Ed, had the same problem at my church. The sanctuary was a perfect parabola.
Original Message:
Sent: 12-15-2020 08:29
From: Ed Sutton
Subject: Booming Resonance in 1917 Steinway A-III
I had a call from a University. They were moving the music department to a restored historic building.
This was the day for the inaugural ceremony. They had moved a piano to the entry hall, and the damper pedal was broken, stuck.
I arrived and they played one short chord which rang on and on.
The dampers were working just fine.
Behind the piano was a three story marble staircase.
Clap once and the building clapped back a hundred times.
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Ed Sutton
ed440@me.com
(980) 254-7413
Original Message:
Sent: 12-15-2020 07:54
From: Peter Grey
Subject: Booming Resonance in 1917 Steinway A-III
Large glass can have a significant effect, and it can be position dependent (position of piano relative to glass). It can enhance the sound or cause problems...it depends. The only way to find out is test it out by dampening just like all the other possible sources.
As to struts, I just tap around the center of the strut with a finger. If it rings alot then just grab it and do your test.
Pwg
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Peter Grey
Stratham NH
603-686-2395
pianodoctor57@gmail.com
Original Message:
Sent: 12-14-2020 21:38
From: Ed Sutton
Subject: Booming Resonance in 1917 Steinway A-III
Your term "resonance" is not exactly clear.
Does this sound have an identifiable pitch? High, medium, low? Always the same?
Almost any part of the piano could resonate. Including the soundboard...a wolf soundboard tone!
You can glue thick cloth (back rail cloth) to a mallet and tap lightly all over the piano, looking for a place that produces a problem sound.
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Ed Sutton
ed440@me.com
(980) 254-7413
Original Message:
Sent: 12-14-2020 19:25
From: David Pritchard
Subject: Booming Resonance in 1917 Steinway A-III
There is glass in the room - large picture windows in fact, but when I put my head in the piano and pound the rim, the booming resonance sure sounds and feels like it is in the piano. Are you saying the glass could cause resonance with the soundboard? And would only one of the two Steinways in the room be affected by glass?
Original Message:Sent: 12/14/2020 7:17:00 PMFrom: Peter GreySubject: RE: Booming Resonance in 1917 Steinway A-III
David,
Yes, if it IS in the plate struts, you should be able to dampen it with your hand(s). If the test is positive (with resonance) you can buy a large long magnet and stick it on the worst one as a further test. This will lower the frequency of it and simply "change" it so it is hopefully not a bother.
If the test is negative then you're back to square one.
What about glass in the room? Is there any?
------------------------------Peter GreyStratham NH603-686-2395pianodoctor57@gmail.com Original Message:Sent: 12-14-2020 16:16From: David PritchardSubject: Booming Resonance in 1917 Steinway A-III
I haven't been back to the piano yet to experiment more, but is there a way to get rid of strut resonance? Should it stop if I dampen it with my hand as a test?
Original Message:
Sent: 12/9/2020 10:52:00 PM
From: Edward McMorrow
Subject: RE: Booming Resonance in 1917 Steinway A-III
I suspect a plate strut. Probably the longest one.
D's all have quite a bit of strut resonance. I have never been bothered with the problem on an A. Luck you!
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Edward McMorrow
Edmonds WA
425-299-3431
Original Message:
Sent: 12-09-2020 21:29
From: David Pritchard
Subject: Booming Resonance in 1917 Steinway A-III
In this case, I know it's the Steinway A. When I stand next to the A and put my head inside over the strings and bang on the rim with my fist, it is obviously the A that is resonating. I can do the same on my own A or in her B and you get the same boom and resonating of the soundboard, but much shorter.
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David Pritchard
Lynchburg VA
434-841-7735
Original Message:
Sent: 12-09-2020 15:01
From: Jim Ialeggio
Subject: Booming Resonance in 1917 Steinway A-III
Maybe you have it backwards...maybe the AIII is activating poorly damping strings on the B, and visa versa. I remember way back, finishing up a rebuild, spending an entire day trying to quiet wild damper after ring, when it turned out another piano in the shop, whose dampers I had removed, was the culprit...I felt rather silly, but one learns bit by bit.
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Jim Ialeggio
grandpianosolutions.com
Shirley, MA
978 425-9026
Original Message:
Sent: 12-09-2020 14:35
From: David Pritchard
Subject: Booming Resonance in 1917 Steinway A-III
Hey everyone,
I have a client that has a 20 year old Steinway B and a 100 year old Steinway A side by side. The A has this ongoing, booming resonance to it after you stop playing. For instance, if you play a quick loud chord, there is a long trailing resonance. She doesn't like it...
Here's what I know:
1. It's not the dampers as I can play the chord, lay my arm lightly across the strings, and the resonance persists.
2. I've laid stuff on the non-speaking part of the strings between the bridges and the hitch pins to temporarily mute that section and that doesn't help.
3. If I thump the side of the rim of the piano with my fist, you can hear a long booming resonance. When you do the same thing with the B, the resonance is quieter and lasts about 1/3 as long
4. You might think it has something to do with the era of the piano, but I also personally have a Steinway A that is 100 years old and my chord test and thump test do not produce that long resonance on my own piano. Both are the Steinway A3 (stretch) models. Mine is from 1916 and hers is from 1917.
So I am thinking it has something to do with soundboard/belly, etc. But I am no rebuilder so I have no idea if this is something that can be attenuated without a full rebuild.
Any ideas out there?
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David Pritchard
Lynchburg VA
434-841-7735
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