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From my understanding, the hammer strikes the string at a specific spot for the best sound. A longer string requires the hammer be further away from the player - bigger piano, bigger actions. So the action from a nine footer - the length of the key (on the inside), would be longer than say, the action of a seven footer. If I'm wrong, I know I'll be corrected.
Yamaha AvantGrand N1X | Roland RD 2000 | Sennheiser HD 598 headphones
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Here we go ... http://www.tnacadsci.org/science-ph...t-of-hammer-striking-point-on-string.htm Each string in the piano is struck by a hammer, which is a felt-covered mallet, to start it vibrating. Each of the 88 keys on a standard size piano keyboard activates one hammer, but each hammer strikes one, two or three strings, depending on its pitch. The lowest pitches only require one heavy bass string, some notes require two strings tuned to the same pitch, and most notes on the piano require three strings. This design is a balance of science and practicality.
In order to produce the best quality of sound, each string of the piano must be struck at a particular point along its length. This point has been found to be between 1/8 and 1/7 of the distance from one end of the vibrating portion of the string. Exactly 1/8 of the distance would not be optimal. The reason for this may be explained by a principle of the science of physics, concerning the nature of vibrating cords. Each cord vibrates in equal sections at the same time as it vibrates as a whole. That is, it vibrates in two equal sections, three equal sections, and so on. If a hammer struck a piano string exactly on one of the “nodesâ€Â between vibrating sections, that particular set of vibrations would not be effectively activated. For example, if you struck the string in the exact middle, it could vibrate as a whole, and in thirds, but not very well in halves or quarters, because the middle is a node between the vibrating sections of those partials.
A striking point between 1/8 and 1/7 of the distance from the end avoids all the nodes for at least the first seven partials, which are the strongest. To obey this principle of science, it is only necessary to arrange the geometry of a piano in such a way that a row of hammers in a straight line will all strike their respective strings at the appropriate “sweet spotâ€Â where the best tone will be produced.
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Interesting. You learn something new every day. I assume this constraint (distance from front of keys to 1/7-1/8 of the strings) actually binds, so that larger grands actually have longer keys. Right?
After all, 1/7-1/8 of the length of the strings in a 9 foot grand is only like a foot. That doesn't seem all that long for a grand piano key (starting at the back of the key).
I can certainly believe there's a difference. It's a question of fact. I just don't see based on this info that there necessarily must be a difference. For example, on bigger grands you could simply have the strings come some inches closer to the keyboard than they do on a smaller grand and then use the same size of keys on everything.
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The strings are already as close to the front as they can be.
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I was reading the dimensions of the N1 vs. N2. The N1 is 4 inches deeper than the N2. You don't really notice this in the brochure pictures. I wish Yamaha would show all three models in an x-ray view so you can see the speaker configurations.
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I wish Yamaha would show all three models in an x-ray view so you can see the speaker configurations.
What are you going to do with the visual information? I would just sit down, play the beast, and use my ears.
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Friends who have a son in the local conservatory invited themselves over last night to play my N3. They need to buy (or have their old grand seriously worked on) a new piano for their son. I had called them earlier in the week to let them know a local store has the N1 on the floor. The kid like the action but didn't like the sound. I asked if he had to choose between an upright and this technology what his choice would be. That was a tough question for him. I don't know what they're going to purchase. They don't have much money and their choices are limited. They want a real grand and I think a new grand might be unaffordable for them. Everyone has different considerations. While I can tell and appreciate the sound difference between a real grand and my N3, it's a difference that doesn't bother me. For me it's the grand piano action and the perfectly in tune feature that keeps me coming back. I'm guess I'm not much of a purist. I was a classical organ major when I started college and I would practice at home on a Hammond B3.
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I wish Yamaha would show all three models in an x-ray view so you can see the speaker configurations.
What are you going to do with the visual information? I would just sit down, play the beast, and use my ears. I like technology and the N2 hides the speakers unlike the N3. I'm also wondering if the bass speakers are configured to work together with a port. I mean it's interesting that Yamaha didn't consider bigger speakers for bass. I mean 16cm is tiny for bass response. I'm not dissing my N2. I love it for the same reasons (tune/action) as well as not worrying about environmental issues hurting the piano. I imagine the sound like I'm in a studio and I'm recording using head phones (even if I'm not wearing head phones.) I also like switching between the piano sounds. I like playing #2 when I play with Aebersold. I also find it easy to work on a specific technical issue over and over without getting bored.
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:34 PM
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Piano
by Gino2 - 04/17/24 02:23 PM
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