Chords for the modern upright piano action

Tempo:
86.9 bpm
Chords used:

Ab

E

Eb

C

Bb

Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
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the modern upright piano action chords
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[Eb] [E] Hello, I'm Tim Hendy of the Piano Tuners Association
and I'm going to show you today how the modern upright piano action works.
Now this is a model, this is the piano [C] key, this is [Ab] the piano hammer, this represents
the string, this is the damper, [Gb] damper, rest rail, [E]
balance hammer, the check, [Ab]
[Gb] the lever
and the jack.
Now when the hammer is at [C] rest, the key is in the unplayed position, this
is how it [B] looks.
When I play the key [E] into touch, i.e. depress the [C] key fully, the hammer
moves forward, the damper lifts from the string to allow the string to vibrate [E] and the hammer
is in what we call the check [Ab] position, it's checked, so it's ready to play.
But you heard
nothing [C] because I played very quietly, very gently and the hammer never [E] actually made
contact with the string.
Now that's the way a piano action works because if a hammer
actually made contact with the string, it would block the string and stop it from vibrating.
The hammer only actually hits the string [B] when the key is played quite quickly.
[Ab] When that's
done, the hammer hits the string and [D] is in the check position, i.e. halfway between rest
and striking the string.
The string is now vibrating, if you can imagine that, because
the damper has released [C] from the string and the key is in touch, that's when the key is
fully down, it's [Ab] played into touch.
Now all these measurements have to be correctly set
for the piano action to work properly.
So the hammer depth of touch [Bb] is adjusted by papers
under the base.
[E] [Ab] The hammer height, that's the height of the top of the key from the
key bed, is adjusted by means of papers [N] under the balance washer here and also by means
of adjusting the thickness of the base at the back of the key.
The point at which [C] the
hammer sets off [Ab] from the string, because remember the hammer never actually hits the string
in slow depression, is governed by this little dolly here, [Eb] which is adjustable by [Ab] means of
turning this screw adjuster here.
So the point at which the hammer moves towards the string
and sets [N] back is adjustable, as is the point at which the damper lifts from the string,
[E] adjustable by something we call a spoon just down here on the bottom of the damper [D] body.
So quite a simple [E] system, but critical that every single adjustment, the blow distance,
[Ab] the set off point, [Gb] the point at which the damper starts to lift out from the string,
all critical adjustments and if your [Eb] piano at home isn't adjusted correctly in that [Db] way,
then you'll get hammers [Ab] bouncing on strings or you'll get hammers blocking on strings
like that so the [N] string won't sound, all sorts of ills and evils.
[E] So there you have it,
[Db] if you have any more questions do feel free to contact me.
Thank you.
[Bb] [Eb] [Bb] [Eb] [Bb]
[Eb]
Key:  
Ab
134211114
E
2311
Eb
12341116
C
3211
Bb
12341111
Ab
134211114
E
2311
Eb
12341116
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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [Eb] _ [E] Hello, I'm Tim Hendy of the Piano Tuners Association
and I'm going to show you today how the modern upright piano action works.
Now this is a model, this is the piano [C] key, this is [Ab] the piano hammer, this represents
the string, this is the damper, [Gb] damper, rest rail, [E] _
_ _ balance hammer, the check, [Ab] _
_ [Gb] the lever
and the jack.
Now when the hammer is at [C] rest, the key is in the unplayed position, this
is how it [B] looks.
When I play the key [E] into touch, i.e. depress the [C] key fully, the hammer
moves forward, the damper lifts from the string to allow the string to vibrate [E] and the hammer
is in what we call the check [Ab] position, it's checked, so it's ready to play.
But you heard
nothing [C] because I played very quietly, very gently and the hammer never [E] actually made
contact with the string.
Now that's the way a piano action works because if a hammer
actually made contact with the string, it would block the string and stop it from vibrating.
The hammer only actually hits the string [B] when the key is played quite quickly.
_ [Ab] When that's
done, the hammer _ hits the string and [D] is in the check position, i.e. halfway between rest
and striking the string.
The string is now vibrating, if you can imagine that, because
the damper has released [C] from the string and the key is in touch, that's when the key is
fully down, it's [Ab] played into touch.
Now all these measurements have to be correctly set
for the piano action to work properly.
So the hammer depth of touch [Bb] is adjusted by papers
under the base.
_ [E] [Ab] The hammer height, that's the height of the top of the key from the
key bed, is adjusted by means of papers [N] under the balance washer here and _ also by means
of adjusting the thickness of the base at the back of the key.
The point at which [C] the
hammer sets off [Ab] from the string, because remember the hammer never actually hits the string
in slow depression, _ is governed by this little dolly here, [Eb] which is adjustable by [Ab] means of
turning this screw adjuster here.
So the point at which the hammer moves towards the string
and sets [N] back is adjustable, as is the point at which the damper lifts from the string,
[E] adjustable by something we call a spoon just down here on the bottom of the damper [D] body.
So quite a simple [E] system, but critical that every single adjustment, the blow distance,
[Ab] the set off point, _ [Gb] the point at which the damper starts to lift out from the string,
all critical adjustments and if your [Eb] piano at home isn't adjusted correctly in that [Db] way,
then you'll get hammers [Ab] bouncing on strings or you'll get hammers blocking on strings
like that so the [N] string won't sound, all sorts of ills and evils.
[E] So there you have it,
[Db] if you have any more questions do feel free to contact me.
_ Thank you.
_ [Bb] _ _ _ _ [Eb] _ _ _ _ [Bb] _ [Eb] _ _ [Bb] _
_ [Eb] _ _ _ _ _ _ _