Half damper pedal noise

Roland DP10 works fine for me! (Don't know whether they're compatible to whatever stage piano you use (Yamaha?), but I guess it should work...)

Regards,
Wolfgang

There are problems with the DP10! It does not give the full midi range. Some owners have had to shave the upper felt cushion to allow the pedal to return to a higher position, but even at full return position, it still registers midi #4.

I don't know what the best pedal is out there! I have two FC3 pedals. Both clonk, but at least they give the entire midi range! I have recently bought some goose fat to lubricate the parts, but haven't used it yet. This was recomended by a piano technician I know.

If anyone finds an excellent pedal with half damper capabilities that is compatible with Yamaha, for goodness sake, let me know!

Thanks Chris,

If you find out where the grease helps, and where to put it for it to be most effective, I'd appreciate it.

I've had the thing open twice already (a minor pain in the butt), and I hear some friction, but haven't been able to locate it. After I use the pedal for a while it starts to sqeak, because the lubricant they use heats up and is no longer effective, I suspect. I'm thinking some sort of spray teflon or graphite mix might get into crevasses better, but I hesitate to use that because of the potentiometer etc.

Yes, I agree, poor design.

And are you saying that with the DP10, the sustain doesn't shut off completely?

Regards,
Michael

Wolfgang,

I'm using both a Fatar VMK188plus controller and a Yamaha KX88 controller. Perhaps the voltage can be offset in Pianoteq, if necessary?

Michael

I'm using the DP-10 with my VMK-188plus and must say that it doesn't work properly.... It doesn't reach either 0 or 127... In Pianoteq this is no problem but with other sounds, like the synths and organs within Logic (that I use within Mainstage...) this is a problem because the sustain is on until the value 0....
But if I switch the pedal to be just a switch (on and off, there is a button for that on the pedal) then it works, but it gives only 0 or 127....

So to use the DP-10 with the VMK-188plus requires some tweaking on the floor when changing sound...

Good luck!

I'll go have a close look at the mechanism of my FC3's now. I'll see if I can isolate the problem.

Well, a real lemon would be quieter, MESSY, but quieter

There are a number of moving parts inside an FC3, and no obvious culprit that I could see.

DON'T CHUCK 'EM MICHAEL, I've solved it! I know where all that hideous clanking clonking noise is coming from on the FC3. I have had the shells off of my FC3's for sometime because, as you may know, I built lego around them. Therefore, I'm well acquinted with the mechanism. Having said that, until I'd had a purposeful look at them tonight, I had never really sought to cure the noises, I just put up with them! Now I know exactly where the problems lie, and how to cure them (I'm sure there are other solutions that work just as well also mind). It is midnight here in the UK so I shall nod off soon, but before I do, I'll describe where the problems were, what the problems were, and how I fixed them. It is simpler than you may think!

Problem 1 of 2 with the FC3;

At the point where the rear of the pedal lever attaches to the frame, there is metal moving against metal!!! Er? Self explanitory eh!

Problem 2 of 2;

At the point just before the pedal lever leaves the plastic casing, the is a guide system. Here, two rounded plastic lugs (part of a larger plastic attachment on the pedal lever) are used to butt or buffer against the metal frame. This is the worst offender!

In both above cases, Yamaha use gunk (lubrication) to compensate for the bad design. As we all know, IT DON'T WORK!

Solutions:

I had originally shimed some laminating plastic between the metal on metal, however, after doing the same with the plastic on metal, and testing the results by working both pedals on the floor, the shim in the metal on metal wasn't actually necessary! I removed it and under normal piano playing conditions, it didn't pose a problem.

The only thing that remains for me to do tomorrow is buy some petroleum jelly and lubricated the shim between the plastic and metal.

I will post a video tomorrow after final testing. I may also post some stills.

p.s. yippee!

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/7439/ehrm.mp4

Sorry the quality oif the video is so poor, my SD card ain't working and I only have x amount of seconds on even this quality video on my on board memory!

I post some pics and a video using my wfes camera shortly,

Chris

Gilles, it sounds like you've got the problem licked too. Since the FC3 covers 0-127 it does seem like the better choice, although I really like that flip out heel thingy on the DP10 ... but there are other ways around the 'sliding pedal syndrome' .

A hammer and a nail??  What about a piece of carpetting or rubber that can be fastened somehow or velcroed to the bottom edge of the pedal? A little trial and error would be worth the trouble. Have you ever been playing and someone asked "why is the piano player laying down on the piano stool'? (because you're chasing a runaway pedal)

Nice and simple!

http://img4.imageshack.us/i/brd.mp4/

http://www.forum-pianoteq.com/uploads.p...d_test.mp3

Sound Recording of FC3 half pedals after having made the previously shown sound dampening modifications to them. Recording of key noise appears on mp3 first.

p.s. added more bearing grease which has worked a treat as you'll hear.

now quiet enough, for me anyhow!

Chris

Chris,

I'm giving it a try today, first plenty of grease, then if that's not enough, the plastic. It may take a few days to see how well it's working because my noise was intermittent, though plenty annoying.

Thanks very much for sharing your fix with me and everyone else

Regards,
Michael