Improved Action Mechanics

Enriching the Acoustic Piano with More Control, Smoother, and Faster Playing

The familiar piano action design found in most modern pianos was developed using wood and felt, the only feasible materials available at the time. While much better-playing actions existed in the past, they were too expensive to survive economically. The action design we know today was created to maintain cost efficiency with these materials, leading to the geometry and structures used in modern pianos. However, this design has inherent limitations: felt swells with humidity and deteriorates, while wood reacts to environmental changes as well in its own ways. The need for cost efficiency also led to simplistic shapes, further compromising performance.

The Limits of Traditional Design
Traditional piano actions, like those in Steinways, were optimized for efficiency—both in production and in creating a louder, more percussive sound for the same energy input. This design, however, sacrifices smoothness and control. While older actions, such as those found in high-quality original Bechsteins, offered superior control and smoother play, modern manufacturers often prioritize copying Steinway’s design without fully understanding its trade-offs.

Our Prototype: A Better Approach
Our research prototype prioritizes control, smoothness, and efficiency—in that order. We’ve redesigned the action geometry to offer more precise, responsive key interactions, allowing for greater dynamic control. The new axle design and the use of more stable materials eliminate issues caused by wood and felt, significantly reducing friction and ensuring consistent performance, regardless of environmental changes.

Our prototype already demonstrates much smoother play, much more control and much faster repetition than traditional actions. Early prototype images are available on our website, the current model will be only presented when it will get to the market.

Practicality and Playability
While we focus on enhancing performance, our design also takes into account the realities of manufacturing. We aim to make these advancements scalable and realistic for production, ensuring that the superior playability we are developing can at some point actually reach real musicians, our companies' main goal.

Conclusion
Our action prototype addresses the limitations of traditional piano actions by delivering greater control, smoother play, and faster key repetition and also higher dynamics. Though still in testing, it represents a significant leap forward in piano mechanics. With improved geometry, materials, and axle design, our goal is to offer an action that surpasses existing models while remaining practical for future production.