regulating: Pre-lift wire. This is a strategy to end up with no underlifted strings. When a piano is...
Chris Brown RPT |
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Relationship of Aftertouch to Backchecking
Q. Thoughts on aftertouch affecting checking? A. Aftertouch directly affects backchecking. If we define aftertouch as key travel after letoff, this can translate to backcheck travel after letoff, since the...
Christopher Brown |
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What is Aftertouch?
Another question from one of my videos on the chrisbrownrpt YouTube channel - Settle Compressibles and Refine (Jan. 2, 2013) Q. How does aftertouch correlate to let-off? Is it simply the...
Christopher Brown |
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How to Bore Grand Hammers to Custom Match String Heights
A question left in reference to one of my videos on hanging grand hammers finally receives a response after 2 years languishing unseen on YouTube. Come on, Chris... Q. With an...
Christopher Brown |
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Hammers Vertical at Strike or Tilted?
I received the following question from a technician in response to my 2012 video describing use of the Grandwork™ Squaring Platform and Hammer Square. Q: Do you also square up the...
Christopher Brown |
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Imperfect Agrafffes and Best String-to-Hammer Mating
The experienced regulator/voicer has filing skills, regulating chops, voicing tricks, and an array of solutions to apply in response to constraints of piano, time, budget, and the vicissitudes of by-eye...
Christopher Brown |
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Center of Gravity Tilt and Clearance Tilt Compete
I feel that what happens at strike is most crucial to the piano's TPR (tone, power, and repetition), and that the best result shares compromises proportionately to favor the hammer...
Christopher Brown |
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Tightening Centers without Disassembly and Safely Gang-Filing Straight-Bored Hammers
I employ the sharp point of a broach, inserting it in the bushing material, generally outside the assembled part, and turning it around the surface of an imaginary cone while...
Christopher Brown |
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"Bowed Plate Syndrome" Balances and Consolidates Downbearing
I think, whether by serendipity or design, such a configuration between plate and soundboard maximizes stability, resistance to collapse, and sensitivity to energy transfer from the strings. The bearing meets...
Christopher Brown |
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The Brass Comb and Sectional Centerpinning
Simplicities of travel and spacing, however, present challenges. General blackening of the shanks had occurred during this piano's long life, including a certain degree of proper charring. We started off...
Christopher Brown |
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Hammers Missing a String on a Hard Blow
...the miscreants should be repinned, properly filed, traveled to vertical, squared to vertical at strike, fit to strings by lifting strings (not left underlifted or overlifted) and see. And good...
Christopher Brown |
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Grand Regulating and Zen Archery: Knowing the Bullseye
Greatest simplicity is the essence of the bullseye. If the vertical axis of the bullseye hammer is tipped in any direction, it complicates strike, energy transfer, and bounce (tone, power,...
Christopher Brown |
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Bill Garlick: The Long Reach of Mentorship
I came to NBSS with three years experience as a piano technician, seeking to learn and hone my skills, certainly, but also full of my recently gathered "knowledge" and experience....
Christopher Brown |