Information for Piano Technicians

Precision Touch Design (PTD) is a collection of techniques that gives an insight view of how a grand piano action performs.

With the use of PTD it is possible to analyze and improve the touch and tone of a grand piano.

In what cases would PTD be useful?

• With the replacement of hammerheads;

• When the touch of a grand piano is too light or too heavy;

• When the tone can be improved by changing the weight of the hammerheads;

• To create a more even touch.

The options of a Precision Touch Design:

• A quick analysis of how a grand piano action works by measuring friction and weight related issues.

• The average weight of the hammersheads and the action transmittance ratio can be fine-tuned.

• The touch can be improved by calibrating the weight of the hammers and the lead weights in the keys.

• The tone can be improved by changing the weight of the hammers. Every bad performing action can be transformed into an instrument of art.

The inventor:

David Stanwood has invented the PTD method. Since the nineties PTD is well known in the USA. Check out the internet site of Stanwood: www.stanwoodpiano.com

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How does it work?

For installation of a PTD one needs to go through the following steps:

• Analyses of the action by measuring up- and down weight and weighing action components like the hammer, wippen and key. Their correlations will be calculated.

• Choosing a certain hammer weight and calibrating the hammer weight accordingly.

• Match the leverage ratio to the calibrated hammer weight.

• Calculate the key leading in combination with weight measurements of action components and change the key lead weights accordingly.

• These activities are usually integrated in daily practice of action rebuilding work when hammerheads need to be replaced and key leading needs to be adapted.

Please have a look at the Course summary of the PTD Academy Europe.