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THE:
MUSIC TRADE
REVIEW
13
man—to "explain away" the existence of an heir
to a candidate for the Papacy.
THE REVIEW'S TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT.
Conducted and Edited by Wm. B. White.
[Contributions are invited for this department from members of the industry bearing strictly on the practical side
of the craft
Communications must be signed with the name and address ot the sender
The editor ac-
cepts no responsibility for the opinions of correspondents.]
Judging from the letters of inquiry, counsel
and request that come each week to the editor
of this department, a large percentage of the.
earnest, practical workers in the pianoforte in-
dustry are becoming accustomed to look to this
page for answers to, advice and views on any
and all questions that have any bearing upon
the technical side of the craft. The response
that has been made seems to have justified the
idea which stimulated the editor of this paper
to make the experiment of establishing this de-
partment. We are not going to be satisfied, how-
ever, until we know that a large majority of the
practical men are taking an active hebdomadal
interest in our department; nor do we fail to
recognize the fact that this ideal is high and not
easily attained. Nevertheless, it is plain that the
Technical Department is steadily assuming the
position in the trade of a modern oracle of
Delphi; with this advantage over its classic pro-
totype, that the presiding deity by no means dis-
dains to call in outside advice when necessary.
Indeed, as far as we are concerned, we could find
room for even more suggestions from disinter-
ested experts than are coming to us now. If we
have any complaint, it is that our appreciative
readers are too often apparently afflicted with a
sense of modesty that forbids them to come for-
ward with suggestions of their own, and puts
upon the editorial shoulders the entire responsi-
bility for the views promulgated here. We wel-
come any and all suggestions of new ideas or
corrections of old ones, and the reader who at
any time catches us in a false or incorrect state-
ment will confer a favor by letting us know of it
instanter.
Few Questions that we have discussed have
aroused the same interest as that of the player-
piano. We are in receipt of quite a number of
letters upon the subject, and while they present
nothing of striking novelty in their views, the
general tenor of them is interesting. One thing,
at least, is revealed by these correspondents—
the fact that few of them have as yet given any
serious thought to the new problems that player-
pianos present. In other words, this simply
means that a very large number of tuners are
entirely unprepared to meet these instruments,
and are bound to have serious trouble in over-
coming the various difficulties that player mech-
anisms involve. Now, the player action is quite
a serious enough thing as it stands, and certainly
cannot afford to be knocked about by every
tuner whose genius for discover may outrun his
technical knowledge. Consequently, it seems
to us that a course of articles upon the subject,
illustrated with drawings, will be of very great
help to the tuners at large, and we are glad to
be able to announce that such a series of articles
are now in preparation and will be published in
this department at an early date. This step is
taken in pursuance of our continual desire to
serve the best interests of all practical men, tun-
ers, repairers and others, by bringing to their
notice all new ideas, inventions, and movements
that from time to time are put forth.
We take some little pride in mentioning once
more that our early dissertations on the small
grand did at the time undoubtedly arouse, and
have continued to awaken great interest among
all classes of piano men. We are glad to be able
to say, in fact, that this interest has penetrated
to the very highest ranks of the industry. For
instance, we were recently taken to task by the
head of one of the largest and most eminent
houses in the country for certain statements rela-
tive to the limitations of the grand. Our corre-
spondent, who for obvious reasons, forbad us
to use his name, objected to the implication that
horizontal pianofortes of less than six feet in
length did not deserve the name of "grand." He
proceeded to illustrate his counter-argument by
the example of the small grand made by
his own house, and challenged us to maintain
our position in the face of an exhaustive exam-
ination of this particular instrument. This ex-
amination has since been made, and as the little
grand in question is a very superior example of
the whole type, there is some interest in a
further analysis of this style of pianoforte.
THAT SMALL GRAND PROBLEM AGAIN.
If there is one thing more conspicuous than
another among the various considerations in-
volved in the problem of small grand design, it
is the necessary and inevitable clash between
space-limitations and correct string-lengths.
Leaving out of the question for a moment the
consideration of sound-board area, we may make
a short examination of the string problem, as an
appendix to the previous discussion of the sub-
ject. It is quite obvious, as we have said before
in these columns, that the high treble sections
present no very difficult problem. On the con-
trary, it is quite possible to scale the two or three
highest octaves at practically the ideal lengths.
Trouble begins, however, as we continue toward
the middle of the instrument, and from the
octave above middle C down to the longest plain
wire strings, the problem becomes progressively
more difficult. For to maintain something like
an even tonal balance, we must compensate for
the ideal string lengths that the small length
of the instrument forbids. Something can be
done by cutting down the waste ends and apply-
ing the extra material thus gained to the speak-
ing lengths. This may necessitate the use of an
extension bridge at this part of the scale, al-
though careful designing should obviate the need
of this. Something more can be gained by a
fan-like or other disposition of the strings. But
these expedients are generally quite insufficient,
and we are compelled to fall back upon the de-
vice of thickening the strings and covering such
of them as lie nearest to the overstringing, to a
greater or less number. And it is at this point
that the real difficulty presents itself. Here it is
that designers most often fail. This is not a
criticism of any particular make, but a state-
ment of fact. For we must not fail to realize
that, whatever modifications are made, one ratio
strings as we may, cover them if we will, the
must be religiously conserved. Thicken the
strings as we may, cover them as we will, the
striking distance must at all hazards be main-
tained.
Can it then be doubted that the specific prob-
lem in small grand design is to be found adja-
cent to and above the overstringing? Can we
wonder at the continual experimentation that is
required for success? It is not difficult to under-
stand that in dealing with these long treble
strings we are treading close to the edge of the
chasm that yawns between the tone qualities of
the grand and upright. Remember that a grand
action and a grand touch assist but do not pro-
duce a grand tone. First and foremost must
come the correct distribution of the string
lengths and this with due respect to the three
existing conditions: space, striking distance, and
tonal result.
These three conditions, whatever affinities they
may have within certain environments, become
antagonistic when attacked by this elusive re-
agent, the small grand. It is difficult, indeed,
to reconcile these diverse elements; as difficult
as the task that Disraeli once said might be
within the power of Gladstone, but of no other
It may, indeed, be said that the criterion of
success in small grand designing is to be found
in the manner of treating the longest treble
strings. We have indicated something of the
methods whereby compensation may be made
for the necessarily contracted lengths. The exact
proportions and ratios of these compensatory
variations can be determined only by empirical
experimentation for each particular case. We
have, however, laid down some general axioms
that in all cases are applicable. If to these be
added the postulate of uniform striking distance,
the main conditions that limit solution of the
problem may be considered as sufficiently stated.
We have said little about the bass strings,
properly so called, and still less of the sound-
board.
These omissions are deliberate and
of malice aforethought.
For we conceive
that the main difficulty resides in the place
to which we have been giving so much
attention, while the bass string problem
is complementary to this. On the other hand,
sound-board area is irrevocably determined by
the size of the instrument, and is not susceptible
of any important variation from the limits thus
arbitrarily set up for it.
The bass strings, of course, require to be de-
signed with correct proportions. For it is, of
course, necessary that every fraction of an inch
be utilized in obtaining the greatest possible
lengths. The extension bridge may be used here
with much effect. Again we find that the neces-
sity for maintaining the uniform striking dis-
tance is most apparent, while the details of cov-
ering and tension are, as before, matters for ex-
perimental determination.
The question of sound-board area received con-
siderable attention at our hands some time ago,
and the publication of our views caused no little
comment, both friendly and the reverse. It will
be remembered that we took occasion to say that
the cutting down of sound-board area could not
proceed beyond a certain point without causing
damage to tone-quality and tone-volume that
could not be regained in any other way. This
statement, to our surprise, caused much unfa-
vorable comment. Some correspondents went so
far as to contend that the functions of the sound-
board were performed by it with equal efficiency
whether it were of the largest or smallest size.
With such a view we are unable to agree. It
seems to us to be certain that the amplitude of
impressed vibrations must vary directly as the
resonant surface, and that the area of sound-
board is therefore definitely concerned with the
volume of tone produced. Again, the question of
tone-quality must be considered. Experience
shows that the largest instruments, with the
greatest possible sound-board areas, are possessed
of a peculiar roundness and fulness of tone, quite
irrespective of intensity of sound. While un-
doubtedly much of this peculiar quality is to be
credited to the lengths of string, there is no
doubt that the extent of resonating surface has
very much to do with the tone-color. Of course,
we make no reference to tone-regulation, which
cannot change the fundamental character of the
tone-quality possessed by an instrument. This is
determined earlier in the process of construction
by the conditions that we have named.
We cannot but conclude, therefore, that the
small grand is handicapped to no small degree by
its small sound-board and short strings. Upon
the skill of the designer depends whatever ap-
proximation is attained to ideal color and vol-
ume.
Considered from the point of view of its
probable field of use—chamber and home music—
these disadvantages, as far as the listener is con-
cerned, are seen to be largely overcome, while
better tried skill and more careful experimenta-
tion are bound to produce continually more re-
markable results.
These remarks are not intended as part of any
destructive criticism. They are mere statements
of fact, and we may be permitted to cherish the
hope that the various hints given here will not
be without value to students of the art.