Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info
MMD > Archives > May 1998 > 1998.05.06 > 15Prev  Next


Hammer Acceleration and Velocity
By Jeff Davis

If I can remember back twenty odd (at least some were) years to my
college Physics, a great deal of time was spent discussing force,
velocity, and acceleration.  As it was put simply to this Freshman,
acceleration is a change in velocity and can only come about through
a force applied to the subject over some period of time.

In our example here, the force is the pianist pushing down on the key
for the time it takes the hammer to go through let-off.  After that
point, the hammer can no longer be under any force and cannot,
therefore, be accelerating.

That said, a very firm blow in a grand can make the hammer shank bend,
or "whip".  That is, the knuckle end of the shank moves sooner and
faster than the hammer end, where there is a relatively large mass.
In this case, it may be possible for the hammer to accelerate after
let-off, as it unbends.  Has anyone ever seen an ultra slow motion view
of this? I am curious as to whether the shank straightens before impact
or whether this is significant to tone.  By the way, in some pianos,
a firm blow can make the key whip, also.

Jeff Davis,
Seattle


(Message sent Wed 6 May 1998, 04:15:30 GMT, from time zone GMT-0400.)

Key Words in Subject:  Acceleration, Hammer, Velocity

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page