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finish

English translation: 1)the veneer 2) the final polish to the sound 3)the final touch

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:finish
Selected answer:1)the veneer 2) the final polish to the sound 3)the final touch
Entered by: Andrew Vdovin

07:27 Nov 10, 2007
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Music / drums
English term or phrase: finish
The eight-ply shells, all manufactured with Yamaha's Air Seal System, are a composition of Birch, Philippine Mahogany and Falkata. This wood mix is ideal as it covers most of the tone spectrum, with the Birch providing attack and the Philippine Mahogany and Falkata woods producing some deep, phat, low-end boom from the bass drum. The Birch layer is only a single outer-ply, but nonetheless, it produces a ***cool finish*** and adds that extra touch of punch.

Dear native English speakers!
Please help with the term. Is it about the sound or is it about the finish applied to the drum’s surface?
Thank you!
Andrew Vdovin
Local time: 21:30
it is 1)the veneer 2) the final polish to the sound 3)the final touch
Explanation:
Advertising needs to convey the most information in the fewest words and it is often done by using ambiguous words, words that carry more than one meaning. In this case, the finish is the cherry on the ice cream sunday. The veneer (which is the finish) is the final touch (or finish) which completes this wondrous piece of equipment and this final layer also is the last touch given to the sound: it's finish.

The Taildraggers are ably assisted by the addition of 3 sparkling guests to give that extra finish to the sound,
http://www.mp3.com/albums/432596/reviews.html

The features on this guitar are excellent. From the finish to the sound to the fret action, ESP did a nice job with it. Best part is the cost ($250). The finish is this smoky black that fits my style.
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/ES...

finish n.
1. The final part; the conclusion: racers neck-and-neck at the finish.
3. Something that completes, concludes, or perfects, especially:
a. The last treatment or coating of a surface: applied a shellac finish to the cabinet.
b. The surface texture produced by such a treatment or coating.
c. A material used in surfacing or finishing.
4. Completeness, refinement, or smoothness of execution; polish.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=finish


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Note added at 1 day11 hrs (2007-11-11 18:40:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Andrew, you're right that a "punch" can be an attack, which would be the start of the sound. But that type of punch isn't what is being referred to here. The text gives a list of attributes that the different layers of wood gives and the veneer, which is the last layer of wood, gives the sound an additional boost or kick (the punch), which finishes off the sound (the final touch or polish to the sound). So, the finish (veneer) finishes (completes the list of the attributes of) the sound by giving it a final polish. All three meanings of finish are included in the phrase "cool finish."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 days (2007-11-17 23:29:27 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

You're welcome, Andrew, & thank you! :-)
Selected response from:

Claire Chapman
Local time: 10:30
Grading comment
Jee, it was really hard to choose! I think your answer gives the best explanation. Thank you very much.
Thanks everybody!!!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +4sound effect
Patricia Townshend (X)
4 +1it is about the look
Paula Vaz-Carreiro
5it is 1)the veneer 2) the final polish to the sound 3)the final touch
Claire Chapman


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
sound effect


Explanation:
I would say that it refers to the sound effect produced by the layer of wood applied to the drum's surface.

Patricia Townshend (X)
South Africa
Local time: 16:30
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jim Tucker (X): Yes, agree, though I see why asker asks. Best clue is the previous sentence, which also speaks of woods and the sounds they create.
1 hr
  -> Thanks
agree  Edith Kelly
1 hr
  -> Thanks
agree  Rachel Fell
5 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Alexander Demyanov: Albeit as a non-dear, non-native speaker
5 hrs
  -> Thanks
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
it is about the look


Explanation:
Well... I think the fact that this is the outer ply and that it is birch suggests that this layer is added because it makes the drum look nice (a 'cool finish').

The sound of this layer is mentioned in passing in at the end of the sentence, where they say that it also produces a 'touch of punch'.

The point is that this ply is mainly there for visual effect, not its sound. If it sounds good, that's a bonus.

HTH

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2007-11-10 12:53:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Alexander makes a fair point, and it is confusing. However, what made me think this way is that when they mention the woods in the first sentence, they say that birch is for the attack, which is the _first_ part of the sound. Hence I thought 'finish' refers to the look, not the sound, since they don't mention birch as good for the final part of the sound, which is commonly known as the 'release' or 'decay'.

Hope this helps to clarify my answer.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs (2007-11-10 13:05:55 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

To me, the last sentence

(The Birch layer is only a single outer-ply, but nonetheless, it produces a ***cool finish*** and adds that extra touch of punch.)

is referring to the look of the drum after the outer-ply is in place.

*I am not* saying that the birch outer-ply has no contribution to the sound of the drum - the sentence says so ("adds that extra touch of punch") but the *cool finish* refers to the look of the drum after it has the outer-ply of birch.

And, just for the record, I have run this answer past my British born and bread husband and he agrees :-)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day4 hrs (2007-11-11 12:10:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

oops - born and bred - is what I meant :-|

As for your question Andrew, I really don't know why they think it is the sound. I can only restate the reasons why I believe it to be the look. It is just the way the sentence is put, first talking about the finish given by the outer-ply and then mentioning that it adds to the sound.

The word "finish" is usually applied to furniture, to surfaces, to polishing... in order words, it is applied to the final look of an object...and there is just something about the whole paragraph taken together that seems, at least to me, to make it clear that they are mentioning the look of the drum.


Paula Vaz-Carreiro
Native speaker of: Native in PortuguesePortuguese, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you very much for your help Paula! I’m really inclined to agree with you, but… there are quite a few who agree with the opposite interpretation. Why do you think so many people believe it’s about the sound?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Alexander Demyanov: Hi Paula! What about the previous sentence, where the birch layer is talked about not "in passing"? It's seems a bit confusing, doesn't it?//Also, "produces" and "nonetheless". If it were about appearance, 1 ply would be enough anyway.
37 mins
  -> Fair point Alexander see comment added above.
agree  V_Nedkov: Agree with Paula. I have heard this expression on many occasions and it has always been about the look
1 day 6 hrs
  -> Thanks a lot V. It IS about the look. Only just I aked another English person who said imediately it was about the look.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
it is 1)the veneer 2) the final polish to the sound 3)the final touch


Explanation:
Advertising needs to convey the most information in the fewest words and it is often done by using ambiguous words, words that carry more than one meaning. In this case, the finish is the cherry on the ice cream sunday. The veneer (which is the finish) is the final touch (or finish) which completes this wondrous piece of equipment and this final layer also is the last touch given to the sound: it's finish.

The Taildraggers are ably assisted by the addition of 3 sparkling guests to give that extra finish to the sound,
http://www.mp3.com/albums/432596/reviews.html

The features on this guitar are excellent. From the finish to the sound to the fret action, ESP did a nice job with it. Best part is the cost ($250). The finish is this smoky black that fits my style.
http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/ES...

finish n.
1. The final part; the conclusion: racers neck-and-neck at the finish.
3. Something that completes, concludes, or perfects, especially:
a. The last treatment or coating of a surface: applied a shellac finish to the cabinet.
b. The surface texture produced by such a treatment or coating.
c. A material used in surfacing or finishing.
4. Completeness, refinement, or smoothness of execution; polish.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=finish


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day11 hrs (2007-11-11 18:40:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Andrew, you're right that a "punch" can be an attack, which would be the start of the sound. But that type of punch isn't what is being referred to here. The text gives a list of attributes that the different layers of wood gives and the veneer, which is the last layer of wood, gives the sound an additional boost or kick (the punch), which finishes off the sound (the final touch or polish to the sound). So, the finish (veneer) finishes (completes the list of the attributes of) the sound by giving it a final polish. All three meanings of finish are included in the phrase "cool finish."

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 days (2007-11-17 23:29:27 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

You're welcome, Andrew, & thank you! :-)

Claire Chapman
Local time: 10:30
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 24
Grading comment
Jee, it was really hard to choose! I think your answer gives the best explanation. Thank you very much.
Thanks everybody!!!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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