The 19th century was a period of experimentation with materials for instrument construction : this brought about timpani with a mechanical peddle, known as th "Dresden". It opened up a rich future through which Bartok explored all possibilities..
Presently there are two mechanical systems available :
- The system from Premier, represents an improvement over the first Dresden systems with its mechanical locking.
- The system from Ludwig was invented in 1920s.
The "Premier" system | | The "Ludwig" system |
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Tuning is achieved by the vertical repositioning of the pedal, which can be locked in the desired position. | | Tuning is achieved by the pedal's rotation, which is held by a mechanical system through a mechanical compensation. |
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Some timpani are equipped with a tension changing mechanism |
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The system with a clutch handle (Adams and Majestic) positioned near the head of the timpani, allows for the change of pitch and fine tuning. | | The system with a disc (Premier), situated under the bowl of the timpani is adjustable by hand or by foot. |
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Suggested maintenance
Simply by playing timpani can deform their skin. Therefore even in the absence of impact, when we do not see that they are damaged, they can become defective.
Excessive dust and dirt on the timpani's mechanical parts can contribute to a premature wearing of its moving parts.
A frequently asked question, to which there is no unanimous answer :
What position should the pedal be in when not in use?
Our answer is different depending on the skins used :
For animals skins:
It is best to leave the pedal in mid-position, so that the skin does not undergo any physical tension that could deform it.
For plastic skins:
It is preferable to leave the pedal in the highest position when the timpani is at rest.