Whippen Assembly

The Whippen Assembly - where do they come up with these names?!?  Actually, the grouping of parts commonly referred to as the 'whippen assembly' is 3 separate groupings: Whippen; Repetition Mechanism; and the Jack & Let-Off Button.  

We'll go over each area of the whippen assembly in the next couple of weeks. Below are pictures of both a wooden and a composite whippen assembly on grand pianos.  You can see they are generally configured the same, with design differences specific to the manufacturer:

Traditional Wooden Whippen Assembly

Composite Whippen Assembly

You can readily see the whippen assembly is located directly underneath the hammer shank, and over the top of the key stick.  The whippen assembly transmits the motion of the key to the hammer, which in turn strikes the string to produce the musical sound.

The whippen, is the lower half of the assembly and is in direct contact with the key.  

• 1. Heel
• 2. Heel Cushion
• 3. Body
• 4. Flange
• 5. Flange Rail 
• 6. Hammer Shank Rest Post
• 7. Rest Cushion
• 8. Jack Flange
• 9. Spoon

Specifically, it works like this:  the Heel (1) rests on the capstan screw which is attached to the key.  When the key is depressed, the whippen is set into motion by the capstan screw pushing upward on the Heel Cushion (2) causing the Whippen Body (3) to move.  The body rotates on the Flange (4) which is supported by and attached to the Flange Rail (5).  The Hammer Shank Rest (6) is located at the back of the whippen directly under the hammer shank and topped with the Rest Cushion (7), a felt cushion on which the hammer shank rests when not in motion.  The Jack Flange (8) is built into the opposite end of the whippen to position the jack and allow it to rotate.  The Spoon (9) supports the jack in the proper position.

Next week we'll see how the remaining two parts of the Whippen Assembly contribute to the overall movement.

"The Disclaimer" - Technical Tuesdays are intended to give folks who are curious about pianos a bit more understanding of all those technical terms thrown about by piano technicians.  This is not intended for super-in-depth technical analysis, nor micro measurements; just general knowledge for those who are interested in how a piano works.

Technical Tuesday - Piano Lid Props

The grand piano's lid is supported by...you guessed it...the Lid Prop (also called the Lid Stick - both terms are used interchangeably as will be obvious between the text and pictures below).

The lid prop performs the important function of supporting the grand piano lid to allow the escape of all that beautiful music you are playing. And, as physics would have it, the longer the piano, the heavier the lid. The heavier the lid, the more important it is to make sure the right prop is in the right cup if you have more than one option on your grand piano.

Some grand pianos have 2 lid props, some even have 3! However many lid props your grand piano has, matching the correct prop with the correct cup on the underside of the lid can save you a real headache later.

The most important of the lid props is the LONG ONE! Let me say that just one more time, the LONG ONE! Neglecting to place the long lid prop in the correct cup creates instability in supporting the grand piano lid when it is in the full raised position, and even the smallest movement can result in the prop popping out of the cup & then you know what happens! No kidding, have you ever heard the lid of a 9 ft. concert grand slam shut? Can you imagine the force of it and goodness gracious, what if you happened to be standing there with your hand on the rim right about that same time?!? (shudder) Let's not even begin to think of the damage the lid slamming shut could potentially do to the piano.

Let's take a little tour, shall we?

Two props are very commonly seen on today's grand pianos. The shorter one typically nestles right into the body of the longer one when it is not being utilized.

The long lid prop is correctly placed in its corresponding cup (away from the edge of the lid). You can see how it supports the lid nicely.

Incorrectly placed, the long lid prop cannot provide stable support for the grand piano lid (even baby grand lids are heavy) and can easily pop out.

Here the short prop is in its correct cup (the one closest to the lid edge) to properly support the grand piano lid in its lower position closer to the body of the piano.

Here you can see this grand piano has 3 props. The medium sized prop nestles down into the body of the long prop when not in use, while the short brass prop resides alongside the long prop.

Notice how the middle and short prop cups are offset in their placement on the underside of the lid? This ensures the when you place any of the 3 props, they are in the correct cup to support the lid. Pretty nifty, don't you agree?

However, lid props aren't just for grand pianos! Vertical pianos have gotten in on the act in recent years:

Having a small lid prop on your vertical piano allows for even more enjoyment of the music as it escapes the confines of the cabinet while the piano is being played.

So, prop up those lids, Kids, and let the music sing!

Is there an "App" for that?

Even if you're not an iPhone owner, you've most likely heard, "Is there an App for that?" I've resisted going over to the "dark side", but I have to admit, my daughter's iPhone is a pretty cool little gadget...and I LOVE gadgets.

For musicians, there are many apps available for having fun with their iPhone. One company has several that I find very interesting because they have options from games to serious theory:

Almond: Music terminology with over 1,400 listings & 200 illustrations

ChordLab: Multi-tool for musicians, chord spelling, circle of fifths

EarMan: Intervallic ear trainer, built-in curriculum, automatic grading

ScaleMaster: Intuitive scales reference over 100 scale types, 4 clefs

BandMaster: The band in your pocket - bass, drums & piano

Mozart: Learn to read music in a game with six virtual instruments

Check them out: http://www.iphone.rogame.com/

Calling All Young Musicians!

If you are a young musician (or know one) between the ages of 10 & 18 years, start warming up your instrument! The Ocala Youth Symphony's 12th Season Auditions are fast approaching!

OYS provides solo and ensemble opportunities for young musicians, while encouraging excellence in musicianship. Performances have been enjoyed by our community since 1999, and this season promises to be lively, indeed! The annual Ocala Arts Festival, collaboration with the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, and several other venues are scheduled for this year. All genres of music are played: Classical, Contemporary, Big Band, Jazz, Country & more!

Musicians are needed in all areas:
Strings: violin, viola, cello, double bass; Woodwinds: clarinet, flute, oboe, bassoon; Brass: trumpet, trombone, french horn, tuba; Percussion: snare, bass, timpani; and last, but certainly not least: piano and harp.

Where: First Christian Church, 1908 SE Ft. King St., Ocala, FL 34471

When: Saturday, August 21, 2010 & Saturday, August 28, 2010

Contact: Mrs. Cindy Robertson, Conductor (352) 854-7989

Preparation: Bring with you a prepared piece of music; sight reading and scales will be provided.

Visit the Symphony's website: http://www.ocalayouthsymphony.org/