Tension
I don’t know if you’ve ever had the opportunity to check out the inside of a piano, but if you can, do yourself a favor: go find one and take a good look. I mean, these things are a marvel! What you’ll find is an amazing intersection of three completely different disciplines: engineering, craftsmanship, and physics. the embodiment of the blend of form and function.
You know what I like the best about a piano, though? It’s that, when you look inside the (usually) beautifully handcrafted wooden case, it’s all so wonderfully, I don’t know, analog! And in today’s digital world, I find that kindof refreshing, don’t you?
Busy, Busy, Busy
Let’s see… inside, there’s about a zillion moving parts: wood and/or metal levers, little wooden hammers, strips of felt, metal pins, not to mention hundreds of wires ranging from very thin ones to thick, multi-wrapped monsters. I’m tellin’ ya; it’s a veritable Rube Goldberg-esque device, inside there.
One of the first things that always impressed me with your average piano is the internal structure of the wooden case. There are smooth wooden ribs and structural members running every which way in there. In fact, it’s amazing how they manage to get all that stuff in there and still leave room for the mechanical parts, too.
The thing is, a piano really needs that strength. Why? Well, there are 88 keys on the typical piano. And for each key, there are actually three piano wires. That makes a total of (hrm, let’s see now… I’m gonna have to take my shoes and socks off for this calculation…), uh, 264 wires! And all those wires, when properly tuned, produce an awful lot of… tension.
Did you know, in a modern grand piano, the total force created by the tension in those wires can be greater than 10 tons?
That Thing We Love To Hate
Ah; tension – it ranks right up there as one of the things we most love to hate, doesn’t it? Sometimes we call it stress, or strain, or even opposition, but it’s almost always the same thing. It’s that thing that opposes what we want to do.
Funny thing, though. Most of us spend so much time doing our best to avoid stress and tension in our lives (and I must admit to being no exception to that crowd), but we sometimes completely miss the fact that tension is actually a pretty useful thing to have. (sound of incredulity from the audience) No, really!
Let’s use this piano as an example. I mean, when you get right down to it, the very reason for a piano’s existence (and pretty much any stringed instrument, for that matter) is to provide a way to stretch a series of strings out in such a way as to produce music. And to do that, you have to have two anchor point (one fixed and one adjustable), and something to string between them.
Now, to produce the proper musical sound, you have to do what? (Yes, you in the back with your hand raised.) That’s right: stretch the dickens outta that wire! (or string, or gut, or whatever) Yep; ya gotta put the thing under a great deal of tension. And isn’t tension just another way of saying “getting pulled in two different directions”?
Otherwise, instead of, say, Mozart we’d get, I don’t know, maybe something that sounds a lot like a war between rogue gangs of alley cats. Believe me, when you’re sittin’ there in front of thousands of folks in Carnegie Hall, about to play your first virtuoso performance, well, that wouldn’t do at all! (Unless, of course, you were, y’know, going for Theme From: Cat Fight. Hey, I never know what passes for music these days).
Time to Make Music
Now, I think most of us experience the same sort of thing pretty much all the time, don’t we? I mean, we all have a little of this, that, and the other thing, all pullin’ us in different directions, with never a letup in sight. Life is like that, y’know?
But in fact, isn’t it also true that those tensions, stresses, and strains, once we learn to “tune” them to the proper note, are what help produce the beautiful music that is our lives? It’s somewhere there in the balance, isn’t it?
So next time you’re tempted to curse, rant or rail about something in your life that’s pullin’ you in two different directions, just think about that piano. After everything is said and done, it isn’t all about the tensions we face every day. Hey, welcome to life!
Nope, I think life is really all about the music.
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14 responses so far
Middle Zone Musings is a comfortable place to stop, have a cup of coffee, swap a few stories and share practical ideas for the real world. I don't ask for much, just a bit of your brain every now and then. Have a seat, take a load off, and relax...
Hey Robert, so nicely written. A person never thinks about it, but you are right. Life is just like music, and nobody ever thinks about looking inside a piano. I’m glad you brought this to everyone’s attention and how beautiful a piano works on the inside. Just like life if a person just sits back and thinks about it.
@Paula Jo – Thanks for sayin’ so, Paula Jo! I suppose it’s the engineer in me that’s fascinated by the workings of a piano. Especially when it’s right there in plain sight, like this grand piano.
Hi Robert,
This is a great analogy! Sometimes it feels like the tension in my life is producing really awful music but now I know that I just need a tad more stretching to get the sound right! I look forward to the day when my music is truly a sweet sound.
@Karen – Don’t forget the fact that we’re usually our own worst music critics! Your melody may be sweeter than you think. Just sayin’.
Hi Robert,
Very nice analogy. That would make a great subject for a poem.
I see what you mean about the necessity of tension in a meaningful life. I just hope I won’t need 10 tons of it like the grand piano. I also play classical music but my apartment situation means that I have to make due with an electronic keyboard
Wow, your timing of this is amazing for my life! I think many times when we look back on life, we find the times we’ve grown the most, or had the most profound life lessons has also been some of the hardest times of life.
Plus….think about the pain of tuning all those strings, to get them in harmony with the others. I think sometimes we get “tuned” as well, as that causes tensions too.
Great article!
@Marc – A poem, or maybe a great subject for a blues song, eh Marc?
@Val – You make a great point about getting them all into harmony, Val. That’s the real challenge, isn’t it?
What a lovely way of looking at life! I feel like I’m being pulled all over the place by my family, friends, work constraints, etc, and day by day I can feel the pressure building up and up. I guess it’s important to remember that it’s all part of life and in a way I’m lucky to have family and friends that want a piece of my time. I’ll remember your piano analogy next time I’m feeling stressed. Thank you
@Matthew – Hope it helps, Bubba!
“Life is all about the music”. Amen to that. There is only one thing that is common with every culture of our world. That is music. No matter what religion, culture background and geographic location music is at the forefront. Everyone can associate with a good beat or melody. I think that is what makes music so great. It can change a persons mood and outlook on life. I am a “amateur” musician. Nothing relaxes me more than a good jam. Thanks for the post and spreading the word of good music.
@Zach – A twang o’ the ol’ guitar and tip o’ the hat to ya!
Wow, this was surely a good way to put it out to get the message out there. You were using like a metaphor or something.
Tension can even make your hair fall as it did with my brother. However playing music or listening to it specially the piano is a good way to relieve stress and let things go.
I am always amazed at the powerful mind that we all posses, its just that we generally do not manage it as we should.
I will think of this post next time I feel stressed and see if it works out
Cheers.
@Mark – If this helps you, then I think my work here is done!