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You definitely want to keep the woofers sealed with the bottom off. Otherwise, you will experience a severe drop off as the acoustic waves transfer from 2pi to 4pi space. Dipoles can sound amazing, but require a lot more consideration then a standard speaker. Typically, you dipole mids and go sealed for the low frequencies.

Good luck!

Sorry Gomer - I don't quite understand what you are expressing. It sounds really good now as is, as far as I am concerned. I suppose I could build a sub out of the 2 twelve inch drivers I have lying around to better support the extreme bottom end

If you care to dive deep, http://www.linkwitzlab.com/x-models.htm

pretty cool stuff

Thanks for sharing Gomer. Flashbacks to university level algebra just occurred.

Makes me realize how a group like this contains the whole spectrum. I run from stuff like that so fast... I usually go for the loudspeakers for dummy notes, then just tweak the thing until it sounds ok. I realize that doesn't work for everyone but I never would have had the courage to attempt what I just did had I have seen that page before I started

Playing with the lid down

I had forgotten how wonderful a piano sounds when played with the lid down. There is such a warmth and atmosphere to the sound. It kinda makes you feel like the piano is giving you a great big hug Very different mood entirely from when the lid is up. I am gonna love this thing!

Do DP manufacturers actually make instruments with a sample set with the lid down? Perhaps the AG has a setting for this? How about the V-Piano?

That looks terrific - excellent job!

James
x

Maybe a little lid to cover display, knobs and other CP50 tech stuff, would be an interesting option.

On the V-Piano and Clavinova CLP990, there are different Hall size settings. hall 1, hall and hall3 which drastically change the sound between each other. There is a sound called mellow on the V-piano which is close to sounding like the lid is down so that could be it. However I don't think the V-piano models the lid. I'm betting it models the lid as always open and the CLP990 has every sample taken with the lid open. THe Avant Grand series or any other sample based series would probably not have an entire sampled set on top of the open lid one for samples as that would require twice the rom sample and size. If there is any hope of mimicking this sound on a dp it would be the V-piano programmed in as a variable, however I doubt it has been.

Great idea. That shouldn't be too hard. I'm working on the music rest now - so I will do that after.

What happened to the original music rest on the piano? Is it damaged, missing?

I agree that it definitely needs a cover for the controls - that spoils the effect for me, but I'm sure you will be able to rectify that easily enough.

How high is the keyboard compared to the original keyboard? I ask that because I think the next important thing is having a fallboard so you can cover the keys and have it look the part of a grand piano. Is that a possibility - either by adapting the old one or making a new one? Maybe you could make it out of fiber-glass and paint it the same colour as the piano. With fiber-glass you can mould it until it really fits the piano - much harder with wood obviously. You could even buy a Yamaha fallboard decal to complete the look:

https://www.pianoparts.com/decals/Y_files/page.html

Yeah - The fellow that I picked the piano up from didn't have the music rest. I am making one to look like a Yamaha. If I could find a used one real cheap I would do that too, but I can't imagine just finding a music rest for a grand piano just lying around somewhere.


I like the idea of a decal. I am bantering with "Yamaha Schaff", although a completely unique name would be cool too. I have the original fallboard from the piano also but it is hinged in the center and doesn't really fit. The CP5 is so much wider than the Schaff key bed. The current key position is probably a few inches higher too.

Would it be possible to mould a fallboard using fiber-glass? Depends on whether you could get it to match the casing of the piano, I guess. Is it glossy black - or does it have a woodgrain texture now? If it's the former, I'd go for the fiber-glass. It will look the same but it will be nice and light and easy to custom fit to your unique application. I guess it depends on whether you can get it to retract out of the way. Not much point if it interferes with the whole design. Definitely do the control cover though.

I am comfortable working in fiberglass. I made a custom seat for my Yamaha Viper Snowmobile last year out of it but the finish is black woodgrain with satin varathane. I think it may get complicated trying to make one that will look the part, retract, and still provide easy access to the controls. I will probably just use a piano hinge to affix a custom piece to cover the controls. What would look best for the fallboard would be for the keyboard to be pushed in another few inches so the ends of the keys are flat with the existing wood brace. Sadly that doesn't look the best for the keys. The CP5 has that brushed metal piece that kind of gets in the way.

Update: Music rest

The music rest is coming along. I am blocked waiting on a friend with a router to finish the shape of it. I worked a little on the small cover over the knobs and lights too. I ended up being able to build a good portion of the music rest base and cover from the left over pieces of the original instrument. This way the grain remains the same and it gives it the same look and fell as the rest of the piano.



Update: Changes in sound

I continue to be amazed at how this project is proceeding concerning the realism of the sound. It makes complete sense that adding an object in between you and the source of sound would change the way that the sound sounds. As I was fitting the cover for the electronic buttons I noticed quite a change in the sound of the piano as I played it. It is not normal for sound from a piano to travel through a large air gap just above your fingers. Placing the new cover to fill this gap made the listening experience at the piano seat that much more realistic all over again. Placing the music rest in its place did the same thing. It changed the sound from the piano in a "piano" type of way. The higher frequencies were attenuated as one would expect but the way in which the sound seems to wrap around the music rest and make it to your ears makes the instrument sound much more grand piano like. I am again convinced that in order to replicate the true experience of playing a grand piano one needs to recreate the environment as much as possible. Things that I notice that make a noticeable difference:

1) Wall of bipolar sound 2-6 feet from your ears. It really is important for sound to bounce off the floor and in complex ways.
2) Grand piano shape
3) Lid - open or closed gives both experiences
4) Music rest height and placement within the instrument
5) Solid surface in front of the keyboard

Beautiful job! Congratulations once again on how nice it looks. It would be great to be able to hear it live. Be sure to keep us updated and maybe another pic or two, especially when the music rest has been finished. Also, I can't really see how you made the button cover. Maybe a photo of that from a different angle? Inspiring work.

I'm enjoying this thread and really wished I had a work room for these kinds of projects.

I need sg like this. How is the price? Do you accept credit cards?

Update: Knob and light cover & Music stand finished

Free time this weekend to finish some more stuff. I borrowed a router from a friend which allowed me to tackle the remaining pieces of the music stand. The weather was around 10 deg Celsius all weekend so I spent most of the time with a hairdryer running out in the unheated shop. Yeah - kinda crazy. I would paint a bit then turn the hairdryer on the piece to make it dry. Then after the paint was done I did the same with the varathane. After all was said and done it didn't cause the quality of the work to suffer so I am glad I beat the arrival of winter. (P.S. My bride also helped polish up the piano hinges for the top lid. They were in horrible shape with all the oxidization and paint from the past 90 years. Thanks honey!!)

I still have a fair bit remaining. I still need to attach the foot pedals, arrange the wiring, and mount the amplifier somewhere underneath so I should still have a few updates left.

Here are some pictures of how it looks with the new pieces in place:

1) Knob and light cover


2) CP5 going in











I still need to figure out a way to view the display also. My current thought is to create some type of periscope to redirect the light from the display up underneath the music stand.

This project is quite compelling. I always look forward to the next installemnt. Nice work:)