To control the tone of their instrument, piano teachers at University of Montreal recommend to act on the double escapement action by modifying the “weight” applied on the key. When the pianist uses more weight, the key is pressed to the bottom of the keyboard and the pianist feels more friction and mechanical resistance (« bump ») in the key while passing through the escapement point. When using less “weight”, the pianist plays more at the surface of the keyboard and much less friction is felt. The present study aims to verify if this variation of weight has an impact on the piano tone. Two series of recordings were analysed. In a first series, pianists played a short musical phrase varying several control parameters (with/without weight, with/without pedal) and at several intensity levels. In a second series of recordings, isolated notes were played in the same conditions. Simultaneously to the recording of the piano tones, a video image of double escapement grand piano action was captured with a camera placed inside the piano. The analysis of the data shows that the piano sound produced with and without weight differ along several acoustical descriptors (temporal and spectral features). The main parameters which are modified are related to the quality of the attack.

Caroline Traube : Contrôle du timbre par des pianistes experts à travers la variation du « poids » sur les touches

The control of piano timbre by expert pianists through the variation of « weight » applied on the keys To control the tone of their instrument, piano teachers at University of Montreal recommend to act on the double escapement action by modifying the "weight" applied on the key. When the pianist uses more weight, the key is pressed to the bottom of the keyboard and the pianist feels more friction and mechanical resistance (« bump ») in the key while passing through the escapement point. When using less "weight", the pianist plays more at the surface of the keyboard and much less friction is felt. The present study aims to verify if this variation of weight has an impact on the piano tone. Two series of recordings were analysed. In a first series, pianists played a short musical phrase varying several control parameters (with/without weight, with/without pedal) and at several intensity levels. In a second series of recordings, isolated notes were played in the same conditions. Simultaneously to the recording of the piano tones, a video image of double escapement grand piano action was captured with a camera placed inside the piano. The analysis of the data shows that the piano sound produced with and without weight differ along several acoustical descriptors (temporal and spectral features). The main parameters which are modified are related to the quality of the attack.