Modeling a Grand Piano Key Action

Berghe, Guido Van Den; Moor, Bart De; Minten, W

doi:10.2307/3680597

Cited by 10 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…His second set (paper'sF igure 19)p resents keya nd hammer motions in response to af orce applied to a2 -DOF model. Va nd en Berghe [11] presents a3 -DOF model. Again, the resulting key'sa nd hammer'sm otions in response to af orce look very similar to measurements.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Modelling the Dynamics of the Piano Action: Is Apparent Success Real?

Thorin¹,

Boutillon²,

Lozada³

2014

Acta Acustica united with Acustica

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The kinematics and the dynamics of the piano action mechanism have been much studied in the last 50 years and fairly sophisticated models have been proposed in the last decade. Surprisingly,simple as well as sophisticated models seem to yield very valuable simulations when compared to measurements. We propose here avery simple model, with only 1-degree of freedom, and compare its outcome with force and motion measurements obtained by playing areal piano mechanism. The model, purposely chosen as obviously too simple to be predictive of the dynamics of the grand piano action, appears either as very good or as very bad, depending on which physical quantities are used as the input and output. We discuss the sensitivity of the simulation results to the initial conditions and to noise and the sensitivity of the experimental/simulation comparisons to the chosen dynamical model. It is shown that force-drivensimulations with position comparisons, as theyare proposed in the literature, do not validate the dynamical models of the piano action. It is suggested that these models be validated with position-drivensimulations and force comparisons.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The keya nd the hammer are modelled, neglecting friction, butt he escapement is not considered. In 1995, Va nd en Berghe et al [11] considered a3 -DOF model where the whippen-lever-jack assembly is rigid. The escapement is therefore not modelled either.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling the Dynamics of the Piano Action: Is Apparent Success Real?

Thorin¹,

Boutillon²,

Lozada³

2014

Acta Acustica united with Acustica

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“…Our ultimate objective is to produce the simplest competent model to support real-time haptic rendering through a motorized synthesizer keyboard. The approach here is a departure from our own previous work (Gillespie and Cutkosky 1992) and that of others (Van den Berghe, De Moor, and Minten 1995;Hirschkorn 2004;Pineda 2005;Vyasarayani, Birkett, and McPhee 2009), each of which started with first principles and concluded in experimental verification. In effect, our empirically founded approach produces a model that is verified from the start.…”

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confidence: 95%

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confidence: 99%

“…These models range from the complex (Gillespie and Cutkosky 1992;Hirschkorn 2004;Pineda 2005;Van den Berghe, De Moor, and Minten 1995) to the relatively simple (Hayashi, Yamane, and Mori 1999). Modeling the map from keypress to hammer strike event is motivated by the need for improved electronic instruments with full-key motion sensing (Van den Berghe, De Moor, and Minten 1995) or improved designs for automatic (self-playing) pianos (Hayashi, Yamane, and Mori 1999). Also, models that capture the driving point impedance (mapping from mechanical input to mechanical response) support the design of haptic-enabled or force-reflecting electronic musical instruments inspired by the piano (Cadoz et al 1984;Gillespie 1992;Oboe 2006).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Characterizing the Feel of the Piano Action

Gillespie

Grijalva

et al. 2011

Computer Music Journal

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The array of keys that the piano presents to a musician seems at first glance quite innocent: a oneto-one mapping from 88 neatly laid-out locations to 88 discretely pitched tones. While the pianist's first challenge in playing a note is to navigate a finger into position within this field of black and white levers, the second challenge is to depress that key in a manner that produces the particular loudness and timing the pianist has in mind. Thus, in addition to the mapping from spatial location to pitch, the pianist must negotiate a second mapping: that from keypress (a trajectory over a brief time period) to hammer strike velocity and strike time (two scalars describing an event). Each key is not, after all, a trigger for the release of stored sound energy. Rather, each key is a means for converting mechanical work performed by a finger into acoustic energy radiating from the soundboard, as incited by a hammer strike on strings.The mapping from keypress to hammer strike event is realized by the piano action, the system of levers linking key to hammer. Three levers known as the whippen bottom, jack, and repetition lever intervene between the key and hammer (see Figure 1). Within this system, various contacts are made and broken in the course of a keypress, and the kinematic chain linking key to hammer undergoes significant changes in character. These changes support the various functions performed by the piano action, including escapement, check, and repetition. For example, escapement begins when a key is depressed and the jack tender contacts the let-off button. This causes the jack fly to pivot out from under the hammer shank knuckle, as the keypress continues

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Discrepancies in Pianists’ Experiences in Playing Acoustic and Digital Pianos

Arencibia

2020

Perspectives in Performing Arts Medicine Practice

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Modeling a Grand Piano Key Action

Cited by 10 publications

References 5 publications

Modelling the Dynamics of the Piano Action: Is Apparent Success Real?

Modelling the Dynamics of the Piano Action: Is Apparent Success Real?

Characterizing the Feel of the Piano Action

Discrepancies in Pianists’ Experiences in Playing Acoustic and Digital Pianos

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