Out of control

[harvey]

Thanks for confirming my suspicions, Newt.

This piano is normally in it's own off-stage room with a portable 
humidifier. Unfortunately, the humidifier is rarely checked/emptied, 
so it shuts itself off. Then, thanks to a state-wide "poverty"  
program, the central climate control in the otherwise sealed 
building is programmed for maximum cost savings (often at the 
expense of creature comfort, I might add).

As a result, I've recorded humidity readings as low as 23% on one 
visit, and 58~80% the next. That's why I started doing those routine 
ballpark pitch checks before tuning. So, in effect, I *caused* the 
fatigue, but only by doing my job.

After my post, I send a memo to the stage manager, indicating that 
we should talk -- that this incident is a sign of things to come. He's 
big on keeping equipment tweaked, so maybe he can help 
influence admin and those guarding the purse strings.

BTW, the replacement piano for this performance was a new 'D'. 
It's still relatively "green", and coupled with the humidity swings, I 
have to jockey across agraffe pings *and* ratcheting pins to find the 
sweet spot. No doubt it will experience the same fate... just faster!

Jim Harvey

On 14 Feb 2001, at 17:50, Newton Hunt wrote:

> Hi Jim,
> 
> The string broke from metal fatigue.  You can bend a coat hanger five
> times and it will break.  No matter that they are one after the other
> or spaced two weeks apart.  Metal fatigue is metal fatigue and when it
> reaches it's point it breaks.
> 
> If you have a major pull there well might be excessive friction which
> doesn't help.
> 
> Once started they will go, one by one by one.
> 
> Tuning causes strings to break at the pin, back and forthing from
> weather or trying to find that sweet spot.  Doesn't matter, fatigue is
> fatigue.
> 
> Splicing the big wire is a royal beach.  I have spliced 28 gauge wire
> but donut ask me how.  It is an emergency (performance an hour later)
> so I had to do it.  On an S&S D and the pin with the shortest distance
> to the agraffe.  Don't ask me how I did it, I just did.  Never again.
> 
> Splice or replace the string and tell the school to start counting
> their pennies.  And tell them they are stupid to be penny wise and
> pound foolish and tell them _I_ said so, for what that's worth.
> 
> > university will start crying the blues about hard times and budget restraints.
> 
> But they find money for flowers, athletics and paint.  Where the hell
> are their priorities?
> 
> Darn, I just ran out of humility.
> 
> Fondly,
> 
> 		Newton
> 



Jim Harvey
harvey@greenwood.net
Greenwood (n): the largest city in South Carolina WITHOUT an Interstate