A question about hammer action re double-striking notes

[Jack]

What should the hammers do when you play a note very gently and hold down the key?

I've just been having a closer look inside my piano and notice that, in most instances, when I play a note slowly and lightly, and then keep the key held down, the hammer hits the strings then falls back away from the strings to a distance of about one-half to three-quarters of an inch.

But with regard to my 'double-striking' notes, again when playing a note very gently and keeping the key held down, I notice that after the second hammer strike, the hammers remain stuck within a couple of millimetres of the strings and don't fall back to any degree. Only when I start to relieve the pressure on the key do the hammers then begin to move away from the strings.

Is this normal, or does it throw any more light on the specific cause of my double-striking notes problem?

[Barrie Heaton]

Its just a poorly set up piano, the action needs regulating 2 to 4 hours work for a good tech depending on how bad it is - is the shop coming out to it

Barrie,

[Jack]

Yes, the shop is coming.

I'm sorry to be a bother here with all my questions. The more I learn about what goes into a piano mechanism and how complex it is inside, the more paranoid I've been getting in my worries that it might never be right. It's daft, I know, but I have a lot to learn and I'd hate to have been sold a dud.

It's reassuring though to know that it can all be adjusted and put right, and I do appreciate your encouragement in that area. I'll try and stop worrying and leave that to the experts. I just hope the shop is up to the job of putting right what they really ought to have done before they delivered it to me in the first instance. There I go, worrying again.

Here's hoping for a good technician!

[Barrie Heaton]

If you have got it from one of the big discounters it may have slipped passed the net as some of the big ones are sending out 5 – 6 pianos a day and only have a few Techs If you got it form a normal high street retailer the sales guy may have sold it before the tuner has seen it, as some high street retailer only have the tuner coming in once a month or so. Ideally it should have not been sent out like that but there are may that are.

The upshot is it can be sorted the down site is that you have lost confidence with your piano and sadly that can put some players off the piano even when it is sorted. I say sorted not “fixed” because it is not broken, just not set up proper.

When the tuner comes tell them the problems but don’t try to blind them with science, some don’t like it and they may think you have been medalling. When they have finished try the piano if you are not happy say so.



Barrie,

[Jack]

All agreed, thanks Barry for the good advice.

I admit I'm fascinated learning how a real piano works. But I'd absolutely never dream of touching anything inside there myself, and I'm always honest about what I know and what I don't. In fact I wonder whether it might have been my 'honest ignorance' that could have tempted the shop to believe they could get away without bothering to set it up first. Perhaps they thought I'd never notice.

Still, the info you've given here is very helpful to me. Agreed, it would be foolish to pretend I could try to tell the tech what needs to be done. Rather, it gives me a better chance of defending myself in case he/she might try to convince me it's okay as it is! We'll see.

Thanks again.
Jack