...Components that complement...
Soundboard
A soundboard amplifies string vibrations t
o
produce rich, vibrant tonal colors. Crowned toward the strings like the
top of a violin, the board will be fashioned from white close-grained
spruce.
Craftsmen cut
bridges and ribs to conform to the soundboard’s crown. This method of
manufacture locks the vital life crown in place for maximum tonal
durability.
Soundboard
Ribs
One rarely sees
the soundboard rib. Often ribs remain out of sight and out of mind. Ribs
perform two vital functions. They are cut to conform to the curvature
(crown) of
the soundboard and become notched into the grand rim or vertical
soundboard liner. As such, they assure that the vital life-crown of the
board will be stable through decades of performance. Feathered ribs at
both ends allow truer amplification of string vibrations.
Secondly, ribs
help disperse string vibrations for optimal tonal performance.
Vibrations of strings travel with the grain o
f
the soundboard wood.
Ribs capture
the subtlest vibration and
help amplify even the softest of tone.
♫...the
soundboard is the heart of the piano...
