Action, Hammers

Function and Consideration

• The movement of the action in a grand piano causes the hammers to hit the strings from underneath. After the string impact, all the parts of the action return by the force of gravity to their original position, readying the entire action for the next cycle.
• Because of the repetition lever, releasing the key even slightly readies the action for the next string impact. This makes it possible to repeat notes rapidly.
• The Yamaha action is noted for its ability to respond very sensitively to pianissimo and fortissimo playing, creating a very wide dynamic range.
• The dampers are entirely independent of the action mechanism, using their own weight to insure a more accurate dampening of the strings.

Action

• Yamaha solicits the opinions of pianists and musicians from all over the world. Their input concerning touch and tone is then applied to the design of Yamaha pianos.
• All parts of Yamaha actions are created in-house. This insures better quality control and adherence to the concept of the original design.
• All action parts are produced by Yamaha, using Yamaha developed high precision machinery, insuring the best quality control and a smooth and trouble free action.

Flange

• The action of a grand piano could be illustrated by imagining a train of four gears used in a machine, where the first gear moves the second gear, the second moves the third, etc. The rotary joints in the action are constructed in special parts called flanges and transmit the movement of each part smoothly and accurately to the next part of the piano action.
• Producing flanges is very exacting work. First, with extreme accuracy, holes are drilled in the flange. Then the holes are lined with bushing cloth. The pin must be held firmly in place by contact with the bushing cloth, yet be able to rotate smoothly and freely. The accuracy with which this process is achieved greatly influences the "touch" of the piano as felt by the pianist.
• If the pin is too loose, the movement of the hammer will not be precise. On the other hand, if the fitting of the bushing cloth is too tight on the pin, any increase in humidity will cause the wood and the bushing cloth to expand, obstructing the free rotation of the pin. This will cause the part to move in a sluggish manner and be inconsistent in the areas of touch and tone.
• Yamaha controls the drilling of the flange holes to within 5/100 of a millimeter precision, creating a trouble free action and a superior feeling of touch. This operation is carried out using Yamaha's in-house developed automatic machinery. However, in as much as these machines are manipulated by humans, the final precision depends upon the skill of the worker. Yamaha employs expertly trained technicians who have much experience crafting pianos-a fact that has made Yamaha famous throughout the world.

Hammers

• These are also made by Yamaha, using self-developed specialized machines. This allows Yamaha to produce high quality hammers that are individually designed for the respective piano models.
• Only highest quality felt and wood is used for Yamaha hammers. Meticulous care is necessary in seasoning both the felt and the wood in order to produce Yamaha quality of hammers.
• Yamaha has developed a measuring instrument capable of examining the internal density of the piano hammer. Thus, the elasticity of the felt, a major factor in producing optimum tone, can be analyzed and controlled in keeping with the original design.
• Yamaha's voicing technology is one of the world's most advanced. Skilled technicians with finely honed artistic sensibilities carefully adjust the sound for this important step in the process of piano crafting.