Music Trade Review

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THE MUS5C TRADE
REVIEW
13
shall not a t all tend to disurb its equilibrium.
Such are the principal features of the design
of pressure bars. There are many distinguished
Discussed in a Series of Interesting Papers—The Problem of Designing an Upright Pianoforte makes in which this form is replaced by some
—The Matter of Steel Wire, Bridging, Pressure Bar, Sound-Boards, Ribbing and Other adaptation of the grand methods of construction.
Features Analyzed Exhaustively—Many Points of Value.
One eminent house, indeed, goes so far as to re-
produce the capo d'astro construction in their
Written Especially for The Review—Copyrighted, 1904, Edward Lyman Bill.
large uprights, which are called by them "Verte-
average of tension. When this is necessary, or grands." Without the slightest desire to cavil
ARTICLE XI.
when it appears that the proper proportional at the achievements of this distinguished firm,
THE PROBLEM OF DESIGNING AN UPRIGHT PIANOFORTE.
In approaching the actual problem of design- length cannot be secured, then it may be well to it must be said that the benefits of such a form
of construction do not seem to be sufficient to
ing a pianoforte in the upright form, we are not increase the weight of a certain number of
compelled to search for any new principles. The groups of strings. But it should always be re- warrant the abandonment of the pressure bar
laws that have already been laid down and that membered that there is already too much of a form in favor of any imitation of the grand.
have guided us in our discussion of the grand tendency to increase the volume of tone by such The pressure-bar type provides the necessary
bearing without the interposition of those pon-
form will suffice for the purpose of the present means at the expense of clarity and purity.
If the designer will always bear in mind that derous masses of metal that the capo d'astro
task. We shall only find it necessary, therefore,
to adapt them to the changed conditions that now the utilization of every inch of space for the form requires. The latter always has a tendency
speaking lengths of the strings is most impor- to favor upper dissonant partials and to produce
confront us.
The first problem to be solved, as was the case tant and that a neglect of this matter will surely an unduly cloudy and impure tone in the bass
with the grand, is concerned with the lengths result in the production of a thick and impure and an equally unpleasant tinkle in the treble.
The upright pianoforte is primarily intended for
of the strings. Now, there are a large number of tone, he will be on the road to overcoming one of
different sizes of upright pianos. Of these, the the great obstacles to the correct building of the the home and there is no reason why manufac-
turers should attempt to give it an enormous
largest usually have a height of about four feet upright pianoforte.
volume of tone that is neither necessary nor de-
UPRIGHT BRIDGING.
and ten inches, while the smaller are often no
In the matter of the bridging of the strings sirable for "the drawing-room orchestra," as the
higher than four feet. Under these circumstances
it is obvious that the problem of maintaining sat- the upright presents different problems to those upright pianoforte has been so aptly dubbed.
UPRIGHT BELLY BRIDGINC.
isfactory string lengths is a serious one. We have that have already been discussed. But this is not
Little need be said in this regard, for the prob-
already been forced to the conclusion that there to say that there are any new principles to be
are minimum lengths for pianoforte strings. We elucidated. The practice of bridging generally lems to be met with are essentially similar to
know that the greatest possible lengths and the differs as far as details are concerned, but, of those that arise in the designing of these bridges
for grands. The rules that have already been
smallest possible weights should be always aimed course, the underlying principles are the same.
laid down and the recommendations that have
at. But it is difficult to arrange for proper lengths
THE PRESSURE BAR.
in a piano of which the height is very little more
In the construction of the upright pianoforte been made apply with equal force to the upright
than four feet. Something can be done, however, a conspicuous feature (which tends to differen- pianoforte. There is sometimes a difficulty in
after the following manner: In the first place it tiate that form from the grand, at least as far maintaining the proper curve of the belly bridges
is generally possible to utilize more of the availa- as concerns the bridging) is what is known as in uprights on account of the space limitations,
ble length for the speaking portions of the strings the pressure bar. This device has superseded which make the problem of metal framing some-
in an upright than in a grand.
In the both the old-fashioned pinned bearing bridge and what complicated; and it will be found that the
second place, the rectangular form of the sound- the later agraffe forms. It consists, essentially, design of the framing in some makes of uprights
board and of the metal framing permit the em- of a bar of heavy metal that is screwed into the is such that the iron bracings interfere with the
ployment of strings that have the ideal lengths in wrest-plank through the metal frame and is true curve of the bridges to the detriment of tone
nearly the whole compass of the instrument. A placed so that the strings pass under it on the quality and purity. It need hardly be said that
little thought will make this clear. There is no way to the tuning pins. In fact it occupies the under all circumstances the curve of the belly
difficulty in scaling the highest strings at the same position as do the agraffes or capo d'astro bridge should, at all costs, strictly be maintained,
same lengths as are recommended for the grand. bar on the grand. Its function is also similar, while the continuity that has already been
A length of less than two inches for the highest namely; accurately to delimit the speaking recommended is equally important.
note means a length of less than thirty-two inches lengths of the strings at the upper end and to
UPRIGHT SOUND-BOARDS.
for the note that represents "middle C." Now, assist in the formation of a thrust or bearing
It is a fact not generally appreciated that the
there is really no reason why even a small up- whereby the latter may more advantageously be shape of the upright pianoforte makes possible
right should not have a "middle C" group of secured.
an area of sound-board larger in proportion to
strings thirty-two inches long. When we ap-
This form of building the bearing bridge pos- the area of the whole instrument than will be
proach the covered string, however, we find that sesses important advantages. It does not require found in any but the largest grands. For it is
the space limitations impose upon us a compro- to be cast into the frame, nor is it weakened, as easy to perceive that the outline of the upright
mise. It is impossible to scale the bass strings at in the agraffe system, by being broken up into a permits the sound-board to be built in the form
the ideal lengths and we must in consequence re- large number of units. Moreover, the bearing for of a rectangle, of which the sides are generally
sign ourselves to the necessity of increasing the the strings is formed much more smoothly and somewhat longer than the top and bottom.
proportionate weights of them although we know easily between the pressure bar and its attendant Obviously, the area of the sound-board is limited
the risk that exists of clouding and thickening the ribs on the plate than is possible when either the only by the height of the instrument and not by
quality of tone.
agraffes or the capo d'astro bar are used. This is any necessary modifications of its shape. This
an important point, f or such construction tends being the case, the resonance apparatus of a
STEKL WIRE IN UPRIGHTS.
The observations that we have already made in to make the task of tuning much more rapid and large upright may be of the most generous size,
and some makers seem to have found it too
the earlier part of the present discussion, in correct.
There are, however, several points to be con- large, as they have gone so far as to cut off a
reference to the characteristics of the steel wire
that is employed for the strings, are equally ap- sidered in the designing of pressure bars. As portion of the board in order, apparently, to
plicable to the particular case presented by the a general thing, it is impracticable to apply this equalize the resonance power throughout the
scale.
upright pianoforte. It will not be necessary, form to the bass strings on account of the fact
The remarks that have already been made in
therefore, to repeat what has already been said that the overstringing requires of them
in this regard. The wire is usually graded, as to a slanting direction. On this account the reference to possible improvements in sound-
thickness, with a similar regard for the desid- pressure bar cannot be made properly to main- board design are particularly applicable to the
erata of maximum length and minimum thick- tain the obliquely-running strings in their re- case of the upright pianoforte. In fact, the
ness. At the same time the rules that have been spective places. It is therefore usual to build greater number of experiments in this direction
laid down with reference to the proportionate the bass bridge after the old pinned type and have been made upon the upright rather than
lengths are, of course, just as important whether thus to secure the bass strings by much the same upon the grand. The reader is invited to re-
peruse the portions of this essay that treat of
we are considering the grand or the upright device as is employed in the belly bridges.
As far as the designing of pressure bars is con- improvements in sound-board design and to note
forms. Experience and the practice of the best
makers justifies the assumption that the use of cerned, it will be found that care must be that the double non-ribbed board 'has already
copper wire for wrapping the bass strings, and exercised in arranging the space that the bar been applied with success to the upright piano-
the scaling of them at the maximum of length must occupy and its position with regard to the fortes of a New York maker.
SOUND-BOARD RIBBING.
and the minimum of weight are equally to be scale ribs that are placed on each side of it and
If the design, however, contemplates rather the
recommended both for the upright and the grand. that support the strings before and after their
In the design of grand pianofortes many ex- passage under it. In general it may be said that older single board type it will be necessary to
cellent makes have a certain number of those the pressure bar must be screwed in such a posi- make some observations upon the ribbing there-
strings that are adjacent to but not included tion that its lower curved surface is lower than of. The shape of the upright sound-board is such
within the overstrung portion, also covered with the upper surfaces of the scale ribs by about one- that the ribbing may be placed in more than one
wrapping.
It may be considered doubtful half of the height of the latter. It must also way upon its under surface. Thus i t will be
whether this practice should ever be reproduced describe a curve that corresponds to the dip or found that some makers dispose the ribs in a
in the upright. In special cases, of course, it angle of the scale and must be secured by enough fan-like manner, having the diverging points of
may be necessary to increase the weight of cer- screws (one between each three string-groups is the fans at the upper end of the board, while
tain strings for the purpose of preserving the usual), to ensure that the pull of the strings others adopt an oblique disposition and arrange
THE PROBLEM OF PIANO SCALE DESIGN.