Don't overlook the opportunity to learn from Del himself this coming Saturday. Del will present a full day seminar on soundboard function and diagnosis.

Three hours will be spent on the subject of Strings,Scales and Downbearing. Another three hours on the subject of "The Killer Octave and other soundboard maladies."

Details can be found by going to:

www.Sacptg.org

Register online.

Don't miss it!

I would love to attend. Hope everyone enjoys!

I'm still waffling, Dale. I desperately need some serious down time--not driving, working, or being anywhere on a schedule--but I'd love to see Del's presentation.

Thanks for hosting the event and making it available to the tech community!

Grab an associate and split the driving? 2 hours max driving time! BTW, ever been to one of Del's classes, Dave?

I'm still on the fence as well. It sounds like an unusual opportunity to learn this material with people who practice this professionally and from whom I've had an opportunity already to learn a lot. On the other hand it is finals week here in Davis and I'm already pushing things by driving down to San Francisco to see Keith Jarrett Friday night. What a coincidence to have such events back to back! I still might make it.

Never been. Sounds like a great experience. I've got a co-pilot should I choose to go, it's the time away from home more than the driving, really.

The waffler returns....any room left here?

Yep! Look for a PM.

Dale,

Thanks to you, your wife, and daughter for hosting this. And thanks to Del for sharing 6+ hours of knowledge with all the who techs packed into your shop. It was good to meet some of the folks I know from PW and pianotech, and to see people I haven't seen for awhile.

If Del ever gives a seminar anywhere near you, don't miss it! There was too much shared information to elaborate on here, but plenty of interesting and useful information about scaling, soundboards, hammers and how they relate to tone was discussed. A day well spent!

They were very kind to let me come, as an interested player but non-tech--- especially since they had a full house for the event.

Del is giving some workshops at the upcoming PTG convention in Las Vegas, which looks like a fine event (but one at which I would find myself completely over my head). The funny thing is, I wish we could have had another day of this one. After going at the subject for the whole day, toward the end Del was just warming up and getting his teeth into it, in response to some very good questions from the audience. There was clearly a lot more meat to be gotten to.

One of Del's more admirable qualities is the extent to which he is willing to answer that, in certain areas, the experimental research hasn't been done and so he's not able to say what the results would be. He reminded me of my Plant Pathology professor, Dr. Raabe, who would never say, "I don't know," but would instead reply, "It isn't known..." His eye would rove the classroom "...and it would make a great research project for one of you."

And why not. I think it would be a very fine thing if he could make up a short list of unresearched questions, saying what data are required and what would constitute acceptable and useful data points. I would imagine there are people who read this forum who might be able to fabricate the apparatus, replicate the variables, and measure the results.

One of the big holdbacks in piano design is the deathly fear of innovation, and the crushing momentum of conservatism within the industry. And yet, even some of the biggest names have some glaring problems when their designs are scrutinized (which imitators copy endlessly).

The other big holdback is that so much basic research has simply never been done.

The first problem is hopeless; the second could be addressed. It is really about the future of the instrument, because the way people live has changed since 100 years ago (duh), and real pianos must adapt to real circumstances... or risk becoming yet another fossil relic. Can we picture a geologist of the future chiseling away the rock bed to reveal the keybed: "Wow, look at those teeth--- what kind of animal was this? Can we get a carbon date on these strata?"

What kind of future time could it be, when no one has even heard of a piano...

Dave,

It was very nice to have an almost full house. I know it was a bit of sacrifice for you and Clef to get here and therefore I am more appreciative. My wife and daughter thank you for the recognition. They were a big part in making things fairly smooth!

We;re also glad that the weather was perfect. Too bad I had to close the doors near the end to keep out the skeeters.

Jeff Clef,

Glad you enjoyed coming. I think there is always something for everyone at any one day seminar we try to put on. Del, delivered as always!

Dale, you and your family were the greatest hosts! And Dell (and his beautiful wife)... you're right, a real privilege to get to be there and learn from him. I'm still thinking what he taught over, trying to get it to sink in and 'take'. You had the perfect space for it; I kept picturing what your work must be like there.

Driving up with Dave was not exactly a sacrifice (unless I sacrificed some boredom, which I would have had, driving alone). We had some good talks and were lucky with the traffic.

Getting to play the Fandrich upright in your home was a special bonus treat--- a rare piano I never expected to see in person. Now I want to drive up there sometime and visit at their place and workshop.

Thanks,

Victor

Wish I'd tuned it!

Thank you all for the kind remarks. Presenting these seminars are a lot of work both for me and especially for the hosts of the event. (Thank you Dale & family! And Gene and all the others who worked hard to pull it off so smoothly. And thank you Dale and Brett for the wonderful dinner last night.)

I will continue to work on, and refine, this presentation. I have a few more ideas for string tests and comparisons to make in the future.

I am now working on getting my new accelerometers hooked up and working with the fft spectrum analyzer so I can record a visual plot of what we are hearing with the various strings. Once this is working I plan to publish at least some of the results.

ddf