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Innovations In The Piano
Piano construction is by now a rather conservative area; most of the technological advances were made by about 1900, and indeed it is possible that some contemporary piano buyers might actually be suspicious of pianos that are made differently from the older kind. Yet piano manufacturers, especially the smaller ones, are still experimenting with ways to build better pianos. In the early 21st century, the obvious way to raise the technological level of any mechanical device is to use digital technology to control it (compare the mid 19th century, where the obvious route was to make some of its parts from steel; e.g. piano strings). Of course, digital technology ''has'' been incorporated into pianos, and this innovation is discussed below. But in a sense, it is a far greater challenge to improve the piano in its own terms, as a mechanical/acoustic device. This challenge pits the modern piano designer against some of the finest engineering minds of the nineteenth century, an era when ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Agraffe
An agraffe is a part used principally on grand pianos. The agraffe is a guide at the tuning-pin end of the string, screwed into the plate, with holes through which the strings pass. It positions the strings vertically and laterally, determines the string's speaking length, and offers a clean termination from which the string can vibrate. Agraffes are used in the bass, tenor, and lower treble, but commonly give way to a '' capo d'astro'' bar in the upper treble. Agraffes are usually made of solid brass, and come in 1, 2 or 3-string configurations. For American pianos they are available in two sizes (1/4" and 7/32" finely threaded studs). The string holes are typically countersunk to eliminate the likelihood of buzzing, even as the agraffes wear. They are installed with their width perpendicular to the strings. Agraffe is also a term for the wire netting that surrounds the cork in a champagne bottle, enabling the cork to remain in place despite the high carbonic acid pressure in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
