I agree with Scott. Springs seem to be a really good idea, but in practice as stated they tire out your fingers very quickly. Czech Hurdy gurdies can be found with spring mechanisms. I have tried this idea, but abandoned it as trying to find a spring that has a touch weight, the reality behind the idea being precisely this, is very difficult. The most successful I found until recently was old xray photographs. A strip cut to the thickness of each key slide and bent and placed behind the key end, so when positioned forms an arc between the key end and tangent box. The thickness and 'springiness' of the material allowed for a quick return of the keys in a horizontal position, but did not tire out the fingers. However, after further digging and research on this aspect of gurdy key slides having some form of 'mechanical action' have found, for me, the definitive solution - magnets. Small neodymium magnets -3mm diameter with a Gauss value of 6000 when positioned with opposing poles and at the correct distance from each other will give a resistant force of 50gm. This allows the player to have the sensation of weight in the key slide and the opposing forces allowing for very precise and clear articulation in fast passages of music - trills etc.
Andrew On Feb 20, 7:45 am, Scott <[email protected]> wrote: > Hello Dave, > > Although the springs seem like a natural idea they are actually going to > cause problems in playing. The spring is going to wear your fingers out > extremely quick. The only reason that a spring would be used is if the > instrument were to lay flat on a table. Gravity keys have been used for > centuries and are perfectly fuctional. The only change in keys that I notice > make a significant difference is to have slightly thicker keys, the weight > allows them to fall a bit quicker. However, all you need to do is listen to a > player like Patrick Bouffard to hear that the action of the gravity keys ia > so quick that is supports really fast playing. > I have seen rubber bands stretched across all of the keys to assist in key > return but they really are redundant addition that can be more problem than > they are worth. > > Also, if you place a thick bracing rib along the back, or what would be > considered the spine of the bowl, it eliminates the need for the boat like > bracing that you have on the sides of your bowl. > > Scott > > > > > > > > California Dave <[email protected]> wrote: > >Well, your question, or observation, answers a question of mine. I had > >mentioned that I had some new ideas. The trapped compression spring key > >return was one of them. clearly this is not an entirely new idea. I'm not > >surprised. As a musical instrument maker I have designed many ways of > >doing things that subsequently I've discovered others using in part or > >entirely whole! This instrument is being made from whole cloth by me with > >only photos, art and some early drawings of construction. The idea of > >using gravity to reset keys seemed limited. So...I designed something > >engineers have used for hundreds of years. Anybody else have any insights > >into this? Is, or are there, known problems with this approach? > > >Dave Bucher > >The Golden Wood Stringed Musical Instruments. > > >-- > >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >Groups "hurdygurdy" group. > >To post to this group, send email to [email protected] > >To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >[email protected] > >For more options, visit this group at > >http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy > > >The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found > >athttp://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from > >new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "hurdygurdy" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/hurdygurdy The rules of posting, courtesy, and other list information may be found at http://hurdygurdy.com/mailinglist/index.htm. To reduce spam, posts from new subscribers are held pending approval by the webmaster.
