Chapter I: Front Matter

Transcriber’s Note

The original contains inconsistent hyphenation; this has been preserved. Obvious printer’s errors have been corrected; a full list is available at the end of this book. [-] is used for a minus sign.

William B. White

Theory and Practice of
PIANO CONSTRUCTION

With a Detailed, Practical
Method for Tuning

Dover Publications, Inc.
New York

Published in Canada by General Publishing Company, Ltd., 30 Lesmill Road, Don Mills, Toronto, Ontario.

Published in the United Kingdom by Constable and Company, Ltd., 10 Orange Street, London WC 2.

This Dover edition, first published in 1975, is an unabridged and unaltered republication of the work originally published by Edward Lyman Bill, Publisher, New York, in 1906 under the title _Theory and Practice of Pianoforte Building_.

_International Standard Book Number: 0-486-23139-9_
_Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 74-78811_

Manufactured in the United States of America
Dover Publications, Inc.
180 Varick Street
New York, N.Y. 10014

CONTENTS.

PAGE
Some Remarks by the Publisher 5
Introductory Remarks 9
The Evolution of the Modern Pianoforte 13
Description of the Modern Pianoforte 23
Acoustical Laws of Sounding Strings 28
The Musical Scale and Musical Intonation 36
The Equal Temperament 44
Pianoforte Strings and Their Proper Dimensions 48
Resonance and the Resonance-Apparatus of the Pianoforte 58
The Casing and Framing of the Pianoforte 67
The Iron Frame of the Pianoforte 79
The Mechanism of Percussion 92
The Touch Mechanism 96
The Regulation of Pianoforte Touch-Mechanism 113
Tuning and Tone Regulation of the Pianoforte 122
The Draughting of the Pianoforte Scale 135
Conclusion 139
Appendix A--Development of Player Piano 144
Appendix B--The Small Grand 153

SOME REMARKS BY THE PUBLISHER.

For many years we have been receiving at the office of The Music Trade Review constant inquiries for sources from which information might be gleaned regarding the theory and practice of tone production as applied to the piano. It has therefore been obvious to all who have given this subject the slightest consideration that there has been a lack of book information which should be at the hand of the student and the seeker of knowledge regarding scale draughting and other essentials relating to piano construction. Some years ago, after careful consideration of this subject, special topics along these lines were assigned to the author of this work, who was well fitted for the task before him, and as a result of more than two years of conscientious study and research, the “Theory and Practice of Pianoforte Building” is put forth as representing in a concrete form a work of technical knowledge which hitherto has been unobtainable to the student.

The necessity of acquiring some knowledge of the principles of mechanics before proceeding to the study of scale design is admitted. Such knowledge, together with that of the principles of the acoustics as they apply to musical sounds produced by vibrating strings, is essential to a correct understanding of the fundamental ideas underlying true pianoforte design.

To know a piano accurately one must understand the laws governing tone quality, and how the propagation and transmission of sound is produced as well as the pitch and intensity of sound. And there are thousands of men to-day in the various factories who are anxious to obtain sources of information from which to gain a more correct knowledge of a profession which should take high rank among industrial pursuits.

Owing to the gradual changes which have been wrought in all industries through the abandonment of the apprentice system, there is more need for instruction books than ever before.

A factory operative, according to the present plan, may know thoroughly but one department of the business, but he can become more useful to himself and his employers when he possesses a knowledge of all branches. In the piano trade particularly there must be a correct knowledge of piano building, else there can be no advance, and with our old piano makers rapidly passing away there is need for a healthy school of new inventors, so that wherever possible, improvements may be made and defects remedied. These can only be accomplished by the possession of a knowledge of all the intricate principles involved in piano making.

We feel that in presenting a work of this kind we are offering a volume which will meet with the approval of those who seek knowledge, for while there are great trade and technical schools which are the fountains of inspiration for various trades, the science of piano making is not included as a branch in any of them. It is therefore evident that knowledge must be gained outside, for piano schools there are none. To every mind seeking information there should be knowledge given, and we believe that a work of this kind must be of value to an industry wherein there is such a dearth of reliable text books.

It will be seen by examination that all of the practical problems which are to be considered by the scale draughtsmen have been fairly treated in this volume and yet the desire of the author has been throughout to avoid tiresome details. Condensation is one of the recognized laws of our day, and in producing this technical work the author has labored to create a volume of convenient size which shall be of service to the student, and to the advanced thinker as well, on account of the accuracy with which the subjects are treated.

This book is not in the remotest sense a history of piano building or development, and it should not be so considered; in fact it has been deemed wise to dip into historical matters only to the extent of showing the application of an enduring principle rather than to give credit to a number of deserving inventors who have worked along special lines. A treatment of worthy inventions would require a much larger volume than this; and while there are many inventors who have given to the world special devices of value, it has not been considered timely to describe them in this volume or to enter into an exposé of their merits or demerits. We may say that this is not a critical work but rather one which we trust may be eminently practical in its mission as an instructive and an educational force.

We may add in closing that the “Theory and Practice of Pianoforte Building” is the only work of its kind ever put forth in the English language, and we have every confidence that it will find a growing demand among music trade people everywhere.

EDWARD LYMAN BILL.

Editorial Rooms,
_The Music Trade Review_,
NEW YORK, May, 1906.

THEORY AND PRACTICE OF PIANOFORTE BUILDING.