Piano Forum

Topic: Why are keys in the lower register heavier than the higher register?  (Read 11355 times)

Offline rachmaninoff_forever

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5038
Is there any particular reason why the lowest A is heavier than the highest C?
Live large, die large.  Leave a giant coffin.

Offline pianowolfi

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5654
Yes, there is a bigger hammer to move.

Offline rachmaninoff_forever

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5038
So the size of the hammer determines how high or low the note is?
Live large, die large.  Leave a giant coffin.

Offline pianowolfi

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5654
Wait. What are we talking about now? The pitch or the key weight?
The keys in the lower register are "heavier" to depress (well actually they have just more inertia, as far as I know) because they have to move a heavier hammer. The pitch is of course determined by the length and tension of the strings.

Offline ted

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 4016
This seems to be much more noticeable on some pianos than others. I conjecture it is one reason few players seem to have quite as strong and independent finger striking in their left hands. Being perverse, I rather like the sound of rapid finger work, double notes and that sort of stuff in the bass, but it probably does require more practice to get the equivalent aural effect and control lower down.
"Mistakes are the portals of discovery." - James Joyce

Offline rachmaninoff_forever

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 5038
Wait. What are we talking about now? The pitch or the key weight?
The keys in the lower register are "heavier" to depress (well actually they have just more inertia, as far as I know) because they have to move a heavier hammer. The pitch is of course determined by the length and tension of the strings.

Well then if it's the length and tension of the strings, then why are the hammers heavier?

Live large, die large.  Leave a giant coffin.

Offline quantum

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 6265
Greater diameter and length of the strings, require a greater mass to set that string in motion.  

Do some exploring yourself.  Take some percussion mallets of various sizes and try sounding strings with them.  Preferably you would do this on your own piano.  There really isn't much chance of hurting the piano, unless you start hitting things other than the strings like dampers or action parts. 
Made a Liszt. Need new Handel's for Soler panel & Alkan foil. Will Faure Stein on the way to pick up Mendels' sohn. Josquin get Wolfgangs Schu with Clara. Gone Chopin, I'll be Bach

Offline hbofinger

  • PS Silver Member
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 171
Bigger, heavier hammers. Also, if you compare with the way upper treble, dampers! (There are none in the upper). That only matters if you are not using the pedals!

I believe it is something that can be adjusted with weights in the keys though, if I am not mistaken.

Offline roseamelia

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 404
In my opinion: I think that it's because you don't play the lower keys as much as the middle c keys and higher notes.
But Jesus looked at them and said "With man this is impossible, but with God ALL things are possible!"<br /><br />~Jesus Matthew 19:26

Offline robson

  • PS Silver Member
  • Jr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 51
Greater diameter and length of the strings, require a greater mass to set that string in motion.  

Do some exploring yourself.  Take some percussion mallets of various sizes and try sounding strings with them.  Preferably you would do this on your own piano.  There really isn't much chance of hurting the piano, unless you start hitting things other than the strings like dampers or action parts. 

exactly right, nothing really to think abut it,
basic principles on physics classes which OP obviously skipped out... 8)
For more information about this topic, click search below!

Piano Street Magazine:
Lucas Debargue - A Matter of Life or Death

Pianist Lucas Debargue recently recorded the complete piano works of Gabriel Fauré on the Opus 102, a very special grand piano by Stephen Paulello. Eric Schoones from the German/Dutch magazine PIANIST had a conversation with him. Read more
 

Logo light pianostreet.com - the website for classical pianists, piano teachers, students and piano music enthusiasts.

Subscribe for unlimited access

Sign up

Follow us

Piano Street Digicert