Alexey Fridman, "Piano Design and Sound Generation"

Piano Design and Sound Generation Piano Design and Sound Generation

student Alexey Fridmanstudent Alexey Fridman

Piano Design and Sound Generation Piano Design and Sound Generation

student Alexey Fridmanstudent Alexey Fridman

PianoPiano

326.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation

Basic configurationsBasic configurations

426.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation

Grand pianoGrand piano Upright pianoUpright piano

Piano partsPiano parts

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 5

• keyboard & action

• iron plate & strings

• soundboard

• case (rim)

• pedals

Piano partsPiano parts

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 6

keyboard & actionkeyboard & action

• iron plate & strings

• soundboard

• case (rim)

• pedals

Keyboard (88 keys)Keyboard (88 keys)

726.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation

Playing rangePlaying range OctavesOctaves• five-line

• four-line

• three-line

• two-line

• one-line

• small

• great

• contra

• sub-contra

Notes namesNotes names

Grand piano mechanical actionGrand piano mechanical action

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 8

Grand piano mechanical actionGrand piano mechanical action

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 9

repetition systemrepetition system

Grand piano mechanical actionGrand piano mechanical action

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 10

Grand piano mechanical actionGrand piano mechanical action

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 12

Vertical piano actionVertical piano action

1326.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation

Piano partsPiano parts

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 14

keyboard & actionkeyboard & action

• iron plate & strings

• soundboard

• case (rim)

• pedals

Piano partsPiano parts

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 15

keyboard & action

iron plate & stringsiron plate & strings

• soundboard

• case (rim)

• pedals

FrameFrame

16

Plate of a Steinway grand piano

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation

made of cast iron

string tension > 20 tons

Sound frequency of stringsSound frequency of strings

17

Vibrational modes of an ideal string, dividing the string length into integer divisions, producing harmonic partials f, 2f, 3f, 4f, etc. (where f means fundamental frequency).

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation

Sound frequency of stringsSound frequency of strings

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 18

512 Hz 1024 Hz256 Hz

Three strings tuned to the same frequency

StringsStrings

1926.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation

• loud attack

• fast decay

• long sustain

String length and massString length and mass

20

Strings vary in length and thickness, so that many octaves can fit on one sounding board

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation

Piano partsPiano parts

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 21

keyboard & action

iron plate & stringsiron plate & strings

• soundboard

• case (rim)

• pedals

Piano partsPiano parts

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 22

keyboard & action

iron plate & strings

soundboardsoundboard

case (rim)case (rim)

• pedals

Soundboard & rimSoundboard & rim

2326.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation

soundboardsoundboard soft and flexible

outerouter rimrim hard and immobile

Piano partsPiano parts

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 24

keyboard & action

iron plate & strings

soundboardsoundboard

case (rim)case (rim)

• pedals

Piano partsPiano parts

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 25

keyboard & action

iron plate & strings

soundboard

case (rim)

pedalspedals

PedalsPedals

2626.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation

Piano partsPiano parts

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 27

keyboard & action

iron plate & strings

soundboard

case (rim)

pedalspedals

Piano partsPiano parts

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 28

keyboard & actionkeyboard & action

iron plate & stringsiron plate & strings

soundboardsoundboard

case (rim)case (rim)

pedalspedals

Thank youThank you

2926.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation

26.01.2011 Piano design and sound generation 30

Thank youThank you